Input apparatus, input method and program

• US 10,275,066 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamano, Ikuo, Miyazawa, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Rayan, Mihir K
• Application Number:
  US15/484,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20170220172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive 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

There is provided an input apparatus including: a pressure detecting unit which detects press pressure of an operational body applied to a virtual key having one or more input candidates allocated selectively; and an input control unit which varies a selection state of the one or more input candidates selectively allocated to the virtual key for every pressing operation having, as a single time of pressing operation, timing that the press pressure detected by the pressure detecting unit exceeds a predetermined selection threshold value or timing that the press pressure becomes smaller than the selection threshold value as being attenuated after exceeding the selection threshold value.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a display configured to display a plurality of objects;

at least one sensor configured to detect a contact; and

circuitry configured to

detect a position and pressure of the contact,

select one of the plurality of objects based on the position of the contact,

conduct a first process related to the selected object if the pressure exceeds a first threshold in a first process mode,

switch, from the first process mode to a second process mode that provides selectable functionality different than functionality of the first process mode, if the pressure exceeds a second threshold which is larger than the first threshold, and

conduct a second process related to the selected object if the pressure exceeds the first threshold in the second process mode, wherein, in the second process mode, another object, which is related to the selected object and which is not displayed in the first process mode, is displayed for selection in the second process mode.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine the selected object based on the detected pressure of the contact.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine that a determination of the selected object is performed at any of a timing when the pressure is judged as not being detected, a timing when the pressure is judged as being equal to or less than a determination threshold value which is less than the first threshold value, and a timing when a predetermined time elapses after the pressure is judged as being equal to or less than the determination threshold value.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to control the display to vary a displaying state of the selected object, in correspondence with variation of the detected pressure of the contact.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to control the display to display the selected object in a state of expansion, based on the detected pressure of the contact.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a portable device.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a cellular phone, a portable music player, a personal digital assistant or a personal computer (PC).

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a touch sensor and a pressure-sensitive sensor.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein when the detected pressure exceeds the first threshold, a feedback is provided via a vibration device.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein in the first process mode, when the position of the contact is moved in a predetermined direction while the pressure is maintained to exceed the first threshold, the circuitry determines the selected object.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry conducts the second process when, during a time the second process mode is active, the pressure of the contact is detected to exceed the first threshold.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry conducts the second process when the pressure of the contact is detected to exceed the first threshold without consideration of whether or not the pressure of the contact exceeds the second threshold.

13. An input method, comprising:

displaying a plurality of objects;

detecting a position and pressure of a contact;

selecting one of the plurality of objects based on the detected position of the contact;

conducting a first process related to the selected object if the pressure exceeds a first threshold in a first process mode;

switching, from the first process mode to a second process mode that provides selectable functionality different than functionality of the first process mode, if the pressure exceeds a second threshold which is larger than the first threshold; and

conducting a second process related to the selected object if the pressure exceeds the first threshold in the second process mode, wherein, in the second process mode, another object which is related to the selected object and which is not displayed in the first process mode, is displayed for selection in the second process mode.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a program, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to execute a method, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of objects;

detecting a position and pressure of a contact;

selecting one of the plurality of objects based on the detected position of the contact;

conducting a first process related to the selected object if the pressure exceeds a first threshold in a first process mode;

switching, from the first process mode to a second process mode that provides selectable functionality different than functionality of the first process mode, if the pressure exceeds a second threshold which is larger than the first threshold; and

conducting a second process related to the selected object if the pressure exceeds the first threshold in the second process mode, wherein, in the second process mode, another object which is related to the selected object and which is not displayed in the first process mode, is displayed for selection in the second process mode.