Electronic device

An electronic device includes a display unit 13, a panel 11, a tactile sensation providing unit 12 configured to vibrate a touch face of the panel 11, and a control unit 16 configured, when detecting contact to a tactile sensation providing area of the touch face corresponding to a predetermined word displayed on the display unit 13, to drive the tactile sensation providing unit 12 based on tactile sensation providing information associated with the predetermined word, such that a tactile sensation is provided to a contact object in contact with the tactile sensation providing area.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-286509 filed on Dec. 22, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an electronic device.

BACKGROUND

There is known a conventional electronic device that, for example, upon input of a sentence of news, a novel, a story and the like, automatically attaches emotional information to each word of the sentence and, based on the emotional information, reads out the sentence with expressions of emotions such as by adding intonation and the like (for example, see Patent Document 1).

CITATION LIST

SUMMARY

However, when a sentence “It was very painful.” is input, an impression and an idea obtained from the word “very” varies between people. As such, it has recently been desired, as well as to read out the input sentence, to display the input sentence on a display unit of the electronic device and present a desired word in the displayed input sentence to a user in a manner different from a visual manner and an auditory manner.

Taking the above into consideration, the present invention provides an electronic device capable of presenting the desired word in the sentence displayed on the display unit in a manner other than the visual manner and the auditory manner.

Solution to Problem

In order to achieve the above matter, an electronic device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a display unit; a panel; a tactile sensation providing unit configured to vibrate a touch face of the panel; and a control unit configured, when detecting contact to a tactile sensation providing area of the touch face corresponding to a predetermined word displayed on the display unit, to drive the tactile sensation providing unit based on tactile sensation providing information associated with the predetermined word, such that a tactile sensation is provided to a contact object in contact with the tactile sensation providing area.

A second aspect of the present invention is the electronic device, such that the control unit displays a plurality of objects respectively corresponding to a plurality of different tactile sensation providing information on the display unit, associates one of the objects with the predetermined word and then, when detecting contact to the touch face corresponding to the predetermined word, drives the tactile sensation providing unit based on the tactile sensation providing information corresponding to the one of the objects.

A third aspect of the present invention is the electronic device, such that the control unit, when detecting contact to a contact area of the touch face corresponding to one of the plurality of objects, drives the tactile sensation providing unit based on the tactile sensation providing information corresponding to the one of the objects and, when detecting a movement of the one of the objects to a tactile sensation providing area of the predetermined word, associates the one of the objects with the predetermined word.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is the electronic, such that the control unit simultaneously displays a plurality of conversion candidates of the same text associated with different tactile sensation providing information as replacement candidates for a word to be converted displayed on the display unit and, when detecting contact to a contact area of the touch face corresponding to one of the plurality of the conversion candidates of the same text, drives the tactile sensation providing unit based on the tactile sensation providing information corresponding to the one of the conversion candidates of the same text, converts the word to be converted into the one of the conversion candidates of the same text and displays the predetermined word associated with the tactile sensation providing information.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is the electronic device including: a pressure detection unit configured to detect pressure on the touch face, such that the control unit, when data output by the pressure detection unit based on pressure of contact to the contact area of the touch face corresponding to the one of the conversion candidates satisfies a first threshold, drives the tactile sensation providing unit based on the tactile sensation providing information associated with the one of the conversion candidates and then, when the data output by the pressure detection unit satisfies a second threshold higher than the first threshold, converts the word to be converted into the one of the conversion candidates and displays the predetermined word associated with the tactile sensation providing information.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is the electronic device, further including: a communication unit capable of wirelessly connecting to a radio communication network, such that the control unit transmits information about the word displayed on the display unit, together with the tactile sensation providing information associated with the predetermined word included in the information about the word, from the communication unit to the radio communication network.

The present invention may enable the desired word in the sentence displayed on the display unit to be presented in a tactile manner.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present specification, a “word” is regarded as synonymous with a “symbol” and means characters in a broad sense including, as well as JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) characters, a pictogram, a face mark and the like.

FIG. 1is a functional block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a main section of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device illustrated inFIG. 1constitutes a mobile phone, for example, and includes a panel11, a tactile sensation providing unit12, a display unit13, a memory unit14, a communication unit15, a control unit16and a pressure detection unit17.

The panel11detects contact to a touch face thereof by a contact object such as a finger and a stylus pen and may be a known panel of such as a resistive film type, a capacitive type, an optical type and the like for outputting two-dimensional position information of a touch position (a contact position of the contact object). The panel11is disposed on the display unit13. The position information from the panel11is supplied to the control unit16.

The tactile sensation providing unit12is constituted by using, for example, a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element is attached to a rear face of the panel11(a face opposite to the touch face) and, upon application of a driving voltage under control of the control unit16, vibrates the touch face of the panel11as a converse piezoelectric effect. Also, the piezoelectric element, as a direct piezoelectric effect, generates a voltage based on pressure (outputs data). Thereby, the control unit16may detect pressure load on the touch face of the panel11. The piezoelectric element may have a known configuration such as monomorph, unimorph, bimorph and the like based on a size of the panel11, vibration amplitude and the like. The pressure detection unit17is constituted by using a strain gauge, the piezoelectric element or the like. The following description is made on the assumption that the pressure detection unit17shares the piezoelectric element of the tactile sensation providing unit12.

The display unit13displays a keyboard, input words, conversion candidates of the input words, and objects such as icons and the like and is constituted by using, for example, a liquid crystal display panel, an organic EL display panel or the like. Contact to the object displayed on the display unit13, that is, contact to a tactile sensation providing area of the touch face of the panel11corresponding to the displayed object is detected by the control unit16based on the position information output from the panel11.

The memory unit14is constituted by using, for example, a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory. The memory unit14stores, as well as various application programs to be executed by the electronic device, tactile sensation providing information for providing various tactile sensations to the contact object such as the finger or the like by driving the tactile sensation providing unit12.

When the tactile sensation providing unit12is constituted by using the piezoelectric element, for example, in order to provide soft tactile sensations such as, for example, a “throbbing” sensation and a “jelly-like” sensation to an operator, tactile sensation providing information about a signal of a triangle wave or a sine wave at a frequency of approximately 200 Hz to 500 Hz for two or three cycles is stored. Also, in order to provide a hard tactile sensation such as a “plock” sensation to the operator, tactile sensation providing information about a signal of a square wave at a frequency of approximately 200 Hz to 500 Hz for two or three cycles is stored. Further, in order to provide a click sensation such as a “ticking” sensation similar to that obtained when pressing a push-button switch to the operator, tactile sensation providing information about a signal of a sine wave at a frequency of approximately 100 Hz to 200 Hz for one cycle is stored. Here, the “throbbing” sensation, the “jelly-like” sensation, the “plock” sensation and the “ticking” sensation described in the present specification are sensations expressed in Japanese obtained by the operator, and examples of drive signals to provide actual tactile sensations are set forth above. Also, the tactile sensation providing information is a mere example and tactile sensation providing information including various vibration amplitude and vibration patterns is stored.

Further, the memory unit14stores a plurality of different tactile sensation providing information associated with one conversion candidate of a predetermined word. For example, tactile sensation providing information about different vibration amplitude and vibration patterns for ranking one conversion candidate describing a feeling such as “fun” or a sensation such as “aches” in terms of “large”, “medium” and “small” is stored. Note that the memory unit14may be constituted by using an internal memory of the control unit16.

The communication unit15wirelessly connects to a radio communication network and performs a communication such as a telephone call, email, the internet and the like.

The control unit16is constituted by using, for example, a CPU or the like and controls overall operations according to the application programs stored in the memory unit14. The control unit16, when providing the tactile sensation to the contact object in contact with the panel11, detects contact to the tactile sensation providing area corresponding to the predetermined word displayed on the display unit13based on the position information from the panel11. Then, the control unit16drives the tactile sensation providing unit12based on the tactile sensation providing information associated with the predetermined word stored in the memory unit14.

FIG. 2illustrates an example of a housing structure of the touch sensor11, the piezoelectric element12and the display unit13illustrated inFIG. 1;FIG. 2Ais a cross-sectional view of a main section, andFIG. 2Bis a plane view of the main section. The display unit13is contained and held in a housing21. The panel11is disposed on the display unit13via insulators22made of elastic members. The panel11is held on the display unit13via the insulators22arranged at four corners outside a display area A of the display unit13indicated by chain double-dashed lines inFIG. 2B.

The housing21is provided with an upper cover23covering a surface area of the panel11outside the display area A of the display unit13. An insulator24made of elastic member for dust-proof is arranged between the upper cover23and the panel11.

The panel11has, for example, a surface member having a touch face11aand constituted by using a transparent film or the glass and a rear face member made of glass or acryl. The panel11is designed such that, when the touch face11ais pressed down via the insulator24, a pushed part is slightly bent (strained) in accordance with a pressing force and the entire panel11including the rear face member is slightly bent.

In an example in the figure, the tactile sensation providing unit12includes two piezoelectric elements31. The piezoelectric elements31are attached near two opposing sides, respectively, covered by the upper cover23on the rear face of the panel11for displacing the panel11in a curved manner. Preferably, the piezoelectric elements31are attached to the panel11such that a bending direction of the panel11when pressed down and a curving direction of the piezoelectric elements31match each other. InFIG. 2, since the panel11is rectangular in shape in a planar view, the two piezoelectric elements31are attached along two long opposing sides at positions close thereto. Note that the housing21, the upper cover23and the insulator24illustrated inFIG. 2Aare omitted inFIG. 2B.

The following is a description of an operation example of the electronic device according to the present embodiment, with reference toFIG. 1andFIG. 2.

First Operation Example

FIG. 3is a diagram illustrating a display example of the display unit13according to a first operation example. In this operation example, in a text creation mode, the control unit16graphically depicts each of a plurality of different tactile sensation providing information stored in the memory unit14into objects and displays the objects in a predetermined area of the display unit13.FIG. 3illustrates an example in which three objects h1, h2and h3are displayed in a lower area of the display unit13. When the control unit16detects contact to the contact area of the touch face11acorresponding to one of the objects displayed on the display unit13based on the output of the panel11, the control unit16drives the tactile sensation providing unit12based on the tactile sensation providing information corresponding to the one of the objects. Thereby, the tactile sensation is provided to a contact object F such as the finger or the like in contact with the contact area of the one of the objects.

Then, when the control unit16, based on the output of the panel11, detects a movement of the one of the objects by a drag and drop operation to a predetermined tactile sensation providing area including a display area of a conversion confirmed word (a predetermined word), which is confirmed to be converted, the control unit16associates the tactile sensation providing information corresponding to the one of the objects with the conversion confirmed word and stores the tactile sensation providing information in the memory unit14.FIG. 3illustrates an example in which the object h1is dragged and dropped in the tactile sensation providing area corresponding to the display area of the conversion confirmed word “aches” in a text “My tooth aches.”, whose input is confirmed, such that the “aches” is associated with a level (feeling) thereof.

According to the first operation example, as described above, the control unit16displays a plurality of objects corresponding to a plurality of different tactile sensation providing information on the display unit13. Then, when detecting contact to the contact area of the touch face11acorresponding to one of the objects, the control unit16drives the tactile sensation providing unit12based on the tactile sensation providing information corresponding to the one of the objects. Also, when detecting a movement (the drag and drop operation) of the one of the objects to the tactile sensation providing area of one conversion confirmed word displayed on the display unit13, the control unit16associates the tactile sensation providing information corresponding to the one of the objects with the one conversion confirmed word.

Accordingly, a user may easily associate a desired convention confirmed word with a tactile sensation similar to feeling at the time. Then, when the user, as illustrated inFIG. 4, contacts the touch face11aat the conversion confirmed word “aches” in the text “My tooth aches.” displayed on the display unit13by using the contact object F such as the finger or the like, a tactile sensation associated with the “aches” is provided.

The text created as illustrated inFIG. 3, together with the associated tactile sensation providing information, is transmitted as email to a correspondent electronic device having a configuration similar to the electronic device illustrated inFIG. 1, for example. Thereby, when a user of the correspondent electronic device, in a manner similar toFIG. 4, contacts the tactile sensation providing area of the touch face11aat the predetermined word in the text of a displayed received email, the tactile sensation may be provided. Accordingly, a feeling expression that may have different impression between people may be transmitted to a receiver in a more straightforward and realistic manner.

Second Operation Example

FIG. 5is a diagram illustrating a display example of the display unit13according to a second operation example. In this operation example, in the text creation mode, the conversion candidates of the word to be converted in the input text displayed on the display unit13is displayed in a predetermined display area of the display unit13. When a plurality of the conversion candidates of the same text for a word associated with different tactile sensation providing information are stored in the memory unit14, the plurality of the conversion candidates of the same text are displayed at a time.FIG. 5illustrates an example in which, for the word to be converted “aches”, a number of conversion candidates including the three candidates having the same text “ACHES” respectively associated with different tactile sensation providing information are displayed at a time.

When the control unit16detects contact to the contact area of the touch face11acorresponding to one conversion candidate based on the output of the panel11, the control unit16determines selection of the one conversion candidate and confirms an input word by converting the word to be converted into the determined conversion candidate. Thereby, when the tactile sensation providing information is associated with the conversion candidate, the tactile sensation providing information is simultaneously associated with the conversion confirmed word. In this case, also, at a point when the control unit16detects the contact to a corresponding contact area of the touch face11a, the control unit16drives the tactile sensation providing unit12based on the tactile sensation providing information associated with the conversion candidate. Thereby, the tactile sensation is provided to the contact object such as the finger or the like in contact with the contact area of the conversion candidate.

According to the second operation example, as described above, at confirmation of conversion of the word to be converted, when there are a plurality of conversion candidates of the same text respectively associated with different tactile sensation providing information, the plurality of the conversion candidates of the same text are displayed on the display unit13at a time. Then, when detecting the contact to the contact area of the touch face11acorresponding to one of the conversion candidates, the control unit16drives the tactile sensation providing unit12based on the tactile sensation providing information corresponding to the one of the conversion candidates and confirms the conversion of the word to be converted into the one of the conversion candidates.

In the second operation example, accordingly, desired tactile sensation providing information may be associated simultaneously with a conversion operation of the input word. Comparing to the first operation example, therefore, the trouble of associating the desired tactile sensation providing information is saved and thus a faster input operation is enabled. Other function effects are similar to those of the first operation example.

Third Operation Example

According to a third operation example, in the text creation mode, the piezoelectric elements31output a voltage (data) based on the pressure on the touch face11aof the panel11to the control unit16. The control unit16displays the conversion candidate of the word to be converted in the input text displayed on the display unit13in the predetermined display area of the display unit13. Similarly to the second operation example, when a plurality of conversion candidates of the same text associated with different tactile sensation providing information are stored in the memory unit14, the plurality of the conversion candidates of the same text are displayed at a time.

Then, the control unit16detects contact to the contact area of the touch face11acorresponding to one conversion candidate based on the output of the panel11and inputs the data output by the piezoelectric elements31. As a result, based on the pressure at a position on the touch face11acorresponding to the one conversion candidate to which the contact is detected, when the control unit16detects that the data (a value of the voltage) output by the piezoelectric elements31satisfies a first threshold, the control unit16drives the piezoelectric elements31based on the tactile sensation providing information associated with the one conversion candidate. Thereby, the one conversion candidate is selected and the tactile sensation is provided to the contact object such as the finger or the like in contact with the contact area of the one conversion candidate. On the other hand, when the one conversion candidate to which the contact is detected is not associated with the tactile sensation providing information, the control unit16selects the conversion candidate corresponding to the contact area where the data satisfies the first threshold and refrains from driving the piezoelectric elements31.

Then, when detecting that the data output by the piezoelectric elements31satisfies a second threshold higher than the first threshold, the control unit16selects the one conversion candidate and confirms conversion of the word to be converted into the selected conversion candidate. Thereby, when the tactile sensation providing information is associated with the conversion candidate, the tactile sensation providing information is simultaneously associated with the conversion confirmed word.

According to the third operation example, as described above, the piezoelectric elements31output the voltage (data) to the control unit16based on the pressure on the touch face11aof the panel11. Then, when the data associated with the contact area corresponding to one conversion candidate satisfies the first threshold, the conversion candidate is selected and, when the conversion candidate is associated with the tactile sensation providing information, the tactile sensation providing unit12(piezoelectric elements31) is driven based on the tactile sensation providing information such that the tactile sensation is provided to the contact object. Then, when the data satisfies the second threshold, selection of the one conversion candidate is determined and conversion of the word to be converted into the conversion candidate is confirmed.

According to the third operation example, therefore, based on the pressure associated with the contact to the contact area corresponding to the conversion candidate (pressure associated with the contact on the touch face11a), when the value of the voltage (values of the data) output by the piezoelectric elements31is detected to satisfies the second threshold higher than the first threshold, the predetermined tactile sensation providing information may be associated simultaneously with the confirmation of the conversion of the input word. Comparing to the second operation example, accordingly, a more secured input operation is enabled. Other function effects are similar to those of the second operation example. Note that, according to the present operation example, when the conversion candidate is not associated with the tactile sensation providing information, the conversion candidate is selected when the first threshold is satisfied. However, the conversion candidate may be selected when the second threshold is satisfied.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment but may be modified or varied in a multiple manner. For example, the tactile sensation providing unit12, instead of having a configuration to directly vibrate the panel11by using the piezoelectric elements, may be configured to indirectly vibrate the panel11by using an eccentric motor or the like. Also, in order to detect the pressure on the touch face11aof the panel11as described in the third operation example, a piezoelectric element or a strain sensor exclusively for detection of the pressure may be attached to the panel11.

Further, the corresponding tactile sensation providing information about feeling and the like may be associated with a predetermined word in subtitles of a movie and the like. This enables, by contacting the subtitles when watching the movie on the electronic device according to the present invention, to provide the tactile sensation in the tactile sensation providing area of the touch face corresponding to the predetermined word, which enhances a realistic sensation.

The words for providing the tactile sensation are not limited to the words for expressing feeling and the like but may be any words. For example, the tactile sensation providing information may be associated with any word in a text of advertising email delivered to the electronic device. Thereby, an advertising method such as providing the user who has found a tactile sensation providing word with a gift is enabled. Or, as illustrated inFIG. 6, for example, the tactile sensation providing information may be associated with any character in email such that cryptography is embedded in the email and the tactile sensation providing characters mean another word or text. In a case inFIG. 6, each of bold characters “S”, “H”, “I”, “N”, “A”, “G”, “A”, “W” and “A” (“SHINAGAWA”) (the same font as others are actually used) are associated with the tactile sensation providing information.

The display unit13and the panel11in the embodiment set forth above may be constituted by using an integrated device, such as by sharing a substrate having functions of them and the like. Such an integrated device having both functions of the display unit13and the panel11may have a configuration in which, for example, a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements such as photodiodes are orderly mixed in a group of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix pattern in a liquid crystal panel. This integrated device may display an image in a structure of the liquid crystal panel and also detect a touch position by nearby photoelectric conversion elements that receive backlight of the liquid crystal display reflected by a tip of a pen in contact with a desired position on the face of the panel.

The term “contact” according to the present invention is not limited to a physical contact, especially when the optical panel is employed, as a position where infrared rays on the panel is blocked by the finger or the stylus pen is detected.

Further, according to the third operation example described above, corresponding operations are executed when the data (voltage) satisfies the predetermined thresholds such as the first threshold and the second threshold. Here, “when the data satisfies the predetermined thresholds” may include “when the data reach a predetermined value”, “when the data exceed the predetermined value”, or “when the predetermined value is detected”.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST