Electronic device, operation control method, and operation control program

• US 9,489,074 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Oonishi, Katsuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Davis, Tony
• Application Number:
  US14/006,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20140015784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 345170-176, 715/765
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

According to an aspect, an electronic device includes: a display unit; an input unit including an input area; a time detecting unit for detecting an operation time of an input operation performed on the input area; and a control unit for performing a predetermined notification when an input operation is performed on the input area to which a plurality of actions are assigned according to the operation time detected by the time detecting unit.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display unit;

an input unit including an input area;

a time detecting unit configured to detect an operation time of an input operation performed on the input area; and

a control unit configured to,

when an input operation is performed on the input area where a plurality of actions are assigned,

perform a predetermined notification according to the operation time detected by the time detecting unit and before accepting any of the plurality of actions, wherein the predetermined notification indicates that the plurality of actions are assigned on the input area, and

when an input operation is performed on the input area where the plurality of actions are not assigned,

accept, without performing the predetermined notification, an action assigned on the input area where the plurality of actions are not assigned,

wherein

the control unit is configured to cause the display unit to display, as the predetermined notification, information which is associated with the operation time detected by the time detecting unit and indicates an action corresponding to the operation time,

the information includes a plurality of information pieces corresponding to a plurality of different operation times associated with the plurality of actions, and

the control unit is configured to cause the information pieces to sequentially appear one after another on the display unit in accordance with the corresponding operation times and the detected operation time of the input operation in such a manner that an information piece appears on the display unit when the operation time corresponding to a previous information piece is elapsed, wherein the information pieces sequentially appear one after another and are displayed in a cumulative manner on the displayed unit such that more than one of the information pieces are simultaneously displayed on the display unit, continuing the previous information pieces being displayed on the display unit.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to change at least one of color and brightness of the input area where the input operation is performed, as the predetermined notification.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a sound output unit configured to output a sound, wherein

the control unit is configured to cause the sound output unit to output a sound as the predetermined notification.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration unit configured to generate vibration, wherein

the control unit is configured to cause the vibration unit to generate vibration as the predetermined notification.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the input area is configured to detect an input operation on a predetermined area of the display unit.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein,

when a slide operation in a predetermined direction is detected in the input area to which the plurality of actions are assigned according to input operations,

the control unit is configured to

display the pieces of information corresponding to the plurality of actions on the display unit, and

select any one of the pieces of the information according to a slide amount of the slide operation.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein

the control unit is configured to change, according to the direction of the slide operation, an order in which the pieces of the information are selected.

8. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein

the control unit is configured to cyclically scroll the pieces of the information according to the slide amount of the slide operation.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein,

when a second input operation is detected while detecting a first input operation in the input area to which the plurality of actions are assigned according to input operations,

the control unit is configured to execute any one of the plurality of actions according to the number of times the second input operation is detected.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the last displayed information piece is set in a selected state, and

the control unit is configured to execute the action associated with the information piece set in the selected state when the input operation is released.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to perform a common notification, as the predetermined notification, in response to any input operation performed on the input area where the plurality of actions are assigned.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

a display unit;

an input unit including an input area;

a pressure detecting unit configured to detect a pressure of an input operation performed on the input area; and

a control unit configured to,

when an input operation is performed on the input area where a plurality of actions are assigned,

perform a predetermined notification according to data based on the pressure and before accepting any of the plurality of actions, wherein the predetermined notification indicates that the plurality of actions are assigned on the input area, and

when an input operation is performed on the input area where the plurality of actions are not assigned,

accept, without performing the predetermined notification, an action assigned on the input area where the plurality of actions are not assigned,

wherein

the control unit is configured to cause the display unit to display, as the predetermined notification, information which is associated with the data based on the pressure and indicates an action corresponding to the data based on the pressure,

the information includes a plurality of information pieces corresponding to a plurality of different pressure levels associated with the plurality of actions, and

the control unit is configured to cause the information pieces to sequentially appear one after another on the display unit in accordance with the corresponding pressure levels and the detected pressure of the input operation, wherein the information pieces sequentially appear one after another and are displayed in a cumulative manner on the displayed unit such that more than one of the information pieces are simultaneously displayed on the display unit, continuing the previous information pieces being displayed on the display unit.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein

the last displayed information piece is set in a selected state, and

the control unit is configured to execute the action associated with the information piece set in the selected state when the input operation is released.

14. An operation control method executed by an electronic device that includes an input area and a display unit, the operation control method comprising:

detecting an input operation performed on the input area;

when an input operation is performed on the input area where a plurality of actions are assigned,

performing a predetermined notification, before accepting any of the plurality of actions, wherein

the predetermined notification indicates that the plurality of actions are assigned on the input area, and

the predetermined notification is performed according to an operation time of the input operation or according to data based on a pressure of the input operation; and

when an input operation is performed on the input area where the plurality of actions are not assigned,

accepting, without performing the predetermined notification, an action assigned on the input area where the plurality of actions are not assigned,

wherein, in said performing the predetermined notification,

the display unit displays, as the predetermined notification, information which is associated with the operation time of the detected input operation and indicates an action corresponding to the operation time,

the information includes a plurality of information pieces corresponding to a plurality of different operation times associated with the plurality of actions, and

the information pieces sequentially appear one after another on the display unit in accordance with the corresponding operation times and the operation time of the detected input operation in such a manner that an information piece appears on the display unit when the operation time corresponding to a previous information piece is elapsed, wherein the information pieces sequentially appear one after another and are displayed in a cumulative manner on the displayed unit such that more than one of the information pieces are simultaneously displayed on the display unit, continuing the previous information pieces being displayed on the display unit.

15. A non-transitory storage medium that stores an operation control program for causing, when executed by an electronic device that includes an input area and a display unit, the electronic device to execute:

detecting an input operation performed on the input area;

when an input operation is performed on the input area where a plurality of actions are assigned,

performing a predetermined notification before accepting any of the plurality of actions, wherein

the predetermined notification indicates that the plurality of actions are assigned on the input area, and

the predetermined notification is performed according to an operation time of the input operation or according to data based on a pressure of the input operation; and

when an input operation is performed on the input area where the plurality of actions are not assigned,

accepting, without performing the predetermined notification, an action assigned on the input area where the plurality of actions are not assigned,

wherein, in said performing the predetermined notification,

the display unit displays, as the predetermined notification, information which is associated with the operation time of the detected input operation and indicates an action corresponding to the operation time,

the information includes a plurality of information pieces corresponding to a plurality of different operation times associated with the plurality of actions, and

the information pieces sequentially appear one after another on the display unit in accordance with the corresponding operation times and the operation time of the detected input operation in such a manner that an information piece appears on the display unit when the operation time corresponding to a previous information piece is elapsed, wherein the information pieces sequentially appear one after another and are displayed in a cumulative manner on the displayed unit such that more than one of the information pieces are simultaneously displayed on the display unit, continuing the previous information pieces being displayed on the display unit.