Input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10158773-B2
Application number	US-201615300507-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Jul 30, 2015
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A control section allows a screen of a display section to display a plurality of numeric keys, detects a touch gesture on the individual numeric key through a touch panel to allow an input of a numeric number corresponding to the numeric key subjected to the touch gesture, and detects an action on each of hard keys to accept an instruction to perform a function corresponding to the hard key subjected to the action. When a predetermined action is performed on one or more individuals of the hard keys, the control section assigns numeric numbers to the respective hard keys and detects an action on the individual hard key to allow an input of the numeric number corresponding to the hard key subjected to the action.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An input device comprising:
a display section;
a touch panel provided on the display section;
a plurality of hard keys through which inputs of respective instructions associated with a plurality of individual functions are accepted; and
a control section that allows a screen of the display section to display soft keys associated with a plurality of respective numeric numbers, detects a touch gesture on any one of the soft keys through the touch panel to accept an input of the numeric number corresponding to the one soft key subjected to the touch gesture, and detects an action on any one of the hard keys to accept an instruction to perform the function corresponding to the one hard key subjected to the action,
wherein the control section assigns the plurality of respective numeric numbers corresponding to the soft keys to the respective associated hard keys, under a condition that a predetermined operation has been performed, detects an action on any one of the hard keys to accept an input of the numeric number corresponding to the one hard key subjected to the action, and under a condition that the predetermined operation has not been performed, detects an action on any one of the hard keys to accept an input of an instruction to perform the function corresponding to the one hard key subjected to the action,
the predetermined operation is a predetermined action on one or more individuals of the hard keys, and
when the numeric numbers input by actions on the hard keys indicate a predetermined code, the control section starts a maintenance mode in which positions of gestures on the soft keys for accepting inputs of the numeric numbers are adjustable.

2. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein under a condition that the predetermined operation has been performed through at least one of the soft keys or the hard keys, the action on the one hard key is detected and the input of the numeric number corresponding to the hard key subjected to the action is accepted.

3. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the control section allows the screen of the display section to display a correspondence relation between the numeric numbers and the hard keys to which the respective numeric numbers are assigned.

4. The input device according to claim 3 , wherein the correspondence relation between the numeric numbers and the hard keys to which the respective numeric numbers are assigned is shown by images representing the hard keys and the numeric numbers associated with the respective images of the hard keys.

5. The input device according to claim 3 , wherein the control section allows the screen of the display section to display, in list form, the correspondence relation between the numeric numbers and the hard keys to which the respective numeric numbers are assigned.

6. An input device comprising:
a display section;
a touch panel provided on the display section;
a plurality of hard keys through which inputs of respective instructions associated with a plurality of individual functions are accepted; and
a control section that allows a screen of the display section to display soft keys associated with a plurality of respective numeric numbers, detects a touch gesture on any one of the soft keys through the touch panel to accept an input of the numeric number corresponding to the one soft key subjected to the touch gesture, and detects an action on any one of the hard keys to accept an instruction to perform the function corresponding to the one hard key subjected to the action,
wherein the control section assigns the plurality of respective numeric numbers corresponding to the soft keys to the respective associated hard keys, under a condition that a predetermined operation has been performed, detects an action on any one of the hard keys to accept an input of the numeric number corresponding to the one hard key subjected to the action, and under a condition that the predetermined operation has not been performed, detects an action on any one of the hard keys to accept an input of an instruction to perform the function corresponding to the one hard key subjected to the action,
furthermore, the control section stores, according to a correspondence relation specified by an operator, an association of each of the hard keys with one of the numeric numbers.

7. The input device according to claim 6 , wherein under a condition that the predetermined operation has been performed through at least one of the soft keys or the hard keys, the action on the one hard key is detected and the input of the numeric number corresponding to the hard key subjected to the action is accepted.

8. The input device according to claim 6 , wherein the control section allows the screen of the display section to display a correspondence relation between the numeric numbers and the hard keys to which the respective numeric numbers are assigned.

9. An input device comprising:
a display section;
a touch panel provided on the display section;
a plurality of hard keys through which inputs of respective instructions associated with a plurality of individual functions are accepted; and
a control section that allows a screen of the display section to display soft keys associated with a plurality of respective numeric numbers, detects a touch gesture on any one of the soft keys through the touch panel to accept an input of the numeric number corresponding to the one soft key subjected to the touch gesture, and detects an action on any one of the hard keys to accept an instruction to perform the function corresponding to the one hard key subjected to the action,
wherein the control section assigns the plurality of respective numeric numbers corresponding to the soft keys to the respective associated hard keys, under a condition that a predetermined operation has been performed, detects an action on any one of the hard keys to accept an input of the numeric number corresponding to the one hard key subjected to the action, and under a condition that the predetermined operation has not been performed, detects an action on any one of the hard keys to accept an input of an instruction to perform the function corresponding to the one hard key subjected to the action,
furthermore, the control section allows the screen of the display section to display a plurality of icons and, when detecting through the touch panel a touch gesture on a specified icon of the plurality of icons, determines the touch gesture as the predetermined operation and detects an action on any one of the hard keys to accept an input of the numeric number corresponding to the one hard key subjected to the action, and
the specified icon is displayed in a larger size than the other icons.

10. The input device according to claim 9 , wherein under a condition that the predetermined operation has been performed by detecting through the touch panel said touch gesture on said specified icon, the action on the one hard key is detected and the input of the numeric number corresponding to the hard key subjected to the action is accepted.

11. The input device according to claim 9 , wherein the control section allows the screen of the display section to display a correspondence relation between the numeric numbers and the hard keys to which the respective numeric numbers are assigned.

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Takatsuki Yasushi

Classifications

• H04N2201/0094

  Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception · CPC title

• G06F3/0238

  Programmable keyboards (key guide holders G06F3/0224) · CPC title

• H04N1/00389

  Programmable function keys, e.g. for one-touch operation (H04N1/00387 takes precedence; for automation of transmitter jobs H04N1/32058) · CPC title

• H04N1/00411 Primary

  the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen · CPC title

• H04N1/00424

  using a list of graphical elements, e.g. icons or icon bar · CPC title