Patent Publication Number: US-2019179464-A1

Title: Touch panel apparatus for receiving user operation

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-235731 filed on Dec. 8, 2017, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to a touch panel apparatus for receiving user operation. 
     As a typical technique, there is known a technique in which, by performing a pre-registered cursor appearance operation, a cursor is displayed in the vicinity of a finger contacting a touch panel. In this technique, the cursor is moved by flicking the cursor with a finger. After the cursor has been moved to a desired icon position, the display screen is tapped. As a result, the processing of the icon where the cursor is positioned is executed. Accordingly, operation is possible even in a state where a portable terminal such as a smartphone or the like is held with only one hand. 
     SUMMARY 
     The touch panel apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a display unit, a touch sensor, a normal-input-receiving unit, a screen-control unit and a cursor-operation-receiving unit. The display unit displays an input screen on which a plurality of operation keys is arranged. The touch sensor detects contact on the input screen and outputs coordinates corresponding to a position where contact is detected. The normal-input-receiving unit receives an operation on the input screen based on a detection result of the touch sensor. The screen-control unit displays a cursor for selecting the operation key in the case where the normal-input-receiving unit cannot detect an operation based on the detection result of the touch sensor. The cursor-operation-receiving unit receives a cursor operation for moving the cursor based on a detection result of the touch sensor while the cursor is being displayed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a touch panel apparatus of an embodiment according the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an example of registration of normal-operation information illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a normal operation example registered in the normal-operation information illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an example of registration of cursor-operation information illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an example of a cursor operation registered in the cursor-operation information illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a flow of an operation-key-selection process of the touch panel apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Incidentally, in the following embodiments, the same reference numbers are given to the configurations having similar functions. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a touch panel apparatus  1  includes a touch panel  2 , a storage unit  3 , and a control unit  4 . 
     The touch panel  2  includes a display unit  21  and a touch sensor  22 . The display unit  21  displays an input screen  31  for receiving various input from a user. As the display unit  21  it is possible to use a liquid-crystal display, an organic EL display, a plasma display, electronic paper, or the like. The touch sensor  22  is formed into a transparent sheet shape and is arranged on the upper surface of the display unit  21 . The touch sensor  22  is a position input device that detects a position on the display unit  21  the user contacts with a finger or the like and outputs coordinates corresponding to the position to the control unit  4 . As the touch sensor  22 , it is possible to use a touch sensor of an electrostatic capacitance type, an ultrasonic type, a pressure sensitive type, a resistive film type, a light detection type, or the like. 
     The storage unit  3  is a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory or the like. The storage unit  3 , for example, stores an input screen  31  on which a plurality of operation keys (refer to  FIG. 3 )  31   a  is arranged as an input screen  31  to be displayed on the display unit  21 . In addition, the storage unit  3  stores normal-operation information  32  in which normal operation on the input screen  31  is registered, and cursor-operation information  33  in which cursor operation on the input screen  31  is registered. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an example of registration of the normal-operation information  32 . As the normal operation, a single touch for touching one location on the input screen  31 , or a swipe for moving a finger or the like while touching one location on the input screen  31 , are registered. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , when a single touch is detected, the touch sensor  22  outputs coordinates  31   c  on the input screen  31  corresponding to the position where the contact  31   b  is detected. Then, operation of an operation key  31  corresponding to the coordinates  31   c  is received. As a result, a process assigned to the operation key  31   a , for example, activation of an application, input of a character, or the like is executed. In the case where a swipe is detected, the screen is scrolled in the swipe direction based on the coordinates of the movement direction of the finger or the like outputted by the touch sensor  22 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an example of registration of the cursor-operation information  33 . As the cursor operation, operations such pressing two locations for a long time on the input screen  31 , releasing one location out of two contact locations on the input screen  31 , continuation of the non-contact state of the input screen  31  for a specified amount of time, and the like are registered. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , in the case where two locations are pressed for a long time, regardless of the coordinates  31   c  of the two locations, the operation of the operation key  31   a  where the cursor  31   d  is positioned is received. As a result, a process assigned to the operation key  31   a  such as activation of an application, character input, or the like is executed. In the case where one location of two locations of contact  31   b  is released, the cursor  31   d  moves to one of the adjacent operation keys  31   a . In the case where a specific amount of time elapses with no contact on the input screen  31 , the cursor  31   d  disappears. 
     The control unit  4  is an information processing unit such as a microcomputer or the like including a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and the like. The ROM stores a control program for controlling the operation of the touch panel apparatus  1 . The control unit  4  reads the control program stored in the ROM, develops the control program in the RAM, and executes the control program, thereby controlling the entire apparatus. In addition, the control unit  4  functions as a normal-input-receiving unit  41  and a screen-control unit  42 . 
     The normal-input-receiving unit  41  has a function of detecting an operation registered in the normal operation information  32  or the cursor-operation information  33  based on the detection result of the touch sensor  22  and receiving the detected operation. For example, in a normal operation mode (normal-operation mode), for example, the normal-input-receiving unit  41  detects an operation (hereinafter referred to as a “normal operation”) registered in the normal-operation information  32  based on the detection result of the touch sensor  22 , and receives the normal operation. As a normal operation, the normal-input-receiving unit  41  receives an operation of an operation key  31   a  on the input screen  31  based on the coordinates  31   c  outputted from the touch sensor  22 . 
     In the case where the normal-input-receiving unit  41  cannot detect the normal operation based on the detection result of the touch sensor  22 , the normal-input-receiving unit  41  switches to the cursor-operation mode. In the cursor-operation mode, the normal-input-receiving unit  41  functions as a cursor-operation-receiving unit, and receives a cursor operation based on contact with the input screen  31  regardless of the coordinates  31   c  outputted from the touch sensor  22 . 
     In the case where the normal-input-receiving unit  41  is set to the cursor-operation mode, the screen-control unit  42  described later displays the cursor  31   d  on one of the plurality of operation keys  31   a  on the input screen  31 . While the cursor  31   d  is displayed on the input screen  31 , the normal-input-receiving unit  41  detects the operation (cursor operation) registered in the cursor-operation information  33  as the cursor-operation mode and receives the cursor operation. In the cursor operation, the operation key  31   a  where the cursor  3   d  is located is selected regardless of the coordinates  31   c  outputted from the touch sensor  22 . 
     For example, in the normal-operation mode, in the case where the touch sensor  22  detects that one place on the input screen  31  has been touched, the normal-input-receiving unit  41  detects a single-touch operation registered in the normal-operation information  32 . Moreover, in the normal-operation mode, in the case where in a state in which contact  31   b  is detected at one location on the input screen  31 , and the detected position of this contact  31   b  is detected to have moved by a specific distance or more on the input screen  31 , the normal-input-receiving unit  41  detects a swipe registered in the normal-operation information  32 . In the case where a single touch is detected, the screen is updated corresponding to the function of the operation key  31   a  corresponding to the coordinates  31   c  outputted from the touch sensor  22 , and in the case where a swipe is detected, the screen is scrolled in the swipe direction based on the coordinates  31   c  outputted from the touch sensor  22 . In this way, in the normal-operation mode, in either case operation processing is executed based on the coordinates  31   c  outputted by the touch sensor  22  is executed. 
     On the other hand, operations such as an operation of contact at two locations on the input screen  31 , a contact operation of a plurality of operation keys at the same time, or a contact operation of solid contact over a wide area such as pressing the entire palm against the input screen  31 , are not registered in the normal-operation information  32 . In the case where this kind of an irregular operation is performed, the normal-input-receiving unit  41  cannot detect the operation registered in the normal-operation information  32  based on the detection result of the touch sensor  22 , and switches to the cursor-operation mode. 
     In the cursor-operation mode, in the case where, in a state of there being contact at two locations on the input screen  31  and the touch sensor  22  detects that one location of the two locations has been released, the normal-input-receiving unit  41  detects a cursor-movement operation based on the cursor-operation information  33 . In addition, in the case where it is detected by the touch sensor  22  that two locations on the input screen  31  have been pressed for a long time, the normal-input-receiving unit  41  detects a cursor-setting operation based on the cursor-operation information  33 . In the case where the touch sensor  22  detects that there has been no contact on the input screen  31  for a specified amount of time, a cursor-removal operation is detected based on the cursor-operation information  33 . 
     In the cursor-movement operation, the screen-control unit  42  moves the cursor  31   d  displayed on the input screen  31  to an adjacent operation key  31   a . Incidentally, the screen is also automatically scrolled by the screen-control unit  42  as necessary so that the operation key  31   a  where the cursor  31   d  is located is not outside the display screen. In the cursor-setting operation, the operation of the operation key  31   a  where the cursor  31   d  is positioned is received, and the screen is updated to the screen corresponding to the function of the operation key  31   a . In addition, in the cursor-removal operation, the screen-control unit  42  removes the cursor  31   d  displayed on the input screen  31 , and the normal-input-receiving unit  41  returns to the normal-operation mode. In this way, in the cursor-operation mode, the normal-input receiving unit  41  in any case receives the cursor operation based on the state of the contact detected by the touch sensor  22  regardless of the coordinates  31   c  outputted by the touch sensor  22 . Then, the operation key  31   a  is selected via the cursor operation, and the process assigned to the operation key  31   a  where the cursor  31   d  is positioned is executed. 
     The screen-control unit  42  has a function of displaying the input screen  31  on the display unit  21  and controlling the screen based on operation detected by the normal-input-receiving unit  41 . For example, in the case where the normal-input-receiving unit  41  fails to detect a normal operation based on the detection result of the touch sensor  22 , the screen-control unit  42  displays the cursor  31   d  for selecting the operation key  31   a  on the input screen  31 . 
     Next, with reference to  FIG. 6 , the flow of the operation-key-selection process of the touch panel apparatus  1  will be explained. 
     When the screen-control unit  42  displays the input screen  31  on the display unit  21  (S 11 ), the normal-input-receiving unit  41  is set to the normal-operation mode (S 12 ) and waits until the touch sensor  22  detects that a user contacts the input screen  31  with a finger or the like (S 13 , S 13 : NO). In the normal-operation mode, the normal-input-receiving unit  41  detects an operation on the input screen  31  based on the normal-operation information  32 . 
     When the touch sensor  22  detects contact  31   b  on the input screen  31  (S 13 : YES), the normal-input-receiving unit  41  determines whether or not normal operation is detected based on the detection result of the touch sensor  22  (S 14 ). In the case where the detection result of the touch sensor  22  corresponds to an operation registered in the normal-operation information  32 , the operation is detected as a normal operation. 
     In the case where a normal operation is detected (S 14 : YES), and in the case where the detected normal operation is a single touch (S 15 : YES), the normal-input-receiving unit  41 , based on the normal-operation information  32 , receives the operation of the operation key  31   a  corresponding to the position of the contact  31   b  (S 16 ) and returns to the process is S 13 . As a result, the process assigned to the operation key  31   a  corresponding to the coordinates  31   c  outputted from the touch sensor  22  is executed. In the case where, the detected normal operation is not a single touch (S 15 : NO), the normal-input-receiving unit  41  receives the corresponding operation based on the normal-operation information  32  (S 17 ) and returns the process to S 13 . As a result, for example, a swipe operation is received and screen scrolling is executed. 
     On the other hand, in the case where normal operation cannot be detected (S 14 : NO), or in other words, in the case where an irregular operation is performed on the input screen  31 , the normal-input-receiving unit  41  switches to the cursor-operation mode (S 18 ). Then, via the screen-control unit  42 , the cursor  31   d  is displayed on any one of the plurality of operation keys  31   a  (S 19 ). As a result, in the case where a user who is not able to execute an intended operation performs a messy operation, the cursor operation can be performed as an alternative method of normal operation. For example, this is a case in which a malfunction occurs in the touch sensor  22 , the coordinates  31   c  outputted from the touch sensor  22  are inaccurate, or the coordinates  31   c  are not outputted. In the cursor-operation mode, the normal-input-receiving unit  41  detects an operation on the input screen  31  based on the cursor-operation information  33 . 
     Continuing, the normal-input-receiving unit  41 , via the touch sensor  22 , determines whether or not contact  31   b  on the input screen  31  is detected (S 20 ). In the case where contact  31   b  on the input screen  31  is not detected (S 20 : NO), the normal-input-receiving unit  41  determines whether or not the input screen  31  has remained in a non-contact for a specified amount of time (for example, 3 minutes) (S 21 ). In the case where the non-contact state has not continued for the specified amount of time (S 21 : NO), the process returns to S 20 . 
     On the other hand, when the input screen  31  has remained in the non-contact state for a specified amount of time (S 21 : YES), the normal-input-receiving unit  41  detects the cursor-removal operation based on the cursor-operation information  33 . Via the screen control unit  42 , the cursor  31   d  displayed on the input screen  31  is removed (S 22 ), and the process returns to S 12  that is the normal-operation mode. As a result, the cursor-operation mode ends. 
     On the other hand, in the case where the touch sensor  22  detects the contact  31   b  on the input screen  31  (S 20 : YES), the normal-input-receiving unit  41 , via the touch sensor  22 , determines whether or not there is contact on the input screen  31  at two locations (S 23 ). For example, in the case where the detected contact  31   b  is one location and not two locations (S 23 : NO), the process returns to S 20 . This is because an operation corresponding to the cursor-operation information  33  is not registered. 
     In the case where there is contact at two locations (S 23 : YES), the normal-input-receiving unit  41 , via the touch sensor  22 , determines whether or not one of the two contact  31   b  locations detected is released (S 24 ). In the case where one location is released (S 24 : YES), the normal-input-receiving unit  41  detects a cursor-movement operation based on the cursor-operation information  33 . Then, the screen-control unit  42  moves the cursor  31   d  to an adjacent operation key  31   a  (S 25 ), and returns the process to S 20 . This cursor-movement operation allows the user to move the cursor  31   d  to the position of a desired operation key  31   a  regardless of the coordinates  31   c  outputted from the touch sensor  22 . Incidentally, the cursor movement route in the case where the cursor-movement operation is performed may be preset. 
     On the other hand, in the case where one location of the two contact  31   b  locations is not released (S 24 : NO), the normal-input-receiving unit  41 , via the touch sensor  22 , determines whether or not the contact state at the two locations is a long press (S 26 ). In the case where the contact state is not a long press (S 26 : NO), for example, in the case where two locations are touched and released quickly, the normal-input-receiving unit  41  returns the process to S 20 . This is because an operation corresponding to the cursor-operation information  33  is not registered. 
     On the other hand, in the case where two locations are long pressed (S 26 : YES), the normal-input-receiving unit  41  detects a cursor-setting operation based on the cursor-operation information  33 , receives the operation to the operation key  31   a  where the cursor  31   d  is located (S 27 ) and returns the process to S 20 . As a result, the user can reliably operate the operation key  31   a  where the cursor  31   d  is located, regardless of the coordinates  31   c  outputted from the touch sensor  22 . 
     Incidentally, in the case where the normal-input-receiving unit  41  receives an operation to the operation key  31   a , the process in S 16  is returned to S 13 , and the process in S 27  is returned to S 20 , however, the process of this flowchart may end without returning the respective processes. 
     In this way, the touch panel apparatus  1  includes: a display unit  21  for displaying an input screen  31  on which a plurality of operation keys  31   a  are arranged; a touch sensor  22  that detects a contact  31   b  on the input screen  31  and outputs coordinates  31   c  corresponding to the position where the contact  31   b  is detected; a normal-input-receiving unit  41  that receives an operation on the input screen  31  based on the detection result of the touch sensor  22 ; a screen-control unit  42  that displays a cursor  31   d  for selecting an operation key  31   a  in the case where the normal-input-receiving unit  41  fails to detect an operation based on the detection result of the touch sensor  22 ; and a cursor-operation-receiving unit (normal-input-receiving unit  41 ) that, while the cursor  31   d  is displayed, receives a cursor operation for moving the cursor  31   d  based on the detection result of the touch sensor  22 . As a result, in the case where the user cannot perform a desired touch operation and the normal-input-receiving unit  41  cannot detect an operation on the input screen  31 , the cursor  31   d  is displayed. This makes it possible to receive the cursor operation by the user. The case when the user cannot perform a desired touch operation is that, for example, incorrect coordinates are outputted or coordinates are not outputted from the touch sensor  22 . Therefore, it is possible to provide a touch panel apparatus  1  with high usability. 
     Moreover, in the case where the normal-input-receiving unit  41  switches to the cursor-operation mode, the control unit  4  may function as an operation-guidance unit that displays the operation method of the cursor  31   d  on the display unit  21  or guides the operation method by voice from a speaker. As a result, even in the case where the touch sensor  22  fails and the cursor  31   d  is suddenly displayed on the input screen  31 , the user can grasp the current state and continue the current operation. 
     In the typical technique described above, there is a problem that in a case where the portable terminal is dropped or submerged causing trouble in the touch panel to occur so that the touch panel cannot detect the contact position accurately, the cursor operation cannot be performed. 
     With the technique according to the present disclosure, even in the case where the touch panel cannot accurately detect the touch position, it is possible to receive a user operation. 
     The technique according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made within a range not departing from the gist of the present disclosure.