User input apparatus, computer connected to user input apparatus, and control method for computer connected to user input apparatus, and storage medium

• US 9,898,191 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2014
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Rekimoto, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, JENNIFER T
• Application Number:
  US14/250,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20140293165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 345 76, 345 82, 178 1801- 1806
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• 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 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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

A user input apparatus is provided with user input means for the user to input data or a command by using the user'"'"'s human body, and use-form detection means for detecting a form in which the user uses the user input means by the user'"'"'s human body. A computer connected to the user input apparatus changes the operation of the application being executed by application execution means, according to a detection result obtained by the use-form detection means. Therefore, input operations can be performed without inconvenience even if the user cannot use one hand due to another work.

Claims

1. An organic LED display apparatus comprising:

anode electrodes extending along a first direction;

cathode electrodes extending along a second direction different from the first direction;

insulating element made of an organic material arranged between one of the anode electrodes and one of the cathode electrodes;

a transmitter connected to the anode electrodes and configured to supply first signals to some of the anode electrodes sequentially in a scanning manner; and

a receiver connected to the cathode electrodes and configured to receive a second signal from at least said one of the cathode electrodes,

wherein the anode electrodes in combination with the cathode electrodes are configured to alter the second signal according to a distance between an object and an intersection of a scanned anode electrode and the cathode electrodes, and

wherein the organic LED display apparatus is useable as a user input apparatus by using a change of a capacitance formed between the user and the organic LED display apparatus.

2. The organic LED display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein icons displayable on the organic LED display apparatus are from the group consisting of a program, data, and a folder handled in a computer system.

3. The organic LED display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the organic LED display apparatus has a curved surface.

4. The organic LED display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of fingers in a user input area of the organic LED display apparatus is independently recognizable.

5. An organic LED display apparatus comprising:

first electrodes extending along a first direction;

second electrodes extending along a second direction different from the first direction;

insulating element arranged between one of the first electrodes and one of the second electrodes;

a transmitter connected to the first electrodes and configured to supply first signals to some of the first electrodes sequentially in a scanning manner; and

receiver connected to the second electrodes and configured to receive a second signal from at least said one of the second electrodes,

wherein the first electrodes in combination with the second electrodes are configured to alter the second signal according to a distance between an object and an intersection of a scanned first electrode and the second electrodes, and

wherein the organic LED display apparatus is useable as a user input apparatus by using a change of a capacitance formed between the user and the organic LED display apparatus.

6. The organic LED display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein icons displayable on the organic LED display apparatus are from the group consisting of a program, data, and a folder handled in a computer system.

7. The organic LED display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the organic LED display apparatus has a curved surface.

8. The organic LED display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of fingers in a user input area of the organic LED display apparatus is independently recognizable.

9. An organic LED display apparatus comprising:

anode electrodes extending along a first direction;

cathode electrodes extending along a second direction different from the first direction;

insulating element made of an organic material arranged between one of the anode electrodes and one of the cathode electrodes;

a transmitter connected to the anode electrodes and configured to supply first signals to some of the anode electrodes sequentially in a scanning manner; and

a receiver connected to the cathode electrodes and configured to receive a second signal from at least said one of the cathode electrodes,

wherein the anode electrodes in combination with the cathode electrodes are configured to alter the second signal according to a distance between an object and an intersection of a scanned anode electrode and the cathode electrodes, and

wherein the organic LED display apparatus is useable as a user input apparatus by using a change of a capacitance formed between one of the anode electrodes and one of the cathode electrodes according to a user approaches.

10. The organic LED display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein icons displayable on the organic LED display apparatus are from the group consisting of a program, data, and a folder handled in a computer system.

11. The organic LED display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the organic LED display apparatus has a curved surface.

12. The organic LED display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of fingers in a user input area of the organic LED display apparatus is independently recognizable.

13. An organic LED display apparatus comprising:

first electrodes extending along a first direction;

second electrodes extending along a second direction different from the first direction;

insulating element arranged between one of the first electrodes and one of the second electrodes;

a transmitter connected to the first electrodes and configured to supply first signals to some of the first electrodes sequentially in a scanning manner; and

a receiver connected to the second electrodes and configured to receive a second signal from at least said one of the second electrodes,

wherein the first electrodes in combination with the second electrodes are configured to alter the second signal according to a distance between an object and an intersection of a scanned first electrode and the second electrodes, and

wherein the organic LED display apparatus is useable as an a user input apparatus by using a change of a capacitance formed between one of the first electrodes and one of the second electrodes according to a user approaches.

14. The organic LED display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein icons displayable on the organic LED display apparatus are from the group consisting of a program, data, and a folder handled in a computer system.

15. The organic LED display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the organic LED display apparatus has a curved surface.

16. The organic LED display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of fingers in a user input area of the organic LED display apparatus is independently recognizable.