INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND PROGRAM

• US 20120098850A1
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Narita, Tomoya, Kasahara, Shunichi, Kano, Ritsuko
• Granted Patent: US 9,965,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/589
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-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 and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, an apparatus includes a display unit configured to display a first portion of content to a user. The display unit includes a display surface. A detection unit is configured to detect a distance between an interface surface and a reference point disposed along an operational tool of the user. A control unit configured to determine whether the distance falls within a threshold range, and generate a signal to display a second portion of content to the user, when the detected distance falls within the threshold range. The display unit is further configured to display the second content portion, based on the generated signal.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a display unit configured to display a first portion of content to a user, the display unit including a display surface;

a non-contacting interface;

a detection unit configured to detect a distance between a surface of the non-contacting interface and a reference point disposed along an operational tool of the user; and

a control unit configured to

determine whether the distance falls within a threshold range, and

generate a signal to display a second portion of content to the user, when the detected distance falls within the threshold range,

wherein the display unit is further configured to display the second content portion, based on the generated signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the operational tool includes a human appendage;

the reference point includes a distal end of the human appendage; and

the apparatus includes a display device performing the functions of the non-contact interface and the display unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

identify a first position on a surface of the display device, the first position corresponding to the reference point; and

generate the signal to display the second content portion at the first position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the second content portion includes a cursor associated with a corresponding size; and

the control unit is further configured to determine the size of the cursor, based on at least the detected distance.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the cursor size varies in proportion to the detected distance.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

identify a second position on the display device surface, the second position corresponding to a distal end of the operational tool; and

determine a direction of displacement between the first and second positions.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate an additional signal to display the second content portion on the display device surface at a third position, the third position being disposed between the first and second positions along the displacement direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first and third positions are separated by a pre-determined distance along the displacement direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the first content portion includes a plurality of content elements;

the content elements are displayed at corresponding positions on the display device surface; and

the content elements include a selectable content element and a non-selectable content element.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate an additional signal to highlight at least a portion of the selectable content element.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate an additional signal to display the second content portion at the display device surface position corresponding to the selectable content element.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the content elements further include a plurality of selectable content elements; and

the control unit is further configured to

compute displacements between the first position and the display device surface positions associated with the selectable content elements,

determine a minimum of the computed displacements,

identify a selectable content element associated with the minimum displacement, and

generate an additional signal to highlight at least a portion of the identified selectable content element.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the content elements further include a plurality of non-selectable content elements; and

the control unit is further configured to generate an additional signal to merge a subset of the non-selectable content elements to form the second content portion.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine a direction of displacement between the first position and the display device surface position associated with the selectable content element.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate an additional signal to display the second content portion at a predetermined distance from the first reference position along the direction of displacement.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate a signal to execute an application, when the detected distance falls within the threshold range, the application being associated with a corresponding execution time period.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate the signal to display the second content portion to the user throughout at least a portion of the execution time period.

18. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the detection unit is further configured to detect a contact between the display device surface and the reference point of the operational tool; and

the control unit is further configured to generate the signal to display the second content portion to the user, when the contact is detected.

19. A computer-implemented method for processing information, comprising:

displaying a first portion of content to a user on a surface of a display unit;

detecting a distance between a surface of a non-contacting interface and a reference point disposed along an operational tool of the user;

determining whether the distance falls within a threshold range; and

generating a signal to display a second portion of content to the user, when the detected distance falls within the threshold range.

20. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a program that, when executed by a processor, causes a processor to perform a method for processing information, comprising:

displaying a first portion of content to a user on a surface of a display unit;

detecting a distance between a surface of a non-contacting interface and a reference point disposed along an operational tool of the user;

determining whether the distance falls within a threshold range; and

generating a signal to display a second portion of content to the user, when the detected distance falls within the threshold range.