Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

• US 9,092,058 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kasahara, Shunichi, Yamamoto, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): SHENG, TOM V
• Application Number:
  US13/074,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20110242029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 178 1803- 1809, 715/863, 715/864
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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 apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may include a touch panel configured to detect a position of a user input. The apparatus may also include a force sensor physically separated from the touch panel and configured to detect a magnitude of a force. Additionally, the apparatus may include a controller configured to determine an operation based on the detected position and the detected magnitude.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a touch panel configured to detect a position of a user input by contact on the touch panel of a first part of the user'"'"'s body;

a force sensor physically separated from the touch panel and configured to detect a magnitude of a force by contact on the force sensor of a second part of the user'"'"'s body that is different than the first part of the user'"'"'s body;

a controller configured to determine an operation based on the detected position and the detected magnitude of pressure; and

a display that physically separates the force sensor from the touch panel,

wherein the controller determines the operation based on whether the detected position is within a certain region of a display of the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the force sensor is a first force sensor;

the apparatus includes a second force sensor; and

the display physically separates the second force sensor from the touch panel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the magnitude of the force is a magnitude of a first force;

the second force sensor is configured to detect a magnitude of a second force; and

the controller is configured to determine the operation based on the detected magnitudes of the first and second forces.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to:

operate the display to display a virtual keyboard; and

determine that a key of the keyboard is pressed by the user based on the detected magnitudes of the first and second forces.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine the operation based on changes in the detected magnitudes of the first and second forces.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein all of the display separates the force sensor from the touch panel.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein only a portion of the display separates the force sensor from the touch panel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a case having a surface, wherein the force sensor is situated on the outside surface of the case.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the force sensor is a first force sensor;

the apparatus includes a second force sensor;

the outside surface is a first outside surface; and

the second force sensor is situated on a second outside surface of the case.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first outside surface is situated opposite the second outside surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a display, wherein the magnitude of the force is a magnitude of a force upon the display.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the operation based on whether the detected magnitude exceeds a threshold magnitude.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the operation based on an amount of time for which the detected magnitude exceeds a threshold magnitude.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a display, wherein the controller is configured to operate the display to indicate the detected magnitude.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the display indicates the detected magnitude using a color.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller operates the display to change the color when the detected magnitude changes.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is at least one of a mobile telephone and a game console.

18. A method of determining an operation to be performed by an apparatus, comprising:

detecting, with a touch panel of the apparatus, a position of a user input by contact on the touch panel of a first part of the user'"'"'s body;

detecting, with a force sensor of the apparatus that is physically separated from the touch panel, a magnitude of a force by contact on the force sensor of a second part of the user'"'"'s body that is different than the first part of the user'"'"'s body, wherein a display physically separates the force sensor from the touch panel; and

determining the operation based on the detected position and the detected magnitude of pressure, wherein the determining the operation is based on whether the detected position is within a certain region of a display of the apparatus.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is at least one of a mobile telephone and a game console.

20. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a program that, when executed by a processor, causes an apparatus to perform a method of determining an operation, the method comprising:

detecting, with a touch panel of the apparatus, a position of a user input by contact on the touch panel of a first part of the user'"'"'s body;

detecting, with a force sensor of the apparatus that is physically separated from the touch panel, a magnitude of a force by contact on the force sensor of a second part of the user'"'"'s body that is different than the first part of the user'"'"'s body, wherein a display physically separates the force sensor from the touch panel; and

determining the operation based on the detected position and the detected magnitude of pressure, wherein the determining the operation is based on whether the detected position is within a certain region of a display of the apparatus.

21. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the apparatus is at least one of a mobile telephone and a game console.