(12) United States Patent
`Rekimoto et a].
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,088,342 B2
`Aug. 8, 2006
`
`US007088342B2
`
`INPUT METHOD AND INPUT DEVICE
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`(54)
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Junichi Rekimoto, Tokyo (JP);
`Tatsushi Nashida, KanagaWa (JP);
`Ivan Poupyrev, Tokyo (JP)
`
`(73)
`
`Assignee: Sony Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
`
`( * )
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 429 days.
`
`(21)
`
`(22)
`
`(65)
`
`Appl. N0.: 10/437,797
`
`Filed:
`
`May 14, 2003
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`8/1996 Bisset et al. ........... .. 178/1806
`5,543,588 A *
`3/1998 Armstrong et al. ......... .. 341/20
`5,729,219 A *
`2/2000 Lee ...... ..
`345/173
`6,023,265 A *
`6,747,635 B1* 6/2004 Ossia ............. ..
`345/169
`6,909,424 B1 *
`6/2005 LiebenoW et al.
`345/169
`2002/0149561 A1* 10/2002 Fukumoto et al.
`345/156
`2003/0184528 A1* 10/2003 Kawasaki et al. ........ .. 345/173
`
`* cited by examiner
`Primary ExamineriBipin ShalWala
`Assistant ExamineriNitin Patel
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or F irmiFinnegan, Henderson,
`FaraboW, Garrett & Dunner, L.L.P.
`
`US 2003/0234768 A1
`
`Dec. 25, 2003
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`(30)
`May 16, 2002
`
`(JP)
`
`........................... .. 2002-141742
`
`(51)
`
`(52)
`(58)
`
`Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`G09G 5/00
`US. Cl. ..................................... .. 345/169; 345/173
`Field of Classi?cation Search .............. .. 345/ 156,
`345/157, 168, 169, 173, 176, 179, 160, 162,
`345/172, 705, 773; 178/1801, 18.02, 19.01,
`178/1902; 715/771, 773, 705
`See application ?le for complete search history.
`
`A display panel disposed on the front surface of a device
`shoWs information related to an operation input. A sensor for
`detecting a touch of an object is disposed on the back surface
`of the device. A mark representing the touch position is
`displayed at a position directly above the position of a touch
`detected by the sensor on the display panel. When the mark
`representing the touch position and the display position of
`the information are overlapped, an input process corre
`sponding to the overlapped information is performed.
`
`6 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets
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`110
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`114
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`VOLUME
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`90
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`/
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`‘114a
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`If”
`D
`>
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`111
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`SCEA Ex. 1056 Page 1
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 8, 2006
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`Sheet 1 0f 11
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`US 7,088,342 B2
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`FIG. 1
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`SCEA Ex. 1056 Page 2
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 8, 2006
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`Sheet 2 0f 11
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`US 7,088,342 B2
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`FIG. 2
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`110
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`4
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`SCEA Ex. 1056 Page 3
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 8, 2006
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`Sheet 4 0f 11
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`US 7,088,342 B2
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`FIG. 4A
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`4
`i
`2
`Oc7>
`LLCD
`ES
`<22
`5%
`Err
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`SO
`8
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`S1
`s2
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`%
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`T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7
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`FINGER POSITION
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`+
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`3:1
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`SO
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`LLl
`“"9
`2%
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`S4
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`$3
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`T1
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`T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7
`
`FINGER
`POSITION
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`FINGER
`POSITION
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`SCEA Ex. 1056 Page 5
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 8, 2006
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`Sheet 5 0f 11
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`US 7,088,342 B2
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`FIG. 5
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`111
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`SCEA Ex. 1056 Page 6
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 8, 2006
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`Sheet 6 0f 11
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`US 7,088,342 B2
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`FIG. 6
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`4
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`S11
`TOUCH INPUT MODE?
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`YES
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`512
`TOUCH IS DETECTED?
`
`YES
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`DISPLAY TOUCH POSITION AT 813
`CORRESPONDING POSITION
`
`/L\S14
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`CENTER OF TOUCH POSITION
`< IS MATCHED WITH DISPV—+
`POSITION OF BUTTON?
`NO
`
`EXECUTE INPUT PROCESS
`CORRESPONDING TO BUTTON
`
`$15
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`SCEA Ex. 1056 Page 7
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 8, 2006
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`Sheet 7 0f 11
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`US 7,088,342 B2
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`FIG. 7A
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`FIG. 7B
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`211
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`SCEA Ex. 1056 Page 8
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 8, 2006
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`Sheet 8 0f 11
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`US 7,088,342 B2
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`FIG. 8
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`
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`221 ,1 ®“ 2251®
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`i #1181222 226
`223
`227
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`w
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`Lh
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`210 u
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`S \
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`)
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`SCEA Ex. 1056 Page 9
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 8, 2006
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`Sheet 9 0f 11
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`US 7,088,342 B2
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`FIG. 9
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`110
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`. III’)
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`120a
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`4
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`100'
`-—
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`SCEA Ex. 1056 Page 10
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 8, 2006
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`Sheet 10 0f 11
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`US 7,088,342 B2
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`FIG. 10
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 8, 2006
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`Sheet 11 0f 11
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`US 7,088,342 B2
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`FIG. 11
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`110
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`114
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`VOLUME
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`US 7,088,342 B2
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`1
`INPUT METHOD AND INPUT DEVICE
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to input methods and input
`devices suited for operating, for example, portable electronic
`apparatuses.
`2. Description of the Related Art
`It is dif?cult to provide a keyboard With portable elec
`tronic apparatuses, such as PDAs (Personal Digital Assis
`tants), compared to typical computers. Input devices, such as
`touch panels, are therefore constructed to realiZe various
`inputs by touching a panel With an object, such as a ?nger
`and a special pen.
`The touch panel is formed on the display panel, such as
`a liquid crystal display panel, Where operation buttons, a
`keyboard, and the like are displayed. When one of the
`buttons or a key on the keyboard is touched, even though the
`touch panel has relatively a small area, a complicated input
`process can be realiZed by assigning a function to the
`corresponding button or key.
`HoWever, knoWn touch panels are constructed to accept
`an input via direct contact on the front surface of the display
`panel With the object. This causes a variety of problems. For
`example, touching the display panel directly to operate it
`may smudge the front surface of the display panel. The
`smudges become Worse, making characters and graphics on
`the display panel hard to recogniZe. This requires occasional
`cleaning of the front surface of the display panel With a cloth
`or the like.
`In addition, When touching the display panel With the
`?nger to operate it, the siZes of the operation buttons shoWn
`on the display panel should not be less than the Width of the
`?nger. To be speci?c, a touch panel in Which a plurality of
`operation buttons is aligned With a pitch narroWer than the
`Width of a ?nger to operate it by touching the display
`position of a desired operation button has been constructed.
`When using this touch panel, hoWever, the user may acci
`dentally touch several buttons simultaneously or may cover
`the entirety of one operation button With his/her ?nger.
`Hence, the user cannot easily recogniZe Which operation
`button corresponds to the position being touched With the
`?nger. This reduces the operability of the touch panel.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
`enable the input operation of a touch-sensitive input device,
`such as a touch panel, to be easily and reliably performed.
`To this end, according to a ?rst aspect of the present
`invention, there is provided an input method including an
`operation-input display step of displaying information
`related to an operation input at a display position, a detecting
`step of detecting a touch of an object at a touch position on
`a ?rst surface behind the information displayed at the
`operation input display step, a touch-position display step of
`displaying a mark at a mark position directly above the touch
`position, the mark representing the touch position, and an
`input step of determining Whether the display position of the
`information displayed at the operation-input display step and
`the mark position of the mark displayed at the touch-position
`display step are overlapped, and When overlapping is deter
`mined, executing an input process corresponding to the
`overlapped information.
`According to a second aspect of the present invention, an
`input device includes a display panel disposed on the front
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`surface of a casing, a back-surface sensor for detecting a
`touch of an object at a touch position on the back surface of
`the casing, and a control unit for displaying information
`related to an operation input on the display panel, displaying
`a mark representing the touch position at the corresponding
`position of the display panel directly above the touch
`position detected by the back-surface sensor, determining
`Whether the display position of the information and the
`position of the mark are overlapped, and When overlapping
`is determined, executing an input process corresponding to
`the overlapped information.
`A ?nger or the like touches the back surface of a device
`With a display on the display panel on the front surface of the
`device being observed. A mark is displayed on the display
`panel at the position on the display panel directly above the
`touch position of the ?nger. When the position of the mark,
`that is, the touch position on the back surface and the display
`position of information related to the operation input shoWn
`on the display panel, for example, operation buttons, are
`overlapped, an input process is performed. Therefore, With
`out touching the front surface, the same operations as those
`of knoWn touch panels are realiZed. In addition, since there
`is no need to touch the front surface during the operation, no
`smudge on the display panel occurs, and characters and
`graphics on the display panel are not covered With the
`touched ?nger. Accordingly, a user can perform reliable
`input operations because the display on the display panel can
`be easily recogniZed. Even When the operation buttons are
`aligned With a pitch narroWer than the Width of a ?nger, a
`desired button is reliably operated by causing, for example,
`the center of the mark representing the touch position to be
`overlapped With the display position of the desired button.
`This improves the operability of the touch panel.
`The back-surface sensor may detect an approach of the
`object to an approach position on the back surface of the
`casing, and the control unit may display a mark representing
`the approach position detected by the back-surface sensor on
`the corresponding position of the display panel.
`In this case, the sensor also detects an approach of the
`object to the back surface of the casing. The mark repre
`senting the approach position detected by the sensor is
`displayed at the corresponding position on the display panel.
`For example, a position on the display panel the ?nger
`approaches may be displayed even though the ?nger does
`not completely touch the back surface. Accordingly, the user
`can notice a position to be touched before the user actually
`touches the back surface to operate the device.
`The input device may further include a front-surface
`sensor for detecting a touch on the front surface of the
`display panel. In the input device, the control unit performs
`a predetermined input process corresponding to the touch
`position detected by the front-surface sensor.
`Aside from the back surface sensor, the front surface
`sensor is disposed on the front surface of the display panel.
`By performing an input process corresponding to the touch
`position detected by the front surface sensor and the back
`surface sensor, the disposition of the sensors on both sur
`faces of the device can realiZe an advanced input process.
`In the input device, When one of the back-surface sensor
`and the front-surface sensor performs touch detection, the
`control unit may perform an input process of selecting an
`input item, and When the other performs touch detection, the
`control unit may perform an input process of adjusting a
`value related to the selected input item.
`For example, When one of the back-surface sensor and the
`front-surface sensor performs touch detection, the input item
`is selected; and When the other performs touch detection, the
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`parameter related to the selected input item is input. This
`realizes a selection among a plurality of items and a detailed
`adjustment of the selected item.
`The input device may further include an actuator for
`temporarily vibrating the casing provided With the display
`panel. In the input device, the control unit may control
`vibrations of the actuator in accordance With a touch
`detection state obtained by the back-surface sensor.
`By providing the actuator that temporarily vibrates the
`casing mounted on the display panel, vibrations of the
`actuator is controlled in accordance With a touch detection
`state of the sensor. For example, When some input process is
`executed in response to a touch on the back surface of the
`device, the actuator temporarily vibrates the device to be
`able to let the user notice that input is performed. This
`improves the operability of the system.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a perspective vieW showing an example con
`struction of an apparatus (PDA) provided With an input
`device according to one embodiment of the present inven
`tion;
`FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional vieW shoWing an example
`internal layout of the apparatus according to one embodi
`ment of the present invention;
`FIG. 3 is an illustration shoWing an example diagram of
`a sensor according to one embodiment of the present inven
`tion;
`FIGS. 4A and 4B are graphs shoWing detection charac
`teristics of one embodiment of the present invention;
`FIG. 5 is an illustration shoWing an example single
`handed operation of the device according to one embodi
`ment of the present invention;
`FIG. 6 is a ?owchart shoWing an example input process
`of one embodiment of the present invention;
`FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C are illustrations shoWing other
`example operations of the device according to another
`embodiment of the present invention;
`FIG. 8 is an illustration shoWing another example opera
`tion of the device according to another embodiment of the
`present invention;
`FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional vieW of an example construc
`tion of the device according to still another embodiment of
`the present invention;
`FIG. 10 is an illustration shoWing an example operation of
`the device shoWn in FIG. 9; and
`FIG. 11 is an illustration shoWing another example opera
`tion of the device shoWn in FIG. 9.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`FIG. 1 shoWs a perspective vieW of an input device
`according to the present invention applied to a PDA 100. In
`the PDA 100, a casing for a data processing terminal is
`provided With a display panel 110 mounted on the front
`surface thereof. The display panel 110 includes a liquid
`crystal display panel to shoW various types of characters and
`graphics, for example. Operation keys 101 are provided at a
`loWer end of the front surface of the PDA 100.
`A back-surface touch sensor 120 is disposed inside the
`casing for detecting a touch on the back surface of the
`casing. The display area of the display panel 110 is substan
`tially equal to the touch detection area of the back-surface
`touch sensor 120 so that the back-surface touch sensor 120
`can detect a touch on substantially the entire area directly
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`beloW the display area of the display panel 110. The back
`surface touch sensor 120 can detect a touch by a living body
`such as a ?nger as Well as the position being touched
`(hereinafter, referred to as “touch position”). The actual
`construction of the back-surface touch sensor 120 Will be
`described beloW.
`FIG. 2 shoWs a cross-sectional vieW of an example layout
`of the display panel 110 and the back-surface touch sensor
`120. The display panel 110, Which has a relatively large
`display area, is provided on the front surface of the PDA
`100. Directly beloW the display panel 110 inside the casing
`is the back-surface touch sensor 120 that includes a substrate
`provided With touch-sensitive electrodes attached to a part of
`the casing. A slight concave 10011 is provided at the position
`of the casing Where the substrate including the back-surface
`touch sensor 120 is disposed, so that the position of the
`back-surface touch sensor 120 can be noticed by tactile
`sensation. In FIG. 2, for simplicity, only the physical rela
`tionship betWeen the display panel 100 and the back-surface
`touch sensor 120 is shoWn, and the layout of the other
`components of the PDA 100 is omitted.
`FIG. 3 shoWs an example construction of the back-surface
`touch sensor 120. The substrate having the back-surface
`touch sensor 120 formed thereon is disposed directly beloW
`the display panel 110. On the surface of the substrate, a ?rst
`group of a plurality of electrodes 121 (hereinafter, referred
`to as “the ?rst group 121”) and a second group of a plurality
`of electrodes 122 (hereinafter, referred to as “the second
`group 122”) are alternately disposed at predetermined inter
`vals in a linear manner. The ?rst group 121 serves as
`transmission electrodes While the second group 122 serve as
`reception electrodes. In FIG. 3, for simplicity, the electrodes
`of the ?rst group 121 and the second group 122 are aligned
`in only one line. HoWever, When the back-surface touch
`sensor 120 is required to have a large touch detection area,
`a plurality of electrode roWs must be provided. For example,
`When it is necessary to detect a touch on substantially the
`entire area of the display panel 110, the area of the substrate
`having the back-surface touch sensor 120 must be substan
`tially equal to that of the display panel 110, and the elec
`trodes of the ?rst group 121 and the second group 122 must
`be disposed in a predetermined pattern over substantially the
`entire area of the overlapping part betWeen the substrate and
`the display area of the display panel 110.
`When a ?nger touches the concave 10011 on the back
`surface of the PDA 100, the capacitance betWeen adjacent
`electrodes of the ?rst group 121 and the second group 122
`varies due to capacitive coupling betWeen the ?nger touch
`ing the concave 100a and the adjacent electrodes of the ?rst
`group 121 and the second group 122. A variation in the
`capacitance is electrically measured to detect a touch and the
`touch position is also found. The detection process is
`described beloW. In addition, When the ?nger approaches the
`casing, the position of the ?nger can also be found based on
`a measurement of the variation in capacitance. As used
`herein, “approach” means a state in Which the ?nger
`approaches the vicinity of the casing Within, for example,
`several millimeters from the back surface of the casing.
`A particular signal output from a signal source 11 is
`supplied to the ?rst group 121 in the time-sharing manner
`via a selector sWitch 12. The selector sWitch 12 permits
`sequential signal supply to each electrode of the ?rst group
`121 from the signal source 11 at predetermined short inter
`vals in a time-sharing manner. A selector sWitch 13 sWitches
`in synchronization With the selector sWitch 12 to permit
`sequential signal supply from each electrode of the second
`group 122 to an ampli?er 14 in a time-sharing manner. The
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`selector switches 12 and 13 switch over With the same
`period. For example, When the selector sWitch 12 sWitches
`so that a signal produced from the signal source 11 is fed into
`an electrode of the ?rst group 121, the selector sWitch 13
`sWitches to select one electrode of the second group 122,
`Which electrode is adjacent to the selected one of the ?rst
`group 121, and alloWs a signal from the selected electrode
`of the second group 122 to be fed into the ampli?er 14.
`The signal source 11 produces a predetermined signal,
`such as an alternating current signal having a speci?c
`frequency. The signal produced from the signal source 11 is
`sequentially fed via the selector sWitch 12 to each electrode
`of the ?rst group 121. An electrode of the ?rst group 121
`(transmission electrode) sends a signal to the corresponding
`electrode of the second group 122 (reception electrode). The
`signal is fed into the ampli?er 14 Where it is ampli?ed and
`then fed into the synchronous detector 15. In the synchro
`nous detector 15, a signal component contained in the signal
`from the ampli?er 14 synchroniZed With the frequency of an
`output signal from the signal source 11 is detected. The
`detected signal component is fed into a loW-pass ?lter 16 to
`be converted into a direct current signal. This direct current
`signal is fed into an analog-to-digital converter 17 Where the
`signal strength of the direct current signal is converted into
`binary data.
`The data produced at the analog-to-digital converter 17 is
`fed into a controller 18 that controls input/output devices.
`The controller 18 determines, based on the fed data, the
`operation state of the back-surface touch sensor 120 to issue
`a corresponding command from a terminal 19. In the present
`embodiment, the controller 18 determines, based on the data
`supplied via the analog-to-digital converter 17, the variation
`in the signal strength Which indicates Whether the ?nger
`touches or the ?nger approaches the back-surface touch
`sensor 120 disposed on the back surface of the casing.
`In addition, the controller 18 produces a display control
`signal to control characters and graphics shoWn on the
`display panel 110, Which is driven by a display driver 20. For
`example, When the controller 18 determines a touch on or an
`approach to the back-surface touch sensor 120, the controller
`18 causes the display panel 110 to shoW a mark representing
`a “touch” mark or an “approach” mark directly above the
`determined back-surface sensor 120. The marks represent
`ing respective “touch” and “approach” may be displayed in
`a distinguishable manner, such as by using different colors
`for the respective marks.
`Next, there Will be described With reference to FIGS. 4A
`and 4B hoW the input device of the present invention can
`detect a touch or an approach of the ?nger. FIG. 4A shoWs
`a state in Which one ?nger touches a particular part of the
`casing directly beloW a part provided With the electrodes of
`the ?rst group 121 and the second group 122. Positions T1,
`T2, T3, T4, .
`.
`. represent touch positions. In FIG. 4A, the
`?nger touches substantially the central position betWeen the
`positions T3 and T4. When this position is thus touched, the
`intensity of a signal that is detected by the synchronous
`detector 15 via the electrode corresponding to the angle and
`position of a touch is less than those of the signals detected
`via the other electrodes.
`For example, it is assumed that the positions T1, T2, T3,
`T4 .
`.
`. correspond to the position of each electrode of the
`?rst group 121 disposed at predetermined intervals. When a
`signal is fed from the signal source 11 to one electrode of the
`?rst group 121 at the position T1, a signal from an electrode
`of the second group 122 that is adjacent to the electrode of
`the ?rst group 121 at the position T1 is fed into the
`synchronous detector 15 Where it is demodulated. The
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`received signal intensity of the demodulated signal is the
`intensity of the signal at the position T1. The intensity of the
`signal is measured over the region Where all electrodes of the
`?rst group 121 and the second group 122 are disposed, and
`the controller 18 ?nds the signal intensity betWeen adjacent
`electrodes of the ?rst group 121 and the second group 122
`using interpolation. Thus, a signal intensity having a normal
`signal-reception intensity characteristic S0 (shoWn in FIG.
`4A) indicating substantially uniform signal intensity over
`the region can be obtained When the ?nger or the like is not
`in the proximity of the concave 10011 of the casing.
`On the other hand, When the ?nger approaches substan
`tially a central position betWeen, for example, the positions
`T3 and T4, the signal reception intensity of the position
`being approached by the ?nger (hereinafter, referred to as
`“approach position”) is loWer than those of the other posi
`tions in the region, giving a characteristic S1 shoWn in FIG.
`4A. When the approaching ?nger touches the front surface
`of the display panel 101, the signal reception intensity of the
`touch position decreases further than those of the other
`positions in the region, giving a characteristic S2 shoWn in
`FIG. 4A.
`A decrease in the signal reception intensity at the touch
`position occurs due to capacitive coupling betWeen the
`?nger and the corresponding electrodes of the ?rst group
`121 and second group 122, giving the largest decrease at the
`touch position. The controller 18 determines the decrease in
`the signal reception intensity to compute the touch position
`the approach position. In order to be able to distinguish
`betWeen a touch on the display panel 101 and the approach
`to the display panel 101, the controller 18 also determines a
`level difference betWeen the signal reception intensity S1
`obtained When the ?nger approaches the display panel 101
`and the signal reception intensity S2 obtained When the
`?nger touches the display panel 101.
`Even When several positions on the display panel 110 are
`touched or approached, the touch detection can be achieved
`using the construction shoWn in FIG. 3. For example, one
`?nger approaching the position T1 and another ?nger
`approaching the position T6 produce a received signal
`intensity having a characteristic S3 shoWn in FIG. 4B. The
`characteristic S3 has tWo peaks of received signal intensity
`that decrease in the respective proximities of Ti and T6
`compared to the substantially ?at characteristic S0. When
`these tWo ?ngers touch the respective positions, the received
`signal intensity characteristic S4 is reduced further. The
`controller 18 therefore computes the positions of the peaks
`to ?nd the positions being touched or approached by the tWo
`?ngers. The same method can be applied even When at least
`three positions are simultaneously approached or touched.
`The PDA 100 including the back-surface touch sensor 120
`for detecting the approach or touch of ?ngers is operated
`shoWn in, for example, FIG. 5. A user holds the PDA 100
`single-handed so as to face the front surface of the display
`panel 110. At least one ?nger of a hand holding the PDA 100
`places on the back surface of the PDA 100 to touch the
`concave 10011 of the display panel 100 With the ?nger.
`Touching in this manner causes the controller 18 to
`determine the touch position via a circuit connected to the
`electrodes disposed in the back-surface touch sensor 120. A
`display panel 110 displays, for example, a plurality of
`operation buttons 111 (hereinafter, referred to as “the opera
`tion buttons 111”). In addition, a touch position pointer 112,
`such as a cross-shape pointer, is displayed on the position of
`the display panel 110 that corresponds to the touch position
`that is determined by the controller 18. The touch position
`pointer 112 may take any other shape as long as the center
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`SCEA Ex. 1056 Page 15
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`US 7,088,342 B2
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`7
`thereof can be recognized. The operation buttons 111 are
`displayed so that as shoWn in FIG. 1, a function assigned to
`each button can be recognized With characters or graphics.
`The approach position may be also displayed in the same
`manner as the touch position displayed.
`When the touch position pointer 112 and one of the
`operation buttons 111 are overlapped, the controller 18
`determines that the button at the overlapped position is
`operated, and the controller 18 issues the operation com
`mand corresponding to the button at the overlapped position
`from the terminal 19. When the operation command can be
`processed, the controller 18 executes the operation com
`mand.
`Next, a process executed by the controller 18 in response
`to detection of a touch and an approach Will be described
`With reference to the ?owchart in FIG. 6. Initially, the
`controller 18 determines Whether a touch input mode is set
`as an operation mode (step S11). When the controller 18
`determines that the touch mode is set (this indicates that, for
`example, the operation buttons 111 or the like are displayed),
`the controller 18 determines Whether the back-surface touch
`sensor 120 detects a touch (step S12).
`When the determination at step S12 is affirmative, the
`controller 18 causes the touch position pointer 112 to be
`displayed at the corresponding position directly above the
`detected touch position in the display panel 110 (step S13).
`The controller 18 determines Whether the center of the
`touch position pointer 112 is overlapped With one of the
`operation buttons 111 (step S14). When the determination at
`step S14 is affirmative, the controller 18 determines that one
`of the operation buttons 111 corresponding to the overlapped
`position is pressed and then executes the input process
`corresponding to the pressed button (step S15).
`When the determination at S11 is negative, When a touch
`is not detected at step S12, When the center of the touch
`position is not overlapped With the display area of any of the
`operation buttons 111, and When the step S15 is executed,
`the process proceeds back to step S11.
`Since the input process using the touch input is performed
`in accordance With the determinations of the controller 18,
`although a touch on the front surface of the display panel 110
`is not required, the input process can be achieved in the same
`manner as knoWn touch panels. In this case, since the ?nger
`or the like touches the back surface of the device, the user
`can operate With recogniZing characters and graphics dis
`played on the display panel 110 and Without hiding them
`With the ?nger, thus improving the operability of the display
`panel 110. In addition, the touch position on the back surface
`of the device can be con?rmed With the touch position
`pointer 112. Therefore, although a touch occurs on the back
`surface, since the correspondence betWeen the touch posi
`tion pointer 112 on the front surface and the touch position
`on the back surface can be easily recogniZed, the disposition
`of the sensor on the back surface does not deteriorate the
`operability.
`Although the PDA 100 is operated single-handed in the
`operation example in FIG. 5, the PDA 100 may be operated
`With both hands. As shoWn in FIG. 7A, a data processing
`terminal 200 is provided With a relatively large display panel
`210 on the front surface. In the data processing terminal 200,
`touching the back surface of the data processing terminal
`200 can be detected by the back-surface touch sensor 120,
`and a plurality of operation buttons 211 (hereinafter, referred
`to as “operation buttons 211”) are displayed on the display
`panel 210.
`When one ?nger f1 of one hand h touches at a position on
`the back surface corresponding to one of the operation
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`buttons 211, a touch is detected, causing a touch position
`pointer 212 to display on the corresponding position of the
`display panel 210. When the center of the touch position
`pointer 212 is overlapped With one of the operation buttons
`211, a function corresponding to the touched button of the
`operation buttons 211 is executed.
`The back-surface touch sensor of the data processing
`terminal 200 can detect a plurality of positions simulta
`neously. As shoWn in FIG. 7C, touch position pointers 213
`and 214 corresponding-to the respective touch positions of
`a ?nger f2 of a left hand Lh and a ?nger f3 of a right hand
`Rh on the back surface may be displayed With the data
`processing terminal 200 held With a left hand Lh and a right
`hand Rh. When a plurality of positions is touched simulta
`neously, a particular input operation may be performed on
`the data processing terminal 200 so that the tWo touch
`positions move apart in the respective arroW directions in
`FIG. 7C (or the reverse operation). For example, When the
`data processing terminal 200 is operated so that the tWo
`touch positions are moved apart, characters and graphics
`displayed may be enlarged; and When operated so that the
`tWo touch positions are moved closer, the characters and
`graphics may be reduced.
`Furthermore, for example, as shoWn in FIG. 8, When four
`?ngers of the left hand Lh touch the back surface of the data
`processing terminal 200, the respective touch position point
`ers 221, 222, 223, and 224 may be displayed on the display
`panel 210; and When four ?ngers of the right hand Rh touch
`the back surface of the data processing terminal 200, the
`respective touch position pointers 225, 226, 227, and 228
`may be displayed on the display panel 210. When some of
`these touch position pointers 221 to 228 are overlapped With
`the respective operation buttons and the like, the input
`corresponding to each of the overlapped operation buttons is
`performed and another input process can be preformed
`based on a relationship among a plurality of touch positions.
`The PDA 100 is exempli?ed as an apparatus provided
`With the input device according to the present embodiment.
`HoWever, in place of the PDA 100, the input device may be
`applied to various types of electronic appa