Electronic devices, control methods for electronic devices, and storage media

Abstract

This invention provides an electronic device, a control method for the electronic device, and a storage medium. The electronic device includes: a display unit; an operation button for detecting pressed operations; a touch sensor for detecting touch operations; and a processor, the processor performing the following processing: when the display unit displays a screen, it acquires setting information relating to an operation mode pre-established with respect to the screen; if the acquired setting information corresponds to a first setting information for a first mode that accepts operations based on the operation button but not operations based on the touch sensor, it causes the electronic device to operate in the first mode; if the acquired setting information corresponds to a second setting information for a second mode that accepts operations based on the touch sensor, it causes the electronic device to operate in the second mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to electronic devices, control methods for electronic devices, and storage media. Background Technology

[0002] In the past, it has been known that in electronic devices that have an operation button for detecting pressed operations and a touch sensor for detecting touch operations, the operation is switched between accepting operations on the operation button and accepting operations on the touch sensor based on the surrounding environment (e.g., Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: JP 2017-146981

[0006] However, the appropriate operating units for operation, such as operation buttons and touch sensors, vary depending on the screen displayed on the electronic device. Therefore, if the operating units are switched indiscriminately based on the environment, sometimes an unsuitable operating unit may be forced to be used depending on the currently displayed screen, which would actually impair the user's convenience. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to improve the convenience of operation when displaying a screen.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the electronic device according to the present invention includes: a display unit; an operation button for detecting pressed operations; a touch sensor for detecting touch operations; and a processor, the processor performing the following processing: when the display unit displays a screen, it obtains setting information related to an operation mode pre-established with respect to the screen; if the obtained setting information is first setting information corresponding to a first mode that accepts operations based on the operation button but not operations based on the touch sensor, it causes the electronic device to operate in the first mode; if the obtained setting information is second setting information corresponding to a second mode that accepts operations based on the touch sensor, it causes the electronic device to operate in the second mode.

[0009] The effects of the invention

[0010] According to the present invention, the convenience of operation during screen display can be improved. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is the front view of the electronic clock.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a side view of an electronic clock.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a block diagram representing the functional structure of an electronic clock.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating a swipe operation on a touch sensor.

[0015] Figure 5 It is a diagram that represents the content of the screen settings data.

[0016] Figure 6 This is an image representing the settings menu screen.

[0017] Figure 7 This is an image representing the world time selection screen.

[0018] Figure 8 This is an image showing a world time confirmation screen.

[0019] Figure 9 These are other examples of images showing a world time confirmation screen.

[0020] Figure 10 It is a flowchart representing the operation steps of motion mode control processing. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 As shown, the electronic clock 1 (electronic device) includes: a housing 101 that houses a display unit 15, etc.; and two straps 102 mounted on the housing 101. The electronic clock 1 is a watch worn on a user's wrist by wrapping the straps 102 around the wrist. Hereinafter, the direction parallel to the display surface of the display unit 15 and viewed from the right by the user facing the display unit 15 is defined as the +X direction; the direction parallel to the display surface of the display unit 15 and viewed from the top by the user facing the display unit 15 and perpendicular to the X direction is defined as the +Y direction; and the normal direction of the display surface of the display unit 15 is defined as the +Z direction. The housing 101 is a rectangle with rounded corners when viewed from the +Z direction. A touch sensor 181 for detecting touch operations based on the user's finger or other operating unit is provided on the side of the housing 101 in the +X direction. In this embodiment, the operating unit is the user's finger. Figure 2As shown, the touch sensor 181 has an operating surface 181a extending in the Y direction when viewed from the +X direction. Three operation buttons 171a to 171c for detecting pressed operations are provided on the side of the housing 101 in the -X direction. Hereinafter, any one of the operation buttons 171a to 171c will be referred to as "operation button 171". Furthermore, the number of operation buttons 171 is not limited to three; it can be two or fewer, or four or more. Additionally, the operation buttons 171 can be located in an area of ​​the side of the housing 101 in the +X direction other than the area where the touch sensor 181 is positioned. Furthermore, the shape of the housing 101 is not limited to a generally rectangular shape. For example, the housing 101 can be approximately circular when viewed from the +Z direction, and the operating surface 181a of the touch sensor 181 can be curved according to the shape of the housing 101.

[0022] like Figure 3 As shown, the electronic clock 1 includes a CPU 11 (Central Processing Unit) (control unit, control unit), RAM 12 (Random Access Memory), storage unit 13, timing unit 14, display unit 15, notification unit 16, button operation unit 17, touch operation unit 18, and power supply unit 19. All components of the electronic clock 1 are connected via data transmission paths such as a bus.

[0023] CPU 11 is a processor that reads and executes the program 131 stored in storage unit 13, performing various arithmetic operations to control the operation of electronic clock 1. Alternatively, electronic clock 1 may have multiple processors (e.g., multiple CPUs), and these multiple processors may execute multiple processes performed by CPU 11 in this embodiment. In this case, the control unit is composed of multiple processors. In this case, multiple processors may participate in common processing, or multiple processors may independently execute different processes in parallel. RAM 12 provides memory space for CPU 11 to operate on, storing temporary data. Storage unit 13 is a non-temporary recording medium that can be read by CPU 11, which is a computer, storing program 131 and various data. Storage unit 13 includes non-volatile memory such as flash memory. Program 131 is stored in storage unit 13 in the form of computer-readable program code. Data stored in storage unit 13 includes screen setting data 132, etc. The content of screen setting data 132 will be described later. Timing unit 14 includes an oscillation circuit, a frequency divider circuit, and a timing circuit, etc. The clock signal generated by the oscillator circuit is divided by a frequency divider circuit, and the timing circuit counts the divided signal. The timing unit 14 counts and holds the current date and time.

[0024] The display unit 15 includes: a display panel such as a liquid crystal panel capable of displaying data in a dot-matrix manner; and a driving circuit for the display panel. The display unit 15 displays, in addition to displaying, image data sent from the CPU 11 and control signals. Figure 1 In addition to the main screen 151 shown, various other screens are displayed. The main screen 151 displays information such as the current time, date, and day of the week, counted and held by the timing unit 14. The notification unit 16 is equipped with a piezoelectric speaker to output a given notification tone according to the timing and tone pattern of the control signal sent from the CPU 11. Furthermore, the notification method based on the notification unit 16 is not limited to the output of a piezoelectric speaker notification tone. For example, the notification unit 16 may have a vibrating part, and notification may be performed by the vibration of this vibrating part. Additionally, the notification unit 16 may have a light-emitting part, and notification may be performed by the light emitting part.

[0025] The button operation unit 17 has multiple operation buttons 171a to 171c. The button operation unit 17 outputs an operation signal containing information confirming that an operation button 171 has been pressed to the CPU 11. The button operation unit 17 may also have other operation units such as a rotary knob in addition to the operation buttons 171.

[0026] The touch operation unit 18 includes: a touch sensor 181; and a sensor control unit 182 that performs processing related to detecting a finger using the touch sensor 181. The touch operation unit 18 detects whether a finger contacts (touch) the operation surface 181a and the contact position (touch position), and outputs an operation signal containing information about these detection results to the CPU 11. The touch sensor 181 is a capacitive sensor. The touch sensor 181 includes: a protective layer constituting the operation surface 181a; and electrodes disposed along the protective layer inside the housing 101 for detecting capacitive capacitance. The touch sensor 181 is a capacitive sensor that detects contact between a finger and the operation surface 181a based on changes in capacitive capacitance corresponding to the user's finger contacting the operation surface 181a. Specifically, the touch sensor 181 has a plurality of electrodes (illustrated but not shown) arranged in the Y direction. The sensor control unit 182 detects the electrostatic capacitance between multiple electrodes and the finger. If the electrostatic capacitance between any electrode and the finger increases to or exceeds a given threshold due to the finger's approach or contact, contact between the finger and the operating surface 181a is detected. Furthermore, the sensor control unit 182 determines the finger's contact position based on the location of the electrode among the multiple electrodes where the electrostatic capacitance exceeds the threshold. The sensor control unit 182 sends an operation signal containing information about the presence or absence of contact and the contact position detection result to the CPU 11. Based on this structure, the touch operation unit 18 can detect a light tap operation (touching and immediately removing the finger from the operating surface 181a), a long press operation (continuously touching the operating surface 181a with the finger), and... Figure 4This includes sliding operations such as sliding the touch position on the operation surface 181a as shown. Alternatively, in detecting finger contact, the value corresponding to the electrostatic capacitance can be used instead of the capacitance value itself. In this case, the threshold value can also be changed to a value corresponding to the electrostatic capacitance. The CPU 11 can also execute at least a portion of the processing performed by the sensor control unit 182 of the touch sensor 181. Furthermore, the touch sensor 181 is not limited to a self-capacitance method; a mutual capacitance method can also be used.

[0027] The power supply unit 19 includes a storage battery 191 and a power control unit 192. The power supply unit 19 outputs power supplied from the storage battery 191 at a given operating voltage to various parts of the electronic clock 1. The storage battery 191 can be a primary battery such as a button cell or a rechargeable secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery. The power control unit 192 detects the remaining charge in the storage battery 191 according to a control signal sent from the CPU 11 and outputs it to the CPU 11. Furthermore, the power control unit 192 can switch the presence or absence of power supply to specific structures (e.g., the touch operation unit 18, the button operation unit 17) according to a control signal sent from the CPU 11.

[0028] Next, the operation of the electronic clock 1 will be explained. The CPU 11 of the electronic clock 1 can operate the electronic clock 1 in both button operation mode (mode 1) and touch operation mode (mode 2). The button operation mode and the touch operation mode differ in their methods of accepting user input. The button operation mode accepts input based on the operation button 171 but not on the touch sensor 181. On the other hand, the touch operation mode accepts input based on the touch sensor 181 but not on the operation button 171. Alternatively, the touch operation mode may also accept input based on the operation button 171.

[0029] Among the multiple screens displayed on the display unit 15 of the electronic clock 1, there is a screen where the operation button 171 is suitable for user operation (hereinafter referred to as "first screen"), and a screen where the touch sensor 181 is suitable for user operation (hereinafter referred to as "second screen"). As an example of the first screen suitable for the operation button 171, a screen with fewer selectable options can be cited. This is because, with fewer options, fewer presses of the operation button 171 are required to change the selected option. Other examples of the first screen include screens for important decision-making operations that significantly affect the operation of the electronic clock 1, such as setting changes or data deletion. The touch sensor 181 has the uncertainty of being touched unexpectedly by the user, or not responding even if touched. In contrast, the operation button 171 can more reliably perform the desired operation compared to the touch sensor 181. Therefore, the operation button 171 is more suitable for screens where important decision-making operations are performed, as it is less prone to accidental operation. The main screen 151 is also an example of a first screen. In the main screen 151 at the time of display, since it is preferable that the screen does not switch based on unexpected contact with the touch sensor 181, a button operation mode that does not accept operation of the touch sensor 181 is suitable. Conversely, as an example of a second screen suitable for operation based on the touch sensor 181, screens with many options or screens that can be scrolled up and down can be given. If the operation button 171 is used in such a screen, the number of presses required to select the desired option or scroll the screen to the desired position becomes larger and more cumbersome.

[0030] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the display unit 15 displays the first screen, the CPU 11 operates the electronic clock 1 in button operation mode; when the display unit 15 displays the second screen, the CPU 11 operates the electronic clock 1 in touch operation mode. To perform such operations, as... Figure 5 As shown, in the screen setting data 132, either the first setting information 21 corresponding to the button operation mode or the second setting information 22 corresponding to the touch operation mode is pre-established and stored in correspondence with multiple screens that can be displayed on the display unit 15. Figure 5 In the first setting information 21 and the second setting information 22, the names of the corresponding action modes are recorded, but the actual first setting information 21 and the second setting information 22 can also be Boolean values ​​(either "0" or "1"). Figure 5In the example shown, the first setting information 21 is associated with the main screen 151 and the world time confirmation screen 154, and the second setting information 22 is associated with the setting menu screen 152, the world time selection screen 153, and the alarm clock setting screen 155. The setting information associated with each screen can be changed through user operation. When the display unit 15 displays a certain screen, the CPU 11 refers to the screen setting data 132 to obtain the setting information pre-established for that screen, namely the first setting information 21 or the second setting information 22. When the CPU 11 obtains the first setting information 21, it operates the electronic clock 1 in button operation mode when the screen is displayed; when it obtains the second setting information 22, it operates the electronic clock 1 in touch operation mode when the screen is displayed. Specifically, as described above, in button operation mode, the CPU 11 does not accept operations based on the touch sensor 181 but accepts operations based on the operation button 171. Furthermore, in touch operation mode, the CPU 11 accepts operations based on the touch sensor 181 but does not accept operations based on the operation button 171. Specifically, when the CPU 11 receives an operation based on the operation button 171, it controls the electronic clock 1 to a state where the operation button 171 is activated; when it does not receive an operation based on the operation button 171, it controls the electronic clock 1 to a state where the operation button 171 is deactivated. Furthermore, when the CPU 11 receives an operation based on the touch sensor 181, it controls the electronic clock 1 to a state where the touch sensor 181 is activated; when it does not receive an operation based on the touch sensor 181, it controls the electronic clock 1 to a state where the touch sensor 181 is deactivated. "Activation" includes maintaining an activated state when it is already activated. "Deactivation" includes maintaining an deactivated state when it is already deactivated.

[0031] The term "activated" for operation button 171 refers to a state where power is supplied from battery 191 to button operation unit 17 and CPU 11 receives operation signals sent from button operation unit 17. The term "CPU 11 receives operation signals from button operation unit 17" means that CPU 11 performs the following processing: based on the received operation signal, it determines the operation button 171 to be pressed and establishes a correspondence between it and the button 171. Conversely, the term "deactivated" for operation button 171 refers to a state where power supply from battery 191 to operation button 171 stops and operation signals sent from button operation unit 17 to CPU 11 are not stored, or a state where power supply from battery 191 to button operation unit 17 is maintained while CPU 11 does not receive operation signals received from button operation unit 17.

[0032] The term "activated state" for touch sensor 181 refers to a state where power is supplied from battery 191 to touch operation unit 18 and CPU 11 receives operation signals sent from touch operation unit 18. The term "CPU 11 receiving operation signals from touch operation unit 18" means that CPU 11 performs the following processing: determining the content of the touch operation (presence or absence of a touch operation and touch position) based on the received operation signal, and establishing a correspondence between the content of the touch operation and the received operation signal. On the other hand, the term "deactivated state" for touch sensor 181 refers, for example, to a state where the power supply to touch sensor 181 is turned off. For example, turning off the power supply to touch sensor 181 can be a state where power supply from battery 191 to touch operation unit 18 is stopped. Alternatively, turning off the power supply to touch sensor 181 can be a state where sensor control unit 182 switches to a given sleep mode (power-saving mode) while maintaining power supply from battery 191 to touch operation unit 18. Sleep mode is a mode in which sensor control unit 182 stops the operation of touch sensor 181 and stops all main functions except for the waiting function for control signals indicating resumption from sleep mode. When the power supply to the touch sensor 181 is disconnected, the touch operation unit 18 does not send operation signals related to the touch operation to the CPU 11. Therefore, even if a touch operation is performed, the CPU 11 does not perform the corresponding processing, thus the touch sensor 181 is in a disabled state. Alternatively, the touch sensor 181 can be disabled in a state where power is supplied to the touch operation unit 18 from the battery 191 to allow the touch operation unit 18 to operate normally, while the CPU 11 does not receive operation signals received from the touch operation unit 18.

[0033] The following is for reference. Figures 6-8 Let me explain in detail the actions related to the screen transition of the electronic clock 1. Figure 6 The setting menu screen 152 shown is displayed on the display unit 15 when the user is setting the operation of the electronic clock 1. The setting menu screen 152 is, for example, displayed via... Figure 1 The main screen 151 is displayed when the operation button 171 is pressed. When the display switches from the main screen 151 to the setting menu screen 152, the CPU 11 refers to the screen setting data 132 and obtains the second setting information 22 corresponding to the setting menu screen 152. Correspondingly, when the display unit 15 displays the setting menu screen 152, the CPU 11 operates the electronic clock 1 in touch operation mode. That is, the CPU 11 performs control to disable the operation button 171 and to enable the touch sensor 181. In addition, as shown Figure 6As shown, in touch operation mode, the CPU 11 causes the display unit 15 to display a touch operation indicator 32 (second indicator) indicating that operations based on the touch sensor 181 can be performed. The touch operation indicator 32 in this embodiment is a hand mark, but it is not limited to this; it can also be a character, symbol, graphic, or a combination thereof. In the setting menu screen 152, in addition to displaying the touch operation indicator 32, the names of multiple setting items and a cursor 33 indicating the selected setting item are also displayed. The cursor 33 can move upwards by sliding it upwards on the touch sensor 181, and downwards by sliding it downwards. Depending on the amount of sliding, the cursor 33 can also move across two or more setting items in a single sliding operation. Furthermore, if the entire list of setting items cannot be displayed on one screen, the list can be scrolled up and down by sliding. For example, by sliding the touch sensor 181 downwards while the cursor 33 is pointing at the bottom setting item in the display, the list of setting items scrolls upwards, allowing the currently undisplayed items below to be displayed. Similarly, by sliding the touch sensor 181 upwards while the cursor 33 is pointing at the top setting item in the display, the list of setting items scrolls downwards, allowing the currently undisplayed items above to be displayed. Figure 6 In the middle, cursor 33 is pointed at the "World Time" setting item that displays the local time of a certain city in the world. If a light tap is performed on touch sensor 181 in this state, the display unit 15 switches to the world time selection screen 153 for selecting the city to display the local time (see reference). Figure 7 ).

[0034] When the display switches to the world time selection screen 153, the CPU 11 refers to the screen setting data 132 and obtains the second setting information 22 corresponding to the world time selection screen 153. Correspondingly, when the display unit 15 displays the world time selection screen 153, the CPU 11 keeps the electronic clock 1 in touch operation mode. Furthermore, as... Figure 7 As shown, CPU 11 also displays the touch operation icon 32 in the world time selection screen 153. In addition to displaying the touch operation icon 32, the world time selection screen 153 also displays the names of multiple cities in the world and a cursor 33 indicating the selected city. The list of cities can be scrolled vertically. Figure 7 In the middle, cursor 33 is pointed at the "London" item. If a light tap is performed on touch sensor 181 in this state, the display on display unit 15 switches to... Figure 8 The world time confirmation screen shown is 154.

[0035] When the display switches to the world time confirmation screen 154, the CPU 11 refers to the screen setting data 132 and obtains the first setting information 21 corresponding to the world time confirmation screen 154. Correspondingly, when the display unit 15 displays the world time confirmation screen 154, the CPU 11 operates the electronic clock 1 in button operation mode. That is, the CPU 11 performs control to enable the operation button 171 and to disable the touch sensor 181. Furthermore, as... Figure 8 As shown, in button operation mode, CPU 11 replaces touch operation identifier 32 with button operation identifier 31 (first identifier), which indicates that operation based on operation button 171 can be performed. The button operation identifier 31 in this embodiment is a button marker, but it is not limited to this; it can also be a character, symbol, graphic, or a combination thereof. The world time confirmation screen 154 is a screen for making the final decision on the city where the local time is displayed, and the user can only select "yes" and "no". Since there are few options and it is an important decision operation that affects the operation of the electronic clock 1, the first setting information 21 indicating the button operation mode is associated with the world time confirmation screen 154. In the world time confirmation screen 154, for example, the cursor 33 can be moved up and down using operation buttons 171a and 171c. Furthermore, by pressing operation button 171b, the option that the cursor 33 is pointing at can be determined. For example, by pressing operation button 171b... Figure 8 When the cursor 33 is aligned with "Yes" and the operation button 171b is pressed, the city displayed for the local time will be set to "London". Alternatively, the city selection can be cancelled by pressing the operation button 171b with the cursor 33 aligned with "No".

[0036] In a screen displayed in button operation mode, if the number of options is less than or equal to the number of operation buttons 171, a one-to-one correspondence can be established between options and operation buttons 171, and pressing an operation button 171 allows for the selection of the option corresponding to that operation button 171. For example, as... Figure 9 As shown, in the world time confirmation screen 154, the display unit 15 can also display the "Yes" option near the operation button 171b and the "No" option near the operation button 171c, thereby establishing a correspondence between operation buttons 171b and 171c and the "Yes" and "No" options, respectively. In this case, pressing operation button 171b allows you to select "Yes" to choose a city, and pressing operation button 171c allows you to select "No" to cancel the city selection.

[0037] In touch operation mode, when the user performs a first switching operation, the CPU 11 can switch the operating mode of the electronic clock 1 from touch operation mode to button operation mode. Screens for touch operation mode and screens for button operation mode can be pre-stored in the storage unit 13 for each screen, and the switch to button operation mode is performed, displaying the screen switched from touch operation mode to button operation mode. The first switching operation can be a given operation on the touch sensor 181, such as a long press, double-click, or triple-click. Furthermore, while maintaining power supply to the button operation unit 17 and enabling the transmission of operation signals from the button operation unit 17 to the CPU 11 in touch operation mode, the first switching operation can be a given operation on a given operation button 171, such as a long press. The CPU 11 is configured to essentially not accept operation signals from the button operation unit 17 in touch operation mode, but only accept operation signals related to the first switching operation on the given operation button 171. By enabling the first switching operation via operation button 171, the operation button 171 can be used to perform the first switching operation when a switch to button operation mode is desired. Therefore, the operation mode can be switched intuitively. After the first switching operation is performed, the CPU 11 can change the second setting information 22 corresponding to the displayed screen in the screen setting data 132 to the first setting information 21.

[0038] In button operation mode, when the user performs a given second switching operation, the CPU 11 switches the operating mode of the electronic clock 1 from button operation mode to touch operation mode. Furthermore, the CPU 11 can switch to touch operation mode and change the display from the button operation mode screen to the touch operation mode screen. The second switching operation can be a given operation on the given operation button 171, such as a long press or other special operation. Furthermore, while maintaining power supply to the touch operation unit 18 and enabling the transmission of operation signals from the touch operation unit 18 to the CPU 11 in button operation mode, the second switching operation can be a given operation on the touch sensor 181, such as a long press, double-click, or triple-click. In button operation mode, the CPU 11 generally does not accept operation signals from the touch operation unit 18, but only accepts operation signals related to the second switching operation on the touch sensor 181. By enabling the second switching operation via the touch sensor 181, the second switching operation can be performed on the touch sensor 181 when a switch to touch operation mode is desired. Therefore, the operating mode can be switched intuitively. When the second switching operation is performed, the CPU 11 can change the first setting information 21 corresponding to the screen being displayed to the second setting information 22 in the screen setting data 132.

[0039] The touch sensor 181 consumes more power than the operation button 171. Therefore, when the remaining power of the battery 191 is less than a certain threshold, the electronic clock 1 can be operated in button mode instead of touch mode, thereby extending the operating time of the electronic clock 1. The threshold for the remaining power of the battery 191 can be set, for example, to 30% at the start of use or when fully charged. Furthermore, as the remaining power of the battery 191 decreases, the number of screens operated in touch mode can be reduced (in other words, the number of screens operated in button mode can be increased).

[0040] The following is for reference. Figure 10The flowchart illustrates the operation mode control process performed by the CPU 11 to achieve the operation of the electronic clock 1 described above. The operation mode control process begins when the electronic clock 1 is started. If the operation mode control process begins, the CPU 11 repeatedly determines whether a display request for a screen different from the currently displayed screen has been made (step S1). This display request is usually made based on user operation. For example, if the operation button 171 for displaying the setting menu screen 152 is pressed while the main screen 151 is being displayed, the CPU 11 determines that a display request for the setting menu screen 152 has been made. If a display request for a screen is determined ("Yes" in step S1), the CPU 11 refers to the screen setting data 132 and obtains setting information corresponding to the screen for which the display request was made (step S2).

[0041] If it is determined that the acquired setting information is the first setting information 21 corresponding to the button operation mode ("Yes" in step S3), the CPU 11 executes steps S4 to S7 for transitioning to the button operation mode. First, the CPU 11 executes a process to disable the touch sensor 181 (step S4). This process may involve sending a control signal to the power control unit 192 to stop the power supply from the battery 191 to the touch operation unit 18. Alternatively, this process may involve sending a control signal to the sensor control unit 182 while maintaining the power supply to the touch operation unit 18 to switch the sensor control unit 182 to a sleep mode. Alternatively, this process may involve changing the operation of the CPU 11 while maintaining the power supply to the touch operation unit 18 so that it will not accept operation signals sent from the touch operation unit 18 in the future. Next, the CPU 11 executes a process to enable the operation button 171 (step S5). This process may involve sending a control signal to the power control unit 192 to start the power supply from the battery 191 to the button operation unit 17. Furthermore, this process can also involve changing the operation of the CPU 11 while power is supplied to the button operation unit 17 so that it can subsequently accept operation signals sent from the button operation unit 17. If the touch sensor 181 has been deactivated at the time point in step S3 where the branch is "yes", step S4 is omitted; if the operation button 171 has been activated at that time point, step S5 is omitted. Next, the CPU 11 sends image data and control signals to the display unit 15, causing the display unit 15 to display the screen requested in step S1 (step S6), and causing the button operation indicator 31 to be displayed (step S7). Then, the CPU 11 accepts the operation in button operation mode (step S8). That is, the CPU 11 determines the operation button 171 to be operated based on the operation signal sent from the button operation unit 17, and performs the processing corresponding to the determined operation button 171.

[0042] CPU 11 determines whether the user has performed a second switching operation (step S9). As described above, the second switching operation is usually an operation of the operation button 171, but sometimes it is an operation of the touch sensor 181. If the second switching operation is determined to have been performed ("Yes" in step S9), CPU 11 changes the setting information corresponding to the displayed screen from the first setting information 21 to the second setting information 22 in the screen setting data 132 (step S10). Furthermore, CPU 11 transfers the processing to step S13, which will be described later, and executes steps S13 to S17 for transferring to the touch operation mode. If the second switching operation is determined not to have been performed ("No" in step S9), CPU 11 determines whether a display request for a screen different from the displayed screen has been made (step S11). If the CPU 11 determines that no screen display request has been made ("No" in step S11), the processing returns to step S9; if the CPU 11 determines that a screen display request has been made ("Yes" in step S11), the processing returns to step S2.

[0043] On the other hand, if it is determined that the setting information obtained in step S2 is not the first setting information 21 corresponding to the button operation mode (i.e., the second setting information 22 corresponding to the touch operation mode) ("No" in step S3), the CPU 11 obtains information on the remaining power of the battery 191 from the power control unit 192 and determines whether the remaining power is insufficient (step S12). If it is determined that the remaining power of the battery 191 is insufficient ("Yes" in step S12), the CPU 11 transfers the process to step S4 and executes steps S4 to S7 for transferring to the button operation mode. If it is determined that the remaining power of the battery 191 is greater than or equal to the reference amount ("No" in step S12), the CPU 11 executes steps S13 to S17 for transferring to the touch operation mode. First, the CPU 11 executes a process for activating the touch sensor 181 (step S13). This process may begin by sending a control signal to the power control unit 192 to supply power from the battery 191 to the touch operation unit 18. Furthermore, this process can be to send a control signal to the sensor control unit 182 to resume the sensor control unit 182 from sleep mode while power is being supplied to the touch operation unit 18. Alternatively, this process can be to change the operation of the CPU 11 while power is being supplied to the touch operation unit 18 so that operation signals sent from the touch operation unit 18 can be received later. Next, the CPU 11 executes a process to disable the operation button 171 (step S14). This process can be to stop the power supply from the battery 191 to the button operation unit 17 by sending a control signal to the power control unit 192. Alternatively, this process can be to change the operation of the CPU 11 while maintaining the power supply to the button operation unit 17 so that operation signals sent from the button operation unit 17 can not be received later. If the touch sensor 181 has been enabled at the time point where the branch in step S12 is "No", step S13 is omitted; if the operation button 171 has been disabled at that time point, step S14 is omitted. Furthermore, if the operation button 171 is not disabled in the touch operation mode, the process of enabling the operation button 171 is performed instead of step S14 (the same process as step S5).

[0044] Next, the CPU 11 determines whether an abnormal input has been sent to the touch sensor 181 (step S15). For example, if the electronic clock 1 is used at sea, the electrostatic capacitance detected by the touch sensor 181 may become abnormal because the conductive liquid (seawater) comes into contact with the operating surface 181a of the touch sensor 181. In such a case, the CPU 11 determines that an abnormal input has been sent to the touch sensor 181. If an abnormal input to the touch sensor 181 is determined ("Yes" in step S15), it is not appropriate to operate in the touch operation mode. Therefore, the CPU 11 time processing moves to step S4, and executes steps S4 to S7 for switching to the button operation mode. If no abnormal input to the touch sensor 181 is determined ("No" in step S15), the CPU 11 sends image data and control signals to the display unit 15, causing the display unit 15 to display the screen for which a display request was made in step S1 (step S16), and the touch operation indicator 32 is displayed (step S17). Then, the CPU 11 accepts the operation in touch operation mode (step S18). That is, the CPU 11 determines whether there is contact with the touch sensor 181 and the contact position based on the operation signal sent from the touch operation unit 18, and performs processing corresponding to the determined contact position.

[0045] CPU 11 determines whether the user has performed the first switching operation (step S19). As described above, the first switching operation is usually an operation of the touch sensor 181, but sometimes it is an operation of the operation button 171. If the user determines that the first switching operation has been performed ("Yes" in step S19), CPU 11 changes the setting information corresponding to the displayed screen from the second setting information 22 to the first setting information 21 in the screen setting data 132 (step S20). In addition, CPU 11 moves the processing to step S4 and executes steps S4 to S7 for suppressing the button operation mode. If the user determines that the user has not performed the first switching operation ("No" in step S19), CPU 11 determines whether a screen display request different from the displayed screen has been made (step S21). If the user determines that no screen display request has been made ("No" in step S21), CPU 11 returns the processing to step S19; if the user determines that a screen display request has been made ("Yes" in step S21), CPU 11 returns the processing to step S2.

[0046] As described above, the electronic clock 1 according to this embodiment includes: a display unit 15; an operation button 171 for detecting pressed operations; a touch sensor 181 for detecting touch operations; and a CPU 11. When the display unit 15 displays a screen, the CPU 11 obtains setting information related to an operation mode pre-established with respect to that screen. If the obtained setting information corresponds to first setting information 21, which is a button operation mode that accepts operation based on the operation button 171 but not operation based on the touch sensor 181, the CPU 11 operates the electronic clock 1 in button operation mode. On the other hand, if the obtained setting information corresponds to second setting information 22, which is a touch operation mode that accepts operation based on the touch sensor 181, the CPU 11 operates the electronic clock 1 in touch operation mode. Thus, the electronic clock 1 can be operated in an operation mode suitable for the operation on the screen, either button operation mode or touch operation mode, depending on the screen being displayed. For example, by setting the screen to button operation mode when an important decision is made to accept operation based on the operation button 171 and not operation based on the touch sensor 181, accidental operation is less likely to occur. Furthermore, by enabling touch operation mode in screens with numerous options or scrolling content to accept operations based on the touch sensor 181, intuitive and easy-to-understand operations can be achieved while reducing operation time or effort. This improves user convenience during screen display operations.

[0047] Furthermore, when the CPU 11 determines that the user has performed the first switching operation in touch operation mode, it switches the operating mode of the electronic clock 1 from touch operation mode to button operation mode. Thus, when the user desires to operate the button 171, the electronic clock 1 can operate in button operation mode.

[0048] Furthermore, when the CPU 11 determines that a first switching operation has been performed during screen display, it changes the second setting information 22 corresponding to the screen to the first setting information 21. Therefore, when the same screen as the one currently on display is displayed again, the operating mode of the electronic clock 1 can be set to the button operation mode desired by the user.

[0049] Furthermore, when the CPU 11 determines that the user has performed the given second switching operation in button operation mode, it switches the operating mode of the electronic clock 1 from button operation mode to touch operation mode. Thus, when the user desires operation via the touch sensor 181, the electronic clock 1 can operate in touch operation mode.

[0050] Furthermore, when the CPU 11 determines that a second switching operation has been performed during screen display, it changes the first setting information 21 corresponding to the screen to the second setting information 22. Therefore, when the same screen as the one in the clock is displayed next time, the operating mode of the electronic clock 1 can be set to the touch operation mode desired by the user.

[0051] Furthermore, the CPU 11 can also control the electronic clock 1 in touch operation mode, so that operation based on the operation button 171 is not accepted. This avoids using the unsuitable operation button 171, and by limiting the operable operation units, the operation becomes easier to understand. Therefore, the operability of the electronic clock 1 is improved. In addition, in button operation mode, the CPU 11 displays a button operation indicator 31 on the display unit 15 indicating that operation based on the operation button 171 is possible; in touch operation mode, the CPU 11 displays a touch operation indicator 32 on the display unit 15 indicating that operation based on the touch sensor 181 is possible. This allows the operation mode at that time to be visually and easily understood by the user.

[0052] Furthermore, the electronic clock 1 includes a battery 191 that supplies power to at least the touch sensor 181. When the CPU 11 obtains the second setting information 22 as setting information corresponding to screen creation, it causes the electronic clock 1 to operate in button operation mode when the remaining power of the battery 191 is less than a given reference amount. Thus, when the remaining power of the battery 191 is low, power consumption based on the touch sensor 181 can be suppressed, thereby extending the operating time of the electronic clock 1.

[0053] Furthermore, according to the control method of the electronic clock 1 according to this embodiment, by executing the above-described processing by the CPU 11, the user's convenience in operation during screen display can be improved. In addition, the program 131 according to this embodiment causes the CPU 11 to execute the above-described processing. Therefore, the user's convenience in operation during screen display can be improved.

[0054] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and various modifications can be made. For example, an electronic clock 1 is illustrated as an electronic device, but it is not limited thereto. An electronic device can be any device as long as it has a display, operation buttons, and a touch sensor. For example, an electronic device can also be a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a wearable device other than a watch.

[0055] Furthermore, a touch sensor 181 provided on the side of the housing 101 is shown as an example, but it is not limited to this. The touch sensor may also be a touch panel disposed overlapping the display surface of the display unit 15.

[0056] Furthermore, the screen setting data 132, which establishes the corresponding setting information for each screen and the setting information for the action mode, does not necessarily have to be stored inside the electronic clock 1. For example, the screen setting data 132 can be stored on an external server, and the CPU 11 can obtain the setting information of the screen setting data 132 from the server via the communication unit located in the electronic clock 1.

[0057] In addition, as a method to notify the user of the current operation mode, an example is to have the display unit 15 display the button operation indicator 31 or the touch operation indicator 32. However, it is also possible to replace it, or on this basis, have the notification unit 16 vibrate in a vibration pattern corresponding to the operation mode, or make a sound in a sound pattern corresponding to the operation mode, thereby notifying the user of the current operation mode.

[0058] Furthermore, while the above description discloses an example of using the flash memory of storage unit 13 as a computer-readable medium for the program according to the present invention, it is not limited to this example. Other computer-readable media can include information recording media such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), and CD-ROM. Additionally, a carrier wave is also suitable as a medium for providing data of the program according to the present invention via a communication line.

[0059] Furthermore, the detailed structure and operation of each component of the electronic clock 1 in the above embodiments can, of course, be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. While embodiments of the present invention have been described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims and its equivalents.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising: Display section; Detect the pressed operation button; Touch sensors that detect touch operations; and processor, The processor performs the following processing: When the display unit displays a screen... Obtain the setting information related to the pre-established motion mode corresponding to the aforementioned screen. If the obtained setting information corresponds to the first setting information of the first mode, which accepts operation based on the operation button but not operation based on the touch sensor, the electronic device is made to operate in the first mode. If the obtained setting information is the second setting information corresponding to the second mode of accepting operation based on the touch sensor, the electronic device is made to operate in the second mode.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, When the processor determines that the user has performed a given first switching operation in the second mode, it switches the operating mode of the electronic device from the second mode to the first mode.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein, When the processor determines that the first switching operation has been performed in the display of the screen, it changes the second setting information corresponding to the screen to the first setting information.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, When the processor determines that the user has performed a given second switching operation in the first mode, it switches the operating mode of the electronic device from the first mode to the second mode.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein, When the processor determines that the second switching operation has been performed in the display of the screen, it changes the first setting information corresponding to the screen to the second setting information.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, The processor controls the electronic device so that in the second mode, operations based on the operation buttons are not accepted.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, The processor performs the following processing: In the first mode, the display unit shows a first indicator indicating that operation based on the operation buttons is possible. In the second mode, the display unit displays a second identifier indicating that operation based on the touch sensor can be performed.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, The electronic device includes a battery that supplies power to at least the touch sensor. When the processor obtains the second setting information as the setting information corresponding to the establishment of the screen, and the remaining power of the battery is less than a given reference amount, the processor causes the electronic device to operate in the first mode.

9. A control method for an electronic device, the electronic device comprising: Display section; Detect the pressed operation button; Touch sensors that detect touch operations; and processor, The processor performs the following processing: When the display unit displays a screen... Obtain the setting information related to the pre-established motion mode corresponding to the aforementioned screen. If the obtained setting information corresponds to the first setting information of the first mode, which accepts operation based on the operation button but not operation based on the touch sensor, the electronic device is made to operate in the first mode. If the obtained setting information is the second setting information corresponding to the second mode of accepting operation based on the touch sensor, the electronic device is made to operate in the second mode.

10. A storage medium, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the recording medium records a program executable by a computer located in an electronic device. The electronic device includes: Display section; Detect the pressed operation button; Touch sensors that detect touch operations; and processor, The program causes the processor to perform the following processing: When the display unit displays a screen... Obtain the setting information related to the pre-established motion mode corresponding to the aforementioned screen. If the obtained setting information corresponds to the first setting information of the first mode, which accepts operation based on the operation button but not operation based on the touch sensor, the electronic device is made to operate in the first mode. If the obtained setting information is the second setting information corresponding to the second mode of accepting operation based on the touch sensor, the electronic device is made to operate in the second mode.

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