Patent ID: 8875058

Claim:
An input apparatus comprising: a display; an operating portion for movably operating a pointer; a display screen portion capable of displaying said pointer in a display position, a first screen having a first selection region selected when said display position of said pointer is overlapping said first selection region for a first period of time, and a second screen having a second selection region selected when said display position of said pointer is overlapping said second selection region for a second period of time, wherein said first screen is switched to said second screen when said first selection region is selected; and a control portion performing control of moving, if said display position of said pointer overlaps said second selection region, said display position of said pointer in a first direction so that said pointer does not overlap said second selection region of said second screen, when said first screen is switched to said second screen, wherein said first selection region is selected by a user holding said operating portion for said first period of time in the state that said display position of said pointer overlaps said first selection region, wherein said control portion performs control of moving said display position of said pointer in said first direction by obtaining, in response to switching from said first screen to said second screen, a plurality of distances between said display position of said pointer and outer edges, located in a plurality of directions, of said second selection region and employing a direction of said plurality of directions where the distance of said plurality of distances is the smallest among obtained said plurality of distances as said first direction, wherein said display screen portion is formed to be capable of displaying a third screen having a third selection region selected when said display position of said pointer is overlapping said third selection region for a third period of time, wherein said second screen is switched to said third screen when said second selection region is selected, and wherein, in response to switching from said second screen to said third screen, said control portion performs control of moving, if said display position of said pointer overlaps said third selection region, said display position of said pointer in a second direction opposite to said first direction and moving said display position of said pointer so as not to overlap said third selection region of said third screen.