Electronic apparatus, input control program, and input control method

• US 9,274,611 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Arai, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US14/280,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20140247223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 345/172, 345/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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

According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a touch panel, a display, a key detection module, a keyboard display module and a transmission module. The key detection module is configured to detect a touch and a release of a key of a software keyboard, based on touch detection on the touch panel. The transmission module is configured to transmit data indicative of key-down of a first key in accordance with touch detection of the first key, to transmit data indicative of key-down of a second key in accordance with touch detection of the second key in a state in which the first key is touched, and then to transmit data indicative of key-up of the first key and the second key in accordance with release detection of the first key and the second key.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a touch panel;

a display;

a display controller configured to display on the display a software keyboard comprising a first key and a second key, wherein the first key is a predetermined key which is operated in combination with the second key; and

a transmitter configured to transmit

a first signal indicative of key-down of the first key at a timing when the first key is touched,

a second signal indicative of key-down of the second key at a timing when the second key is touched after the first key is released,

a third signal indicative of key-up of the second key when the second key is released, and

a fourth signal indicative of key-up of the first key when the first key is touched after the second key is released.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein a display controller is further configured to change a display mode of the first key when the first key is touched, wherein the display mode of the first key is maintained until the first key is touched again.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein

a display controller is further configured to change a display mode of the first key and the second key when the second key is touched after the first key is released.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined key comprises a modifier key which instructs a specific function in combination with the second key.

5. An input control method comprising:

displaying on a display a software keyboard comprising a first key and a second key, wherein the first key is a predetermined key which is operated in combination with the second key;

transmitting a first signal indicative of key-down of the first key at a timing when the first key is touched;

transmitting a second signal indicative of key-down of the second key at a timing when the second key is touched after the first key is released;

transmitting a third signal indicative of key-up of the second key when the second key is released, and

transmitting a fourth signal indicative of key-up of the first key when the first key is touched after the second key is released.

6. The input control method of claim 5, further comprising:

changing a display mode of the first key when the first key is touched, wherein the display mode of the first key is maintained until the first key is touched again.

7. The input control method of claim 5, further comprising:

changing a display mode of the first key and the second key when the second key is touched after the first key is released.

8. The input control method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined key comprises a modifier key which instructs a specific function in combination with the second key.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program which is executable by a computer, the computer program controlling the computer to execute functions of:

displaying on a display a software keyboard comprising a first key and a second key, wherein the first key is a predetermined key which is operated in combination with the second key;

transmitting a first signal indicative of key-down of the first key at a timing when the first key is touched;

transmitting a second signal indicative of key-down of the second key at a timing when the second key is touched after the first key is released;

transmitting a third signal indicative of key-up of the second key when the second key is released, and transmitting a fourth signal indicative of key-up of the first key when the first key is touched after the second key is released.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the computer program controls the computer to further execute function of:

changing a display mode of the first key when the first key is touched, wherein the display mode of the first key is maintained when the first key is released before the second key is touched.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the computer program controls the computer to further execute function of:

changing a display mode of the first key and the second key when the second key is touched after the first key is released.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the predetermined key comprises a modifier key which instructs a specific function in combination with the second key.