Information processing apparatus, display method, and display program

• US 9,001,051 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2010
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wang, Qihong, Terayama, Akiko, Takaoka, Ryo, Akagawa, Satoshi, Arai, Koji, Kasahara, Shunichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Tony N
• Application Number:
  US12/839,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,722 Days
• Field of Search: 345/157, 345/173, 715/172
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a position detecting section that detects a touch position of a pointing object on a display screen of a display section, a region detecting section that detects a region on the display screen which is hidden by the pointing object, and a control section that displays information associated with the touch position outside the region detected by the region detecting section, when the touch position is detected by the position detecting section.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a position detecting section configured to detect a touch position at which a touching portion of a touching object touches a display screen of a display section during a touch operation, the touch operation involving the touching object rotating about an axis orthogonal to the display screen;

a control section configured to determine, in response to the touch operation and based at least in part on a position of the touching portion of the touching object during the touch operation and a position of a base of the touching object during the touch operation, whether the touch operation is a right-hand operation or a left-hand operation; and

a region detecting section configured to detect, based at least in part on the determination by the control section whether the touch operation involving the touching object rotating about an axis orthogonal to the display screen is a right-hand operation or a left-hand operation, a region on the display screen which is hidden by the touching object the touch operation;

wherein the control section is further configured to;

if it is determined that the touch operation is a right-hand operation, cause first information associated with the touch position to be displayed outside the detected region on the display screen detected by the region detecting section; and

if it is determined that the touch operation is a left-hand operation, cause second information, different than the first information, to be displayed outside the detected region on the display screen detected by the region detecting section.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a usage frequency is set for each piece of the information associated with the touch position; and

the control section displays at least one piece of the information with a determined higher usage frequency if it is determined by the determining section that the touching object is on a dominant hand of the user which is set in advance.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the dominant hand of the user is set based on user input.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the control section displays the at least one piece of the information with a determined lower usage frequency if it is determined by the determining section that the user'"'"'s finger touching object is on a hand of the user different from the dominant hand.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

when the touch position is moved while the touching portion of the touching object is kept touching the display screen after displaying the information, the control section moves a display position of the information in accordance with the movement of the touch position so that its relative position with respect to the touch position does not change, and

if it is determined that the moved display position of the information lies outside the display screen, the control section moves the display position of the information to a position inside the display screen and outside the region on the display screen.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of pieces of information are associated with the touch position; and

the control section determines placement of the plurality of pieces of information on the display screen on the basis of a priority set for each of the plurality of pieces of information.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the region detecting section detects at least one of a region on the display screen which is in contact with the touching portion of the touching object and a region on the display screen which is in proximity to the base of the touching object, as the region on the display screen which is hidden by the touching object.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first information comprises at least one icon of a first type; and

the second information comprises at least one icon of a second type.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the at least one icon of the first type comprises at least one image menu icon or at least one shooting position icon; and

the at least one icon of the second type comprises at least one image menu icon or at least one shooting position icon.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further configured to display a plurality of icons on the display screen, wherein:

if the position detecting section detects the touch position of a touch operation performed by the touching portion of the touching object indicates a selection of at least one icon of the plurality of icons,

the control section causes the information associated with the touch position to be displayed,

if the information comprises the first information, the first information comprises a first representation of information associated with the at least one icon, and

if the information comprises the second information, the second information comprises a second representation of information associated with the at least one icon.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

the position detecting section detects the touch position based on a tap operation; and

at least one of the first representation and the second representation comprises a display of an image associated with the at least one icon on the entire display screen.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

the position detecting section detects the touch position based on a drag operation;

at least one of the first representation and the second representation is based on scrolling the plurality of icons on the display screen; and

at least one of the first representation and the second representation is based on dragging the at least one icon on the display screen.

13. A display method comprising acts of:

detecting, by a position detecting section of an information processing apparatus, a touch position at which a touching portion of a touching object touches a display screen of a display section during a touch operation, the touch operation involving the touching object rotating about an axis orthogonal to the display screen;

determining, in response to the touch operation and based at least in part on a position of the touching portion of the touching object during the touch operation and a position of a base of the touching object during the touch operation, whether the touch operation is a right-hand operation or a left-hand operation;

detecting, based at least in part on the determination whether the touch operation involving the touching object rotating about an axis orthogonal to the display screen is a right-hand operation or a left-hand operation, a region on the display screen which is hidden by the touching object the touch operation;

if it is determined that the touch operation is a right-hand operation, causing first information associated with the touch position to be displayed outside the detected region; and

if it is determined that the touch operation is a left-hand operation, causing second information, different than the first information, associated with the touch position to be displayed outside the detected region on the display screen.

14. The display method according to claim 13, wherein a usage frequency is set for each piece of the information associated with the touch position;

the display method further comprising displaying at least one piece of the information with a determined higher usage frequency if it is determined that the touching object is on a dominant hand of the user which is set in advance.

15. The display method according to claim 14, further comprising:

displaying the at least one piece of the information with a determined lower usage frequency if it is determined that the touching object is on a hand of the user different from the dominant hand.

16. The display method according to claim 13, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of icons on the display screen; and

when the touch position of the touching portion of the touching object indicates a selection of at least one icon of the plurality of icons, displaying information associated with the at least one icon.

17. The display method according to claim 16, wherein:

the touch position is detected based on a tap operation with respect to the at least one icon; and

the displayed information comprises a display of an image associated with the at least one icon on the entire display screen.

18. The display method according to claim 13, further comprising:

displaying a map on the display screen; and

when the touch position of the touch operation performed by the touching portion of the touching object indicates a selection of a portion of the map, causing information associated with the touch position to be displayed so that at least one of the first information and the second information is displayed based on scrolling of the map and at least one of the first information and the second information is displayed based on changing a bird'"'"'s eye viewing angle of the map.

19. The display method according to claim 18, wherein:

the map comprises a three-dimensional map.

20. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause an information processing apparatus to perform acts comprising:

detecting, by a position detecting section of an information processing apparatus, a touch position at which a touching portion of a touching object touches a display screen of a display section during a touch operation, the touch operation involving the touching object rotating about an axis orthogonal to the display screen;

determining, in response to the touch operation and based at least in part on a position of the touching portion of the touching object during the touch operation and a position of a base of the touching object during the touch operation, whether the touch operation is a right-hand operation or a left-hand operation;

detecting, based at least in part on the determination whether the touch operation involving the touching object rotating about an axis orthogonal to the display screen is a right-hand operation or a left-hand operation, a region on the display screen which is hidden by the touching object the touch operation;

if it is determined that the touch operation is a right-hand operation, causing first information associated with the touch position to be displayed outside the detected region; and

if it is determined that the touch operation is a left-hand operation, causing second information, different than the first information, associated with the touch position to be displayed outside the detected region on the display screen.

21. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage device according to claim 20, wherein the touch operation comprises a tap operation or a drag operation.