Information input/output apparatus, information input/output control method, and computer product

• US 7,176,904 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2005
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Satoh, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said; Mansour M.
• Application Number:
  US11/194,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20050264541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-160, 345/87, 345/162, 345/165, 345/166, 345/169, 345173-175, 345/179, 178 1801- 1809, 178 1901- 2001
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0423 using sweeping light beams, e.g. using rotating or vibrating mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Comprises a panel, and a coordinate control section that detects a point touched on the panel and generates a signal according to the detected point. The coordinate control section generates a coordinate signal that shows coordinates of a touched point, when one point touch on the panel has been detected. When simultaneous touches of two or more points on the panel have been detected, the coordinate control section generates a control signal that shows a control set in advance corresponding to the number of touched points.

Claims

1. An information input/output apparatus, comprising:

a touch panel;

a touch point detecting unit configured to detect at least one point touched on the touch panel; and

a distance calculating unit configured to calculate, when the touch point detecting unit detects two or more points on the touch panel, a distance between the detected two or more points,

wherein the distance calculating unit is configured to calculate (1) a first difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of x coordinates of the two or more detected points, and (2) a second difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of y coordinates of the two or more detected points, based on a result of the touch point detecting unit.

2. An information input apparatus, comprising:

a touch panel;

a touch point detecting unit configured to detect at least one point touched on the touch panel; and

a distance calculating unit configured to calculate, when the touch point detecting unit detects two or more points on the touch panel, a distance between the detected two or more points,

wherein the distance calculating unit is configured to calculate (1) a first difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of x coordinates of the two or more detected points, and (2) a second difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of y coordinates of the two or more detected points, based on a result of the touch point detecting unit.

3. A method of operating an information input/output apparatus, comprising:

detecting at least one point touched on a touch panel; and

calculating, when the detecting step detects two or more points on the touch panel, a distance between the detected two or more points, wherein the calculating step further comprise calculating (1) a first difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of x coordinates of the two or more detected points, and (2) a second difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of y coordinates of the two or more detected points.

4. A method of operating an information input apparatus, comprising:

detecting at least one point touched on a touch panel; and

calculating, when the detecting step detects two or more points on the touch panel, a distance between the detected two or more points, wherein the calculating step further comprises calculating (1) a first difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of x coordinates of the two or more detected points, and (2) a second difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of y coordinates of the two or more detected points.

5. An apparatus, comprising:

an information input/output apparatus including

a touch panel;

a touch point detecting unit configured to detect at least one point touched on the touch panel; and

a distance calculating unit configured to calculate, when the touch point detecting unit detects two or more points on the touch panel, a distance between the detected two or more points, wherein the distance calculating unit is configured to calculate (1) a first difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of x coordinates of the two or more detected points, and (2) a second difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of y coordinates of the two or more detected points, based on a result of the touch point detecting unit.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

an information input apparatus including

a touch panel;

a touch point detecting unit configured to detect at least one point touched on the touch panel; and

a distance calculating unit configured to calculate, when the touch point detecting unit detects two or more points on the touch panel, a distance between the detected two or more points, wherein the distance calculating unit is configured to calculate (1) a first difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of x coordinates of the two or more detected points, and (2) a second difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of y coordinates of the two or more detected points, based on a result of the touch point detecting unit.