Electronic apparatus

• US 8,082,522 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kinouchi, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hassan, Rashedul
• Application Number:
  US11/435,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20060274053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,042 Days
• Field of Search: 715/830, 715784-787, 715828-829, 715/864
• US Class Current: 715/830
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

An electronic apparatus capable of a suppress area for user interface parts and improving operability, including a touch sensor for detecting contact by an object on a predetermined detection area and operation buttons for detecting press imposed at predetermined positions on the detection area; wherein a screen of a display part continuously scrolls in accordance with movement of a contact position detected by the touch sensor and the screen is scrolled only by a predetermined width every time press on the operation buttons is detected, and it is sufficient to run a finger on the detection area of the touch sensor for scrolling continuously and no button operation is necessary, and when scrolling while selecting items in order by buttons, the operation buttons are provided in the detection area of the touch sensor, so that it is not required many finger movement.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a contact detection part detecting a contact with a detection area and movement of the contact in the detection area, the contact detection part including a vertical region;

a press detection part detecting a press on the detection area and including a section having a directional key, wherein the vertical region of the contact detection part is overlaid on the section of the press detection part having the directional key;

a processing part performing a first type of processing based on detection of the movement of the contact in the vertical region and performing a second type of processing based on detection of the press on the directional key, wherein the processing part selectively activates continuous scrolling or discontinuous scrolling based on a type of contact between a user'"'"'s finger and the detection area;

an audio playing device coupled with the processing part, wherein the processing part continuously fast-forwards or rewinds audio based on a detection by the contact detection part and discontinuously fast-forwards or rewinds audio based on a detection by the press detection part; and

a display displaying items and coupled with the processing part,

wherein the processing part;

activates the continuous scrolling of the items on the display in response to a detection, by the press detection part, of a predetermined plurality of presses by the user'"'"'s finger within a predetermined time period;

executes the continuous scrolling of the items on the display in response to at least one of the detected plurality of presses or a movement of the user'"'"'s finger, wherein the continuous scrolling continues after the finger stops moving and after the finger is not in contact with the detection area; and

executes the discontinuous scrolling of the items on the display in response to a detection, by the press detection part, of a single press of the user'"'"'s finger within the predetermined time period, wherein the discontinuous scrolling discontinues after the finger stops pressing and after the finger is not in contact with the detection area.

2. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processing part activates the continuous scrolling of the items on the display based on a movement of a contact caused by a single stroke or a double-click and discontinuously scrolls items on the display only by a predetermined width every time the single press is detected within the predetermined time period.

3. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a movement direction determination part determining the movement direction of the contact, wherein:

the press detection part detects presses at a first position and a second position on the detection area, and

the processing part continuously scrolls items on the display in a first direction or seamlessly fast-forwards audio when the movement direction determination part determines that the contact moves from the second position to the first position, continuously scrolls items on the display in a second direction or continuously rewinds audio when the movement direction determination part determines that the contact moves from the first position to the second position, scrolls items on the display in the first direction only by a predetermined width or fast-forwards audio only by a predetermined amount when a press on the first position is detected, and scrolls items on the display in the second direction only by a predetermined width or rewinds audio only by a predetermined amount when a press on the second position is detected.

4. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a movement distance acquiring part acquiring a movement distance of the contact, wherein the processing part scrolls items on the display or fast-forwards or rewinds audio at a speed in accordance with the movement distance.

5. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the processing part continues the continuous scrolling or continues the continuous fast-forwarding or rewinding audio when the contact becomes undetectable, and stops the continuous scrolling or stops the continuous fast-forwarding or rewinding audio when the contact is detected again after becoming undetectable, or stops the discontinuous scrolling or stops the discontinuous fast-forwarding or rewinding audio when the detection of the press stops.

6. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the processing part continuously fast-forwards or rewinds audio when the press detection part detects the predetermined number of presses in the predetermined time period.

7. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the press detection part detects presses at a first position and a second position in the detection area and a third position and a fourth position inside or outside the detection area; and

items being divided into a plurality of item groups, the processing part displays a portion of an item group on the display, moves a display range upward, or fast-forwards audio when a press is detected at the first position, moves a display range downward, or rewinds audio when a press is detected at the second position, moves a display range to an antecedent item group when a press is detected at the third position, and moves a display range to a subsequent item group when a press is detected at the fourth position.

8. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a memory part for storing items and audio data, the items being associated with respective audio data, wherein the processing part reads the audio data associated with any one of the items currently displayed on the display from the memory part and reproduces the audio.

9. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein when the press detection part detects a press on the detection area and the contact detection part detects a movement of the contact, the processing part disregards the press and performs processing.

10. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a contact detection part detecting a contact with a detection area and movement of the contact in the detection area, the contact detection part including a vertical region;

a press detection part detecting a press on the detection area and including a section having a directional key, wherein the vertical region of the contact detection part is overlaid on the section of the press detection part having the directional key;

a movement distance acquiring part acquiring a movement distance of the contact;

a processing part performing a first type of processing based on the movement distance and the detection of the movement of the contact in the vertical region and performing a second type of processing based on detection of the press on the directional key, wherein the processing part selectively activates continuous scrolling or discontinuous scrolling based on a type of contact between a user'"'"'s finger and the detection area;

an audio playing device coupled with the processing part, wherein the processing part fast-forwards or rewinds audio at a speed in accordance with the movement distance; and

a display displaying items and coupled with the processing part,

wherein the processing part;

activates the continuous scrolling of the items on the display in response to a detection, by the press detection part, of a predetermined plurality of presses by the user'"'"'s finger within a predetermined time period;

executes the continuous scrolling of the items on the display in response to at least one of the detected plurality of presses or a movement of the user'"'"'s finger, wherein the continuous scrolling continues after the finger stops moving and after the finger is not in contact with the detection area; and

executes the discontinuous scrolling of the items on the display in response to a detection, by the press detection part, of a single press of the user'"'"'s finger within the predetermined time period, wherein the discontinuous scrolling discontinues after the finger stops pressing and after the finger is not in contact with the detection area.

11. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the processing part sets an execution condition value in accordance with the movement distance and executes processing based on the set value.

12. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein the processing part scrolls items on the display based on the movement of the contact, and the processing part continues the continuous scrolling or continues the fast-forwarding or rewinding when the contact becomes undetectable, and stops the continuous scrolling or stops the fast-forwarding or rewinding audio when the contact is detected again after becoming undetectable.

13. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the processing part scrolls items on the display at a speed in accordance with the movement distance.

14. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a memory part storing items and audio data, the items being associated with respective audio data, wherein the processing part reads the audio data associated with any one of the items currently displayed on the display and reproduces the audio.

15. A method for controlling scrolling of items displayed on a display, the method being executed by an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

detecting a contact with a contact detection part of a detection area of the electronic apparatus and movement of the contact in the detection area, the contact detection part including a vertical region;

detecting a press on a press detection area of the detection area, the press detection area including a section having a directional key, wherein the vertical region of the contact detection part is overlaid on the section of the press detection part having the directional key;

performing a first type of processing based on detection of the movement of the contact in the vertical region;

performing a second type of processing based on detection of the press on the directional key, wherein the processing part continuously fast-forwards or rewinds audio based on a detection of the contact and discontinuously fast-forwards or rewinds audio based on a detection of the press;

selectively activating continuous scrolling or discontinuous scrolling based on a type of contact between a user'"'"'s finger and the detection area, wherein the activating comprises;

activating the continuous scrolling of the items on the display in response to a detection, by the press detection part, of a predetermined plurality of presses by the user'"'"'s finger within a predetermined time period;

displaying items on a display device of the electronic apparatus;

executing the continuous scrolling of the items on the display in response to at least one of the detected plurality of presses or a movement of the user'"'"'s finger, wherein the continuous scrolling continues after the finger stops moving and after the finger is not in contact with the detection area; and

executing the discontinuous scrolling of the items on the display in response to a detection, by the press detection part, of a single press of the user'"'"'s finger within the predetermined time period, wherein the discontinuous scrolling discontinues after the finger stops pressing and after the finger is not in contact with the detection area.