Information processing apparatus, information processing method and computer program

An information processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a display unit for displaying thereon a plurality of input regions operated by an operating body, a detection unit for detecting an approach distance between the operating body and a surface of the display unit, and a region control unit for, when the operating body approaches one of the input regions within a predetermined distance, enlarging the input region which the operating body approaches, and moving at least one of the input regions such that the adjacent input regions do not overlap each other. The input region is enlarged and an overlap between the input regions is avoided so that a user can easily select a desired input region, thereby preventing erroneous selection of other input region.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, information processing method and computer program, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus including an on-screen keyboard, information processing method and computer program.

2. Description of the Related Art

Since a touch sensor can realize an intuitive and user-friendly user interface, it has been used in ticketing machines in transportation facilities or ATMs in banks in related art. In recent years, the touch sensor can detect a user' operation, thereby realizing device operations which have not been found in button operations in related art. Thus, recently, the touch sensor has been widely used in portable devices such as cell phone or game device.

Some devices having a touch panel mounted thereon include not a physical keyboard but an on-screen keyboard as software keyboard by which characters are input from a screen (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-297293, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-234909, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05-197471, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 02-136914, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-9759, for example). There was an issue in the on-screen keyboard that a user can easily input characters while the keys are blocked by a user's finger. A solution for recognizing a user-focusing key is conducted against the above issue. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-297293, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-234909, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05-197471, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 02-136914, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-9759, there is performed a processing in which a user-focusing key and its surrounding keys are enlarged in size and the focused key is offset to be displayed outside a finger-blocking region.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, there was an issue that an enlargement of key causes adjacent keys to block each other in the key enlargement processing. Further, in a key movement processing, a user moves his/her finger on a screen while touching a key, and then moves the finger away from the screen after confirming the display, thereby fixing the key. However, when the user-touched position is on the user-intended key, the user can perform a tap operation to fix the key, but when the user-touched position is not on the user-intended key, the user has to move the finger onto the intended key. This is because once the user moves a finger away from the screen, the operation on the presently-focused key is fixed and the user has to perform an operation of canceling the key operation. There is easily assumed that such erroneous key touching is considered to frequently occur, which imposes user's operation load.

The present invention has been therefore made in views of the above issues, and it is desirable to provide a novel and improved information processing apparatus, information processing method and computer program capable of smoothly performing key inputting on an on-screen keyboard.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including: a display unit for displaying thereon a plurality of input regions operated by an operating body; a detection unit for detecting an approach distance between the operating body and a surface of the display unit; and a region control unit for, when the operating body approaches one of the input regions within a predetermined distance, enlarging the input region which the operating body approaches, and moving at least one of the input regions such that the adjacent input regions do not overlap each other.

According to the present invention, when the detection unit detects an approach or contact between the operating body and the display unit, the region control unit enlarges the operating body-approaching or -contacting input region. At least one of the input regions is moved along with the enlargement such that adjacent input regions do not overlap each other. As described above, the input region is enlarged and the overlap between the input regions is avoided so that the user can easily select a his/her desired input region, thereby preventing erroneous selection of other input region.

The region control unit can include: a size decision unit for deciding a size of the input region after being changed depending on the approach distance of the operating body; and an ideal position calculation unit for calculating an ideal position where the adjacent input regions having a changed size do not overlap each other.

Further, the ideal position calculation unit may include: an overlap avoidance region decision unit for deciding an overlap avoidance region for avoiding an overlap with the other input regions in the input region having a changed size; a pair decision unit for deciding a pair of the adjacent input regions; an ideal relative position decision unit for deciding an ideal relative position where the corresponding overlap avoidance regions do not overlap each other for the pair of input regions; and an ideal position decision unit for minimizing a difference between a present relative position of the corresponding overlap avoidance region and the ideal relative position and calculating the ideal position.

The ideal relative position decision unit, when a present position of the overlap avoidance region corresponding to the paired input region does not overlap, can assume the present position of the overlap avoidance region as the ideal relative position, and when the present position of the overlap avoidance region corresponding to the paired input region overlaps, assume the position to which one of the overlap avoidance regions is moved in a reference line direction connecting the centers of the overlap avoidance regions so as not to overlap the other overlap avoidance region as the ideal relative position.

Further, the size decision unit may optimize an enlargement factor of the input regions such that all the input regions are within a predetermined range.

Furthermore, the information processing apparatus according to the present invention can further include a prediction unit for predicting input information to be input by a user. At this time, the region control unit may change a display of the input region based on predictive input information as the input information predicted by the prediction unit.

The prediction unit can analyze already-input information already input from the input regions and predict the input region to be operated next for inputting the predictive input information as a subsequently-operated region. At this time, the region control unit changes a display of the predicted subsequently-operated region.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method including the steps of: displaying a plurality of input regions operated by an operating body on a display unit; detecting an approach distance between the operating body and a surface of the display unit; and when the operating body approaches one of the input regions within a predetermined distance, enlarging the input region which the operating body approaches, and moving at least one of the input regions such that the adjacent input regions do not overlap each other.

Further, the region control step may include the steps of: deciding a size of the input region changed depending on the approach distance of the operating body; and calculating an ideal position where the adjacent input regions having a changed size do not overlap each other.

Further, the ideal position calculating step can include the steps of: deciding an overlap avoidance region where an overlap with the other input region is avoided for the changed size of the input region; deciding a pair of the adjacent input regions; deciding an ideal relative position where the corresponding overlap avoidance regions do not overlap each other for the pair of input regions; and minimizing a difference between a present relative position of the corresponding overlap avoidance region and the ideal relative position and calculating the ideal position.

The ideal relative position deciding step, when a present position of the overlap avoidance region corresponding to the paired input region does not overlap, may assume the present position of the overlap avoidance region as the ideal relative position, and when the present position of the overlap avoidance region corresponding to the paired input region overlaps, may assume the position to which one of the overlap avoidance regions is moved in a reference line direction connecting the centers of the overlap avoidance regions so as not to overlap the other overlap avoidance region as the ideal relative position.

Further, the size deciding step may optimize an enlargement factor of the input regions such that all the input regions are within a predetermined range.

Furthermore, the information processing method according to the present invention can include a step of predicting input information to be input by a user. Here, the region control step may change a display of the input region based on predictive input information as the predicted input information.

Further, the predicting step may analyze already-input information already input from the input regions and predict the input region to be operated next for inputting the predictive input information as a subsequently-operated region. At this time, the region control step can change a display of the predicted subsequently-operated region.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a computer program for causing a computer to function as the information processing apparatus. The computer program is stored in a storage device included in the computer, and is read and executed by the CPU included in the computer, thereby causing the computer to function as the information processing apparatus. Further, there is also provided a computer readable recording medium in which the computer program is recorded. The recording medium is a magnetic disc, optical disc, MO (Magneto Optical) disc and the like, for example. Examples of the magnetic disc include a hard disc, a disc-shaped magnetic disc and the like. Further, examples of the optical disc include a CD (Compact Disc), DVD-R (Digital Versatile Disc Recordable), BD (Blu-Ray Disc (registered trademark)) and the like.

According to the embodiments of the present invention, there can be provided an information processing apparatus, information processing method and computer program capable of smoothly performing key inputting on the on-screen keyboard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

At first, a schematic configuration of an information processing apparatus100according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2.FIG. 1is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of the information processing apparatus100according to the present embodiment.FIG. 2is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus100according to the present embodiment.

<Configuration of Information Processing Apparatus>

The information processing apparatus100according to the present embodiment includes a display panel110having a touch panel mounted thereon, and is used for ATM in a bank, or portable device such as PDA, cell phone or MP3 player, for example. The display panel110according to the present embodiment includes a display unit (reference numeral112inFIG. 2) and a detection unit (reference numeral114inFIG. 2) for detection an operation on the display unit. The display unit of the display panel110displays thereon an input display unit102on which input characters are displayed, a key input unit104made of several keys for inputting characters such as alphabets or symbols, and a fixed input unit106such as input keys or decision key as shown inFIG. 1, for example.

When a user inputs a character from the information processing apparatus100including such an on-screen keyboard, the user contacts a key position corresponding to a character to be input by his/her finger or the like. At this time, when a finger's approach or contact to the display unit within a predetermined distance is detected by the detection unit for detecting key inputting, the character is determined to have been input and is displayed on the input display unit102. The functional configuration of the information processing apparatus100according to the present embodiment will be described below in detail.

The information processing apparatus100according to the present embodiment includes the display panel110, an information processing unit120, a region control unit130and a display processing unit140as shown inFIG. 2.

The display panel110is a function unit which detects an operating body such as user's finger or hand and receives a user's operation, and includes the display unit112and the detection unit114as described above. The display unit112is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and is driven and controlled by the display processing unit140through the information processing unit120. The display unit112displays thereon an on-screen keyboard as shown inFIG. 1or characters input through the keyboard. The detection unit114detects an input operation onto the on-screen keyboard displayed on the display unit112. The display panel110according to the present embodiment includes an optical touch sensor for detecting a change in the amount of light (darkness of shadow) to detect an approach of the operating body. At this time, the detection unit114can integrally provide one set of three pixels such as red, green and blue as a light reception unit into the display panel110. The detection unit114converts a received light into an electric signal and transmits the electric signal to the information processing unit120.

The information processing unit120is a driver for processing information exchanged between the display panel110and the region control unit130or the display processing unit140. The information processing unit120calculates an approach position of the operating body based on the electric signal received from the detection unit114, and transmits the calculated position as approach position information to the region control unit130. The approach position information is expressed in a three-dimensional coordinate with the center of the display unit112as the origin, for example. Further, the information processing unit120receives display drive information for displaying the changed display contents from the display processing unit140to the display unit112, and transmits it to the display unit112.

The region control unit130calculates a size and a display position of a key to be displayed on the display unit112based on the approach position information of the operating body. The region control unit130includes a size decision unit132and an ideal position calculation unit134, for example.

The size decision unit132decides the size of the input key based on the approach potion information received from the information processing unit120. In the information processing apparatus100according to the present embodiment, the size of an operating body-approaching key and the size of surrounding keys thereof are enlarged than a typically-displayed basic size, thereby preventing the keys from being blocked by the operating body. When deciding the size of the key based on the approach position information, the size decision unit132transmits the changed size of the key to the ideal position calculation unit134.

The ideal position calculation unit134performs a processing of avoiding an overlap between the size-changed keys. The ideal position calculation unit134decides an overlap avoidance region for avoiding an overlap with other keys in terms of the changed size of the keys. Further, the ideal position calculation unit134decides a pair of mutually adjacent keys and decides an ideal relative position where the paired keys do not overlap each other. The ideal position calculation unit134minimize a difference between the relative position of the current pair of keys and the ideal relative position, and calculates an ideal position where the overlap between keys is entirely avoided. The ideal position calculation unit134transmits position information on the calculated ideal position to the display processing unit140. The position information on the ideal position can be also expressed in the three-dimensional coordinate with the center of the display unit112as the origin, for example.

The display processing unit140processes the display drive information for displaying the calculated ideal position on the ideal position calculation unit134. The display processing unit140generates and transmits the display drive information on the display unit112for displaying an ideal position to the information processing unit120. The region control unit130and the display processing unit140can be configured as an application program for controlling the information processing apparatus100.

The configuration of the information processing apparatus100according to the present embodiment has been described above. The information processing apparatus100enlarges a key corresponding to a character to be input and its surrounding keys in size and changes the key display position to avoid an overlap between enlarged keys in order to make user's key inputting smooth. A display processing method of the information processing apparatus100according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference toFIGS. 3 and 4.FIG. 3is a flowchart showing the display processing method of the information processing apparatus100according to the present embodiment.FIG. 4is a flowchart showing a focus display processing according to the present embodiment.

At first, the display processing method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference toFIG. 3. The information processing apparatus100according to the present embodiment detects an approach of an operating body such as user's finger or hand by the detection unit114and then starts a processing of changing the display contents of the key input unit104(step S110). The detection unit114can detect an approach distance of the operating body based on a change in the amount of received light as described above. When the operating body approaches the display unit112, the amount of light detected by the detection unit114provided at the approach position decreases. The detection unit114converts the detected amount of light into an electric signal and transmits the signal to the information processing unit120. The information processing unit120specifies a position (approach position) of the key focused by the operating body through the received electric signal.

Next, when it is determined that the operating body is approaching the display unit112within a predetermined distance, there is performed a focus display processing of enlarging a focused key in size and displaying keys not to overlap each other on the key input unit104(step S120). The focus display processing is performed to change the display contents on the key input unit104, thereby making user's key inputting smooth and preventing erroneous key touching. The focus display processing will be described below in detail.

When the changed display position is decided by the focus display processing, the key is displayed on the changed display position (step S130). The display processing unit140generates the display drive information for changing the display positions of the keys of the key input unit104, and drives and controls the display unit112based on the display drive information.

In this manner, when an approach or contact of the operating body to the display unit112is detected, the information processing apparatus100according to the present embodiment performs the focus display processing to display a key to be focused in an enlarged manner and to display the key at the position where the overlap between keys is avoided. The focus display processing according to the present embodiment will be described below in detail with reference toFIG. 4.

The focus display processing according to the present embodiment decides the changed size of the key at first as shown inFIG. 4(step S210). The size decision unit132sets a key (focused key) at an operating body-approaching position and its surrounding keys to be larger than the typical basic size. For example, the size of the focused key is set to be about four times the basic size, the size of the surrounding keys is set to be about twice the basic size, and the size of other keys is set at the basic size. In this manner, the size decision unit132decides the changed size of the keys. The keys positioned around the focused key can be assumed to be adjacent to the focused key, for example. The key shape may be changed to be similar between before and after the change, or to be different between before and after the change. The position and size of the fixed input unit106such as input key or decision key is assumed to be unchanged.

Next, the ideal position calculation unit134decides an overlap avoidance region where an overlap between keys is avoided (step S220). The overlap avoidance region is provided for each key as a region where an overlap with other keys is desired to be avoided as much as possible. The overlap avoidance region is decided based on the changed size of the key decided in step S210, for example, and can be assumed as a region including the region of the changed key.

FIG. 5shows a state of the display panel110when a processing in step S210or S220is performed. As shown inFIG. 5, a plurality of substantially circular keys200are arranged on the display panel110. There is assumed such that the user's finger10as operating body approaches the display panel110and the maximum approach to the alphabet “G” is detected. At this time, the alphabet “G” is set at about four times the basic size, its surrounding keys200are set at about twice the basic size and the other keys200remain at the basic size.

When the changed size of the keys200is decided, the overlap avoidance region210of each key200is decided. In the example, the overlap avoidance region210is set as a minimum rectangle including the regions of the substantially circular keys200being changed. The overlap avoidance region210may be square or rectangular, or circular.

The overlap avoidance processing is performed for displaying the overlap avoidance region210of each key not to be overlapped. At first, the information processing unit120extracts an approach relationship between keys (step S230). Step S230is performed as a preprocessing for calculating an ideal relative position for avoiding an overlap between adjacent keys. In the present embodiment, the information processing unit120performs Delaunay triangulation with the centers of the overlap avoidance regions210as a group of input points, for example, and extracts the approach relationship between keys. The Delaunay triangulation is performed so that a key200being approached can be recognized more rapidly. A Delaunay side220defined by the processing is as shown inFIG. 6.

Next, the ideal relative position is calculated (step S240). In step S240, in a pair of overlap avoidance regions connected by the Delaunay sides220calculated in step S230, an ideal relative position where the overlap is not present is calculated. One example of the ideal relative position calculation method will be described with reference toFIG. 7.FIG. 7is an explanatory diagram showing one example of the ideal relative position calculation method, where only one pair of overlap avoidance regions210aand210bis illustrated for convenient explanation.

The left diagram inFIG. 7shows the overlap avoidance regions210aand210bat present (before changing the display region). The center position of the overlap avoidance region210ais assumed as viand the center position of the overlap avoidance region210bis assumed as vj. When the overlap avoidance regions210aand210boverlap each other, the center positions viand vjof the overlap avoidance regions210aand210bare connected to decide a reference line215. Next, as illustrated in the center diagram inFIG. 7, one overlap avoidance region (the overlap avoidance region210binFIG. 7) is moved in parallel along with the reference line215until an overlap with the other overlap avoidance region (the overlap avoidance region210ainFIG. 7) is eliminated. Thus, the positions of the keys200can be changed without changing the relative direction of adjacent keys200.

Then, a position where the overlap between the two overlap avoidance regions210aand210bis eliminated, which is illustrated in the right diagram inFIG. 7, can be assumed as the ideal relative position. The length of the overlapped portion in the xy direction may be set such that each overlap avoidance region210a,210bcan move at the shortest distance. On the other hand, when the overlap avoidance regions210aand210bdo not overlap each other, the present position may be assumed as the ideal relative position.

When the ideal relative position is calculated, a difference between the present relative position and the ideal relative position is minimized. The minimizing processing may employ the least square method, for example. At this time, the center of the screen is assumed as the center of gravity of the entire overlap avoidance regions210, thereby fixing the display region. The processing of minimizing the difference between the present relative position and the ideal relative position can be performed by the following Formula 1:

where viand vjare the respective center positions of a pair of overlap avoidance regions210and correspond to the start point and the end point of the Delaunay side, respectively. dvijdenotes an ideal relative position of virelative to vj. n denotes the number of apexes constituting the Delaunay side, that is the number of overlap avoidance regions. c is the center of gravity of the entire overlap avoidance regions and in the present embodiment is the center coordinate of the screen of the display unit112. In this manner, each position of vifor minimizing the calculated value is calculated by Formula 1. In the present embodiment, the processing in Formula 1 is performed only once for speeding up the processing, which does not ensure that the keys do not completely overlap each other. Thus, in order to completely eliminate an overlap between keys, the processing may be performed several times, thereby enhancing the accuracy of the changed position.

Then, the ideal position vinewto which each overlap avoidance region210is moved is decided and displayed on the display panel110(step S250). In this manner, the focus display processing according to the present embodiment is performed so that a key near a user's finger is enlarged to be displayed but the surrounding keys of the key to be enlarged enlarge their key size while moving in parallel to avoid an overlap. Then, a key away from the finger may hold its basic position and basic size.

FIG. 8shows a state of the display panel110when a processing in step S240is performed. As shown inFIG. 8, in the ideal position230which is a position in the overlap avoidance region of the changed key calculated by Formula 1, the focused key is enlarged as compared with in the present position of the overlap avoidance region210and its surrounding keys take positions away from the enlarged key.

Thereafter, when the user's finger10further approaches and contacts the display panel110from the position shown inFIG. 8, the size of the focused alphabet “G” key is further enlarged as compared with before the contact of the user's finger10as shown inFIG. 9, for example. At this time, the surrounding keys of the alphabet “G” key are made smaller as compared withFIG. 8. Thus, the key through which the user inputs is easier to input, thereby preventing erroneous touching of other keys.

There is assumed that the user moves the finger10to the alphabet “T” while contacting the finger10on the display panel110. At this time, the information processing apparatus100can detect the direction of the finger10as the operating body by the detection unit114of the display panel110and enlarge the key size of a key having a high possibility of being touched. For example, the information processing apparatus100enlarges the size of the alphabets “T”, “F” and “Y” positioned in the finger-moving direction as shown inFIG. 10as compared with the state ofFIG. 9. The key size of the alphabets “B”, “V” and “H” positioned opposite to the finger moving direction and the key size of the alphabet “G” on which the finger10is placed are reduced as compared with the state ofFIG. 9. Thus, the keys having a high possibility of being touched by the user are easier to touch while the keys having a low possibility of being touched are prevented from being erroneously operated.

The information processing apparatus100according to the first embodiment and the key display processing method using the same have been described above. According to the present embodiment, a focused key and its surrounding keys on the display unit112which the operating body approaches or contacts are enlarged in the display size and each key is displayed at the position where an overlap between keys is avoided. Thus, user's key inputting can be performed smoothly.

In step S210, an enlargement factor of individual key may be optimized such that the entire area of the key input unit104is not changed. For example, the keys away from the focused key are displayed to be smaller than the basic size so that the keys200of the key input unit104are adjusted to be within a predetermined display region. Thus, also when the number of keys to be enlarged through multipoint input is increased, the entire key input unit104can be displayed not to be offset from the display region on the display panel110.

Second Embodiment

Next, an information processing apparatus300according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIG. 11. The information processing apparatus300according to the present embodiment is different from the information processing apparatus100according to the first embodiment in that it includes a prediction unit350for predicting input information. The configuration and processing of the information processing apparatus300according to the present embodiment will be described mainly based on the difference with the first embodiment with reference toFIG. 11.FIG. 11is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus300according to the present embodiment.

<Configuration of Information Processing Apparatus>

The information processing apparatus300according to the present embodiment includes a display panel310having a display unit312and a detection unit314, an information processing unit320, a region control unit330having a size decision unit332and an ideal position calculation unit334, a display processing unit340and the prediction unit350as shown inFIG. 11. The display panel310, the information processing unit320, the region control unit330and the display processing unit340have the similar functions and configurations to those of the display panel110, the information processing unit120, the region control unit130and the display processing unit140according to the first embodiment, respectively. Thus, the explanation thereof will be omitted.

The prediction unit350is a function unit for predicting input information to be input by the user. When an approach or contact of the operating body to the display panel310is detected by the detection unit314, the prediction unit350predicts a word to be input from the already-input characters, and automatically generates one or several candidate character strings (predictive input information). Then, the prediction unit350analyzes the readings of the candidate character strings and transmits the analysis result via the information processing unit320to the region control unit330.

<Application to Predictive Conversion Function>

The information processing apparatus300according to the present embodiment can predict a word to be input by the prediction unit350from a character to be input by the user. The predictive conversion processing can be performed by using an existing method. The prediction unit350further analyzes a reading of a predicted word and obtains a character to be input next for each candidate character string. The character to be input next is directed for narrowing the candidate character strings. The prediction unit350transmits the obtained character via the information processing unit320to the region control unit330.

The region control unit330which has received the candidates of the character to be input next decides the changed size of the key by the size decision unit332at first. For example, the key size of the character to be input next is enlarged than the basic size and the size of other characters remain at the basic size. Then, the ideal position calculation unit334decides an overlap avoidance region where an overlap between keys is avoided. The overlap avoidance region can be decided based on the changed size of the key decided by the size decision unit332similarly to the first embodiment, and can be assumed as a region including a region of the changed key, for example.

Further, in order to display an overlap avoidance region of each key in a non-overlapped manner, after the approach relationship between keys is extracted, the ideal relative position is calculated. When a pair of overlap avoidance regions is decided from the approach relationship between keys, the ideal relative position where the two overlap avoidance regions do not overlap each other is calculated for each pair. The processing can be performed similarly to the first embodiment. When the ideal relative position is calculated, the above Formula 1 is used, for example, to minimize the difference between the present relative position and the ideal relative position. The position (ideal position) of each moved key can be calculated in this manner.

As described above, the focus display processing described in the first embodiment is applied to the predictive conversion function so that the key of a character to be input next for a candidate character string is displayed in an enlarged manner and its surrounding keys are displayed at the basic size. The surrounding keys are displayed not to overlap the key to be touched next. Thus, the key to be touched next by the user is easy to touch, and the candidate character strings can be smoothly narrowed.

The information processing apparatus300according to the present embodiment performs the enlargement of keys and the avoidance of overlap to make key inputting smooth but can induce the key to be touched next to the user by a difference in color between the key to be touched next and other keys. Further, the information processing apparatus300displays one or several candidate character strings of the predicted word on the display unit312of the key display panel310so that the user can select the candidate character string.

In the above embodiments, the display panel includes an optical touch sensor for detecting an approach or contact of the operating body, but the present invention is not limited to the example. For example, an approach or contact of the operating body can be detected by using a typical capacitance touch sensor or resistive film touch sensor, for example. In a personal computer, for example, also when a mouse is used to operate a mouse cursor for key inputting, a distance from the mouse cursor position to each key is calculated, thereby performing the enlargement of the key to be focused and the overlap avoidance processing similarly to the above embodiments.

The display processing on the on-screen keyboard has been described in the above embodiments, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The information processing apparatus according to the above embodiments can be applied to menu selection on a home screen, track selection based on text or image such as jacket photograph in a music player, photograph selection in a photo viewer, thumbnail selection in an animation player, for example. Furthermore, the information processing apparatus according to the above embodiments can be applied to enlarged display of a specific portion and overlap avoidance processing therearound in a map application or Web browser.

The display panel including the display unit and the detection unit is provided together with the region control unit and the display processing unit for performing the key size enlargement and the overlap avoidance processing in the above embodiments, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The display panel can be separately provided from the region control unit and the display processing unit. For example, the key size enlargement and the overlap avoidance processing may be performed in a computer connected to the display panel, or the like.

The present application contains subject matter related to that disclosed in Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2008-234511 filed in the Japan Patent Office on Sep. 12, 2008, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.