Input device, control method of input device, and program

• US 8,164,577 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Japan Display West Incorporated (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tsuzaki, Ryoichi, Narita, Tomoya, Yamaguchi, Kazunori, Harada, Tsutomu, Tateuchi, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eurice, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US12/259,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20090122007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702, 345/175, 345/173, 382/195
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an input device including, a target creating section a performing section, and a height information generating section wherein the target creating section generates the information on the target to which information the height information is added, and the performing section performs predetermined processing on a basis of the height information added to the information on the target.

Claims

1. An input device having an input unit for receiving light corresponding to an external input, and allowing input to a plurality of points on an input surface of said input unit, said input device comprising:

target creating means for generating information on a target indicating a series of external inputs on a basis of temporal or spatial positional relation of input parts to which the inputs have been performed;

display means for displaying an image, the display means corresponding to said input surface of said input unit;

performing means for performing predetermined processing on a basis of the information on said target; and

height information generating means for generating height information indicating height of said target from said input surface on a basis of an amount of light received in said input unit;

wherein said target creating means generates the information on said target to which information said height information is added, and said performing means performs predetermined processing on a basis of said height information added to the information on said target, and the display means does not display any image when the height of the target is greater than a first height, displays a first image when the height of the target is less than the first height but not touching the display means, and displays a second image when the target touches the display means.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein when there is a target whose height indicated by said height information added to information on said target is a first threshold value or less, said performing means sets said target as a target to focus, and displays predetermined keys in proximity to the target to focus, said predetermined keys being included in a software keyboard formed by a plurality of keys displayed on said display screen, in a magnified state on said display screen, and when the height indicated by said height information added to the information on the target to focus becomes a second threshold value or less, said second threshold value being smaller than said first threshold value, or when the height indicated by said height information added to the information on the target to focus becomes more than said second threshold value after becoming said second threshold value or less, said performing means selects one key in proximity to the target to focus among said predetermined keys, and inputs information corresponding to said one key.

3. The input device according to claim 1, wherein when there is a target whose height indicated by said height information added to information on said target is a first threshold value or less, said performing means sets said target as a target to focus, and displays a menu item including a plurality of items on said display screen, and when the height indicated by said height information added to the information on the target to focus becomes a second threshold value or less, said second threshold value being smaller than said first threshold value, or when the height indicated by said height information added to the information on the target to focus becomes more than said second threshold value after becoming said second threshold value or less, said performing means selects one item in proximity to the target to focus among said plurality of items, and performs predetermined processing corresponding to said one item.

4. An input device according to claim 1, wherein when there is a target whose height indicated by said height information added to information on said target is a first threshold value or less, said performing means sets said target as a target to focus, and displays predetermined photographs in proximity to the target to focus, said predetermined photographs being included in a photograph list of a plurality of photographs displayed on said display screen, in a magnified state on said display screen, and when the height indicated by said height information added to the information on the target to focus becomes a second threshold value or less, said second threshold value being smaller than said first threshold value, or when the height indicated by said height information added to the information on the target to focus becomes more than said second threshold value after becoming said second threshold value or less, said performing means selects one key in proximity to the target to focus among said predetermined photographs, and performs predetermined processing on said one photograph.

5. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

event creating means for recognizing an event indicating a change in state of said target on a basis of the information on said target, and generating information on said event, wherein said performing means performs predetermined processing on a basis of the information on said event.

6. The input device according to claim 5, wherein said event creating means recognizes said event when the height indicated by said height information added to the information on said target is in a predetermined range.

7. A control method of an input device, said input device having an input unit for receiving light corresponding to an external input, and allowing input to a plurality of points on an input surface of said input unit, said control method comprising:

generating information on a target indicating a series of external inputs on a basis of temporal or spatial positional relation of input parts to which the inputs have been performed;

performing predetermined processing on a basis of the information on said target;

generating height information indicating height of said target from said input surface on a basis of an amount of light received in said input unit; and

displaying no image on the input surface when the height of the target is greater than a first height, displaying a first image on the input surface when the height of the target is less than the first height but not touching the input surface, and displaying a second image on the input surface when the target touches the input surface,

wherein in a process of said generating, the information on said target to which information said height information is added is generated, and in a process of said performing, predetermined processing is performed on a basis of said height information added to the information on said target.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a program for making a computer perform a control processing method for an input device, said input device having an input unit for receiving light corresponding to an external input, and allowing input to a plurality of points on an input surface of said input unit, said method comprising:

generating information on a target indicating a series of external inputs on a basis of temporal or spatial positional relation of input parts to which the inputs have been performed;

performing predetermined processing on a basis of the information on said target;

generating height information indicating height of said target from said input surface on a basis of an amount of light received in said input unit; and

displaying no image on the input surface when the height of the target is greater than a first height, displaying a first image on the input surface when the height of the target is less than the first height but not touching the input surface, and displaying a second image on the input surface when the target touches the input surface,

wherein in a process of said generating, the information on said target to which information said height information is added is generated, and in a process of said performing, predetermined processing is performed on a basis of said height information added to the information on said target.

9. An input device having an input unit for receiving light corresponding to an external input, and allowing input to a plurality of points on an input surface of said input unit, said input device comprising:

a target creating section configured to generate information on a target indicating a series of external inputs on a basis of temporal or spatial positional relation of input parts to which the inputs have been performed;

a display section configured to display an image, the display means corresponding to said input surface of said input unit;

a performing section configured to perform predetermined processing on a basis of the information on said target; and

a height information generating section configured to generate height information indicating height of said target from said input surface on a basis of an amount of light received in said input unit;

wherein said target creating section generates the information on said target to which information said height information is added, and said performing section performs predetermined processing on a basis of said height information added to the information on said target, and the display section does not display any image when the height of the target is greater than a first height, displays a first image when the height of the target is less than the first height but not touching the display section, and displays a second image when the target touches the display section.

10. The input device according to claim 9, wherein the display section displays said first image including selectable menu icons, and the display section displays the second image including the selectable menu icons and indicates a selectable menu icon that is being touched by the target.