Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11069328-B2
Application number	US-201816632188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2018
Priority date	Jul 20, 2017
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

An information processing apparatus according to the present technology includes a housing, a display section, a pressure-sensitive sensor, and a control section. The housing has a front surface and a sub-surface including an operation area and is capable of being held by a user. The display section is arranged on the front surface. The pressure-sensitive sensor detects a pressure value with respect to the sub-surface. The control section identifies a status that the operation area is operated by the user and a status that the operation area is held by the user on the basis of the pressure value, and executes predetermined processing on the basis of an operation by the user with respect to the operation area in a case where the status is determined that the operation area is operated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
a housing having a front surface and a sub-surface including an operation area, the housing being capable of being held by a user;
a display section arranged on the front surface;
a pressure-sensitive sensor that detects a pressure value with respect to the sub-surface; and
a control section that identifies a status that the operation area is operated by the user and a status that the operation area is held by the user on a basis of the pressure value and executes predetermined processing on a basis of an operation by the user with respect to the operation area in a case where the status is determined that the operation area is operated,
wherein the control section determines a position in which the operation area is set in the sub-surface, and
wherein when the operation area is set at the sub-surface, the control section causes a guide showing a position in which the operation area is set to be displayed on the display section at the front surface.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control section determines that the operation area is operated by the user in a case where it satisfies a condition that the pressure value continues to take a value within a predetermined range within a predetermined time.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the control section determines that the operation area is held by the user in a case where the condition is not satisfied.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
a plurality of the pressure-sensitive sensors, wherein
the control section identifies a status that the operation area is operated by the user and the operation area is held by the user on a basis of a second pressure value detected by a second pressure-sensitive sensor adjacent to a first pressure-sensitive sensor in a case where it satisfies a condition that a first pressure value detected by the first pressure-sensitive sensor of the plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors continues to take a value within a predetermined range within a predetermined time.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the control section determines that the operation area is in a status operated by the user in a case where the second pressure value is less than a predetermined threshold.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the control section determines that the operation area is in a status held by the user in a case where the second pressure value is a predetermined threshold or more.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a motion sensor that detects a posture of the housing, wherein
the control section determines a position in which the operation area is set on a basis of the detected posture of the housing.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
when the posture of the housing is changed, the control section newly determines a position in which the operation area is set at the sub-surface on a basis of a change in the posture.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control section determines a holding pattern of the housing held by the user on a basis of the pressure value and determines a position in which the operation area is set on a basis of the holding pattern.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
when the holding pattern is changed, the control section newly determines a position in which the operation area is set at the sub-surface on a basis of a change in the holding pattern.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the display is arranged on the front surface and the sub-surface, and
the control section causes a GUI (Graphical User Interface) to be displayed at a position corresponding to the operation area on the sub-surface of the display section.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a proximity sensor arranged on the sub-surface that detects a user contact position, wherein
in a case where the status is determined that the operation area is operated by the user, the control section executes predetermined processing on a basis of the detected contact position.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in a case where the status is determined that the operation area is operated by the user, the control section executes predetermined processing on a basis of the pressure value.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the housing has a shape changeable between an expanded status and a folded status.

15. An information processing method, comprising:
identifying, on a basis of a pressure value with respect to a sub-surface of a housing having a front surface including a display section and the sub-surface including an operation area, the housing being capable of being held by a user, a status that the operation area is operated by the user and a status that the operation area is held by the user; and
executing predetermined processing on a basis of an operation by the user with respect to the operation area in a case where the status is determined that the operation area is operated;
determining a position in which the operation area is set in the sub-surface; and
when the operation area is set at the sub-surface, causing a guide showing a position in which the operation area is set to be displayed on the display section at the front surface.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having computer executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by a computer, the computer executable instructions causing the computer to do steps of:
identifying, on a basis of a pressure value with respect to a sub-surface of a housing having a front surface including a display section and the sub-surface including an operation area, the housing being capable of being held by a user, a status that the operation area is operated by the user and a status that the operation area is held by the user; and
executing predetermined processing on a basis of an operation by the user with respect to the operation area in a case where the status is determined that the operation area is operated;
determining a position in which the operation area is set in the sub-surface; and
when the operation area is set at the sub-surface, causing a guide showing a position in which the operation area is set to be displayed on the display section at the front surface.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Ebihara Munetake
• Kogure Kimihiko
• Fujisawa Akira
• Kobayashi Ken
• Katsuhara Tomoko
• Goto Tetsuro
• Shiga Fumiko

Classifications

• G09G2340/0464

  Positioning · CPC title

• G09G5/38 Primary

  with means for controlling the display position · CPC title

• G06F3/147

  using display panels · CPC title

• H04M1/72454

  according to context-related or environment-related conditions · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title