Input device, information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

• US 20060284858A1
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Rekimoto, Junichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,477,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An input device includes: a contact detector configured to detect at least a size of contact area by detecting a physical contact with a control input section; a pressure detector configured to detect a pressure applied by the physical contact; and a controller configured to output signals in response to detection outputs from the contact detector and the pressure detector. The controller outputs a first signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected under a state of contact in which a contact detection result indicates that the detected contact area is equal to or smaller than a predetermined contact area, and outputs a second signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected under a state of contact in which the contact detection result indicates that the detected contact area is greater than the predetermined contact area.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

contact detection means for detecting at least a size of contact area by detecting a physical contact with a control input section;

pressure detection means for detecting a pressure applied by the physical contact; and

control means for outputting signals in response to detection outputs from the contact detection means and the pressure detection means;

wherein the control means outputs a first signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected by the pressure detection means under a state of contact in which a contact detection result indicates that the detected contact area is equal to or smaller than a predetermined contact area, and outputs a second signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected by the pressure detection means under a state of contact in which the contact detection result indicates that the detected contact area is greater than the predetermined contact area.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein:

the contact detection means is provided with a position detection function for detecting a position of the physical contact with the control input section.

3. The input device according to claim 1, wherein:

the control means outputs the first or second signal carrying the value which varies in response to the pressure detected by the pressure detection means, using the predetermined contact area as a threshold, if the pressure detected by the pressure detection means is equal to or greater than a predetermined pressure.

4. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

display means for displaying function information about one or more functions assigned to the control input section; and

display control means for reflecting the contact detection result from the contact detection means in the function information displayed;

wherein the control means outputs the first or second signal if the control input section is pressed while the contact detection result being reflected in the function information displayed.

5. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an input device; and

a plurality of function sections adapted to perform processing in response to signals from the input device;

wherein the input device including;

contact detection means for detecting at least a size of contact area by detecting a physical contact with a control input section;

pressure detection means for detecting a pressure applied by the physical contact; and

control means for outputting signals in response to detection outputs from the contact detection means and the pressure detection means;

wherein the control means supplies, to a first function section, a first signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected by the pressure detection section under a state of contact in which a contact detection result indicates a contact area equal to or smaller than a predetermined contact area, and supplies, to a second function section, a second signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected by the pressure detection means under a state of contact in which the contact detection result indicates a contact area greater than the predetermined contact area.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the contact detection means is provided with a position detection function for detecting a position of a physical contact with the control input section.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the control means outputs the first or second signal carrying the value which varies in response to the pressure detected by the pressure detection means, using the predetermined contact area as a threshold, if the pressure detected by the pressure detection means is equal to or greater than a predetermined pressure.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

display means for displaying function information about one or more functions assigned to the control input section; and

display control means for reflecting the contact detection result from the contact detection means in the function information displayed;

wherein the control input section outputs the first or second signal if the control input section pressed while the contact detection result being reflected in the function information displayed.

9. An information processing method comprising:

an input step; and

a processing step of performing processing in response to a signal obtained by the input step;

wherein the input step includes;

a contact detection step of detecting at least a size of contact area by detecting a physical contact with a control input section;

a pressure detection step of detecting a pressure applied by the physical contact; and

a control step of outputting signals in response to detection outputs produced by the contact detection step and the pressure detection step;

wherein the control step executes first processing by a first signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected by the pressure detection step under a state of contact in which a contact detection result indicates a contact area equal to or smaller than a predetermined contact area, and executes second processing by a second signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected by the pressure detection step under a state of contact in which the contact detection result indicates a contact area greater than the predetermined contact area.

10. A storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer to execute an information processing method, the information processing method comprises

an input step;

and

a processing step of performing processing in response to a signal obtained by the input step;

wherein the input step includes;

a contact detection step of detecting at least a size of a contact area by detecting a physical contact with a control input section;

a pressure detection step of detecting a pressure applied by the physical contact; and

a control step of outputting signals in response to detection outputs produced by the contact detection step and the pressure detection step;

wherein the control step executes first processing by a first signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected by the pressure detection step under a state of contact in which a contact detection result indicates a contact area equal to or smaller than a predetermined contact area, and executes second processing by a second signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected by the pressure detection step under a state of contact in which the contact detection result indicates a contact area greater than the predetermined contact area.

11. An input device comprising:

a contact detector configured to detect at least a size of contact area by detecting a physical contact with a control input section;

a pressure detector configured to detect a pressure applied by the physical contact; and

a controller configured to output signals in response to detection outputs from the contact detector and the pressure detector;

wherein the controller outputs a first signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected by the pressure detector under a state of contact in which a contact detection result indicates that the detected contact area is equal to or smaller than a predetermined contact area, and outputs a second signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected by the pressure detector under a state of contact in which the contact detection result indicates that the detected contact area is greater than the predetermined contact area.