INPUT SYSTEM INCLUDING POSITION-DETECTING DEVICE

• US 20090244005A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: FUKUSHIMA, Yasuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,711,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A position-detecting device detects a position pointed to by a position-pointing instrument and includes an operation panel detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument; and a manipulation-detecting unit located at at least one of the interior and the exterior of the operation panel, and detecting a manipulation by a second instrument other than the position-pointing instrument, or detecting a manipulation by both the position-pointing instrument and the second instrument.

Claims

1. A position-detecting device detecting a position pointed to by a position-pointing instrument, comprising:

an operation panel detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument; and

manipulation-detecting means located at at least one of the interior and the exterior of the operation panel, and detecting a manipulation by a second instrument other than the position-pointing instrument, or detecting a manipulation by one of the position-pointing instrument and the second instrument.

2-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A position-detecting device for use with an electronic device having a display unit, the position-detecting device detecting a position pointed to by a position-pointing instrument, comprising:

an operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument;

a touch pad operably associated with said operation panel for sensing manipulation by a finger, the touch pad providing an area for sensing manipulation by a finger simultaneously with detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument;

a control unit operably associated with said touch pad and said operation panel for retrieving the location of the manipulation position on the touch pad in a first direction and the location of the manipulation position in a second direction;

wherein the user can simultaneously perform a first operation using the position pointing instrument and a second operation on the touch pad using a finger,

wherein a manipulation in one of the first and the second directions triggers first and second predetermined operations, respectively, in the electronic device.

20. The position-detecting device according to claim 19, wherein the manipulation in the first direction performs a screen scroll operation on the display unit.

21. The position-detecting device according to claim 19, wherein the manipulation in the second direction performs a zooming operation on the displaying unit.

22. The position-detecting device according to claim 19, wherein the touch pad is a capacitive touch pad.

23. The position-detecting device according to claim 19, wherein the operation panel detects the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument by electromagnetic coupling.

24. The position-detecting device according to claim 19, wherein the control unit detects one of a touching and a pushing manipulation on the touch pad.

25. The position-detecting device according to claim 19, wherein the touch pad for sensing manipulation by a finger is located partially within the area of the operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.

26. The position-detecting device according to claim 19, wherein the touch pad for sensing manipulation by a finger is located wholly outside the operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.

27. The position-detecting device according to claim 19, wherein the touch pad for sensing manipulation by a finger is located wholly within the operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.

28. A system for detecting directional manipulation in a position-detecting device, comprising:

a position-pointing instrument;

the position-detecting device including a control system for detecting a position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument and for outputting the detected position, for detecting simultaneously with the detecting of the position of the position-pointing instrument manipulation on a touch pad by a finger, for determining direction of manipulation based on sensing a manipulation by a user'"'"'s finger, and for retrieving the location of the manipulation position on the touch pad in a first direction and the location of the manipulation position in a second direction, the manipulation in the first and the second directions triggering first and second predetermined operations, respectively, of the electronic device.

29. The system for detecting directional manipulation in a position-detecting device according to claim 28, wherein the manipulation in the first direction performs a screen scroll operation on the display unit.

30. The system for detecting directional manipulation in a position-detecting device according to claim 28, wherein the manipulation in the second direction performs a zooming operation on the displaying unit.

31. The system for detecting directional manipulation in a position-detecting device according to claim 28, wherein the touch pad is a capacitive touch pad.

32. The system for detecting directional manipulation in a position-detecting device according to claim 28, wherein the operation panel detects the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument by electromagnetic coupling.

33. The system for detecting directional manipulation in a position-detecting device according to claim 28, wherein the control unit detects one of a touching and a pushing manipulation on the touch pad.

34. The system for detecting directional manipulation in a position-detecting device according to claim 28, wherein the touch pad for sensing manipulation by a finger is located partially within the area of the operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.

35. The system for detecting directional manipulation in a position-detecting device according to claim 28, wherein the touch pad for sensing manipulation by a finger is located wholly outside the operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.

36. The system for detecting directional manipulation in a position-detecting device according to claim 28, wherein the touch pad for sensing manipulation by a finger is located wholly within the operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.

37. A method of operating a position-detecting device for detecting a position pointed to by a position-pointing instrument and determining directional manipulation by a user'"'"'s finger, comprising the steps of:

providing an operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by a position-pointing instrument;

providing a touch pad for detecting manipulation by a finger;

providing a control unit for retrieving the location of the manipulation position on the touch pad in a first direction and the location of the manipulation position in a second direction;

sensing the manipulation by a finger simultaneously with detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument;

retrieving the location of the manipulation position on the touch pad in a first direction and the location of the manipulation position in a second direction;

triggering in the electronic device a first predetermined operation when the retrieved manipulation position is in the first direction, and

triggering in the electronic device a second predetermined operation when the retrieved manipulation position is in the second direction.

38. The method of operating a position-detecting device according to claim 37, wherein the manipulation in the first direction performs a screen scroll operation on the display unit.

39. The method of operating a position-detecting device according to claim 37, wherein the manipulation in the second direction performs a zooming operation on the displaying unit.

40. The method of operating a position-detecting device according to claim 37, wherein the provided touch pad is a capacitive touch pad.

41. The method of operating a position-detecting device according to claim 37, wherein the provided operation panel detects the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument by electromagnetic coupling.

42. The method of operating a position-detecting device according to claim 37, wherein the provided control unit detects one of a touching and a pushing manipulation on the touch pad.

43. The method of operating a position-detecting device according to claim 37, wherein the provided touch pad for sensing manipulation by a finger is located partially within the area of the operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.

44. The method of operating a position-detecting device according to claim 37, wherein the provided touch pad for sensing manipulation by a finger is located wholly outside the operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.

45. The method of operating a position-detecting device according to claim 37, wherein the provided touch pad for sensing manipulation by a finger is located wholly within the operation panel for detecting the position pointed to by the position-pointing instrument.