Information processing apparatus

• US 5,453,761 A
• Filed: 06/09/1993
• Issued: 09/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hidekazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saras, Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US08/074,142
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 364/709.01, 364/709.11, 178/18, 178/19, 345/156, 345/162, 345/173, 345/172, 345/87, 345/126, 345/145, 345/169, 345/184, 345/179, 382/13
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40

Abstract

An information processing apparatus (1) has a coordinate data inputting means (31, 32) for sequentially inputting coordinate data by operation of a movable member (6), the coordinate data corresponding to the position of the movable member (6). The movable member is a pen (6), a change of the moving angle of its locus being detected by a detecting means (24) as an angle between the position of the pen (6) and a predetermined base position based on the coordinate data. The base position is displayed on a display (5) as a circular image in the form of a dial on which the pen (6) may be penned down so that a processing means detects the rotating angle of the pen (6) to change a function to be processed. In one arrangement, the circular image acts as a jog control, rotation of the pen (6) causing turning of page numbers.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a) coordinate data input means comprising a tablet for inputting said coordinate data according to a position of a movable pen member, and means for detecting coordinate data corresponding to a center point, and means for detecting coordinate data according to movement of said movable pen member relative to said center point;

b) detecting means positioned under said table and for detecting an angle between said movable pen member and said center point based on said coordinate data;

c) processing means for processing said coordinate data for changing a condition of a predetermined function in response to said angle;

d) image generating means positioned under said tablet and comprising a display for generating a dial-like circle-shaped image for illustrating a rotating angle of said movable member; and

e) means for changing said image generated by said display, in response to data input by said tablet,

f) when said pen is penned down to a predetermined area of said image, said processing means is changed to a mode for detecting a rotational angle,

when said pen is operated to trace said circular image in a clockwise sense, said predetermined function is set to increase, and when said pen is operated to trace said circular image in an anti-clockwise sense, said predetermined function is set to decrease, and

when a distance between said coordinate data of said position of said pen and said center point is greater than a predetermined distance, said processing means is operable to change coordinate data of said center point of said circular image.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined function is turning a page image on said display (5) for use in electronic memorandum apparatus.

3. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a) coordinate data input means comprising a tablet for inputting said coordinate data according to a position of a movable member and means for detecting coordinate data corresponding to a center point and means for detecting coordinate data according to movement of said movable member relative to said center point;

b) detecting means for detecting an angle between said movable member and said center point based on said coordinate data;

c) processing means for processing said coordinate data for changing a condition of a predetermined function in response to said angle;

d) image generating means comprising a display for generating a dial-like circle-shaped image having a center for illustrating a rotating angle of said movable member; and

e) means for changing said image generated by said display, in response to data input by said tablet,

wherein the position of said center of said circle-shaped image is selectively renewed in response to data input from said tablet.