Input apparatus

• US 9,448,649 B2
• Filed: 12/25/2009
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Aono, Tomotake
• Primary Examiner(s): Moon, Seokyun
• Application Number:
  US13/120,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20110169765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,461 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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 input apparatus has a display unit for displaying an input object, an input unit for receiving a pressure input to the input object, a load detection unit for detecting a pressure load on the input unit, and a control unit for controlling to receive the pressure input if the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a load standard. The control unit controls such that a load standard for receiving the pressure input to the input object is different from a load standard for receiving a pressure input to another input object adjacent to the input object.

Claims

1. An input apparatus comprising:

a display unit configured to display an input object;

an input unit configured to detect a pressure input to the input object displayed on the display unit;

a load detection unit configured to detect a pressure load on the input unit; and

a control unit configured to select one of a first load standard and a second load standard each of which is for receiving pressure input to another input object, wherein the second load standard is higher than the first load standard and is selected when the another input object is adjacent to the input object, in response to determining a distance from an end of the input object and an end of the another input object is narrower than a predetermined interval.

2. The input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration unit configured to vibrate the input unit, wherein

the control unit controls to drive the vibration unit if the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies one of the first and second load standards.

3. The input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls to drive again the vibration unit if, after the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies one of the first and second load standards, the pressure load detected by the load detection unit does not satisfy one of the first and second load standards.

4. The input apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the control unit controls to confirm the pressure input to the input object being detected by the input unit when, after the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies one of the first and second load standards, the pressure load detected by the load detection unit does not satisfy one of the first and second load standards.

5. The input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls to confirm the pressure input to the input object being detected by the input unit when, after the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies one of the first and second load standards, the pressure load detected by the load detection unit does not satisfy one of the first and second load standards.

6. The input apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit controls to confirm the pressure input to the input object being detected by the input unit when, after the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies one of the first and second load standards, the pressure load detected by the load detection unit does not satisfy one of the first and second load standards.

8. The input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured to control the vibration unit to:

vibrate with a first vibration when the pressure input to the input object satisfies the normal load standard, and

vibrate with a second vibration when the pressure input to the another input objection satisfies the higher load standard, wherein the first vibration and the second vibration are different.

7. An input apparatus comprising:

a display unit configured to display an input object;

an input unit configured to detect a pressure input to the input object displayed on the display unit;

a load detection unit configured to detect a pressure load on the input unit; and

a control unit configured to select one of a first load standard and a second load standard each of which is for receiving pressure input to another input object, wherein the second load standard is higher than the first load standard and is selected when the another input object is adjacent to the input object, in response to determining a distance from a center of the input object and a center of the another input object is narrower than a predetermined interval, and

wherein the control unit is further configured to provide an indication that the another input object with the higher load standard requires a pressure heavier than that of the normal load standard for the input object, wherein the control unit provides the indication by modifying a display feature of the another input object such that the another input object and the input object are displayed in a different manner.