JP2009267916A - Electronic apparatus and pointing method in the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic apparatus and a pointing method in the same capable of moving a pointer with the number of operations based on the number of targets existing in a display screen and which can be focused, by using an existing operation key. <P>SOLUTION: The electronic apparatus has: a mode switching part 11 that switches over a grid mode in which grid 2 is displayed on a display apparatus 1 to divide a screen into a plurality of regions and a pointer mode in which a pointer is displayed on the display apparatus 1; a content analyzer 12 that analyzes contents to be displayed on the display apparatus 1, and analyzes where information which can be focused by the pointer exists on the screen; a grid-displaying/area-moving part 13 that switches which region is selected among regions where the information which can be focused by the pointer exists depending on an operation via four-directional keys 3 in the grid mode; and a pointer-moving part 14 that moves the pointer on a display screen depending on the operation via the four-directional keys 3 in the pointer mode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus capable of moving a pointer by the number of operations corresponding to the number of focusable objects existing in a display screen by using direction keys corresponding to the vertical and horizontal directions of the display device, and a pointing method therefor.

  In recent years, mobile phone terminals have become highly functional, and display devices (for example, liquid crystal display devices) have also become larger.

  Previously, content handled by mobile phone terminals was mainly text information. However, with the increasing functionality of mobile phone terminals, content centered on image information is also increasing. In addition, the amount of information that can be displayed by a mobile phone terminal is increasing due to the increase in the size of display devices.

  Further, in a mobile phone terminal, it is common to realize a selection operation with four-direction keys corresponding to up, down, left, and right.

  However, when the pointer on the screen is operated using the four-direction key, the operability of the operation of moving the pointer to the selection target is not excellent. For example, if the amount of pointer movement corresponding to a single key press or the amount of pointer movement per unit time for a long press is reduced, the key may be pressed many times to move the pointer to the target position. , It must be kept pressed for a long time, and it takes time to move the pointer. On the other hand, if the amount of movement of the pointer corresponding to a single key press or the amount of movement of the pointer per unit time for a long press is increased, it becomes difficult to stop the pointer at the target position. In this case, it is necessary to finely adjust the pointer position in the vicinity of the target position, and as a result, it takes time to move the pointer.

  In particular, when moving the pointer in an oblique direction, since the movement in the vertical direction and the movement in the horizontal direction are combined, the movement of the pointer is further increased compared to the movement only in either the vertical or horizontal direction. It will take time.

  As described above, the type of information has changed and the amount of information has increased. In addition, since the operability of the pointer using the four-way key is not necessarily good, some mobile phone terminals are equipped with and use analog pointing devices. It is increasing.

  An analog pointing device is an input device corresponding to a mouse or a trackball in a computer terminal, and a touch panel or a small joystick is used for a mobile phone terminal.

  However, analog pointing devices for mobile phone terminals have disadvantages compared to four-way keys in terms of mounting cost and device size. This is because it is necessary to use a dedicated part for each model in order to be incorporated in the terminal, so that the universality is low and it is difficult to reduce the size and thickness of the device itself.

  For this reason, it is required to realize operability equivalent to that of a pointing device using a four-way key.

As a technique related to moving a cursor using an existing key in a mobile phone terminal, there is a “mobile phone and its remote operation method” disclosed in Patent Document 1. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 divides a display screen of a mobile phone terminal into a plurality of cells, and uses the existing operation buttons on the mobile phone terminal to move the cursor in cell units.
JP 2007-27851 A

  However, the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 moves the cursor in units of cells in the direction corresponding to the pressed button regardless of whether there is a focusable target in the cell. For this reason, even when focusable targets are scattered in the display screen, it is necessary to perform the same number of cursor movement operations as when focusable targets exist in all cells, and the cursor cannot be moved quickly. was there.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an electronic device capable of moving a pointer with the number of operations corresponding to the number of objects that can be focused existing in the display screen using an existing operation key, and an electronic device therefor An object is to provide a pointing method.

  To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus having a display device and direction keys corresponding to at least the vertical and horizontal directions of the display device, wherein the display device includes at least one grid line. Information that can be displayed on the display device by switching between a grid mode that divides the screen of the display device into a plurality of areas and a pointer mode that displays a pointer on the display device, and contents that are displayed on the display device can be analyzed and focused by the pointer Analyzing the position on the screen of the display device, and in the area where information that can be focused by the pointer exists in the grid mode according to the input operation performed through the direction key. In the pointer mode, the pointer is displayed on the screen according to the input operation performed via the direction keys in the pointer mode. In is to provide an electronic apparatus characterized by having a means for moving.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, as a second aspect, a pointing method in an electronic apparatus having a display device and direction keys corresponding to at least the vertical and horizontal directions of the display device. It is possible to switch between a grid mode in which a single grid line is displayed and the screen of the display device is divided into a plurality of areas and a pointer mode in which the pointer is displayed on the display device, and the content displayed on the display device is analyzed and the pointer is displayed. In the grid mode, there is information that can be focused with the pointer according to the input operation performed through the direction keys. Switch which area to select, and in pointer mode, depending on the input operation made using the direction keys There is provided a pointing method characterized by moving the pointer on the display screen.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the electronic device which can move a pointer by the number of operation according to the number of the objects which can be focused in the display screen using the existing operation key, and the pointing method in it can be provided.

[First Embodiment]
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a mobile phone terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The mobile phone terminal 100 includes a display device 1, a four-way key 3, a numeric keypad 4, and a selection key 5.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration of a control system related to a pointing operation on the screen of the display device 1 of the mobile phone terminal 100.
The control unit 10 includes a mode switching unit 11, a content analysis unit 12, a grid display / area moving unit 13, and a pointer moving unit 14. The mode switching unit 11 receives an input operation via the numeric keypad 4 and outputs a mode switching signal to the grid display / area moving unit 13 and the pointer moving unit 14 to switch between the grid mode and the pointer mode. The content analysis unit 12 analyzes the content to be displayed on the display device 1 and analyzes the position on the screen of the display device 1 where information that can be focused with the pointer exists. For example, if the content is an HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) document, it is analyzed where the range specified by the anchor is located on the screen of the display device 1. In the grid mode, the grid display / area moving unit 13 displays at least one grid line to divide the screen of the display device into a plurality of areas, and in response to an input operation performed via the four-way key 3. , Which of the areas where information that can be focused by the pointer exists is selected. The pointer moving unit 14 moves the pointer on the screen of the display device 1 according to an input operation performed via the four-direction key 3 in the pointer mode.

  On the display device 1, the grid 2 can be displayed by pressing a predetermined key of the numeric keypad 4. The grid 2 can be displayed by pressing a predetermined key of the numeric keypad 4, for example, the # key. In other words, the mode switching unit 11 switches the operation mode from the normal mode to the grid mode when a predetermined key of the numeric keypad 4 is operated. Note that the normal mode may be switched to the grid mode by pressing the selection key 5 for a long time.

  When shifting to the grid mode, one of the areas divided by the grid 2 is selected. The area selected when shifting to the grid mode may be the area where the pointer was displayed before switching to the grid mode, or may be a predetermined area (for example, the upper left area of the screen of the display device 1). . The grid display / area moving unit 13 changes the color and thickness of the grid 2 only around the selected area to determine which area is selected, and the background color of the selected area is the non-selected area. It displays on the display apparatus 1 as a different color.

In the grid mode, the grid display / area moving unit 13 receives an operation of selecting an arbitrary area by operating the four-way key 3 by the user. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the selection area moves in the direction corresponding to the pressed four-way key. When the area closest to the edge of the screen of the display device 1 is selected, the grid display / area moving unit 13 is operated when the four-way key 3 in the direction corresponding to the edge of the screen of the display device 1 is operated. In the area where the information that can be focused with the pointer exists, the area closest to the opposite end of the display device 1 is selected. However, the grid display / area moving unit 13 moves the selected area only to an area where there is information that can be focused with the pointer. In other words, in the grid mode, the grid display / area moving unit 13 moves the selection area so as to skip an area where there is no focusable target. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when information that can be focused with a pointer exists only in the areas (1), (4), (5), and (7) of the display device 1, the right of the four-way key 3 When the key is pressed, the selection area moves in the order of (1) → (4) → (5) → (7) → (1) →.
The movement of the area can be performed by repeating the pressing of the four-way key an arbitrary number of times, or by releasing the pressing when moving to an arbitrary area by long pressing.

  The grid display / area moving unit 13 preferably displays the selectable area and the impossible area on the display device 1 so that the user can easily recognize the selectable area. For example, by displaying the currently selected area, selectable area, and non-selectable area on the display device 1 with different background colors, the area selection operation can be performed smoothly.

  When the user enters a state in which the target area is selected and an operation to hide the grid is performed via the numeric keypad 4, the mode switching unit 11 switches the operation mode from the grid mode to the normal mode. The operation for canceling the display of the grid 2 (the operation for shifting from the grid mode to the normal mode) may be the same operation as when the grid 2 is displayed, or may be a different operation. It should be noted that when the key operation is not performed for a predetermined time after an arbitrary area is selected, the grid mode may be shifted to the normal mode.

  When shifting to the normal mode, the pointer moving unit 14 displays the pointer in the selected area. In the normal mode, the pointer moving unit 14 moves the pointer according to the direction of the four-way key 3 pressed by the user, and when the selection key 5 is pressed, the pointer is selected by the pointer at that time. Selection of an anchor (link information describing a URL (Uniform Resource Locater)) or an image is confirmed.

  In this way, a mobile phone that can switch between the grid mode and the normal mode, and in which the selection area is changed so as to skip the area where there is no focusable target in the grid mode, only the four-way key is mounted. In the terminal, the focus target can be selected with simple and few operations.

  The predetermined key of the numeric keypad 4 is made to correspond to four directions (for example, the 8 key, 2 key, 4 key, and 6 key are respectively associated with up, down, left and right), and the ten key 4 moves the selection area and the pointer. It is also possible to perform.

[Second Embodiment]
A second embodiment in which the present invention is suitably implemented will be described.
The configuration of the mobile phone terminal according to the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the configuration of the control system is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, but the input from the numeric keypad 4 is also input to the grid display / area moving unit 13. In the present embodiment, the grid display / area moving unit 13 causes the display device 1 to display a plurality of grids 2 having different intervals.

When a predetermined key of the numeric keypad 4 is operated in the grid mode, the grid display / area moving unit 13 changes the grid interval (in other words, the number of screen divisions of the display device 1) as shown in FIG. .
For example, when the * key is pressed, the grid interval is increased (decrease the number of divisions), and when the # key is pressed, the grid interval is decreased (the number of divisions is increased).

  Since the grid interval is variable, it is possible to operate in a state where the grid interval is widened when moving the selection area greatly, and to operate in a state where the grid interval is narrowed when moving finely.

  Here, the case where the number of screen divisions of the display device 1 is changed is taken as an example, but the division state may be changed with the same number of divisions. For example, from a state where it is divided into four vertically and three horizontally, it is divided into three vertically and four horizontally, or six vertically and two horizontally. It is also possible to change to a state.

Each of the above embodiments is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, a mobile phone terminal has been described as an example. However, the electronic device includes a key and a display device corresponding to four directions, and is required to be miniaturized, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), It is also possible to apply to portable game machines and car navigation devices.
As described above, the present invention can be variously modified.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the mobile telephone terminal which concerns on 1st Embodiment which implemented this invention suitably. It is a figure which shows the structure of the control system in connection with pointing operation on the screen of the mobile telephone terminal which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the movement of a selection area. It is a figure which shows an example of the movement of a selection area. It is a figure which shows an example of the state which a selection area moves so that the area where the object which can be focused does not exist will be skipped. It is a figure which shows the structure of the control system in connection with pointing operation on the screen of the mobile telephone terminal which concerns on 2nd Embodiment which implemented this invention suitably. It is a figure which shows an example of the control which changes a grid space | interval.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display apparatus 2 Grid 3 4 direction key 4 Numeric keypad 5 Selection key 10 Control part 11 Mode switching part 12 Content analysis part 13 Grid display / area moving part 14 Pointer moving part 100 Mobile phone terminal

Claims (8)

An electronic device having a display device and direction keys corresponding to at least the vertical and horizontal directions of the display device,
Means for switching between a grid mode for displaying at least one grid line on the display device and dividing the screen of the display device into a plurality of areas, and a pointer mode for displaying a pointer on the display device;
Means for analyzing the content to be displayed on the display device and analyzing at which position on the screen of the display device information that can be focused with the pointer exists;
Means for switching which one of the areas where information that can be focused with the pointer exists is selected in response to an input operation performed through the direction key in the grid mode;
An electronic apparatus comprising: means for moving the pointer on a display screen in response to an input operation performed via the direction key in the pointer mode.   The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a division number and a division shape of the screen of the display device by grid lines can be changed in two or more stages in the grid mode.   3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the pointer mode is switched to the grid mode, an area where the pointer is located immediately before the switching is selected.   3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the pointer mode is switched to the grid mode, a predetermined area is selected.   The direction corresponding to the edge of the screen of the display device in a state where the region closest to the edge of the screen of the display device is selected from the regions where information that can be focused with the pointer exists in the grid mode When the direction key is operated, an area closest to an end on the opposite side of the display device is selected from areas where information that can be focused by the pointer exists. Item 5. The electronic device according to any one of Items 1 to 4.   6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in the grid mode, the selected area is displayed on the display device in a state distinguishable from a non-selected area. 6.   7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a function of communicating via a mobile communication network. A pointing method in an electronic apparatus having a display device and direction keys corresponding to at least the vertical and horizontal directions of the display device,
It is possible to switch between a grid mode that displays at least one grid line on the display device and divides the screen of the display device into a plurality of regions, and a pointer mode that displays a pointer on the display device,
Analyzing the content to be displayed on the display device, analyzing where on the screen of the display device information that can be focused with the pointer exists,
In the grid mode, in accordance with an input operation performed via the direction key, switching which of the areas where information that can be focused with the pointer exists is selected.
In the pointer mode, the pointer is moved on the display screen in accordance with an input operation performed through the direction key.

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