Electronic device and control method for electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9542000-B2
Application number	US-201213371132-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2012
Priority date	Feb 10, 2011
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide corresponding tactile sensations in accordance with a characteristic of an image displayed. Specifically, an electronic device 10 according to the present invention includes a display unit 102 configured to display an image, a touch sensor 103 configured to detect a touch, a tactile sensation providing unit 104 configured to provide the tactile sensation to a touch face of the touch sensor 103 , and a control unit 109 configured to divide the image into a plurality of areas and, when the touch sensor detects the touch to a position corresponding to any of the plurality of areas, to control the tactile sensation providing unit 104 to provide the tactile sensation associated with the area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a display unit configured to display an image;
a touch sensor configured to detect a touch;
a tactile sensation providing unit configured to provide a tactile sensation to a touch face of the touch sensor; and
a control unit configured to divide the image into a plurality of areas, set tactile sensations each associated with the areas, wherein each tactile sensation is associated with a predetermined threshold based on a frequency spectrum of the image of each portion of an area such that the predetermined threshold of one area differing from the predetermined threshold of an another area,
differentiation of the predetermined threshold of the one area as compared with the predetermined threshold of the another area is done by at least one of a manner of vibration and an intensity of vibration, and,
when the touch sensor detects a touch to a position corresponding to any of the plurality of areas, to control the tactile sensation providing unit to provide the tactile sensation associated with the area and when the touch sensor detects a touch to a position corresponding to any of the plurality of areas and a data based on a pressing of the touch satisfies a predetermined threshold associated to each area, the control unit starts to control the tactile sensation providing unit to provide the tactile sensation associated with the area.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit divides the image into a plurality of areas based on at least one of a spectrum distribution of brightness or color of the image and a frequency spectrum of the image.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit sets the tactile sensations associated with the plurality of areas based on at least one of the spectrum distribution of brightness or color of the image and frequency spectrum of the image.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit sets the predetermined threshold for each of the plurality of areas.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1 , comprising a storage unit configured to store data of the image in a predetermined image format, wherein
the control unit includes information on the plurality of areas and information on the tactile sensations associated with the plurality of areas in an additive space of the image format in order to store in the storage unit.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5 , comprising a communication unit, wherein
the control unit controls the communication unit to transmit, together with the data of the image, the information on the plurality of areas and the information on the tactile sensations associated with the plurality of areas in the image format.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is manually controlled to set differing vibrational tactile sensations to the plurality of areas.

8. A control method of an electronic device having
a display unit configured to display an image
a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, and
a tactile sensation providing unit configured to provide a tactile sensation to a touch face of the touch sensor, the control method comprising:
dividing the image into a plurality of areas;
controlling the tactile sensation providing unit, when a touch to a position corresponding to any of the plurality of areas at the touch sensor is detected, to provide the tactile sensation associated with the area and when the touch sensor detects a touch to a position corresponding to any of the plurality of areas and a data based on a pressing of the touch satisfies a predetermined threshold associated to each area, starts to control the tactile sensation providing unit to provide the tactile sensation associated with the area;
dynamically setting the predetermined threshold based on a frequency spectrum of the image of each portion of an area, wherein the predetermined threshold of one area differs from the predetermined threshold of another area; and
differentiating the predetermined threshold of the one area as compared with the redetermined threshold of the another area by at least one of a manner of vibration and an intensity of vibration.

9. An electronic device comprising:
a display unit configured to display an image;
a touch sensor configured to detect a touch;
a tactile sensation providing unit configured to provide a tactile sensation to a touch face of the touch sensor; and
a control unit configured to divide the image into a plurality of areas and, when the touch sensor detects a touch to a position corresponding to any of the plurality of areas and a data based on a pressing of the touch satisfies a predetermined threshold associated to each area, to start to control the tactile sensation providing unit to provide the tactile sensation associated with the area,
the control unit dividing the image into a plurality of areas based on a frequency spectrum of the image,
the control unit dynamically setting the tactile sensations associated with the plurality of areas based on the frequency spectrum of the image of each portion of an area, wherein the predetermined threshold of one area differs from the predetermined threshold of another area,
differentiation of the predetermined threshold of the one area as compared with the predetermined threshold of the another area is done by at least one of a manner of vibration and an intensity of vibration.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9 , further comprising a communication unit, wherein the control unit divides the image based on a focused level into the plurality of areas.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9 , further comprising a communication unit, wherein the control unit sets the tactile sensation with the plurality of areas based on at least a quality of material of the plurality of areas.

Assignees

• Ueno Yasuhiro
• Nakamura Masatsugu
• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Ueno Yasuhiro
• Nakamura Masatsugu

Classifications

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• G06F3/04886

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title