Input device, storage medium, information input method, and electronic apparatus

• US 8,493,334 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications Japan Inc (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takashima, Kouichiro, Takahashi, Tsutomu, Kushima, Satoshi, Okii, Hideki, Kayama, Shun, Shimizu, Yukiko, Sawada, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEYOUM, TSEGAYE H
• Application Number:
  US12/171,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20090015555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 345/158, 345173-175, 715/810, 715/835, 715/840, 178/18.01, 178/18.06
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

An optical input device has a display screen, a portion of the display screen being shielded from light by an operating member to implement input processing based on a plurality of input modes. The input device includes an input detection unit including a display unit that displays predetermined input information, and a control unit. The input detection unit detects an area and/or brightness of a light-shielded portion formed on the display screen by the operating member by approaching the display unit. The control unit provides display control of the display unit and input control on the basis of the detected area and/or brightness. The control unit compares the detected area and/or brightness with a predetermined threshold value to select a desired input mode from among the plurality of input modes.

Claims

1. An optical input device having a display screen, a portion of the display screen being shielded from light by an operating member to implement input processing based on a plurality of input modes, the input device comprising:

input detection means including a display unit configured to display predetermined input information, the input detection means detecting at least one of an area and brightness of a light- shielded portion formed on the display screen by the operating member by approaching the display unit; and

control means for providing display control of the display unit and input control on the basis of the at least one of an area and brightness detected by the input detection means,

wherein the control means compares the detected at least one of an area and brightness with a predetermined threshold value to select a desired input mode from among the plurality of input modes, and

wherein the control means defines a detection area corresponding to a same piece of input information displayed on the input detection means for each of the plurality of input modes, and at least one of a size and a shape of the detection areas corresponding to the same piece of input information is different for each of the input modes, and

wherein the same piece of input information displayed on the input detection means is an icon, and the control means defines a first detection area corresponding to and overlapping the icon in a first input mode as an edge portion of the icon, and defines a second detection area corresponding to and overlapping the icon in a second input mode as a center portion of the icon,

wherein the input detection means displays adjacent icons, each of the adjacent icons having an edge portion of a respective icon as a detection area in the first input mode and having a center portion of the respective icon as a detection area in the second input mode,

wherein a space between detection areas of the adjacent icons is larger in the second input mode than in the first input mode.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the control means executes input processing in the desired input mode on the basis of at least one of a detected position and movement of the light-shielded portion within the detection area.

3. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising vibration means connected to the control means, the vibration means vibrating the display screen on the basis of a vibration pattern corresponding to the desired input mode.

11. The input device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a shape and a size of a first detection area corresponding to a first input mode is different than at least one of a shape and a size of a second detection area corresponding to a second input mode.

4. A storage medium storing a program adapted to implement input processing based on a plurality of input modes according to a light-shielding operation performed, using an operating member, on predetermined input information displayed on a display screen, the program comprising the steps of:

detecting by an input detection means at least one of an area and brightness of a light-shielded portion formed on the display screen by the operating member by approaching the display screen;

comparing the detected at least one of an area and brightness with a predetermined threshold value to select a desired input mode from among the plurality of input modes;

defining a detection area corresponding to a same piece of input information displayed on the display screen for each of the plurality of input modes, and at least one of a size and a shape of the detection areas corresponding to the same piece of input information is different for each of the input modes, wherein the same piece of input information displayed on the display screen is an icon, and a first detection area corresponding to and overlapping the icon in a first input mode is defined as an edge portion of the icon, and a second detection area corresponding to and overlapping the icon in a second input mode is defined as a center portion of the icon;

detecting at least one of a position and movement of the light-shielded portion within the detection area for the desired input mode; and

determining input processing in the desired input mode on the basis of the detected at least one of a position and movement,

wherein an adjacent icons displays by the input detection means, each of the adjacent icons having an edge portion of a respective icon as a detection area in the first input mode and having a center portion of the respective icon as a detection area in the second input mode,

wherein a space between detection areas of the adjacent icons is larger in the second input mode than in the first input mode.

5. An information input method for implementing input processing based on a plurality of input modes according to a light-shielding operation performed, using an operating member, on predetermined input information displayed on a display screen, the information input method comprising the steps of:

detecting by an input detection means at least one of an area and brightness of a light-shielded portion formed on the display screen by the operating member by approaching the display screen;

comparing the detected at least one of an area and brightness with a predetermined threshold value to select a desired input mode from among the plurality of input modes;

defining a detection area corresponding to a same piece of input information displayed on the display screen for each of the plurality of input modes, and at least one of a size and a shape of the detection areas corresponding to the same piece of input information is different for each of the input modes, wherein the same piece of input information displayed on the display screen is an icon, and a first detection area corresponding to and overlapping the icon in a first input mode is defined as an edge portion of the icon, and a second detection area corresponding to and overlapping the icon in a second input mode is defined as a center portion of the icon;

detecting at least one of a position and movement of the light-shielded portion within the detection area for the desired input mode; and

determining input processing in the desired input mode on the basis of the detected at least one of a position and movement,

wherein an adjacent icons displays by the input detection means, each of the adjacent icons having an edge portion of a respective icon as a detection area in the first input mode and having a center portion of the respective icon as a detection area in the second input mode,

wherein a space between detection areas of the adjacent icons is larger in the second input mode than in the first input mode.

6. The information input method according to claim 5, wherein the step of defining a detection area includes defining a detection area in an edge portion of a portion where the input information is displayed on the display screen.

7. The information input method according to claim 5, wherein the step of defining a detection area includes defining a detection area in a center portion of a portion where the input information is displayed on the display screen.

8. An electronic apparatus comprising:

an optical input device having a display screen, a portion of the display screen being shielded from light by an operating member to implement input processing based on a plurality of input modes, the input device including

input detection means including a display unit configured to display predetermined input information, the input detection means detecting at least one of an area and brightness of a light- shielded portion formed on the display screen by the operating member by approaching the display unit, and

control means for providing display control of the display unit and input control on the basis of the at least one of an area and brightness detected by the input detection means,

wherein the control means compares the detected at least one of an area and brightness with a predetermined threshold value to select a desired input mode from among the plurality of input modes,

wherein the control means defines a detection area corresponding to a same piece of input information displayed on the display screen for each of the plurality of input modes, and at least one of a size and a shape of the detection areas corresponding to the same piece of input information is different for each of the input modes, and

wherein the same piece of input information displayed on the display screen is an icon, and the control means defines a first detection area corresponding to and overlapping the icon in a first input mode as an edge portion of the icon, and defines a second detection area corresponding to and overlapping the icon in a second input mode as a center portion of the icon,

wherein the input detection means displays adjacent icons, each of the adjacent icons having an edge portion of a respective icon as a detection area in the first input mode and having a center portion of the respective icon as a detection area in the second input mode,

wherein a space between detection areas of the adjacent icons is larger in the second input mode than in the first input mode.

9. An optical input device having a display screen, a portion of the display screen being shielded from light by an operating member to implement input processing based on a plurality of input modes, the input device comprising:

an input detection unit including a display unit configured to display predetermined input information, the input detection unit being configured to detect at least one of an area and brightness of a light-shielded portion formed on the display screen by the operating member by approaching the display unit; and

a control unit configured to provide display control of the display unit and input control on the basis of the at least one of an area and brightness detected by the input detection unit,

wherein the control unit compares the detected at least one of an area and brightness with a predetermined threshold value to select a desired input mode from among the plurality of input modes,

wherein the control unit defines a detection area corresponding to a same piece of input information displayed on the display screen for each of the plurality of input modes, and at least one of a size and a shape of the detection areas corresponding to the same piece of input information is different for each of the input modes,

wherein the same piece of input information displayed on the display screen is an icon, and the control unit defines a first detection area corresponding to and overlapping the icon in a first input mode as an edge portion of the icon, and defines a second detection area corresponding to and overlapping the icon in a second input mode as a center portion of the icon,

wherein the input detection unit displays adjacent icons, each of the adjacent icons having an edge portion of a respective icon as a detection area in the first input mode and having a center portion of the respective icon as a detection area in the second input mode,

wherein a space between detection areas of the adjacent icons is larger in the second input mode than in the first input mode.

10. An electronic apparatus comprising:

an optical input device having a display screen, a portion of the display screen being shielded from light by an operating member to implement input processing based on a plurality of input modes, the input device including an input detection unit including

a display unit configured to display predetermined input information, the input detection unit being configured to detect at least one of an area and brightness of a light-shielded portion formed on the display screen by the operating member by approaching the display unit, and

a control unit configured to provide display control of the display unit and input control on the basis of the at least one of an area and brightness detected by the input detection unit,

wherein the control unit compares the detected at least one of an area and brightness with a predetermined threshold value to select a desired input mode from among the plurality of input modes,

wherein the control unit defines a detection area corresponding to a same piece of input information displayed on the display screen for each of the plurality of input modes, and at least one of a size and a shape of the detection areas corresponding to the same piece of input information is different for each of the input modes, and

wherein the same piece of input information displayed on the display screen is an icon, and the control unit defines a first detection area corresponding to and overlapping the icon in a first input mode as an edge portion of the icon, and defines a second detection area corresponding to and overlapping the icon in a second input mode as a center portion of the icon,

wherein the input detection unit displays adjacent icons, each of the adjacent icons having an edge portion of a respective icon as a detection area in the first input mode and having a center portion of the respective icon as a detection area in the second input mode,

wherein a space between detection areas of the adjacent icons is larger in the second input mode than in the first input mode.