Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program product

• US 9,710,159 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2011
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyazawa, Yusuke, Yamano, Ikuo
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US13/196,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,176 Days
• Field of Search: 715767
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An information processing apparatus detects an interaction area of a position detection surface specified by a manipulation object. A focused target extraction unit that extracts at least some of a plurality of focused targets on the basis of the interaction area. A selection candidate extraction unit extracts a selection candidate from the plurality of focused targets, and a display displays at least some of the plurality of focused targets, and emphasizes the selection candidate. Furthermore, a method and non-transitory computer readable storage device cooperate to provide a corresponding process.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

circuitry configured to

detect an interaction area of a position detection surface specified by a single static point of contact on the detection surface by a manipulation object;

calculate a predetermined shape as a region corresponding to the interaction area based on the single static point of contact,

determine a plurality of focused targets that overlap the predetermined shape;

display a subset of the plurality of focused targets determined based on a distance between each of the plurality of focused targets and a center of the predetermined shape, in a window that overlaps an input field and that has a same number of rows above and below boundaries of the input field, the window not overlapping the interaction area, the input field being separated from the interaction area, the subset of the plurality of focused targets being fewer than all of the plurality of focused targets;

determine a selection candidate from the plurality of focused targets; and

emphasize the selection candidate relative to others of the plurality of focused targets,

wherein the plurality of focused targets include alphanumeric characters,

said circuitry displays the selection candidate as an alphanumeric character emphasized, as compared to others of the plurality of focused targets, by at least one of an insertion-point cursor and bold text, and

the window in which the plurality of focused targets are displayed moves when the selection candidate is selected.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said circuitry is incorporated into a wireless mobile terminal;

and

said plurality of focused targets include keys of a software keyboard.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein said plurality of focused targets are keys in a row of the software keyboard that falls within the predetermined shape.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the circuitry displays the plurality of focused targets in a display area that does not overlap the keys of the wireless keyboard.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the emphasis on the selection candidate changes to a different alphanumeric character in response to said circuitry detecting a change in position of the manipulation object with respect to the interaction area.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein a proximity of the selection candidate to the different alphanumeric character is related to an amount of movement of the manipulation object with respect to the interaction area.

7. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said circuitry includes said position detection surface.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein said circuitry detects pressure from said manipulation object when contacted by the manipulation object.

9. The information processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein said circuitry is responsive to change in capacitance.

10. The information processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein when said manipulation object covers from sight one or more keys of the software keyboard, the circuitry displays the at least some of the plurality of focused targets in a display region of said display that is not covered by said manipulation object.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein within the window that overlaps the input field, a first subset of the plurality of focus targets are displayed above the input field, a second subset of the plurality of focus targets are displayed within the input field and a third subset of the plurality of focus targets are displayed below the input field.

17. The information processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the circuitry calculates the predetermined shape based on changes in capacitate caused by the interaction object.

11. An information processing method, comprising:

detecting an interaction area of a position detection surface specified by a single static point of contact on the detection surface by a manipulation object;

calculating a predetermined shape as a region corresponding to the interaction area based on the single static point of contact;

determining with a computer processor a plurality of focused targets that overlap the predetermined shape;

displaying on a display a subset of the plurality of focused targets determined based on a distance between each of the plurality of focused targets and a center of the predetermined shape, in a window that overlaps an input field and has a same number of rows above and below boundaries of the input field, the window not overlapping the interaction area, the input field being separated from the interaction area, the subset of the plurality of focused targets being fewer than all of the plurality of focused targets;

determining with the computer processor a selection candidate from the plurality of focused targets; and

emphasizing the selection candidate on the display relative to others of the plurality of focused targets,

wherein the plurality of focused targets include alphanumeric characters,

the selection candidate is displayed as an alphanumeric character emphasized, as compared to others of the plurality of focused targets, by at least one of an insertion-point cursor and bold text, and

the window in which the plurality of focused targets are displayed moves when the selection candidate is selected.

12. The information processing method of claim 11, wherein said display is incorporated into a wireless mobile terminal;

and

said plurality of focused targets further include keys of a software keyboard.

13. The information processing method of claim 11, wherein said display is incorporated into an electronic map device.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage device having stored therein computer readable instructions that when executed by a computer processor perform a process comprising:

detecting an interaction area of a position detection surface specified by a single static point of contact on the detection surface by a manipulation object;

calculating a predetermined shape as a region corresponding to the interaction area based on the single static point of contact;

determining with a computer a plurality of focused targets that overlap the predetermined shape;

displaying on a display a subset of the plurality of focused targets determined based on a distance between each of the plurality of focused targets and a center of the predetermined shape, in a window that overlaps an input field and that has a same number of rows above and below boundaries of the input field, the window not overlapping the interaction area, the input field being separated from the interaction area, the subset of the plurality of focused targets being fewer than all of the plurality of focused targets;

determining a selection candidate from the plurality of focused targets; and

emphasizing the selection candidate on the display relative to others of the plurality of focused targets,

wherein the plurality of focused targets include alphanumeric characters,

the selection candidate is displayed as an alphanumeric character emphasized, as compared to others of the plurality of focused targets, by at least one of an insertion-point cursor and bold text, and

the window in which the plurality of focused targets are displayed moves when the selection candidate is selected.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 14, wherein said display is incorporated into a wireless mobile terminal;

and

said plurality of focused targets further include keys of a software keyboard.