Input device, vibration device and input detection method

• US 8,723,657 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Minebea Company Limited (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Inventors: Takasu, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US13/240,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20120075086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.2, 340/503, 340/609.16, 340/309.4, 345/156, 345/173
• US Class Current: 340/407.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

An input device includes an input operation unit, on which an input operation is performed; an input operation detection unit that detects at least one of acceleration and pressure to the input operation unit; an input determination unit that determines whether the at least one of acceleration and pressure detected by the input operation detection unit is an effective input operation; and a vibration unit that, when the at least one of acceleration and pressure is detected by the input operation detection unit, starts to vibrate before the input determination unit outputs a determination result.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

an input operation unit, on which an input operation is performed;

an input operation detection unit that detects at least one of acceleration and pressure to the input operation unit;

an input determination unit that determines whether the at least one of acceleration and pressure detected by the input operation detection unit is an effective input operation; and

a vibration unit that, when the at least one of acceleration and pressure is detected by the input operation detection unit, immediately starts to vibrate without any additional processing.

2. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein a time period during which the vibration unit vibrates is different depending on a determination result of the input determination unit.

3. The input device according to claim 2,

wherein the vibration unit stops vibration when the input determination unit determines that the at least one of acceleration and pressure is not the effective input operation.

4. The input device according to claim 2,

wherein, when the input determination unit determines that at least one of acceleration and pressure is the effective input operation, the vibration unit continues to vibrate for a predetermined time period and then stops vibration.

5. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein the input operation unit is a touch panel, on which the input operation is performed by touching a predetermined position on a surface thereof.

6. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein the vibration unit starts to vibrate regardless of a determination by the input determination unit.

7. An input device comprising:

an input operation unit, on which an input operation is performed;

an input operation detection unit that detects at least one of acceleration and pressure to the input operation unit;

an input determination unit that determines whether the at least one of acceleration and pressure detected by the input operation detection unit is an effective input operation; and

a vibration unit that generates vibration,

wherein when the at least one of acceleration and pressure is detected by the input determination unit, the vibration unit immediately starts to vibrate without any additional processing, and

wherein, even when the at least one of acceleration and pressure is not detected by the input operation detection unit, when the input determination unit determines that there is the effective input operation, the vibration unit generates the vibration for a predetermined time period thereafter.

8. The input device according to claim 7,

wherein the vibration unit starts to vibrate regardless of a determination by the input determination unit.

9. A vibration device that is to be attached to an input device comprising an input operation unit on which an input operation is performed and an input determination unit that detects whether an effective input operation is performed on the input operation unit, the vibration device comprising:

an input operation detection unit that detects at least one of acceleration and pressure to the input operation unit; and

a vibration unit, which immediately starts to vibrate without any additional processing when the at least one of acceleration and pressure is detected by the input operation detection unit, and which stops vibration when the effective input operation to the input operation unit is not detected in a predetermined time period after the at least one of acceleration and pressure is detected.

10. The input device according to claim 9,

wherein the vibration unit starts to vibrate regardless of a determination by the input determination unit.

11. An input detection method of using an input device having a vibration unit, the method comprising:

detecting at least one of acceleration and pressure to an input operation unit;

immediately starting vibration of the vibration unit without any additional processing when the at least one of acceleration and pressure is detected;

determining whether the detected at least one of acceleration and pressure is an effective input operation; and

stopping the vibration of the vibration unit or continuing the vibration for a predetermined time period, depending on a result of determining whether the detected at least one of acceleration and pressure is the effective input operation.

12. The input device according to claim 11,

wherein the starting vibration of the vibration unit occurs regardless of the determination whether the detected at least one of acceleration and pressure is the effective input operation.