JP2012113645A - Electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic apparatus capable of accurately discriminating a plurality of modes of operations on a touch sensor so as to comply with an operator's intention.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus 1 with a touch sensor 40 for detecting contact comprises a control unit 10 for, after the touch sensor 40 detects a release of contact while detecting a slide operation by the contact, if the touch sensor 40 detects contact again within predetermined time, performing control for determining whether the slide operation continues according to a position of re-detected contact and a direction of the slide operation from the re-detected position to a position in which a release of contact is to be detected.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device including a touch sensor.

  In recent years, electronic devices including a touch sensor such as a touch panel or a touch switch as a member for detecting an operation by an operator in a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone are increasing. In addition to portable terminals, electronic devices including touch sensors, such as devices such as calculators and ticket machines, household appliances such as microwave ovens, televisions, and lighting devices, and industrial devices (FA devices) are widely used.

  As such a touch sensor, various systems such as a resistive film system, a capacitance system, and an optical system are known. Both types of touch sensors detect contact with an operator's finger or stylus pen. An electronic device including a touch sensor generally displays an image (hereinafter, referred to as “object”) such as operation keys and buttons on a display screen of a display unit disposed on the back surface of the touch sensor. When an operator presses an object displayed on the display screen, the touch sensor detects contact at the pressed position.

  By the way, in recent electronic devices, when an operator detects an operation of touching an object such as an operation key, a button, or an icon, it is general that the touch operation can be detected in a plurality of modes (for example, patents). References 1-3). Such an electronic device normally displays an object on a display unit, and a touch sensor detects an operator's contact with the position of the object.

  For example, when an object such as an icon is displayed on the display unit of the electronic device, and the touch sensor detects a touch that the operator touches the object for a short time, the operation in this mode is “ It is called “tap” or “single tap”. This often corresponds to a click (single click) operation in a desktop environment provided by a general personal computer (PC) operating system (OS). In addition, for example, when the touch sensor detects a touch that causes the operator to touch the displayed object twice in quick succession, such an operation is called “double tap”. This often corresponds to a double-click operation in the desktop environment described above.

  As described above, when a touch in a manner such as a tap or a double tap is detected, the electronic device is defined by the activated application software (hereinafter simply referred to as “application”) according to the contact manner. The predetermined operation is started. For example, when a single tap contact is detected by the touch sensor at a position corresponding to the icon object, the electronic device selects the object. For example, when a double-tap contact is detected with a touch sensor at a position corresponding to an icon object, the electronic device starts executing an application associated with the object.

  In addition to the contact in the above-described mode, for example, there is an electronic device that can detect a contact by a slide operation. That is, such an electronic device displays an object such as an icon on the display unit, and the touch sensor corresponding to the position of the object moves the position of the contact while maintaining the contact started by the operator. Is detected. As described above, when the contact position is moved while the contact is maintained after the contact by the operator is detected on the touch sensor, the operation in such a mode is generally called “slide”. Based on this sliding operation, for example, the electronic device can move the icon object that was at the position where the operator's finger contacted at a certain point to the position where the contact of the operator's finger was released. This often corresponds to the operation of “dragging” an object such as an icon in the desktop environment described above.

  Furthermore, as one aspect of the slide operation performed on the touch sensor, for example, there is an electronic device that can detect a flick operation. The flick operation is an operation in which the operator quickly touches the finger (or flicks the finger) on the touch sensor, that is, after a contact by the operator is detected on the touch sensor, This is an operation in which a slide operation is performed with the momentum.

  By prescribing the action according to the flick operation depending on the application being activated, the electronic device performs the action specific to the flick operation according to the detection of the contact by the flick operation of the operator on the touch sensor in this way. It can be carried out. That is, for example, when a list is displayed on the display unit, the electronic device can detect the distance and speed of movement of the position of the contact detected from the start of contact until the contact is released. The list display continues to be scrolled to some extent even after the contact is released.

  For example, when the position of the contact by the flick operation moves very slowly, the electronic device performs almost the same processing as the case of the drag by the slide operation described above, and controls so that the scroll after the contact release is stopped immediately. . On the other hand, for example, when the position of the contact by the flick operation moves very quickly, the electronic device performs processing different from the case of the drag by the slide operation described above so that the scrolling does not stop for a while after the contact is released. Control. In this way, a characteristic operation that mimics the behavior in accordance with the law of inertia is realized as if the display on the display unit has mass.

  Furthermore, some touch sensors of electronic devices can simultaneously detect contact at a plurality of locations. Taking advantage of such characteristics, for example, an electronic device that can detect an operation (pinch-in) for moving the position of a contact so as to reduce the distance between the two points while the two points are in contact with two fingers. is there. Similarly, there is also an electronic device that can detect a contact operation such as an operation (pinch out) of moving the contact position so as to increase the distance between two points.

JP 2009-266236 A Special table 2009-525538 Special table 2010-517197

  Since the electronic device including the touch sensor as described above can associate different processes according to the detected contact state, the plurality of processes can be distinguished and executed according to the detection of the different forms of contact. .

  By the way, in order to perform an operation such as the above-described slide operation, the operator must perform an operation by tracing the touch sensor while maintaining a certain pressing force when contacting the touch sensor. I must. However, it is not always easy for the operator to keep the pressing force when touching the touch sensor constant depending on the use or form of the electronic device when performing the operation of tracing on the touch sensor in this way. Absent. In particular, when the area of the touch sensor to be touched and the casing of the terminal itself are not large, such as a mobile terminal, when an operator who is not good at fine operation performs an operation, the pressing force on the touch sensor is It is easy to run away.

  When the electronic device is small like a portable terminal, the operator often operates the terminal while moving or performing other operations. In such a case, since the operator often cannot concentrate on the slide operation on the terminal, it is not always possible to perform the slide operation with keeping the tracing force constant as intended. In particular, in the case of electronic devices that are operated by infants and the elderly, and in the case of electronic devices that are assumed to be operated by people with reduced mobility, for example, electronic devices used in the medical field, the operator requires an accurate slide operation. It is difficult to do. Alternatively, it is difficult to keep the pressing force constant when the operator performs a sliding operation on the touch sensor due to the degree of friction on the surface of the touch sensor or the posture when the operator operates the terminal of the electronic device. Sometimes it becomes. Furthermore, when the operator uses a tool such as a stylus instead of his / her finger when operating the touch sensor, it is assumed that such a problem becomes significant.

  As described above, the slide operation is an operation in which the position of the contact detected from the start of contact until the contact is released moves. Therefore, if the operator's pressing force is unintentionally weakened while the slide operation is being performed and the contact with the touch sensor is released, it is determined that the slide operation has been completed at that moment. . In such a case, although the operator still intends to continue the slide operation, it is determined that the slide operation has ended, so the operator can perform the operation as intended. Can not.

  In order to deal with such a problem, for example, in a case where the contact of the operator with the touch sensor is released for a moment, it is processed that the slide operation continues without being released. Measures are also conceivable. That is, while the slide operation is being detected, if the time from when the contact is released until contact is detected again is a predetermined short period of time, the slide operation is not completed and continues. It is a measure to control to be processed as.

  However, if such measures are taken, it is assumed that when the operator performs a quick operation, it may cause another problem when there is a moment between one operation and the next operation. The The problem will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state where an operator drags an object (icon) displayed on a display unit disposed on the back surface of the touch sensor by performing a slide operation on the touch sensor. For example, as shown in FIG. 9A, when the operator performs a slide operation, the file a is dragged to the left side of the folder B, the contact is released, and the slide operation is performed again. A case where the folder B is dragged upward as shown in FIG.

  In this case, the operator drags the file a from the state shown in FIG. 9 (A) to the position shown in FIG. 9 (B), once releases the contact, and then moves to the folder B shown in FIG. 9 (B). Contact again. Therefore, if it is assumed that the slide operation is continued when the time between the release of contact and the detection of contact again is within a predetermined short time, the operator touches the folder B immediately after the file a is dragged. In this case, it is processed that the slide operation is continued. For this reason, since the operator cannot drag the folder B upward and continues the slide operation on the file a, the user continues to drag the file a as shown in FIG. It will be.

  As described above, when an operation unintended by the operator is performed, if the operation can be canceled, it is necessary to perform the operation again after the cancellation, and if the operation cannot be canceled, it is inconvenient for the operator. There is also a risk of inconvenience. As described above, it can be understood that accurate determination based on the intention of the operator cannot be performed even if it is determined only by the time when the contact is released whether or not the slide operation is continued.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention made in view of such circumstances is to provide an electronic device that can reduce the possibility of processing unintended by the operator when the operator performs a slide operation on the touch sensor. .

The invention of the electronic device according to the first aspect of achieving the above object is as follows:
In an electronic device including a touch sensor that detects contact,
After detecting the release of the contact while the touch sensor detects a sliding operation by contact, if the contact is detected again within a predetermined time, the position of the contact detected again and the release of the contact are detected. A control unit for controlling to determine whether or not the slide operation is continued according to the direction of the slide operation until
It is characterized by providing.

The invention of the electronic device according to the second aspect of achieving the above object is as follows:
A touch sensor for detecting contact;
A load detection unit that detects a pressing load on the touch surface of the touch sensor, and an electronic device comprising:
When the touch sensor detects a sliding operation by contact while the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a predetermined standard, the pressure sensor does not satisfy the predetermined standard and then presses within a predetermined time. If the load satisfies the predetermined criterion again, it depends on the position of the contact detected when the predetermined criterion is satisfied again and the direction of the slide operation until the point when the pressing load no longer satisfies the predetermined criterion. A control unit that controls to determine whether or not the slide operation is continued,
It is characterized by providing.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, when an operator performs slide operation with respect to a touch sensor, a possibility that the process which an operator does not intend can be performed can be reduced.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the electronic device which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the operation | movement in the case of performing a conventional drag in the electronic device which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the operation | movement by the electronic device which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the example of operation | movement at the time of the electronic device by 1st Embodiment detecting operation of an operator. It is a figure explaining the other example of operation | movement at the time of the electronic device by 1st Embodiment detecting operation of an operator. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the electronic device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the mounting structure of the electronic device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the operation | movement by the electronic device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the example of operation | movement at the time of the conventional electronic device detecting operation of an operator.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device according to the present embodiment can be an electronic device used when performing an operation of inputting characters or numbers, such as a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). In addition, the electronic device according to the present embodiment is not limited to the portable terminal, but is based on the operation of the operator with respect to the touch sensor such as an ATM installed in a bank or an electronic device used in a ticket vending machine installed in a station. Any device that detects contact can be applied to any electronic device.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a control unit 10, a display unit 30, a touch sensor 40, a storage unit 80, and a timer unit 90.

  The control unit 10 controls and manages the operation of the entire electronic device 1. The operation of the control unit 10 will be described later. The display unit 30 displays an object such as an input button such as a push button switch (push button switch), and is configured using, for example, a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL display panel. The touch sensor 40 is usually disposed on the front surface of the display unit 30 to handle contact with keys, buttons, etc. (hereinafter simply referred to as “keys”) displayed on the display unit 30 by an operator's finger or stylus. Detected by the touch surface of touch sensor 40. The touch sensor 40 is configured by a known method such as a resistive film method, a capacitance method, and an optical method.

  The storage unit 80 can be configured with a memory or the like by a known technique, and stores various applications and various input information, and also functions as a work memory. In particular, in the present embodiment, the storage unit 80 stores (installs) various applications to be executed in the electronic device 1. Further, as will be described later, in the present embodiment, the storage unit 80 also stores the contact position detected by the touch sensor 40 and the moving direction of the contact position calculated by the control unit 10 based on the position. .

  The time measuring unit 90 can measure the time required for the operation of each functional unit in the electronic device 1 and can be configured by a known timer or the like. As shown in FIG. 1, the time measuring unit 90 may be configured to be included in the control unit 10, or the clock frequency of the control unit 10 may be used. Alternatively, the time measuring unit 90 may be provided as an individual functional unit outside the control unit 10.

  About the mounting structure of the display part 30 and the touch sensor 40 in the electronic device 1 shown in FIG. 1, it can be set as the mounting structure similar to the electronic device provided with the conventional touch sensor. That is, in the electronic device 1, the touch sensor 40 is normally disposed on the front surface of the display unit 30, and the touch of the operator's finger or stylus on the object such as a key displayed on the display unit 30 is corresponding to the touch sensor 40. It is detected by the touch surface.

  Next, the operation of the electronic device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, when the electronic device 1 recovers after the slide operation by the operator is temporarily stopped, the electronic device 1 determines whether or not the operator continues the slide operation. When it is determined that the slide operation is continuing, the electronic device 1 performs control so as to process the slide operation temporarily interrupted as not interrupted. In the following description, as an example of the operation of the electronic apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, a desktop environment such as that provided by a general PC OS is reproduced on the display unit 30, and an operator drags an icon object. Assume a scene.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an operation assumed in the case of performing general conventional dragging in the electronic apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. Hereinafter, in order to facilitate the understanding of the operation unique to the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment, first, in the electronic device 1, processing in the case of performing the conventional drag operation without performing the control unique to the present invention. Will be described.

  When performing the operation illustrated in FIG. 2, the electronic device 1 is assumed to display at least one icon object on the display unit 30 based on the application being executed. The icon object in the present embodiment can be an image that suggests to the operator the part to be touched on the touch sensor 40. For example, an icon image for starting a predetermined application or an icon image such as a folder or a file is displayed on the display unit 30 as an object image. Note that, in the following description, when simply described as “object”, it means an image that suggests to the operator a part to be touched in the touch sensor 40.

  When the operation of the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment starts, the control unit 10 monitors contact with the touch sensor 40 (step S11). That is, in step S11, the control unit 10 determines whether or not the touch sensor 40 has detected contact with a contact target (contact object) such as an operator's finger or stylus.

  When contact with the touch sensor 40 is detected in step S11, the control unit 10 determines whether or not the position of the detected contact exists within a predetermined area (step S12). The “predetermined area” in the present embodiment is an area corresponding to a position where an object such as an icon is displayed on the display unit 30 in the touch sensor 40. That is, in step S12, it is determined whether or not the contact position corresponds to the displayed position of the object (position on the object). When the contact with the touch sensor 40 is not detected in step S11, or when the position of the contact detected in step S12 is not on the object, the control unit 10 returns to step S11 and continues the process.

  When the contact position corresponds to the displayed position of the object in step S12, the control unit 10 determines whether or not the contact is released on the object (step S13). When the contact on the object is released in step S13, the control unit 10 executes a process corresponding to the object (step S14), and then ends the operation. The “process corresponding to the object” in step S14 can be a process of executing an operation of opening the folder when contact at a position corresponding to the object of the folder is detected, for example. For example, when a contact at a position corresponding to an object of a file is detected, the “process corresponding to the object” is a process of starting an application associated with the file in order to execute the file. can do.

  On the other hand, when release of the contact on the object is not detected in step S13, the control unit 10 determines whether movement of the position of the contact is detected (step S15). That is, in step S15, the control unit 10 determines whether or not the slide operation is started by moving the contact position started on the object by the operator. When the movement of the contact position is not detected in step S15, the control unit 10 returns to step S13 and continues the process. On the other hand, when the movement of the contact position is detected in step S15, the control unit 10 performs a drag process (step S16). Here, the “drag process” is a process for causing the object displayed on the display unit 30 to follow the position of the contact in accordance with the movement of the position of the contact detected by the touch sensor 40.

  After performing the drag process in step S16, the control unit 10 determines whether or not the contact detected by the touch sensor 40 has been released (step S17). The controller 10 continues the drag process of step S16 until contact release is detected in step S17. On the other hand, if release of contact is detected in step S17, the control unit 10 ends this operation.

  By performing the operation as described above, the electronic device 1 can perform an operation of dragging the icon in response to the detection of the slide operation by the operator. Whether or not the slide operation on the touch sensor 40 is continued when the slide operation is temporarily interrupted in the present embodiment by adding processing unique to the present invention to the operation described above. Is determined.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation unique to the present invention by the electronic apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. The operation shown in FIG. 3 is obtained by adding some processes to the operation described with reference to FIG.

  In step S17 shown in FIG. 3 as well, as described with reference to FIG. 2, it is determined whether or not the contact detected by the touch sensor 40 is released after the drag process. In the present embodiment, when contact is started again after the release of contact is detected in step S17, it is determined whether or not the contact started again is a continuation of the slide operation. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 3, when the slide operation is detected in step S15, the control unit 10 detects the position of the moving contact and the direction in which the slide operation moves for each predetermined period. The result is stored in the storage unit 80 (step S21).

  In step S <b> 21, the control unit 10 first starts an operation of storing the position of contact moving on the touch sensor 40 by a slide operation in the storage unit 80 as information such as coordinates for every predetermined period. Furthermore, in step S <b> 21, the control unit 10 starts calculating the direction in which the contact position moves based on the information on the position of the moving contact stored in the storage unit 80. At this time, the control unit 10 calculates the direction in which the contact position moves, for example, based on two points of the contact position stored at the time point closest to the present time and the contact position stored immediately before the contact position. can do. Alternatively, the direction in which the position of the contact moves is calculated based on two points: the position of the contact stored at the time closest to the present time and the position of the contact stored a predetermined stage before that. Also good. The “predetermined period” in step S21 is set to a relatively short period suitable for determining the direction in which the position of the contact moves by the slide operation, for example, with the clock frequency of the control unit 10 as the minimum unit.

  After step S21, as described in FIG. 2, the control unit 10 performs a drag process (step S16), and then determines whether or not the contact is released (step S17). In step S17, if the contact is not released, that is, if the operator's slide operation is not completed, the control unit 10 returns to step S21 and continues the process. That is, the control unit 10 detects the position and direction in step S21 every predetermined period until the slide operation is completed, and stores the result in the storage unit 80 every predetermined period.

  When the release of contact is detected in step S17, the control unit 10 determines whether or not the touch sensor 40 detects contact again within a predetermined time (step S22). It is assumed that the contact within the predetermined time is detected in step S22 even if the contact is detected again after a certain amount of time has elapsed after the contact with the touch sensor 40 is released, the contact is a continuation of the slide operation. This is because it is difficult to do. The “predetermined time” can be measured by the time measuring unit 90 or can be measured based on an internal clock of the control unit 10 or the like. In step S22, when contact with the touch sensor 40 is not detected again within a predetermined time, the control unit 10 ends this operation. In this case, the electronic device 1 determines that the contact detected again is not a continuation of the slide operation by the contact released before that time.

  On the other hand, when contact with the touch sensor 40 is detected again within a predetermined time in step S22, the control unit 10 determines whether the detected contact position is on the extension of the movement direction of the contact position before contact release. It is determined whether or not (step S23).

  In step S23, the control unit 10 determines whether or not the contact position detected again is an extension of the movement direction of the contact position before the contact release calculated in step S21 and stored in the storage unit 80. . When determining whether or not the position of the contact detected again is an extension of the movement direction of the contact position before the contact release, rather than determining whether or not it is strictly on extension, It is preferable to make the determination after including a slight width in the moving direction of the contact position before the contact is released. Further, when performing the determination in this way, it is preferable that the width included in the moving direction of the contact position can be changed according to the preference of the operator.

  In step S23, when it is determined that the contact position is not on the extension in the direction before the contact release, the control unit 10 ends this operation. In this case, the control unit 10 determines that the detected contact is not the continuation of the slide operation, and drops the dragged icon object at the position where the contact is released. On the other hand, when it is determined in step S23 that the contact position is on the extension in the direction before the contact release, the control unit 10 returns to step S21 and continues the process. In this case, the control unit 10 regards the contact detected again after the contact with the touch sensor 40 is once canceled as the continuation of the slide operation, and continues the drag process. That is, the control unit 10 detects the release of the contact while the touch sensor 40 detects the sliding operation by the contact, and then detects the contact again within a predetermined time and then detects the contact position and the contact detected again. Control is performed to determine whether or not the slide operation is continued according to the direction of the slide operation until the release is detected.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the electronic apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. As described above, even if the operator's slide operation is temporarily interrupted, the electronic device 1 drags the icon as it is if the contact is detected again within a predetermined time and the slide operation continues. Can continue.

  FIG. 4A illustrates a state in which the operator starts a slide operation on the touch sensor 40 corresponding to the position of the icon with a finger when the icon of the file a is displayed on the display unit 30. When the operator performs a slide operation in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 4A, the electronic device 1 performs a drag process so that the icon of the file a follows the contact position of the operator's finger, Move to the position shown in 4 (B).

  However, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the slide operation is continued in the direction of the broken arrow, the pressing force of the operator's finger is unintentionally weakened, and the contact is temporarily released. Assume that the slide operation is continued. Thereafter, it is assumed that the operator continues the slide operation as it is (that is, while the contact is temporarily released), and contact with the touch sensor 40 is started again at the time shown in FIG. In this case, if the period from the state shown in FIG. 4B to the state shown in FIG. 4C is within a predetermined time, the position where the contact is started again in FIG. Since the position of the contact by 4 (B) is substantially the same as the direction of movement, it is determined that the slide operation is continuing.

  Accordingly, the electronic device 1 is processed according to the slide operation of the operator as shown in FIG. 4D because the slide operation is continued as a result of the contact started again in FIG. To continue the drag process. FIG. 4D shows that the slide operation has been temporarily interrupted due to the release of the operator's contact, and that the slide operation has been processed as a result of the operation being continued. It shows how the icon can be dragged.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining another example of the operation of the electronic apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 5 shows how the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment operates in the same scene as described in FIG. In the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment, when the operator does not continue the slide operation, processing is performed such that the operation is performed without continuing the slide operation as intended by the operator.

  FIG. 5 shows a state where the operator drags an icon displayed on the display unit arranged on the back surface of the touch sensor by performing a slide operation on the touch sensor as described in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 5A, when the operator performs a slide operation, the file a is dragged to the left side of the folder B, and then the contact is released. A case where the folder B is dragged upward will be described.

  The operator drags the file a from the state shown in FIG. 5 (A) to the position shown in FIG. 5 (B), once cancels the contact, and then contacts the folder B shown in FIG. 5 (B) again. . Here, as shown in FIG. 5B, the operator is newly trying to drag the folder B, and does not intend to continue the slide operation on the file a. In this case, since the direction of the slide operation is different even if the contact from the file a is released to the start of the contact to the folder B within a predetermined time, the position where the contact is started again is the direction of the slide operation until then. Will not match. For this reason, the electronic device 1 determines that the slide operation is not continued. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5C, the operator can drag the folder B upward without continuing the slide operation on the file a. Unlike the case described with reference to FIG. 9, the file a is not continuously dragged.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, when the contact is released during the slide operation, the slide operation is performed based on the time until the start of the next contact and the position of the contact with respect to the direction of the slide operation. It is possible to accurately determine the presence or absence of continuation.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, an electronic apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention will be described.

  In the electronic device 1 according to the first embodiment described above, it is determined that an operation such as a slide operation has been started based on the detection of the operator's contact with the touch sensor 40. On the other hand, the electronic device according to the second embodiment does not determine that an operation such as a slide operation has been started when the contact of the operator with the touch sensor 40 is detected. The electronic device according to the second embodiment determines that an operation such as a slide operation has been started based on the fact that the pressing load when the operator presses the touch sensor 40 satisfies a predetermined standard. Hereinafter, an operation performed in a state where the pressing load when the operator presses the touch sensor 40 satisfies a predetermined standard is simply referred to as a “pressing operation”.

  FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the electronic device 2 according to the second embodiment further includes a load detection unit 60 in the electronic device 1 described in the first embodiment. The load detection unit 60 detects a pressing load on the touch surface of the touch sensor 40, and is configured by using an element that reacts linearly to the load, such as a strain gauge sensor or a piezoelectric element. Since the other configuration can be configured in substantially the same manner as the electronic device 1 described above, the description overlapping with the electronic device 1 is omitted as appropriate.

  7 shows an example of the mounting structure of the electronic device 2 shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 7 (A) is a cross-sectional view of the main part, and FIG. 7 (B) is a plan view of the main part. The display unit 30 is housed and held in the housing 71. The touch sensor 40 is held on the display unit 30 via an insulator 72 made of an elastic member. In electronic device 2 according to the present embodiment, display unit 30 and touch sensor 40 are rectangular in plan view. In the present embodiment, the touch sensor 40 is held on the display unit 30 via insulators 72 arranged at four corners that are out of the display area A of the display unit 30 indicated by virtual lines in FIG.

  Further, the casing 71 is provided with an upper cover 73 so as to cover the surface area of the touch sensor 40 that is out of the display area of the display unit 30, and is made of an elastic member between the upper cover 73 and the touch sensor 40. An insulator 74 is provided.

  In the touch sensor 40 shown in FIG. 7, the front surface member having the touch surface 40a is made of, for example, a transparent film or glass, and the back surface member is made of glass or acrylic. The touch sensor 40 has a structure in which, when the touch surface 40a is pressed, the pressed portion is slightly bent (distorted) in accordance with the pressing force, or the structure itself is bent slightly.

  On the surface of the touch sensor 40, in the vicinity of each side covered with the upper cover 73, a strain gauge sensor 62 for detecting a load (pressing force) applied to the touch sensor 40 is provided by bonding or the like. That is, the electronic device shown in FIG. 7 includes the load detector 60 shown in FIG. 6 using four strain gauge sensors 62. In FIG. 7B, the casing 71, the upper cover 73, and the insulator 74 shown in FIG. 7A are not shown.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation unique to the present invention by the electronic apparatus 2 according to the present embodiment. The operation shown in FIG. 8 is obtained by adding or changing some processes to the operation described with reference to FIG.

  The electronic device 2 does not determine that the pressing operation of the operator has been started when the contact of the operator with the touch sensor 40 is detected. As shown in FIG. 8, the electronic device 2 is not operated until the contact with the touch sensor 40 is detected in step S11 and the pressing load detected by the load detection unit 60 in the next step S31 satisfies a predetermined standard. It is determined that the pressing operation is started. Here, the pressing load satisfying a predetermined standard is set in advance to a value such as 1N (Newton) based on the pressing load when the operator performs a normal pressing operation, and the setting can be changed thereafter. Is preferred. In addition, the predetermined reference is set so that an operation that is lightly touched by the touch sensor 40 without being intended by the operator is not accepted. ) To avoid setting an excessively low standard.

  Next, in step S12, when the position of contact corresponds to the displayed position of the object in a state where the pressing load satisfies a predetermined reference, the control unit 10 determines that the pressing load is a predetermined reference on the object. It is determined whether or not it is no longer satisfied (step S32). That is, the electronic device 2 does not determine that the pressing operation of the operator is released when the contact with the touch sensor 40 is released, but the pressing load detected by the load detection unit 60 does not satisfy a predetermined standard. It is determined that the operator's pressing operation has been released.

  Also in step S33, the electronic device 2 does not use the release of contact as a determination criterion, but uses the determination that the pressing load detected by the load detection unit 60 does not satisfy the predetermined criterion as a drag criterion in step S16. It is determined whether or not to continue the process. In the next step S34, the control unit 10 does not use the determination that the contact is detected within the predetermined time, but the pressing load detected by the load detection unit 60 satisfies the predetermined standard again within the predetermined time. Based on this, it is determined whether or not to proceed to the next step S35.

  In step S35, the control unit 10 determines that the contact position when the pressing load satisfies the predetermined reference again within the predetermined time is the contact position before releasing the pressing operation calculated in step S21 and stored in the storage unit 80. It is determined whether it is on the extension of the moving direction. In Step S35, when it is determined that the contact position is not on the extension in the direction before the pressing operation is released, the control unit 10 ends this operation. In this case, the control unit 10 determines that the detected pressing operation is not a continuation of the sliding operation, and drops the dragged icon object at the position where the pressing operation is released.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S35 that the contact position is on the extension in the direction before the pressing operation is released, the control unit 10 returns to step S21 and continues the process. In this case, the control unit 10 regards the pressing operation detected again after the pressing operation on the touch sensor 40 is once canceled as a continuation of the sliding operation, and continues the drag process. That is, the control unit 10 is configured such that the pressure load does not satisfy the predetermined reference when the touch sensor 40 detects a sliding operation by contact while the pressure load detected by the load detection unit 60 satisfies the predetermined reference. If the pressing load meets the predetermined standard again within the predetermined time, the contact position detected when the predetermined standard is again satisfied and the direction of the slide operation until the pressing load no longer satisfies the predetermined standard. Accordingly, control is performed so as to determine whether or not the slide operation is continued.

  As described above, according to the electronic device 2 according to the present embodiment, the same effect as that of the electronic device 1 according to the first embodiment is achieved, and the operator performs the pressing operation performed by pressing the touch sensor 40. Detects the start, end, or temporary interruption of the slide operation. Therefore, according to the electronic device 2 according to the present embodiment, an operation that the operator touches the touch sensor 40 unintentionally and does not detect it as a pressing operation is not detected, thereby preventing an erroneous operation and improving operability. can do. In the present embodiment, as described above, even if the operator touches the touch sensor 40, it is not determined as a pressing operation unless a pressing load that satisfies a predetermined standard is detected. Therefore, if the pressing load detected by the load detection unit 60 does not satisfy the predetermined standard while the operator is performing the sliding operation by the pressing operation, even if the touch sensor 40 detects the contact, the pressing It is determined that the slide operation by the operation is interrupted.

  In addition, this invention is not limited only to said each embodiment, Many deformation | transformation or a change is possible. For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, a tactile sensation providing unit that vibrates the touch surface of the touch sensor can be further provided. In this case, for example, in the first embodiment, a tactile sensation can be presented when contact is detected, and in the second embodiment, a tactile sensation can be presented when a pressing operation is detected. In this way, since the operator can easily grasp that his / her operation is correctly detected by the electronic device, it is possible to further improve the operability of the electronic device and further reduce the possibility of erroneous operation. .

  Further, the load detection unit 60 in each of the above-described embodiments can be configured using an arbitrary number of strain gauge sensors. Furthermore, according to the input detection method in the touch sensor, for example, in the case of the resistive film method, the load detection unit 60 uses a strain gauge sensor if the load can be detected from the change in the output signal based on the resistance change due to the contact area. It can be configured without. Alternatively, in the case of the electrostatic capacity method, if the load can be detected from the change in the output signal based on the change in the electrostatic capacity, it can be configured without using the strain gauge sensor.

  Further, the electronic device 2 according to the present invention detects the pressing operation when the pressing load detected by the load detection unit 60 satisfies a predetermined standard. However, the case where the pressing load detected by the load detection unit 60 satisfies a predetermined reference may be a case where the pressing load detected by the load detection unit 60 reaches a predetermined load reference value. The pressing load detected by the load detecting unit 60 may exceed the predetermined load reference value. Further, it may be when the reference value of the predetermined load is detected by the load detection unit 60.

  Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the operation of the electronic device by the operator has been described using an example of an operation in which the operator drags an icon. However, the electronic apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to such an example of the drag operation. For example, the operator can slide while executing an application that displays a handwritten line diagram on the touch sensor on the display unit. It is possible to assume a scene where an operation is performed. In addition, even in the case of the above-described flick operation or pinch operation, even if the contact or pressing is temporarily released using the electronic device according to the present invention, the slide operation is continued in a predetermined case. Can be processed as

  Further, according to the present invention, when the control unit 10 detects the release of the contact when the touch sensor 40 detects the sliding operation by the contact and then detects the contact again within a predetermined time, the detected contact is detected again. Control was performed so as to determine whether or not the slide operation is continued according to the position and the direction of the slide operation until the release of contact is detected. Here, that the touch sensor 40 detects the release of the contact indicates that the touch sensor 40 no longer detects the contact from the state where the touch sensor 40 has detected the contact. Note that the control unit 10 may determine that contact is no longer detected from the state in which the touch sensor 40 has detected contact, and may detect release of contact. In the present invention, the “direction of the slide operation until contact release is detected” has been described as the direction in which the contact position calculated by the control unit 10 moves. However, when the contact release is detected. It is preferable to use the direction in which the contact position calculated based on the two points of the contact position at the time closest to the point and the previous contact position moves. In the present invention, “determining whether or not the slide operation is continued” refers to determining whether or not the position of the contact detected again is an extension of the movement direction of the contact position before the contact is released. As described above, the base point of “on the extension of the moving direction of the contact position before releasing the contact” may be any position of the contact position before releasing the contact. Note that, as a base point of “on the extension of the movement direction of the contact position before the contact release”, it is preferable to use the contact position at the time closest to the time when the contact release is detected as the base point.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electronic device 10 Control part 30 Display part 40 Touch sensor 40a Touch surface 60 Load detection part 62 Strain gauge sensor 71 Case 72 Insulator 73 Upper cover 74 Insulator 80 Memory | storage part 90 Timing part

Claims (2)

In an electronic device including a touch sensor that detects contact,
After detecting the release of the contact while the touch sensor detects a sliding operation by contact, if the contact is detected again within a predetermined time, the position of the contact detected again and the release of the contact are detected. A control unit for controlling to determine whether or not the slide operation is continued according to the direction of the slide operation until
An electronic device comprising: A touch sensor for detecting contact;
A load detection unit that detects a pressing load on the touch surface of the touch sensor, and an electronic device comprising:
When the touch sensor detects a sliding operation by contact while the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a predetermined standard, the pressure sensor does not satisfy the predetermined standard and then presses within a predetermined time. If the load satisfies the predetermined criterion again, it depends on the position of the contact detected when the predetermined criterion is satisfied again and the direction of the slide operation until the point when the pressing load no longer satisfies the predetermined criterion. A control unit that controls to determine whether or not the slide operation is continued,
An electronic device comprising:

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