Input system including position-detecting device

• US 8,717,307 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom), Wasom Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Fukushima, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Gene W
• Application Number:
  US12/404,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20090225054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178 1801- 1811, 178 1901- 1907, 178 2001- 2004
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A position-detecting device detects a position pointed to by a position-pointing instrument and includes an operation panel detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument; and a manipulation-detecting unit located at at least one of the interior and the exterior of the operation panel, and detecting a manipulation by a second instrument other than the position-pointing instrument, or detecting a manipulation by both the position-pointing instrument and the second instrument.

Claims

1. A position-detecting device for detecting a position pointed to by a position-pointing instrument, comprising:

an operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument, said position being detected by receiving electromagnetic waves to and from the position-pointing instrument;

a touch pad operably associated with the operation panel for sensing manipulation by a user'"'"'s finger, the touch pad providing an area for sensing manipulation by a user'"'"'s finger simultaneously with detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument;

a control unit operable to determine whether manipulation of the touch pad is consecutive, and to generate a first signal to be output to an electronic device having a display unit for displaying if the manipulation is determined to be not consecutive and to generate a second signal to be output to the electronic device if the manipulation is determined to be consecutive, wherein scrolling and zooming in and out of the display unit for displaying are selectively triggered by the manipulation on the touch pad and by generation of said first and second signals by said control unit,

wherein the user can simultaneously perform a first operation using the position pointing instrument and a second operation on the touch pad using a finger, and

wherein the first operation is drawing and the second operation is at least zooming.

2. The position-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines whether the manipulation is consecutive when elapsed time from the immediately previous manipulation to the current manipulation is within a predetermined period.

3. The position-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the touch pad is a capacitive touch pad.

4. The position-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the area for sensing manipulation by a user'"'"'s finger is located at least partially within a manipulation area of the operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.

5. The position-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the operation panel detects the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument and the control unit determines whether manipulation by the position-pointing instrument is consecutive while determining whether manipulation of the touch pad is consecutive.

6. The position-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit detects both a touching and pushing manipulation on the touch pad.

7. The position-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises a screen and both manipulations on the operation panel and the touch pad are performed thereon.

8. The position-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the touch pad for sensing manipulation by a finger is located outside the operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.

9. The position-detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the touch pad for sensing manipulation by a finger is located wholly within the operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.

10. A system for detecting consecutive manipulation in a position-detecting device, comprising:

a position-pointing instrument; and

a position-detecting device including a control system for detecting a position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument to output the detected position, for detecting simultaneously with the detecting of the position of the position-pointing instrument a manipulation on a touch pad by a finger, for determining consecutive manipulation based upon sensing manipulation by a finger, and for delivering one of a first signal and a second signal to an electronic device having a display unit for displaying an image and indicating the result of the determination whether the manipulation on the touch pad is consecutive,

wherein at least one of a scrolling and a zooming function are selectively triggered by the control system determination of said first and second signals related to manipulation on the touch pad and wherein the user can simultaneously perform a drawing operation using the position-pointing instrument and at least the zooming function through manipulation of the touch pad.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

said position-detecting device includes an operation panel and an operably associated touch pad.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

said touch pad is located wholly within said operation panel.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein:

said touch pad is located at least partially within said operation panel.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein:

said touch pad is located wholly outside of said operation panel.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein:

said touch pad is a capacitive touch pad.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein:

said operation panel includes an electromagnetic sensor.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein:

said display unit displays the output of both said operation panel and said touch pad.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein:

said control system simultaneously senses said operation panel and said touch pad and determines whether manipulation of the position-pointing instrument is consecutive while also determining whether manipulation on the touch pad is consecutive.

19. A method of operating a position-detecting device for detecting a position pointed to by a position-pointing instrument and determining a consecutive manipulation by a user'"'"'s finger, comprising the steps of:

providing an operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument;

providing a touch pad for detecting a manipulation by a user'"'"'s finger;

providing a control unit for ascertaining consecutive manipulation on the touch pad and for generating corresponding indicating signals;

sensing manipulation by the finger simultaneously with detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument;

detecting consecutive manipulation by the finger;

generating a first signal if the manipulation is determined not to be consecutive and a second signal if the manipulation is determined to be consecutive;

delivering one of the first signal and second signal to an electronic device having a display unit, and

simultaneously performing a drawing operation responsive to the position-pointing instrument and at least a zooming operation displayed on said display unit when said second signal indicative of consecutive manipulation by the finger is generated.

20. The method of claim 19, including the step of delivering the signal to the display unit and displaying the position sensed.

21. The method of claim 19, including the step of generating a third signal if the manipulation by the position-pointing instrument is detellnined not to be consecutive and a fourth signal if the manipulation is determined to be consecutive.