Operation input device and method, program, and electronic apparatus

• US 8,674,936 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2010
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Kazuyuki, Noda, Takurou, Yamano, Ikuo
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, VIET DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/909,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

An operation input device includes: angular velocity detecting means for detecting an angular velocity; relative velocity detecting means for contactlessly detecting a relative velocity to a target object; distance detecting means for detecting a distance to the target object; and computing means for computing an amount of movement based on the angular velocity, the relative velocity, and the distance.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

circuitry configured to;

detect an angular velocity;

contactlessly detect a relative velocity to a target object;

detect a distance to the target object;

compute an amount of movement based on the angular velocity, the relative velocity, and the distance;

detect a frequency of vibration at sliding if there is contact with the target object;

acquire a correction value based on the detected frequency; and

compute a corrected velocity at the sliding based on the correction value and the angular velocity.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, the circuitry being further configured to contactlessly detect the relative velocity by:

emitting light to illuminate the target object; and

imaging the target object irradiated with the emitted light,

wherein the detected distance is detected based on an image of the target object.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, the circuitry being further configured to detect contact with the target object.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, the circuitry being further configured to detect two-step contact.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a buffer material that suppresses transfer of vibration, generated at contact with the target object, to the circuitry configured to detect the angular velocity.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, if the distance to the target object is equal to or more than a reference range, screen operation is stopped,

if the distance to the target object is less than the reference range, screen operation is executed, and

if there is contact with the target object, special operation is executed.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, if the distance to the target object is equal to or more than a reference range, first screen operation is executed, and

if the distance to the target object is within the reference range, second screen operation is executed.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, if the distance to the target object is equal to or more than a first range within the reference range, screen operation based on a first physical quantity is executed, and

if the distance to the target object is less than the first range within the reference range, screen operation based on a second physical quantity is executed.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, the circuitry being further configured to detect the frequency of vibration at sliding from sound.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, the circuitry being further configured to combine the frequency detecting and the angular velocity detecting, and the angular velocity detecting further detects the frequency of vibration at sliding.

11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, the circuitry being further configured to detect a gesture based on the angular velocity if there is contact with the target object.

12. An operation input method of an electronic apparatus, comprising:

detecting, using circuitry, an angular velocity;

contactlessly detecting, using the circuitry, a relative velocity to a target object;

detecting, using the circuitry, a distance to the target object;

computing, using the circuitry, an amount of movement based on the angular velocity, the relative velocity, and the distance;

detecting, using the circuitry, a frequency of vibration at sliding if there is contact with the target object;

acquiring, using the circuitry, a correction value based on the detected frequency; and

computing, using the circuitry, a corrected velocity at the sliding based on the correction value and the angular velocity.

13. A nontransitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with a program causing a computer to execute the steps of:

detecting, using circuitry, an angular velocity;

contactlessly detecting, using the circuitry, a relative velocity to a target object;

detecting, using the circuitry, a distance to the target object;

computing, using the circuitry, an amount of movement based on the angular velocity, the relative velocity, and the distance;

detecting, using the circuitry, a frequency of vibration at sliding if there is contact with the target object;

acquiring, using the circuitry, a correction value based on the detected frequency; and

computing, using the circuitry, a corrected velocity at the sliding based on the correction value and the angular velocity.

14. An operation input device, comprising:

circuitry configured to;

detect an angular velocity;

contactlessly detect a relative velocity to a target object;

detect a distance to the target object;

compute an amount of movement based on the angular velocity, the relative velocity, and the distance;

detect a frequency of vibration at sliding if there is contact with the target object;

acquire a correction value based on the detected frequency; and

compute a corrected velocity at the sliding based on the correction value and the angular velocity.