Patent ID: 8269733
Filing Date: 2012-09-18
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An input apparatus for receiving input data in response to user operation, comprising: a sensor for detecting external pressure; a display unit for displaying an object icon to be processed in response to pressing on the sensor, a first auxiliary icon corresponding to a first detection area on which the sensor detects the pressure, with the size of the first auxiliary icon greater than that of the object icon, and a second auxiliary icon corresponding to a second detection area, with the size of the second auxiliary icon greater than that of the object icon; an operation signal output unit for outputting different operation signals according to a positional relationship between a pressure-detected position, on which the sensor detected the external pressure, and with a display position of the first auxiliary icon and a display position of the second auxiliary icon displayed by the display unit; a detection position determiner for determining the pressure-detected position; and an operation determiner for determining the positional relationship between the pressure-detected position that is determined by the detection position determiner, and the display position of the first auxiliary icon and the display position of the second auxiliary icon, wherein the operation signal output unit outputs a first operation signal upon the operation determiner determining that the pressure-detected position is identical to the display position of the first auxiliary icon and outputs a movement operation signal to move the first auxiliary icon according to the pressure-detected position upon the operation determiner determining that a change has occurred in the condition of the pressure detected position and the pressure-detected position being identical to the display position of the second auxiliary icon, and the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon are brought into contact with each other by their edge.