Display/input device

• US 8,570,298 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Tetsuo, Aoyama, Ryu, Tsurumi, Takehiko, Homma, Fuminori, Moriya, Shoichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, NICHOLAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/645,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A display/input device is provided which includes a position sensor on which an electrode pattern in grid form is arranged, the position sensor being for specifying a position of an operating tool by detecting a capacitance changing at a contact part or a proximity part at a time the operating tool is made to contact the electrode pattern or is brought into proximity of the electrode pattern, and an outer frame portion forming an outer frame of a display screen provided with the position sensor. A boundary of an area where the position of the operating tool can be specified by the position sensor despite a non-presence of the electrode pattern is visually or haptically indicated at the outer frame portion.

Claims

1. A display/input device comprising:

a position sensor on which an electrode pattern in grid form is arranged, the position sensor being configured for specifying a position of an operating tool by detecting a capacitance change at a location touched by the operating tool or at a location proximate to the operating tool when the operating tool is made to contact the electrode pattern or is brought into proximity of the electrode pattern; and

an outer frame portion forming an outer frame of a display screen provided with the position sensor,

wherein the electrode pattern extends from the display screen of the outer frame portion and the area occupied by the electrode pattern is less than a first area where the position of the operating tool can be specified by the position sensor, and

wherein a boundary of the first area is visually or haptically indicated at the outer frame portion.

2. The display/input device according to claim 1, wherein, among areas included in the outer frame portion, the first area and a second area where the position of the operating tool cannot be specified by the position sensor are formed from materials with respectively different feels.

3. The display/input device according to claim 1, wherein a step is provided at a boundary portion between the first area and a second area where the position of the operating tool cannot be specified by the position sensor, among areas included in the outer frame portion.

4. The display/input device according to claim 1, wherein a boundary line is displayed at a boundary portion between the first area and a second area where the position of the operating tool cannot be specified by the position sensor, among areas included in the outer frame portion.

5. The display/input device according to claim 1, wherein, among areas included in the outer frame portion, the first area and a second area where the position of the operating tool cannot be specified by the position sensor have respectively different colors.

6. The display/input device according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the outer frame portion over which the electrode pattern extends includes only an area in the outer frame that immediately contacts and surrounds the display screen.

7. A display device comprising:

a display screen;

an outer frame surrounding the display screen;

an electrode pattern for specifying a touch location of an operating tool by detecting a change in capacitance at the touch location, wherein the electrode pattern is arranged over the display screen and extends from the display screen to a portion of the outer frame; and

a sensor area on which the touch location is actually detectable by the electrode pattern, the sensor area being greater than an area covered by the electrode pattern, wherein the outer frame is configured to indicate a boundary of the sensor area.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein the outer frame comprises a silkscreen for displaying the boundary of the sensor area.

9. The display device of claim 7, wherein the outer frame comprises a first material in an area covered by the sensor area and a second material in an area not covered by the sensor area, wherein the first and second materials are different from each other.

10. The display device of claim 7, wherein the outer frame comprises a step defining the boundary of the sensor area.

11. The display/input device according to claim 7, wherein the outer frame comprises a first area occupied by the sensor area for sensing the touch location and a second area where the touch location cannot be detected, and wherein the first area comprises a material haptically different from that of the second area.

12. The display/input device according to claim 7, wherein the outer frame comprises a first area occupied by the sensor area for sensing the touch location and a second area where the touch location cannot be detected, and wherein a step is provided along a boundary line between the first area and the second area.

13. The display/input device according to claim 7, wherein the outer frame comprises a first area occupied by the sensor area for sensing the touch location and a second area where the touch location cannot be detected, and wherein a boundary line between the first area and the second area is displayed on the outer frame.

14. The display/input device according to claim 7, wherein the outer frame comprises a first area occupied by the sensor area for sensing the touch location and a second area where the touch location cannot be detected, and wherein the first area comprises a first color and the second area comprises a second color different from the first color.