Information processing apparatus, program and coordinate input method

• US 6,992,660 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2002
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kawano, Seiichi, Ohmori, Yuhko, Nakano, Masayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHENG, TOM V
• Application Number:
  US10/300,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20030095112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/20.01, D14/389
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An apparatus, program product and method of detecting, within a predetermined time period after an input of a first coordinate, an input of a second coordinate being apart a predetermined distance or more from a first coordinate, or detecting, within a predetermined time period after an input of the first coordinate, an input of the second coordinate being apart a predetermined distance or more from the first coordinate and the following input of a third coordinate near the first coordinate, whereby a first processing in accordance with the first coordinate or a second processing in accordance with the first coordinate is performed depending on the detected result.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a unit for detecting a first touch at a first coordinate and, within a predetermined time period after said first touch, a second touch at a second coordinate being apart a predetermined distance or more from said first coordinate, and following said second touch, a third touch at a third coordinate near said first coordinate;

a unit for performing a first processing in accordance with said first coordinate if said detecting unit does not detect said third touch at said third coordinate; and

a unit for performing a second processing different from said first processing in accordance with said first coordinate, if said detecting unit detects said third touch at said third coordinate.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information processing apparatus comprises a computer, in which said first processing comprises notifying an operating system of the same information as notifying said operating system of said computer at the time of locating a cursor at said first coordinate and pressing a left mouse button, and said second processing comprises notifying said operating system of the same information as notifying said operating system at the time of locating the cursor at said first coordinate and pressing a right mouse button.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an input of each coordinate is performed by a coordinate input unit capable of making a coordinate input in accordance with a touched position and making the coordinate input of only one point at the same time.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said coordinate input unit supplies to said information processing apparatus the information as to whether or not there is any touch and the input information regarding a coordinate input by contact in a predetermined period from the time when the touch is started till the time when the touch is released, and said detecting means makes a positive detection in accordance with said input information, if it can be further judged that the touch is kept on from the time when said first coordinate is input till the time when said third coordinate is input.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said third coordinate is input by keeping the first touch for inputting said first coordinate.

6. A computer program residing on a computer-readable medium, comprising instructions causing a computer to:

detect a first touch at a first coordinate;

detect within a predetermined time period after said first touch, a second touch at a second coordinate being apart a predetermined distance or more from said first coordinate and a third touch at a third coordinate near said first coordinate;

perform a first processing in accordance with said first coordinate if said third touch is not detected; and

perform a second processing different from said first processing in accordance with said first coordinate, if said third touch is detected.

7. The program according to claim 6, wherein said first processing comprises notifying an operating system of the same information as notifying said operating system of said computer at the time of locating a cursor at said first coordinate and pressing a left mouse button, and said second processing comprises notifying said operating system of the same information as notifying said operating system at the time of locating the cursor at said first coordinate and pressing a right mouse button.

8. The program according to claim 6, wherein an input of each coordinate is performed by a coordinate input unit capable of making a coordinate input in accordance with a touched position and making the coordinate input of only one point at the same time.

9. The program according to claim 8, wherein said coordinate input means supplies to said computer the information as to whether or not there is any touch and the input information regarding a coordinate input by contact in a predetermined period from the time when the touch is started till the time when it is released, and said detecting means makes said positive detection in accordance with said input information, if it can be further judged that the touch is kept on from the time when said first coordinate is input till the time when said third coordinate is input.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said third coordinate is input by keeping the first touch for inputting said first coordinate.

11. A coordinate input method comprising:

touching a coordinate input unit a first time to input a first coordinate, wherein the coordinate inputunit is capable of making the coordinate input in accordance with a touched position to enable an information processing apparatus to perform a first processing in accordance with said first coordinate; and

touching the coordinate input unit a second time to input, within a predetermined time period after an input of said first coordinate, a second coordinate being apart a predetermined distance or more from said first coordinate; and

touching the coordinate input unit a third time to input a third coordinate near said first coordinate in this order, employing said coordinate input unit, to enable said information processing apparatus to perform a second processing different from said first processing in accordance with said first coordinate.

12. The coordinate input method according to claim 11, wherein said coordinate input unit supplies to said information processing apparatus the information as to whether or not there is any touch and the input information regarding a coordinate input by contact in a predetermined period, and said first to third coordinates are input in such a manner that said first coordinate is touched by a first finger, said second coordinate is touched by another second finger while keeping the touch by the first finger, and after said second finger is released, said third coordinate is touched by said second finger while keeping the touch by the first finger.

13. The coordinate input method according to claim 11, wherein said coordinate input unit can make the coordinate input for only one point at the same time.