Information processing apparatus, and input control method and program of information processing apparatus

• US 10,203,869 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2011
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamano, Ikuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mathews, Crystal A
• Application Number:
  US13/268,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20120092278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,685 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-184, 715773
• 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 3/04883 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

An apparatus is provided for modifying an input area, comprising a memory and a processor executing instructions stored in the memory. The processor executes instructions stored in the memory to display a first input area on a device. The processor further executes instructions stored in the memory to detect a user input in a second input area. The processor still further executes instructions stored in the memory to perform, if the user input comprises a first operation, an input function; and modify, if the user input comprises a second operation, the first input area.

Claims

1. An apparatus for modifying an input area, the apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

a processor executing instructions stored in the memory to;

display a first input area on a device;

detect a user input in a second input area of a touch screen, wherein the second input area comprises a plurality of objects being displayed thereon;

perform, when the user input comprises a first operation of a one-point tap operation selecting one of the displayed objects of the second input area, an input function corresponding to the selected object, wherein the first input area displays, concurrently in time, a plurality of input candidates which are estimated based on the first operation;

modify, when the user input comprises a second operation of an at-least-two point flick operation made upon at least one of the displayed objects of the second input area, the first input area in accordance with a processing that is selected based on a direction and a length of the flick operation; and

select a desired one of the displayed input candidates based on the direction of the flick operation when the direction of the flick operation is in correspondence with a direction associated with the desired one of the displayed input candidates,

wherein, when the second operation is a left-flick operation, the processing is an execution of a backspace as an input operation so as to revert the performance of the input function corresponding to the selected object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first input area comprises additional objects displayed thereon.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein modifying the first input area comprises modifying one of the additional objects.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein modifying one of the additional objects comprises highlighting the object.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the additional objects represent words.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second input area is located on the device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second input area is separated from the device and within a distance of the device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of displayed objects represent characters.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first operation comprises an operating member touching one of the plurality of displayed objects.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein performing the input function comprises displaying an image in a third input area, the image corresponding to the object touched by the member.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second operation comprises an operating member in moving contact with the second input area.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second operation is a swipe gesture.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first input area is modified by shifting a content displayed in the first input area based on the second operation.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each one of the displayed objects of the second input area corresponds to only one respective unique character.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second operation does not select any character associated with the selected one of the displayed objects that is selected by the first operation.

16. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein, upon the selection of one of the displayed objects of the second input area, the selected one of the displayed objects is further displayed within an input display area of the device, and

wherein, upon the selection of the desired one of the displayed input candidates, the selected desired one of the displayed input candidates is further displayed within the input display area of the device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the selected desired one of the displayed input candidates is displayed within the input display area of the device in sequence at a position within the input display area adjacent to the display of the selected one of the displayed objects.

18. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the second operation of the at-least-two point flick operation selects between two or more displayed input candidates that are successively and concurrently displayed, at a time the flick operation is initiated, along a same direction corresponding to the direction of the flick operation, the selection being based on the length of the flick operation.

19. The apparatus of claim 18,

wherein one displayed input candidate of the two or more displayed input candidates is passed for selection when the length of the flick operation exceeds a threshold amount.

20. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the second operation of the at-least-two point flick operation selects between two or more displayed input candidates that are concurrently displayed, at a time the flick operation is initiated, to be linearly aligned along a same direction corresponding to the direction of the flick operation, the selection being based on the length of the flick operation.

21. A method for modifying an input area, comprising:

displaying a first input area;

detecting a user input in a second input area of a touch screen, wherein the second input area comprises a plurality of objects being displayed thereon;

performing, when the user input comprises a first operation of a one-point tap operation selecting one of the displayed objects of the second input area, an input function corresponding to the selected object, wherein the first input area displays, concurrently in time, a plurality of input candidates which are estimated based on the first operation;

modifying, when the user input comprises a second operation of an at-least-two point flick operation made upon at least one of the displayed objects of the second input area, the first input area in accordance with a processing that is selected based on a direction and a length of the flick operation; and

selecting a desired one of the displayed input candidates based on the direction of the flick operation when the direction of the flick operation is in correspondence with a direction associated with the desired one of the displayed input candidates,

wherein, when the second operation is a left-flick operation, the processing is an execution of a backspace as an input operation so as to revert the performance of the input function corresponding to the selected object.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first input area comprises additional objects displayed thereon.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein modifying the first input area comprises modifying one of the additional objects.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein modifying one of the additional objects comprises highlighting the object.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform a method of modifying an input area, the method comprising:

displaying a first input area;

detecting a user input in a second input area of a touch screen, wherein the second input area comprises a plurality of objects being displayed thereon;

performing, when the user input comprises a first operation of a one-point tap operation selecting one of the displayed objects of the second input area, an input function corresponding to the selected object, wherein the first input area displays, concurrently in time, a plurality of input candidates which are estimated based on the first operation;

modifying, when the user input comprises a second operation of an at-least-two point flick operation made upon at least one of the displayed objects of the second input area, the first input area in accordance with a processing that is selected based on a direction and a length of the flick operation; and

selecting a desired one of the displayed input candidates based on the direction of the flick operation when the direction of the flick operation is in correspondence with a direction associated with the desired one of the displayed input candidates,

wherein, when the second operation is a left-flick operation, the processing is an execution of a backspace as an input operation so as to revert the performance of the input function corresponding to the selected object.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the first input area comprises additional objects displayed thereon.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein modifying the first input area comprises modifying one of the additional objects.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein modifying one of the additional objects comprises highlighting the object.