Display control device

Abstract

Display control device, comprising: a receiving section (24) configured to receive operation information input to a touch input section, the touch input section being located away from a display section (22); and a processing section (26) configured to control the display on the display section (22) according to the operation information received from the receiving section (24), wherein the processing section (26) is configured to cause the display section (22) to display an image on which a cursor is arranged within a plurality of icons arranged circumferentially, and the processing section (26) is configured to move the cursor to an icon of the plurality of icons, the icon being in a direction of a sliding operation received by the receiving section (24), characterized in that the processing section (26) is configured to move the cursor from the symbol that the cursor overlaps to an adjacent symbol in a case where the receiving section (24) receives the sliding operation in a direction tangential to a circle formed by the plurality of symbols in a state where the cursor overlaps the symbol.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a display control device that controls image display on a display portion based on operation information input to a touch input portion.2. Description of the Prior ArtA mobile terminal used for inputting information corresponding to display on a display portion such as a television is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-287,007. In this mobile terminal, a plurality of buttons are set by radially segmenting a surface that detects a touch input. A display control apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1 is the subject of JP H11 105 646 ASUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn the case where the display portion and the mobile terminal are located apart from each other and the plurality of buttons are set on the touch input surface, a user looks at a position of the button to touch the button. Thus, the line of sight of the user moves between the touch input surface and the display portion, and it is troublesome to shift the line of sight.The invention provides a technique for arranging a cursor and a symbol displayed on a display portion, the technique facilitating the touch input to move the cursor to the symbol.An aspect of the invention relates to a display control device including a receiving section configured to receive operation information input to a touch input section, the touch input section being located away from a display section; and a processing section configured to control display on the display section according to the operation information received from the receiving section. The processing section is configured to cause the display section to display an image on which a cursor is disposed within a plurality of icons arranged circumferentially, and the processing section is configured to move the cursor to an icon of the plurality of icons, the icon being in a direction of a slide operation received from the receiving section.According to the above-described aspect, the plurality of symbols are arranged circumferentially, and a home position of the cursor is set within the plurality of symbols. Thus, when one of the plurality of icons is selected, the cursor can be easily moved in a direction toward one of the plurality of icons by the slide operation.The processing section is configured to, in a case where the receiving section receives the slide operation in a direction tangential to a circle formed by the plurality of symbols, move the cursor from the symbol overlapped with the cursor to an adjacent symbol in a state where the cursor overlaps with the symbol. Thus, the user can easily move the cursor from the icon to the adjacent icon.The processing section may be configured to move the cursor to a range within the plurality of symbols in a state where the cursor overlaps the symbol in a case where the receiving section receives the slide operation toward a center of a circle formed by the plurality of symbols. Thus, the user can easily move the cursor to a middle position.The above aspect of the invention can provide a technique in which the cursor and the icons displayed on the display portion are arranged, the technique facilitating the touch input to move the cursor onto the icon.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe features and advantages, and technical and economic significance of exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like elements, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a view for illustrating a touch input portion and a display portion disposed in a vehicle; FIG. 2 is a diagram for illustrating the functional configuration of a display control device; FIG. 3 is a view of the display portion showing a menu image in an initial state; FIGS. 4A, 4B are views showing the displayed menu image when a user performs operations; and FIGS. 5A, 5B are views showing the flow for arranging a cursor executed by a cursor arranging portion.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTSFIG. 1 is a view showing a touch input portion 20 and a display portion 22 disposed in a vehicle. The touch input portion 20 is disposed in a center console between a driver seat and a passenger seat. The touch input section 20 is a touch screen type input device (i.e., a touch pad input device) to which a user's touch operation is input. The touch input section 20 outputs an input signal caused by the touch operation to a display control device (not illustrated). Then, when the display control device performs the control, an image is displayed on the display portion 22.The display portion 22 is disposed in a dashboard that is located outside the touch input portion 20 and displays the image. The display portion 22 and the touch input portion 20 are disposed at different height positions from each other. On a vehicle front side, the display portion 22 is disposed at the higher position than the touch input portion 20. The user places his wrist on the center console, looks at the display portion 22, but does not look at the touch input portion 20 to input the touch operation such as a slide operation or a tap operation to the touch input portion 20, and thereby selects a vehicle function. Note that the touch input section 20 may be equipped with mechanical switches such as a menu button for calling a menu image and a reverse button for returning to a previous image.FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a display control device 10. In FIG. 2, elements represented as function blocks that execute various kinds of processes may each be configured of a circuit block, a memory, or another large-area integrated circuit (LSI) with respect to hardware, and are each implemented with respect to software by a program loaded into the memory or the like. Accordingly, one skilled in the art can understand that these function blocks can be implemented by various configurations including only hardware, only software, or a combination of hardware and software, and thus the functional configuration is not limited to any of the various configurations.The display control device 10 includes a receiving section 24 and a processing section 26. The processing section 26 controls the display on the display section 22 according to the operation information received from the receiving section 24. The operation information output from the touch input section 20 includes coordinate information indicating an input position of the touch operation and input information of the mechanical switch. The input position in the touch input section 20 is converted into the coordinate information in which, for example, a vehicle front-rear direction corresponds to an up / down direction and a vehicle width direction corresponds to a right-left direction, and a start point of the input (an input start point) is a zero point.The processing section 26 includes an operation detecting section 28, a cursor arranging section 30, an image generating section 32, and a determining section 34. the operation detecting section 28 determines a type of operation from a location between the start point of the input and an end point of the input displayed by the operation information. In the case of the slide operation, the operation detecting section 28 recognizes a slide direction and a slide distance. The types of the operation include, for example, slide operation (SLIDE), tap operation (TAP), contract operation (PINCH), long press, and the like.The cursor arrangement section 30 determines (decides) the arrangement of a cursor displayed on the display section 22 based on the input to the touch input section 20. The cursor arranging portion 30 arranges (positions) the cursor so that the cursor is moved on a screen of the display portion 22 according to the slide operation on the touch input portion 20. The cursor arranging portion 30 may convert a slide operation amount on the touch input portion 20 into a movement amount of the cursor on the display portion 22 at a predetermined aspect ratio. The predetermined aspect ratio for conversion may be set based on a size ratio between the touch input portion 20 and the display portion 22.The determination section 34 determines (decides) that a function of a symbol has been selected based on the input on the touch input section 20, i.e., based on the detection result obtained by the operation detection section 28. For example, when the tap operation is performed in a state where the cursor overlaps the icon, the determination section 34 determines (decides) the execution of the vehicle function set for the icon, and the image generation section 32 generates an image of the determined vehicle function.The image generating section 32 generates an image displayed on the display section 22 according to the input on the touch input section 20, i.e., based on the detection result obtained by the operation detecting section 28, the result of the arrangement performed by the cursor arranging section 30, and the result of the determination performed by the determining section 34. From the not-shown memory, the image generating section 32 fetches the menu image containing a plurality of icons for displaying the vehicle functions or an image for displaying the vehicle function currently being executed. Then, the image forming section 32 adds the cursor to the fetched image (i.e., the image forming section 32 superimposes the cursor on the fetched image) to form the image. The icons indicating the functions in the vehicle are displayed as images corresponding to the vehicle function such as navigation, telephone, music player, radio and room temperature setting.For example, when the menu key is pressed, the image forming section 32 causes the display section 22 to display the menu image. In the menu image, the cursor is (radially) arranged inside the plurality of icons arranged circumferentially (i.e., the plurality of icons arranged circumferentially). Then, when the slide operation is performed on the touch input section 20 in a state where the menu image is displayed, the image generation section 32 moves the cursor to the icon located in the direction of the slide operation on the touch input section 20, and causes the display section 22 to display the cursor such that the cursor overlaps the icon (i.e., the cursor is superimposed on the icon). By arranging the plurality of icons circularly and setting a home position of the cursor at the center of the icons, the moving distances of the cursor to the icons can be made uniform, and the user can move the cursor in a direction toward the desired icon by a slide operation. Note that the menu image is the display used to select the vehicle functions. The invention is not limited to a configuration in which the menu image is displayed when the menu key is pressed, and the menu image may be displayed at the start or by long pressing on the touch input portion 20.In the case where the receiving section 24 receives the slide operation in a direction tangential to a circle formed by the plurality of icons (i.e., the tangential direction to the circle) in the state where the cursor overlaps the icon in the menu image, the image forming section 32 causes the display section 22 to display the cursor so that the cursor is moved from the icon that the cursor overlaps to the adjacent icon. In this way, the user can easily move the cursor from one icon to the adjacent icon, and the movement of the cursor beyond the adjacent icon can be prevented.In the case where the receiving section 24 receives the slide operation toward the center of the circle formed by the plurality of icons in the state where the cursor overlaps the icon, the image forming section 32 causes the display section 22 to display the cursor so that the cursor is moved to an area within the plurality of icons. Thus, the user can easily move the cursor to the home position.FIG. 3 shows the display section 22 which displays the menu image in an initial state. In the initial state of the menu image, a first symbol 42 a, a second symbol 42 b, a third symbol 42 c, a fourth symbol 42 d, a fifth symbol 42 e, a sixth symbol 42 f, a seventh symbol 42 g, and an eighth symbol 42 h(when not distinguished from each other, they are simply referred to as "symbols 42") are arranged circumferentially, and a cursor 40 is arranged at a center (radially) inside the symbols 42. The initial state of the menu image may be displayed by, for example, pressing the menu button and / or by activating the display portion 22 and the display control device 10. Since the cursor 40 is arranged in the above-described manner, the cursor 40 is moved to one of the plurality of icons 42 when the user performs the slide operation in an arbitrary direction on the touch input portion 20.First guidelines 44 are displayed radially around the cursor 40. Each of the first guide lines 44 extends from the cursor 40 at a central position to the corresponding icon 42 and guides the user in a direction toward the corresponding icon 42. The cursor 40 is displayed at a lower or higher brightness than a background image of the menu image.FIGS. 4A and 4B are views illustrating the menu image displayed when the user performs operations. When the user performs the slide operation toward a vehicle front side on the touch input portion 20 in the state where the menu image illustrated in FIG. 3 is displayed, the cursor 40 is moved to the first icon 42 alocated at an upper position in FIG. 4A, and is displayed such that the cursor 40 overlaps the first icon 42 a. When the slide operation is performed on the touch input portion 20 in the state where the menu image is displayed in the initial state, the image generation portion 32 moves the cursor 40 to the icon located in the direction of the slide operation on the touch input portion 20, and causes the display portion 22 to display the cursor 40 such that the cursor 40 overlaps the icon. In this manner, the image generating section 32 moves the cursor 40 to one of the icons 42 when the operation detecting section 28 recognizes the slide operation performed by the user. This makes it possible to facilitate the operation of the user to move the cursor 40 to the icon.The image generating section 32 changes a pixel value of at least a part of the icon to indicate that the cursor overlaps the icon. The brightness of the first symbol 42 aillustrated in FIG. 4A overlapping the cursor 40 is changed to be lower or higher than the brightness of the first symbol 42 ain the normal state illustrated in FIG. 3. In this manner, the first icon 42 adisplays that the cursor 40 overlaps the first icon 42 a.When the user performs the tap operation on the touch input section 20 in the state where the cursor 40 overlaps the first icon 42 a, the determination section 34 determines (decides) the selection of the function corresponding to the first icon 42 a, and the image generation section 32 generates the image of the function corresponding to the first icon 42 aand causes the display section 22 to display the image.In the case where the cursor 40 overlaps the icon 42, the image forming section 32 causes the display section 22 to display arc-shaped second guide lines 46 connecting the plurality of circumferentially arranged icons 42. Each of the second guidelines 46 is displayed so as to connect adjacent icons 42 and thus can display to the user the tangential direction to the adjacent icon 42.In the state where the cursor 40 overlaps the first icon 42 ashown in FIG. 4A, in the case where the user performs the slide operation in a rightward direction on the touch input portion 20, that is, in the case where the receiving portion 24 receives the slide operation in the direction tangential to the circle formed by the plurality of icons 42, the image forming portion 32 moves the cursor 40 from the first icon 42 aapping the cursor 40 to the adjacent second icon 42 bas shown in FIG. 4B. In this way, the user can easily move the cursor 40 to the adjacent icon 42 by performing the slide operation in the tangential direction.FIGS. 5A and 5B are views illustrating the flow for arranging the cursor 40 executed by the cursor arranging portion 30. In the case where the slide operation in a direction within an angle range of 45 degrees between a first one-dot chain line 48 aand a second one-dot chain line 48 bas illustrated in FIG. 5A is detected on the touch input portion 20 in a state where the cursor 40 is located at the central position, the image generation portion 32 moves the cursor 40 to the first icon 42 a. The first alternate long and short dash lines 48a and 48b extend radially from the central position where the cursor 40 is located. The first dash-dot line 48 aextends in an intermediate position between the first symbol 42 aand the eighth symbol 42 h, and the second dash-dot line 48 bextends in an intermediate position between the first symbol 42 aand the second symbol 42 b.In the case where the slide operation is detected on the touch input portion 20 in a direction between the second one-dot chain line 48 band a third one-dot chain line 48 cin the state where the cursor 40 is located at the central position, the image generation portion 32 moves the cursor 40 to the second icon 42 b. When the slide operation is detected on the touch input portion 20 in a direction between the first one-dot chain line 48 aand a fourth one-dot chain line 48 din the state where the cursor 40 is located at the central position, the image generation portion 32 moves the cursor 40 to the eighth icon 42 h.In the case where the slide operation is performed on the touch input portion 20 so that the cursor 40 moves for a distance equal to or longer than a half distance D between the cursor 40 at the central position and the first icon 42 a, the image generation portion 32 causes the display portion 22 to display the cursor 40 so that the cursor 40 overlaps the first icon 42 a. That is, when the slide operation is detected toward the icon 42, the cursor 40 is moved to the icon 42 even if the distance over which the cursor 40 is normally moved by the slide operation is shorter than the distance D. In this way, the user can move the cursor 40 to the icon 42 with a small amount of operation.Note that, in the case where the slide operation is performed on the touch input portion 20 so as to move the cursor 40 by a distance equal to or longer than one third of the distance D between the cursor 40 at the central position and the icon 42, the image generation portion 32 may display the cursor 40 so that the cursor 40 overlaps the icon 42. Moreover, the cursor 40 can be maintained in a state where the cursor 40 overlaps the icon 42 without passing the icon 42 and without moving to an area outside the plurality of icons 42 even if the user performs the slide operation so that the cursor 40 moves over the distance D or more.As illustrated in FIG. 5B, in the case where the receiving section 24 receives the slide operation in the tangential direction 50 to the circle in the state where the cursor 40 overlaps the icon 42, the cursor 40 is moved to the second icon 42 b. This tangential direction 50 to the second icon 42 bhas an angle range of 90 degrees in a rightward direction of the touch input portion 20.In the case where the receiving section 24 receives the slide operation toward the center C of the circle formed by the plurality of symbols 42 in the state where the cursor 40 overlaps the first symbol 42 a, the cursor 40 is moved to the center C within the plurality of symbols 42. The slide operation to the center C of the circle has an angle range of 90 degrees in the downward direction of the touch input portion 20. From the home position of the cursor 40, the cursor 40 is moved in a direction toward one of the icons 42 by the slide operation.The embodiment is illustrative only, and it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made to a combination of the components, and that such changes are within the scope of the invention.For example, when a driver places his wrist on the center console to perform the slide operation on the touch input portion 20, the user has difficulty in inputting an operation in the vehicle width direction that requires movement of the wrist, and easily finds it to input an operation in the vehicle front-rear direction that does not require movement of the wrist but requires movement of only a finger. Therefore, with respect to the arrangement of the symbols 42, the symbols 42 having the frequently used functions can be arranged in the up / down direction in which it is easy to perform the input operation, while the symbols 42 having the less frequently used functions can be arranged in the right-left direction in which it is difficult to perform the input operation. In addition, a conversion rate between the up / down direction and the right-left direction may be different when the amount of the slide operation on the touch input portion 20 is converted into the movement amount of the cursor 40 on the display portion 22. The movement amount of the cursor 40 on the display portion 22 may be set so that the cursor 40 moves more in the right-left direction than in the up / down direction based on the amount of the slide operation on the touch input portion 20.

Claims

A display control device, comprising: a receiving section (24) configured to receive operation information input to a touch input section, the touch input section being located away from a display section (22); and a processing section (26) configured to control the display on the display section (22) according to the operation information received from the receiving section (24), wherein the processing section (26) is configured to cause the display section (22) to display an image on which a cursor is disposed within a plurality of symbols that are arranged circumferentially, and the processing section (26) is configured to move the cursor to a symbol of the plurality of symbols, the symbol being located in a direction of a slide operation received from the receiving section (24), characterized in that, the processing section (26) is configured to move the cursor from the symbol overlapped by the cursor to an adjacent symbol in a case where the receiving section (24) receives the slide operation in a direction tangential to a circle formed by the plurality of symbols in a state where the cursor overlaps the symbol.The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the processing section (26) is configured to move the cursor to an area within the plurality of symbols in a state where the cursor overlaps the symbol in a case where the receiving section (24) receives the slide operation toward a center of a circle formed by the plurality of symbols.The display control device according to claim 1, wherein: the processing section (26) is configured to cause the display section (22) to display first guidelines (44) when the display section (22) is activated; and each of the first guidelines (44) extends from the cursor located at a central position to a corresponding one of the plurality of icons.The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the processing section (26) is configured to cause the cursor to overlap the icon after moving the cursor to the icon located toward the slide operation received from the receiving section (24).The display control device according to claim 4, wherein the processing section (26) is configured to, in a case where the cursor overlaps the icon, cause the display section (22) to display arc-shaped second guide lines (46) connecting the plurality of circumferentially arranged icons.

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