JP2018005823A - Information processing apparatus, pointing operation method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operability of pointing operation even when an operation area of a touch pad is small.SOLUTION: A notebook computer 1 includes a touch pad 6 to be used for pointing operation to move a pointer 9 displayed on a display 7, and extended touch sensor parts 11 with operation surfaces arranged in areas adjacent to an operation surface of the touch pad 6. When a pointing operation is continuously performed via the touch pad 6 up to the extended touch sensor unit 11 beyond the touch pad 6, the notebook computer 1 receives the pointing operation via the extended touch sensor unit 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a pointing operation method, and a program.

  As an apparatus for performing a pointing operation for moving a pointer displayed on a display, an information processing apparatus including a touch pad (also referred to as a track pad) has been developed.

  Here, a touch pad with a wide operation area easily moves the pointer to the position of the screen desired by the user, but an erroneous operation is likely to occur because the palm or the like is likely to touch unnecessarily. Thus, when a large object comes into contact with the touch pad, a touch pad has been developed that does not recognize the contact as an operation on the touch pad. However, since the palm contact area is not necessarily constant, erroneous recognition is likely to occur.

  Also, a touchpad with a wide operation area usually occupies a large area. It is difficult to provide a wide touchpad for a notebook personal computer (hereinafter referred to as “notebook PC”), particularly a small notebook PC that emphasizes portability.

  A touchpad with a narrow operation area has a problem in operability such as difficulty in moving the pointer to a screen position desired by the user, but improvements are being made to eliminate this problem.

  For example, a touch pad has been developed in which the correlation coefficient between the movement distance of the finger operating the touch pad and the movement distance of the pointer is changed, and the pointer is moved greatly even with a small movement of the finger. However, with this touchpad, it is difficult to move the pointer finely.

  Further, a touch pad has been developed that correlates the moving speed of the finger and the moving distance of the pointer, and moves the pointer greatly when the moving speed of the finger is fast even if the moving distance of the finger is short. With this touchpad, it is easy to move the pointer finely by slowly moving the finger, while the user needs to learn how to adjust the moving speed of the finger.

  Further, in Patent Document 1, the pressure sensor detects that the finger swiped to the limit of the touch pad operation area in order to control the movement of the pointer after the finger reaches the limit of the touch pad operation area. Then, a method for further moving the pointer with a signal generated when the pressure sensor is operated with a swipe finger is disclosed.

JP 2013-109603 A

  However, the method described in Patent Document 1 controls the moving speed and moving direction of the pointer by changing the pressing pressure and the pressing position with respect to the pressure sensor with the finger that has been swiped. For this reason, the method described in Patent Document 1 also requires the user to understand and learn the operation method in advance, and does not sufficiently improve the operability with respect to a touch pad with a narrow operation area. The touch pad is widely accepted as a pointing device because it is relatively easy to learn, and it is not preferable to require the user to perform an operation that is difficult to learn.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides an information processing apparatus, a pointing operation method, and a program capable of improving the operability of the pointing operation even when the operation area of the touchpad is narrow. With the goal.

  In order to solve the above problems, the information processing apparatus, pointing operation method, and program of the present invention employ the following means.

  The information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a touch pad, a touch sensor unit provided with an operation surface in an area adjacent to the operation surface of the touch pad, and a pointing operation via the touch pad performed by the touch. A pointing operation receiving unit that receives the pointing operation via the touch sensor unit when the touch sensor unit is continuously performed beyond the pad.

  The pointing operation method according to the second aspect of the present invention is a pointing operation method of an information processing apparatus including a touch pad and a touch sensor unit provided with an operation surface in an area adjacent to the operation surface of the touch pad, When the pointing operation through the touch pad is continuously performed beyond the touch pad to the touch sensor unit, the pointing operation through the touch sensor unit is accepted.

  The program according to the third aspect of the present invention includes a computer having an information processing apparatus including a touch pad and a touch sensor unit provided with an operation surface in an area adjacent to the operation surface of the touch pad via the touch pad. When the pointing operation is performed continuously from the touch pad to the touch sensor unit, it functions as a pointing operation reception unit that receives the pointing operation via the touch sensor unit.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the operability of the pointing operation even if the operation area of the touchpad is narrow.

1 is a schematic external view of a notebook PC according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a notebook PC according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a functional block diagram regarding an extended pointing operation function according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the extended pointing operation function which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 1 is a schematic external view of a flat keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of an information processing apparatus, a pointing operation method, and a program according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic external view of a notebook PC 1 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the notebook PC 1 includes, for example, a main body side housing 2 and a display side housing 3 which are both substantially rectangular parallelepipeds.

  The main body side housing 2 includes an input unit 4. The input unit 4 is a user interface for a user to perform an input operation, and includes a keyboard 5 including various keys for inputting characters, commands, and the like, a mouse, a track point, and the like.

  The main body side housing 2 further includes a touch pad 6. This is used for the user to perform a pointing operation to move the pointer 9 displayed on the display 7 using an indicator such as his / her finger. As shown in FIG. 1, the touch pad 6 is provided, for example, in an area (palm rest) where a user's palm is placed when operating the input unit 4. Note that the touch pad 6 normally occupies a larger area as the operation area becomes wider, that is, the exclusive area becomes wider.

  The main body side housing 2 further includes an extended touch sensor unit 11. The extended touch sensor unit 11 is provided with an operation surface in a palm rest area adjacent to the operation surface of the touch pad 6. The extended touch sensor unit 11 includes a touch sensor on the operation surface, and functions as a touch pad that moves the pointer 9 on the screen when the function of the touch sensor is enabled.

  The extended touch sensor unit 11 is subjected to a color or surface treatment that allows the user to recognize that the touch sensor is provided. Specifically, the entire or outer periphery of the extended touch sensor unit 11 is subjected to a surface treatment having a different color or touch from other regions.

  The display-side housing 3 includes a display 7 that displays an image.

  The display 7 converts input display data into a video signal, and displays various information corresponding to the converted video signal on a display screen. For example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or a touch panel may be used as the display 7.

  The main body side housing 2 and the display side housing 3 are connected by a pair of left and right connecting portions 8a and 8b at respective end portions. The connecting portions 8a and 8b are hinges, and support the main body side housing 2 and the display side housing 3 so as to be freely opened and closed.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a hardware configuration of the notebook PC 1 related to the present invention.

  The notebook PC 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 20, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 21, a memory 22, a display 7, a flash memory 27, and a power supply circuit 29. The touch sensor unit 11 and the touch sensor unit 11 are connected directly or indirectly via the bus 30.

  The CPU 20 controls the notebook PC 1 as a whole by an OS (Operating System) stored in the flash memory 27, and based on various programs stored in the flash memory 27, the user via the input unit 4, the display 7, etc. Has a function of executing processing according to the operation.

  The ROM 21 stores a basic input / output system (BIOS) and various data.

  The memory 22 is composed of a cache memory and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and is a writable memory used as a work area for reading an execution program of the CPU 20 and writing processing data by the execution program.

  The flash memory 27 has a function of storing an OS for controlling the entire notebook PC 1, various drivers for hardware operation of peripheral devices, applications directed to specific tasks, various data and files, and the like. Note that the notebook PC 1 may include other storage means such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) as storage means in place of the flash memory 27.

  The power supply circuit 29 includes an AC adapter, a battery, a charger for charging the battery, a DC / DC converter, and the like, and supplies power to each device under the control of the CPU 20.

  The notebook PC 1 according to this embodiment has an extended pointing operation function that extends the function of the pointing operation using the touch pad 6. The extended pointing operation function is performed when the user's pointing operation is continuously performed up to the operation surface of the extended touch sensor unit 11 beyond the boundary of the operation surface of the touch pad 6 as indicated by a broken line A in FIG. And a function for accepting a pointing operation via the extended touch sensor unit 11.

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram relating to the extended pointing operation function in the notebook PC 1 according to the present embodiment. Each function is executed by a program installed in the notebook PC 1 in advance.

  The CPU 20 includes a touch detection unit 40, an extended pointing operation determination unit 42, and an extended pointing operation reception unit 44.

  The touch detection unit 40 detects a touch input to the touch pad 6 and a user input to the extended touch sensor unit 11. Specifically, as a touch input by the user, a contact start position of an indicator such as a finger or a pen, or a locus when the indicator is moving while touching the touch pad 6 or the extended touch sensor unit 11 is also detected. To do. In the following description, the indicator is described as a user's finger.

  Based on the detection result of the touch detection unit 40, the extended pointing operation determination unit 42 determines whether or not the pointing operation has been continuously performed up to the extended touch sensor unit 11 beyond the boundary of the operation surface of the touch pad 6. . Specifically, the extended pointing operation determination unit 42 stores the locus of the user's finger when the user starts a pointing operation via the touch pad 6. When the trajectory exceeds the operation surface of the touch pad 6 and reaches the extended touch sensor unit 11, it is determined that the pointing operation has been performed continuously beyond the touch pad 6 to the extended touch sensor unit 11.

  The extended pointing operation reception unit 44 receives a pointing operation via the extended touch sensor unit 11 when an affirmative determination is made by the extended pointing operation determination unit 42. That is, by providing the extended touch sensor unit 11, the user can perform a pointing operation in a wider area than the touch pad 6. In addition, the extended pointing operation reception unit 44 receives a pointing operation via the extended touch sensor unit 11 and touches it when the touch detection unit 40 detects tapping or double tap in the extended touch sensor unit 11. This is accepted as the same operation as tapping or double tapping performed on the pad 6.

  Thus, even if the extended touch sensor unit 11 does not accept the pointing operation in order to detect that the pointing operation has been performed continuously beyond the touch pad 6 to the extended touch sensor unit 11. The function as a touch sensor operates. When the pointing operation is continuously performed from the touch pad 6 to the extended touch sensor unit 11, the extended touch sensor unit 11 functions as a touch pad. Thereby, the operation area of the touchpad 6 is substantially expanded, and the user can intuitively operate the expanded touchpad without having to newly learn the operation method.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow of the extended pointing operation function. In the following description, the contact of the indicator with the touch pad 6 or the extended touch sensor unit 11 is also referred to as “touch”, the area of the touch pad 6 is “start area”, and the area of the extended touch sensor unit 11 is “expanded”. Also called “area”.

  In step 100, it is determined whether or not a touch on the touch pad 6 or the extended touch sensor unit 11 has been detected. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 102.

  In step 102, it is determined whether or not a touch is detected in the start area. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 104. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 100.

  In step 104, the pointer 9 is moved according to the pointing operation on the touch pad 6 in the start area.

As described above, when the touch detection position (point A _{s in} FIG. 1) is the touch pad 6, this detection position is set as the start position of the pointing operation. On the other hand, when the touch detection position is not within the start area, that is, within the extended touch sensor unit 11, this touch is not accepted as a pointing operation.

  In the next step 106, it is determined whether or not the pointing operation is completed. If the determination is affirmative, the process returns to step 100. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 108. Note that when the touch is not detected for a predetermined time (for example, 0.5 seconds) or longer, it is determined that the pointing operation is finished.

  In step 108, it is determined whether or not the touch has continuously moved from the start area to the extended area. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 110. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 104.

  In step 110, the pointer 9 is moved according to the pointing operation on the extended touch sensor unit 11 in the extended area.

  In the next step 112, it is determined whether or not the pointing operation is completed. If the determination is affirmative, the process returns to step 100. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 114. When the finger is away from the extended area for a predetermined time (for example, 0.5 seconds) or more, it is determined that the pointing operation in the extended area is finished. That is, if the finger is separated from the extended area within the predetermined time, it is not determined that the pointing operation is finished, and the pointing operation is performed from the retouched portion. As a result, tapping and double-tapping operations can be performed on the extended touch sensor unit 11 that is an extended area.

  In step 114, it is determined whether or not the touch has continuously moved from the extended area to the start area. If the determination is affirmative, the process returns to step 104, and if the determination is negative, the process returns to step 110.

  As described above, in the notebook PC 1 according to the present embodiment, the touch pad 6 for performing the pointing operation for moving the pointer 9 displayed on the display 7 and the touch sensor in the area adjacent to the touch pad 6 are provided. The extended touch sensor unit 11 is provided. When the pointing operation is continuously performed from the touch pad 6 to the extended touch sensor unit 11, the notebook PC 1 accepts the pointing operation via the extended touch sensor unit 11.

  Therefore, the notebook PC 1 can improve the operability of the pointing operation even if the operation area of the touch pad 6 is narrow.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using the said embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. Various changes or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment without departing from the gist of the invention, and embodiments to which the changes or improvements are added are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Moreover, you may combine the said embodiment suitably.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the extended touch sensor unit 11 is provided on the left and right sides of the touch pad 6. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the extended touch sensor unit 11 is provided on the left side of the touch pad 6. Or it is good also as a form provided also in at least one of the upper side and lower side of the right side or the touchpad 6. FIG.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the form which used information processing apparatus as notebook PC1, this invention is not limited to this, As long as it is an information processing apparatus provided with the touchpad 6, other forms It is good.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the extended touch sensor unit 11 may be provided on a flat keyboard 50 (also referred to as a glass keyboard) in which a touch sensor is used. The area including the flat keyboard 50 may be the extended touch sensor unit 11. Such a flat keyboard 50 is connected to a desktop PC as an example.

  Further, the flow of processing of the extended pointing operation function described in the above embodiment is also an example, and unnecessary steps can be deleted, new steps can be added, and the processing order can be changed without departing from the gist of the present invention. It may be replaced.

1 Notebook PC (information processing device)
6 Touchpad 7 Display 9 Pointer 11 Extended Touch Sensor Unit 44 Extended Pointing Operation Accepting Unit (Pointing Operation Accepting Unit)
50 flat keyboard

Claims (9)

Touchpad,
A touch sensor unit provided with an operation surface in a region adjacent to the operation surface of the touchpad;
When the pointing operation through the touch pad is continuously performed to the touch sensor unit beyond the touch pad, a pointing operation receiving unit that receives the pointing operation through the touch sensor unit;
An information processing apparatus comprising:   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pointing operation reception unit ends reception of the pointing operation by the touch sensor unit when the continuous pointing operation ends.   The pointing operation accepting unit determines that the pointing operation in the touch sensor unit is completed when an indicator for performing the pointing operation is separated from the touch sensor unit for a predetermined time or more. Information processing device.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a starting position of the pointing operation is the touch pad.   The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the area is subjected to a color or surface treatment that allows a user to recognize that the touch sensor is provided.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the area is an area including a palm rest.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the area is an area including a flat keyboard. A pointing operation method of an information processing apparatus including a touch pad and a touch sensor unit provided with an operation surface in an area adjacent to the operation surface of the touch pad,
A pointing operation method for accepting the pointing operation through the touch sensor unit when the pointing operation through the touch pad is continuously performed beyond the touch pad to the touch sensor unit. A computer having an information processing device including a touch pad and a touch sensor unit provided with an operation surface in an area adjacent to the operation surface of the touch pad;
A program that functions as a pointing operation reception unit that receives the pointing operation through the touch sensor unit when a pointing operation through the touch pad is continuously performed beyond the touch pad to the touch sensor unit.

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