Information display apparatus with proximity detection performance and information display method using the same

• US 9,870,065 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2017
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Koshiyama, Atsushi, Oba, Haruo
• Primary Examiner(s): MANDEVILLE, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US15/414,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20170131786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 345156, 345169, 345173-178, 178 1806, 348169, 715700, 715862, 715864, 715763-764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• 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 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An information display apparatus with proximity detection performance contains a display device that displays image information, a sensor constituted of plural detection electrodes, and an adjusting device of detection resolution that adjusts the detection resolution to be detected based on a distance between the sensor and an object that is contacted to any one of the detection electrodes.

Claims

1. Information processing apparatus with proximity detection, the apparatus comprising:

circuitry including a sensor disposed at a predetermined position, the sensor constituted of plural detection electrodes electronically controlled to vary sensitivity and resolution of the sensor to detect proximity of an approaching individual, the sensitivity of the sensor being varied by controlling sensitivity gain of the detection electrodes, and the resolution of the sensor being varied by controlling a detection interval determined by a number of detection electrodes that are activated to contribute to the detection electrodes;

a display disposed at a predetermined location relative to the sensor configured to display sufficient information to the individual at a position sufficient to be seen by the individual, the information displayed being based on the detected proximity of the individual; and

the circuitry including a control unit configured to control the display and the sensor, such that when the sensor detects the individual is distant from and within a first predetermined range from the sensor, the display displays first information, when the sensor detects the individual is within a second predetermined range from the sensor, which is closer to the sensor than the first predetermined range, the display displays second information, different from the first information, wherein the control unit controls the sensor to exhibit reduced sensitivity gain as the distance of the individual from the sensor decreases, and wherein the control unit controls the sensor to exhibit increased resolution as the distance of the object from the sensor decreases.

2. An information processing method, comprising:

detecting proximity of an approaching individual by a sensor having plural detection electrodes;

adjusting the detection electrodes to vary sensitivity and resolution of the sensor, the sensitivity of the sensor being varied by controlling sensitivity gain of the detection electrodes, and the resolution of the sensor being varied by controlling a detection interval determined by a number of detection electrodes that are activated to contribute to the detection electrodes;

displaying information to the individual at a position sufficient to be seen by the individual, the information being based on the detected proximity of the individual, such that when the individual is detected as being distant from and within a first predetermined range from the sensor, first information is displayed, and when the individual is detected within a second predetermined range from the sensor, which is closer to the sensor than the first predetermined range, second information, different from the first information is displayed; and

controlling the sensor to exhibit reduced sensitivity gain as the distance of the individual from the sensor decreases and to exhibit increased resolution as the distance of the object from the sensor decreases.

3. A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing instructions that, when read, causes a processor to implement an information processing method comprising:

detecting proximity of an approaching individual by a sensor having plural detection electrodes;

adjusting the detection electrodes to vary sensitivity and of the sensor, the sensitivity of the sensor being varied by controlling sensitivity gain of the detection electrodes, and the resolution of the sensor being varied by controlling a detection interval determined by a number of detection electrodes that are activated to contribute to the detection electrodes; and

displaying information to the individual at a position sufficient to be seen by the individual, the information being based on the detected proximity of the individual, such that when the individual is detected as being distant from and within a first predetermined range from the sensor, first information is displayed, and when the individual is detected within a second predetermined range from the sensor, which is closer to the sensor than the first predetermined range, second information, different from the first information is displayed; and

controlling the sensor to exhibit reduced sensitivity gain as the distance of the individual from the sensor decreases and to exhibit increased resolution as the distance of the object from the sensor decreases.