Operation control device, operation control method and computer program

• US 8,970,634 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Homma, Fuminori, Kasahara, Shunichi, Miyazawa, Yusuke, Nashida, Tatsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, CHANTE E
• Application Number:
  US13/392,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20120147052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 345/668, 345/684, 345/687, 345173-174, 345/676, 345/672
• US Class Current: 345/684
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An operation control device includes a contact detection unit for detecting contact of an operation body with a display surface of a display unit on which information is displayed, a pressure detection unit, provided on the display unit, for detecting a pressure at which the operation body presses the display surface of the display unit, and an operation control unit for changing a display state of the information displayed on the display unit in a forward or reverse direction on the basis of an amount of pressure detected by the pressure detection unit until the operation body makes contact with and is separated from the display surface of the display unit.

Claims

1. An operation control device comprising:

a contact detection unit for detecting contact of an operation body with a display surface of a display unit on which information is displayed;

a pressure detection unit, provided on the display unit, for detecting a pressure at which the operation body presses the display surface of the display unit; and

an operation control unit for changing a display state of the information displayed on the display unit in a forward or reverse direction on the basis of an amount of pressure detected by the pressure detection unit until the operation body makes contact with and is separated from the display surface of the display unit,

wherein, when an object list in which a plurality of objects are arranged in one direction is displayed on the display unit, the operation control unit;

scrolls the object list in the forward direction step by step every time the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit exceeds one or more pressure thresholds set step by step, and

scrolls the object list in the reverse direction, which is a direction opposite to the forward direction, step by step every time the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit falls below the pressure thresholds set step by step, and

enters selection of a focused object of the object list when the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit has decreased by an amount greater than or equal to a first predetermined ratio within a first predetermined time prior to release of pressure.

2. The operation control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation control unit:

changes the display state of the information displayed on the display unit in the forward direction every time the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit exceeds one or more pressure thresholds set step by step, and

changes the display state of the information displayed on the display unit in the reverse direction every time the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit falls below the pressure thresholds set step by step.

3. The operation control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation control unit:

continuously changes the display state of the information displayed on the display unit in the forward direction if the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit is greater than a predetermined pressure threshold, and

continuously changes the display state of the information displayed on the display unit in the reverse direction if the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit is less than the predetermined pressure threshold.

4. The operation control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation control unit starts a change in the forward or reverse direction of the display state of the information displayed on the display unit when the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit has exceeded a predetermined pressure threshold.

5. The operation control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation control unit ends a change in the forward or reverse direction of the display state of the information displayed on the display unit when the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit has decreased by an amount greater than or equal to a second predetermined ratio within a second predetermined time.

6. The operation control device according to claim 1, wherein, when an object list in which a plurality of objects are arranged in one direction is displayed on the display unit,

the operation control unit:

continuously scrolls the object list in the forward direction if the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit is greater than a predetermined pressure threshold, and

continuously scrolls the object list in the reverse direction, which is a direction opposite to the forward direction, if the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit is less than the predetermined pressure threshold.

7. The operation control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the contact detection unit detects a contact area in contact with the operation body between two areas into which the display surface of the display unit is divided in an arrangement direction of the objects, and

the operation control unit sets a direction toward the contact area among scrolling directions of the object list to the forward direction.

8. The operation control device according to claim 1, wherein, when an object determined from the object list has time-series data,

the operation control unit:

reproduces the determined object in order of time series when the contact detection unit has detected that the operation body has been separated from the display surface of the display unit, and

moves display of the determined object in a forward or reverse direction of time series according to an amount of pressure detected by the pressure detection unit if the contact detection unit detects that the operation body is continuously in contact with the display surface of the display unit.

9. The operation control device according to claim 1, wherein, when information for changing a zoom ratio of display content is displayed on the display unit,

the operation control unit:

decreases the zoom ratio of the display content displayed on the display unit step by step every time the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit exceeds one or more pressure thresholds set step by step, and

increases the zoom ratio of the display content displayed on the display unit step by step every time the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit falls below the pressure thresholds set step by step.

10. The operation control device according to claim 9, wherein the operation control unit fixes a currently set zoom ratio when the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit has decreased by an amount greater than or equal to a predetermined ratio within a predetermined time.

11. The operation control device according to claim 10, wherein the operation control unit:

moves a display range of the information displayed on the display unit according to movement of the operation body in a state in which the operation body is in contact with the display surface of the display unit, and

changes the zoom ratio to a zoom ratio before a change when the contact detection unit has detected that the operation body has been separated from the display surface of the display unit.

12. The operation control device according to claim 1, wherein, when information for changing a zoom ratio of display content is displayed on the display unit,

the operation control unit:

decreases the zoom ratio of the display content displayed on the display unit step by step if the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit is greater than a predetermined pressure threshold, and

increases the zoom ratio of the display content displayed on the display unit step by step if the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit is less than the predetermined pressure threshold.

13. An operation control method performed by an apparatus, comprising the steps of

detecting contact of an operation body with a display surface of a display unit on which information is displayed;

detecting a pressure at which the operation body presses the display surface of the display unit in a state in which a detection unit is provided on the display unit; and

changing a display state of the information displayed on the display unit in a forward or reverse direction on the basis of an amount of pressure detected until the operation body makes contact with and is separated from the display surface of the display unit, wherein, when an object list in which a plurality of objects are arranged in one direction is displayed on the display unit;

scrolling the object list in the forward direction step by step every time the pressure detected exceeds one or more pressure thresholds set step by step, and

scrolling the object list in the reverse direction, which is a direction opposite to the forward direction, step by step every time the pressure detected falls below the pressure thresholds set step by step, and

enters a selection of a focused object of the object list when the pressure detected has decreased by an amount greater than or equal to a predetermined ratio within a predetermined time prior to release of pressure.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a program, which when executed by a processor of an apparatus functions as an operation control device comprising:

a contact detection means for detecting contact of an operation body with a display surface of a display unit on which information is displayed;

a pressure detection means, provided on the display unit, for detecting a pressure at which the operation body presses the display surface of the display unit; and

an operation control means for changing a display state of the information displayed on the display unit in a forward or reverse direction on the basis of an amount of pressure detected by the pressure detection means until the operation body makes contact with and is separated from the display surface of the display unit,

wherein, when an object list in which a plurality of objects are arranged in one direction is displayed on the display unit, the operation control unit;

scrolls the object list in the forward direction step by step every time the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit exceeds one or more pressure thresholds set step by step, and

scrolls the object list in the reverse direction, which is a direction opposite to the forward direction, step by step every time the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit falls below the pressure thresholds set step by step, and

enters selection of a focused object of the object list when the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit has decreased by an amount greater than or equal to a predetermined ratio within a predetermined time prior to release of pressure.