Touch pad, method executed by touch pad, and integrated circuit

Abstract

To suppress sensory feedback similar to when an input operation to a touch pad is performed by using a finger from being given to a user when the input operation to the touch pad is performed by using a stylus.SOLUTION: A touch pad according to the present invention corresponds to an operation with an object including a finger and a stylus, and comprises: a touch panel having a touch detection surface also used as a position detection region for detecting positions of a button and the object; a haptic device which gives sensory feedback to a user; and an integrated circuit which causes the haptic device to output the sensory feedback correspondingly to force applied to the touch detection surface. The integrated circuit stops output of the sensory feedback by the haptic device according to an operation state of the stylus or setting regarding the operation of the stylus.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-discrete touchpad and a computer having such a touchpad. [Background technology]

[0002] Touchpads or trackpads (hereinafter collectively referred to as "touchpads") found on laptops and other devices generally have buttons or button functions to achieve functions equivalent to the right-click or left-click functions of a mouse device. Touchpads are classified as either discrete or non-discrete, depending on whether the touch panel and buttons are provided as separate mechanisms.

[0003] 13(a) is a diagram showing a notebook computer 100a having a discrete touchpad 200a. As shown in the figure, this type of touchpad 200a is configured with dedicated buttons 202 and 203 for click operations that are realized by a mechanism separate from the touch panel 201.

[0004] 13(b) is a diagram showing a notebook computer 100b having a non-discrete touchpad 200b. As shown in the figure, this type of touchpad 200b does not have a dedicated button for click operations, and click operations are realized by pressing the touch panel 204.

[0005] Non-discrete touchpads 200b can be further divided into two types: "click pads" and "pressure pads," depending on the specific structure for realizing a click by pressing the touch panel 204. A click pad is a type of touchpad in which the touch panel 204 is displaced downward when pressed by the user, and is often configured with a push button switch directly below the touch panel 204. A click operation on a click pad is realized when the touch panel 204, displaced downward, turns on the push button switch. On the other hand, a pressure pad is a type of touchpad in which the pressure applied to the touch panel 204 is detected by a force sensor, and a click is realized by judging the output of this force sensor against a threshold value. With a pressure pad, the touch panel 204 itself may bend slightly, but it does not displace as much as with a click pad.

[0006] Non-Patent Document 1 discloses that touchpads include the three types mentioned above (discrete type, click pad, and pressure pad), and the contents of reports sent from the touchpad to the host. Non-Patent Document 2 also discloses a specific method for reporting the button press state achieved by the touchpad.

[0007] Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose examples of mechanisms for realizing a touchpad. The touchpad described in Patent Document 1 can be considered a click pad in that the touchpad itself displaces downward, but it has a force sensor instead of a push button switch. The touchpad described in Patent Document 2 is a pressure pad in which the touchpad itself does not displace, but has a function of slightly moving the entire touchpad horizontally when a click is detected to provide a clicking sensation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 9,207,801 [Patent Document 2] US Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0141052 [Non-patent literature]

[0009] [Non-Patent Document 1] Eliot Graff and three others, "Windows Precision Touchpad Collection," [online], May 2, 2017, Microsoft Corporation, [searched March 5, 2019], Internet <URL: https: / / docs.microsoft.com / en-us / windows-hardware / design / component-guidelines / touchpad-windows-precision-touchpad-collection> [Non-patent document 2] Eliot Graff and three others, "Buttons, Report Level Usages," [online], May 2, 2017, Microsoft Corporation, [Retrieved March 5, 2019], Internet <URL: https: / / docs.microsoft.com / en-us / windows-hardware / design / component-guidelines / touchpad-buttons-report-level-usages> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] Although touchpads are originally designed to accept input operations using fingers, it would be convenient for users if they could also accept input operations using a stylus. For example, one possible application would be to use the touchpad area as an area for signing with a stylus. Therefore, the inventors of the present application proceeded with the development of a touchpad that could also accept input operations using a stylus, but discovered the following problems with non-discrete touchpads.

[0011] To explain in more detail, in the past, for both click pads and pressure pads, the threshold pressure (pressure applied to the touch detection surface) required for button activation was optimized to provide the best experience when pressing the touch panel with a finger. Furthermore, when using a stylus on a touchpad, users tend to write by applying pressure to the pen tip with the same pressure as when using a pen on paper. As a result, unintended clicks can occur while using a stylus for input.

[0012] In particular, with click pads, the touch panel can displace when inputting data with a stylus, resulting in a sudden change in the pressure applied to the tip of the stylus, which can cause the handwriting to become distorted or the pen pressure values ​​detected inside the stylus to become discontinuous.

[0013] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a touchpad and a computer that can prevent an unintended click operation from occurring when a user is performing input using a stylus on a non-discrete touchpad.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a touchpad and computer that can prevent the physical displacement of the touch panel when a user is using a stylus to input data on a clickpad, thereby preventing disruption of handwriting or discontinuous writing pressure values. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] A touchpad according to a first aspect of the present invention is a touchpad that supports operation with objects including fingers and styluses, and includes a touch panel having a touch detection surface that also serves as a position detection area for detecting the positions of buttons and the objects, an integrated circuit that includes an object detection function that detects the position of the object on the touch detection surface and a button function that detects the pressed state of the button in response to a force applied to the touch detection surface, and a button function stop means that stops the integrated circuit from outputting a button press state value that indicates the pressed state detected by the button function, depending on the operation state of the stylus or settings related to the operation of the stylus.

[0016] The touchpad according to the first aspect of the present invention may be a non-discrete touchpad that responds to operation with objects including a finger and a stylus and has a touch detection surface that also serves as a position detection area for detecting the position of a button and the object, and that includes an integrated circuit that includes an object detection function that detects the position of the object on the touch detection surface and a button function that detects the pressed state of the button in response to a force applied to the touch detection surface, and a button function stop means that stops the integrated circuit from outputting a button press state value that indicates the pressed state detected by the button function in accordance with the operation state of the stylus or a setting related to the operation of the stylus.

[0017] A touchpad according to a second aspect of the present invention is a touchpad according to the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising: the touch panel configured to displace in response to a force applied to the touch detection surface; and the button function disabling means being a displacement suppression means for suppressing displacement of the touch panel. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the output of the button press state value from the integrated circuit can be stopped during an input operation with a stylus, thereby preventing an unintended click operation from occurring when the user is performing an input operation with a stylus on a non-discrete touchpad.

[0019] According to the second aspect of the present invention, displacement of the click pad can be suppressed during input operation with a stylus, thereby preventing the occurrence of disturbances in handwriting or discontinuous pen pressure values ​​due to physical displacement of the touch panel when a user is performing input with a stylus on the click pad. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a notebook computer 1 having a non-discrete touchpad 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] (a) is a diagram showing a y-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 near the touchpad 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, (b) is a diagram showing an x-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 near the touchpad 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and (c) is a diagram showing the planar positional relationship of the touch panel 3 and four force sensors 10a to 10d that constitute the touchpad 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic block diagram showing functional blocks of an integrated circuit 11 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 10 is a diagram showing the structure of data supplied from an output unit 32 to a CPU 6. FIG. [Figure 5](a) is a diagram showing a y-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 near the touchpad 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, (b) is a diagram showing an x-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 near the touchpad 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and (c) is a diagram showing the planar positional relationship of the touch panel 3, four force sensors 10a to 10d, and haptic device 12 that constitute the touchpad 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram showing functional blocks of an integrated circuit 11 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] (a) is a diagram showing a y-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 near the touchpad 2 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, (b) is a diagram showing an x-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 near the touchpad 2 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and (c) and (d) are diagrams respectively showing the planar positional relationship of the touch panel 3, push button switches 15a, 15b, pointing member 16, and spacer 17 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram showing functional blocks of an integrated circuit 11 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 10(a) is a diagram showing the planar positional relationship of the touch panel 3, push button switches 15a, 15b, pointing member 16, and actuator 18 constituting the touchpad 2 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 10(b) and 10(c) are diagrams showing y-direction cross sections of the notebook computer 1 in the vicinity of the actuator 18. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram showing functional blocks of an integrated circuit 11 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] (a) is a diagram showing a y-direction cross section of a notebook computer 1 near a touchpad 2 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a diagram showing an x-direction cross section of a notebook computer 1 near a touchpad 2 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12]11(a) and 11(b) are diagrams showing the state in which the stylus S is removed from FIG. 11(a) and FIG. 11(b), respectively. [Figure 13] 1(a) is a diagram showing a notebook computer 100a having a discrete touchpad 200a, and FIG. 1(b) is a diagram showing a notebook computer 100b having a non-discrete touchpad 200b. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a notebook computer 1 having a non-discrete touchpad 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the touchpad 2, the notebook computer 1 is configured with various components that are typically included in commercially available notebook computers, such as a housing 7, a display 8, a keyboard 9, and a CPU 6 shown in Fig. 2(a) below. In the following description, as shown in Fig. 1, the direction corresponding to the horizontal direction as seen from the user using the notebook computer 1 is referred to as the x-direction, the direction corresponding to the depth direction is referred to as the y-direction, and the direction corresponding to the height direction is referred to as the z-direction.

[0023] 2(a) is a diagram showing a y-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 near the touchpad 2, and FIG. 2(b) is a diagram showing an x-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 near the touchpad 2. Also, FIG. 2(c) is a diagram showing the planar positional relationship of the touch panel 3 and four force sensors 10a to 10d that constitute the touchpad 2. Of these, the CPU 6 and integrated circuit 11 shown in FIG. 2(a) are not necessarily structures that actually appear in the cross section, but are shown to help understand the configuration of the touchpad 2.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 2(a), the notebook computer 1 is configured to have a CPU 6 (host computer). The CPU 6 is the central processing unit of the notebook computer 1, and is configured to be able to execute the operating system of the notebook computer 1, various applications, driver software for various hardware including the touchpad 2, and the like, in cooperation with a storage device (not shown). The CPU 6 also performs processes such as accepting input from various input devices including the touchpad 2 and the keyboard 9 shown in Fig. 1, outputting the execution results of the operating system and various applications to various output devices including the display 8 shown in Fig. 1, and communicating with other computers via communication means (not shown).

[0025] The touch pad 2 is the pressure pad described above, and as shown in Figures 2(a) to 2(c), is configured to include a touch panel 3, four force sensors 10a to 10d, and an integrated circuit 11. In the following description, when there is no need to particularly distinguish between the force sensors 10a to 10d, they may be collectively referred to as force sensor 10.

[0026] The touch panel 3 is a capacitive touch panel. Specific configurations of the touch panel 3 that can be suitably adopted include a configuration in which a plurality of linear electrodes (hereinafter referred to as "X electrodes") extending at equal intervals in the x direction and a plurality of linear electrodes (hereinafter referred to as "Y electrodes") extending at equal intervals in the y direction are superimposed on each other, and a configuration in which a plurality of island-shaped electrodes are arranged in a matrix. The following description will be continued assuming the adoption of the former configuration.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), the touch panel 3 and each force sensor 10 are disposed inside a recess 7a provided in the housing 7. The upper surface of the touch panel 3 is exposed on the surface of the housing 7 and constitutes a touch detection surface 3s for receiving user input from an object such as a finger F or a stylus S shown in FIG. 1. The touch detection surface 3s serves as both a click button and a position detection area for detecting the position of an object, and therefore the touchpad 2 is a "non-discrete type." Furthermore, the touch panel 3 is configured so as not to be displaced by pressure applied to the touch detection surface 3s, and therefore the touchpad 2 is a "pressure pad."

[0028] Each force sensor 10 is fixed between the touch panel 3 and the bottom (base) of the recess 7a, and serves to detect the pressure applied to the touch detection surface 3s. The type of force sensor 10 is not particularly limited, but suitable sensors for use as the force sensor 10 include, for example, a piezoelectric element, a strain gauge, a capacitive element, an electromagnetic sensor, an optical sensor, and a resistive sensor.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 2(c), the four force sensors 10 are arranged in positions corresponding to the four corners of the touch panel 3 in plan view. As will be described in detail later, the integrated circuit 11 divides the touch detection surface 3s into one or more areas (=buttons) and stores them, and is configured to determine the pressing state for each area by acquiring the pressed position based on the output of each force sensor 10. This allows so-called right-clicking and left-clicking to be realized.

[0030] The integrated circuit 11 is a dedicated integrated circuit provided for executing various processes related to the touchpad 2, which will be described later, and is connected to the touch panel 3, each force sensor 10, and the CPU 6. However, some or all of the processes performed by the integrated circuit 11 may be executed by driver software for the touchpad 2 running on the CPU 6. In this case, the driver software also constitutes a part of the touchpad 2 according to the present invention.

[0031] The integrated circuit 11 performs processing to detect the positions of various objects, including the finger F and the stylus S illustrated in Fig. 1, on the touch detection surface 3s via the touch panel 3. The specific method of position detection is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to employ a detection method in which, for example, detection of the finger F by a capacitance method and detection of the stylus S by an active electrostatic method are performed in a time-division manner. The following description will be continued assuming the adoption of this detection method.

[0032] 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the functional blocks of the integrated circuit 11. As shown in the figure, the integrated circuit 11 is functionally configured to have an object detection unit 30, a button unit 31, an output unit 32, and a button function disable unit 33. Of these, the object detection unit 30 includes a stylus detection unit 35 and a contact state detection unit 36.

[0033] The object detection unit 30 is a functional unit that realizes a function of detecting the position of an object on the touch detection surface 3s (object detection function). Specifically, it is configured to detect a finger F by a capacitive method and detect a stylus S by an active electrostatic method in a time-division manner. Each of these will be described in detail below.

[0034] When detecting a finger F, object detection unit 30 supplies a finger detection signal, consisting of pulses for the number of X electrodes, to each of the multiple X electrodes in touch panel 3, and receives the signal at each of the multiple Y electrodes in touch panel 3. Then, object detection unit 30 is configured to calculate the correlation between the signal received at each Y electrode and the finger detection signal supplied to each X electrode, and derive the position of finger F based on the result. The amplitude of the finger detection signal received at a certain Y electrode reflects the capacitance of the intersection between that Y electrode and each X electrode, and the capacitance of each intersection decreases as finger F approaches, so object detection unit 30 can derive the position of finger F by the above processing.

[0035] Meanwhile, with regard to the detection of the stylus S, the object detection unit 30 is configured to operate in either a discovery mode or a communication mode. Of these, the discovery mode is a mode entered when the stylus S has not yet been detected. While in the discovery mode, the object detection unit 30 periodically transmits an uplink signal from each of the multiple X electrodes or Y electrodes, sequentially scanning each X electrode and each Y electrode in the touch panel 3, and waits for a downlink signal transmitted by the stylus S that has received the uplink signal. When a downlink signal is received, the object detection unit 30 derives the position of the stylus S based on the reception strength at each X electrode and each Y electrode (global scan). The object detection unit 30 detects the stylus S by deriving the position in this way, and enters a communication mode with the stylus S. After entering the communication mode, the object detection unit 30 is configured to update the position of the stylus S by scanning only linear electrodes located near the previously derived position (local scan).

[0036] The downlink signal transmitted by the stylus S is composed of a burst signal (for example, a single-frequency, unmodulated signal) used by the object detection unit 30 to detect the position of the stylus S as described above, and a data signal modulated by various data held in the stylus S. The data transmitted by the data signal is data that the object detection unit 30 has instructed to transmit by transmitting an uplink signal containing a command, and includes, for example, a writing pressure value indicating the writing pressure including the pressure applied to the pen tip of the stylus S, information indicating the on / off state of a switch disposed on the surface of the stylus S, a pen ID for identifying the stylus S, and the like. Upon receiving the data signal, the object detection unit 30 obtains the data transmitted by the stylus S by decoding the received data signal.

[0037] While in the communication mode, the object detection unit 30 intermittently sends an uplink signal to instruct the stylus S, and receives a downlink signal to detect the position of the stylus S and receive data transmitted by the stylus S. If the downlink signal is not received for a predetermined period of time because the stylus S moves away from the touch panel 3, for example, the object detection unit 30 cancels the communication mode and returns to the discovery mode.

[0038] The stylus detection unit 35 is a functional unit that detects whether the user is operating the stylus S. The stylus detection unit 35 according to this embodiment is configured to detect whether the user is operating the stylus S based on the detection result of the downlink signal described above. More specifically, it determines that the user is operating the stylus S when the object detection unit 30 has entered a communication mode with the stylus S, and determines that the user is not operating the stylus S when the object detection unit 30 has entered a discovery mode. However, the stylus detection unit 35 may determine whether the user is operating the stylus S using another method. Specific examples of such determinations will be described later.

[0039] The contact state detection unit 36 ​​is a functional unit that detects whether the stylus S is in contact with the touch detection surface 3s. Specifically, it refers to the writing pressure value included in the data signal received from the stylus S, and determines that there is no contact if the writing pressure value is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value (for example, 0), and determines that there is contact if the writing pressure value is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

[0040] Here, in this specification, for both the finger F and the stylus S, a state indicating whether or not they are in contact with the touch detection surface 3s will be referred to as a "contact state," and a state in which they are in contact with the touch detection surface 3s will be referred to as "in contact." When the finger F is "in contact," coordinates indicating the position of the finger F are supplied from the object detection unit 30 to the output unit 32. On the other hand, when the stylus S is "in contact," coordinates indicating the position of the stylus S and received data from the stylus S are supplied from the object detection unit 30 to the output unit 32. In this case, the determination result of the stylus detection unit 35 is "operation by the stylus S" and the determination result of the contact state detection unit 36 ​​is "in contact."

[0041] Furthermore, in this specification, the state in which the stylus S is present within an area where it can communicate with the object detection unit 30 but is not in contact with the touch detection surface 3s will be referred to as "hovering." When the stylus S is "hovering," coordinates indicating the position of the stylus S and data received from the stylus S are supplied from the object detection unit 30 to the output unit 32, and the determination result of the stylus detection unit 35 is "operation by stylus S" but the determination result of the contact state detection unit 36 ​​is "not in contact."

[0042] The button unit 31 is a functional unit that realizes a function (button function) of detecting a button press state in response to a force applied to the touch detection surface 3s. Specifically, the button unit 31 virtually divides the touch detection surface 3s into one or more areas (=buttons) and stores the divided areas, and acquires the pressure for each area based on the output of each force sensor 10. Then, it determines that an area where the pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold has been pressed by the user.

[0043] The button unit 31 is configured to periodically perform the above determination and, each time a determination is made, generate a button press state value indicating the press state for each region. In one example, when the button unit 31 determines that a certain button is pressed, the button press state value of the button is set to "1," and when the button unit 31 determines that a certain button is not pressed, the button press state value of the button is set to "0." The button press state value generated by the button unit 31 is supplied to the output unit 32.

[0044] The output unit 32 is a functional unit that functions as an interface between the object detection unit 30 and the button unit 31 and the CPU 6. Hereinafter, the data supplied from the output unit 32 to the CPU 6 will be specifically described with reference to FIG.

[0045] 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of data supplied from the output unit 32 to the CPU 6. The diagram shows an example in which the touch detection surface 3s is divided into two areas (=button 1, button 2). As shown in the diagram, the data supplied from the output unit 32 to the CPU 6 in this case includes the number of contacts, the button press state value of button 1, the button press state value of button 2, the contact state of the finger F, the coordinates of the finger F, the contact state of the stylus S, the coordinates of the stylus S, and the data received from the stylus S. The output unit 32 acquires these data based on the various data acquired by the object detection unit 30, and supplies them to the CPU 6.

[0046] To specifically describe each piece of data shown in FIG. 4, the output unit 32 sets the "contact state of finger F" to "1" when the finger F is in contact (time t1 to t4), and sets the "contact state of finger F" to "0" when the finger F is not in contact (time t5 to t 14 ). In addition, the output unit 32 sets the "contact state of the stylus S" to "1" when the stylus S is in contact (time t2 to t8), and sets the "contact state of the stylus S" to "0" when the stylus S is not in contact (time t1, t9 to t 14The "number of contacts" is the total value of the "contact state of the finger F" and the "contact state of the stylus S", and serves to inform the CPU 6 of the number of objects currently in contact with the touch detection surface 3s.

[0047] Furthermore, when the output unit 32 receives coordinates indicating the position of the finger F from the object detection unit 30, it transfers the coordinates to the CPU 6 as "coordinates of the finger F" (time t1 to t4). On the other hand, when the output unit 32 does not receive coordinates indicating the position of the finger F from the object detection unit 30, it stops outputting the "coordinates of the finger F" (time t5 to t 14 ) The same applies to the "coordinates of stylus S" and "received data from stylus S." n indicates the coordinates (x, y), and D n indicates received data. "NR" stands for "Not Reported," meaning that output has stopped.

[0048] Furthermore, when a button press state value is supplied from the button section 31 for each of Button 1 and Button 2, the output section 32 transfers the button press state value to the CPU 6 as a "button press state value," while when a button press state value is not supplied from the button section 31, the output section 32 stops outputting the "button press state value." However, when the button press state value supplied from the button section 31 indicates that the button is not pressed (i.e., the button press state value is "0"), even if a button press state value is supplied from the button section 31, the output section 32 stops outputting the "button press state value" even after the first press (at time t5 for Button 1 and at time t 13 ) to the CPU 6, the output of the "button press state value" is stopped. This is because there is no need to keep notifying the CPU 6 that the button is not being pressed.

[0049] Returning to Fig. 3, the CPU 6, which has received the data from the output unit 32, first obtains the number of position indicators (fingers F or stylus S) in contact by referring to the "number of contacts." The CPU 6 also obtains the contact states of the fingers F and the stylus S by referring to the "contact state of the finger F" and the "contact state of the stylus S."

[0050] Furthermore, when the CPU 6 is supplied with "coordinates of the finger F" or "coordinates of the stylus S," it performs cursor movement processing, digital ink generation processing, and the like based on the supplied coordinates. Furthermore, when the CPU 6 is supplied with "received data from the stylus S," it performs processing according to the content of the received data. For example, if the received data is a pen pressure value, it performs processing to control the line width or transparency of the digital ink according to the pen pressure value.

[0051] Furthermore, when the button depression state value supplied from the output unit 32 is "1", the CPU 6 executes a predetermined process (such as selecting a character) for the corresponding button as the process to be performed when the button is pressed, and when the button depression state value is "0" or stopped, the CPU 6 executes a predetermined process (such as canceling the selection of a character) for the corresponding button as the process to be performed when the button is released from the depression.

[0052] Returning to the explanation of the configuration within the integrated circuit 11, the button function stopping unit 33 is a functional unit (button function stopping means) that stops the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 (output from the output unit 32 to the CPU 6) in accordance with the operation state of the stylus S. Specifically, when the stylus detection unit 35 detects that an operation is being performed with the stylus S, the button function stopping unit 33 controls the output unit 32 to stop outputting the button press state value. As a result, output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 stops during an input operation with the stylus S.

[0053] As described above, in the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment, the integrated circuit 11 stops outputting the button press state value during an input operation with the stylus S. Therefore, the CPU 6 stops processing when a button is pressed, and it is possible to prevent an unintended click operation from occurring when the user is performing an input operation with the stylus S on the non-discrete touchpad 2.

[0054] In the above embodiment, the button function stopping unit 33 stops the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 by controlling the output unit 32 to stop the output of the button press state value, but other methods may be used to stop the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11. For example, the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 may be stopped by stopping the output of each force sensor 10, or the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 may be stopped by controlling another part within the integrated circuit 11 (for example, by stopping the function of the button unit 31 so that the button press state value is not supplied to the output unit 32).

[0055] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the button function stopping unit 33 stops the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 when the stylus detection unit 35 detects that an operation is being performed with the stylus S. However, the button function stopping unit 33 may stop the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 in other cases. For example, when the contact state detection unit 36 ​​detects that the stylus S is in contact with the touch detection surface 3s, the integrated circuit 11 may stop output of the button press state value. In this way, the output of the button press state value is not stopped when the stylus S is hovering, so that, for example, it becomes possible to perform a click operation on the touchpad 2 with a finger F while hovering the stylus S.

[0056] Alternatively, the button function stopping unit 33 may stop the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 not in accordance with the operation state of the stylus S but in accordance with a setting related to the operation of the stylus S. Specific examples of this processing include processing for stopping the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 when the user turns off a hardware switch (operation unit) not shown, and processing for stopping the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 when the user explicitly sets in the driver software of the touchpad 2 that a stylus is being operated.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the stylus detection unit 35 detects that an operation using the stylus S is in progress based on the detection result of the downlink signal. However, the stylus detection unit 35 may detect that an operation using the stylus S is in progress based on other information. For example, if both the notebook computer 1 and the stylus S are compatible with Bluetooth (registered trademark), the stylus detection unit 35 may detect that an operation using the stylus S is in progress when pairing with the stylus S is established via Bluetooth (registered trademark). The stylus detection unit 35 may also detect that an operation using the stylus S is in progress when the user removes the stylus S from a garage 7c (see FIG. 11) (to be described later) (i.e., when the output of a garage switch (to be described later) indicates that the stylus S is not stored in the notebook computer 1).

[0058] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the stylus S is detected by an active electrostatic method, but the stylus S may also be detected by the same capacitive method as the finger F. In this case, the stylus detection unit 35 preferably detects that an operation is being performed with the stylus S based on the area of ​​the region where an object is detected by the object detection unit 30 (i.e., the region where the amount of change in capacitance is equal to or greater than a predetermined value). In other words, since the area of ​​the above region is smaller for the stylus S than for the finger F, it is preferable to detect that an operation is being performed with the stylus S when the area of ​​the above region is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

[0059] Next, a touchpad 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The touchpad 2 according to this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it uses haptics to create a clicking sensation on the touchpad 2, but is otherwise similar to the first embodiment. Therefore, the same components as those in the first embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals, and the following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0060] Fig. 5(a) is a diagram showing a y-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 (see Fig. 1) in the vicinity of the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment, and Fig. 5(b) is a diagram showing an x-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 in the vicinity of the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment. As can be seen by comparing these figures with Fig. 2(a) and Fig. 2(b), the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment differs from the touchpad 2 according to the first embodiment in that it has a haptic device 12 between the touch panel 3 and the bottom (base) of the recess 7a.

[0061] The haptic device 12 is a device that provides sensory feedback to the user. There is no particular limitation on the type of haptic device 12 as long as it can provide sensory feedback to the user, but the haptic device 12 can be configured using, for example, a vibrator, a magnetic fluid, an artificial muscle, an actuator, or the like.

[0062] 5(c) is a diagram showing the planar positional relationship among the touch panel 3, the four force sensors 10a to 10d, and the haptic device 12 that constitute the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the haptic device 12 is disposed in an area surrounded by the force sensors 10a to 10d near the center of the touch detection surface 3s.

[0063] Here, the button unit 31 according to this embodiment is configured so that the touch detection surface 3s is used without being divided. Therefore, one button is configured by the entire touch detection surface 3s. The arrangement of the haptic devices 12 shown in FIG. 5(c) corresponds to such a button configuration. Of course, the touch detection surface 3s may be divided for use, and in that case, it is preferable to arrange the haptic devices 12 individually in correspondence with each divided area.

[0064] 6 is a schematic block diagram showing functional blocks of the integrated circuit 11 according to this embodiment. The button unit 31 according to this embodiment controls the haptic device 12 to output sensory feedback in response to the force applied to the touch detection surface 3s. More specifically, when it is determined that the pressing force exceeds a predetermined threshold, the haptic device 12 is caused to output sensory feedback. This makes it possible to give a click sensation to a user who presses the touch detection surface 3s, even though no displacement of the touch panel 3 occurs, unlike a click pad, which will be described later.

[0065] The button function stopping unit 33 according to the present embodiment is configured to stop the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and also to stop the output of the sensory feedback by the haptic device 12, depending on the operation state of the stylus S or settings related to the operation of the stylus S. This stopping may be achieved by directly controlling the haptic device 12, or by controlling the button unit 31 so as not to control the haptic device 12. This makes it possible to prevent only sensory feedback from being given to the user, even though the occurrence of a click operation is suppressed by stopping the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11.

[0066] As described above, the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment not only stops the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 during an input operation with the stylus S, but also stops the output of sensory feedback by the haptic device 12. This prevents the user from being confused by the sensory feedback alone, even though the occurrence of a click operation is prevented.

[0067] Next, a touchpad 2 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The touchpad 2 according to this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it is a click pad rather than a pressure pad, but is otherwise similar to the first embodiment. Therefore, the same components as those in the first embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals, and the following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0068] 7(a) is a diagram showing a y-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 (see FIG. 1) in the vicinity of the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 7(b) is a diagram showing an x-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 in the vicinity of the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment. Also, FIGS. 7(c) and 7(d) are diagrams showing the planar positional relationship of the touch panel 3, push button switches 15a and 15b, indicator 16, and spacer 17 that constitute the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment. As can be seen by comparing these figures with FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c), the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment differs from the touchpad 2 according to the first embodiment in that it has push button switches 15a and 15b instead of force sensors 10a and 10b, does not have force sensors 10c and 10d, and has indicator 16 and spacer 17.

[0069] Push button switches 15a and 15b are switches that turn on when a certain amount of force or more is applied from above and return to off when the force is removed, and are configured so that their height (length in the z direction) changes within a certain range depending on the force applied from above. When no force is applied from above, push button switches 15a and 15b serve to support touch panel 3. On the other hand, when a certain amount of force or more is applied from above, push button switches 15a and 15b function as stoppers for touch panel 3. Push button switches 15a and 15b are also configured to be equipped with, for example, rubber contacts so that the user can feel a click when they change from off to on.

[0070] As can be seen from FIGS. 7(b) to 7(d), the pointing member 16 is a triangular prism-shaped member that is placed sideways in the space between the touch panel 3 and the bottom surface of the recess 7a, along one side of the rectangular touch detection surface 3s that is located on the far side in the y-direction as seen from the user. One of the three side surfaces of the pointing member 16 is fixed as a whole to the bottom surface of the recess 7a. Furthermore, the side of the pointing member 16 that faces the side that is attached to the bottom surface of the recess 7a is in contact as a whole with the underside of the touch panel 3. Because the pointing member 16 has this structure, when a user applies a pressure to the touch detection surface 3s, the touch panel 3 is displaced along arrow A shown in FIG. 7(b). This displacement causes the touch panel 3 to press the push button switches 15a and 15b, turning the push button switches 15a and 15b on. When this displacement causes the touch panel 3 to press the push button switches 15a and 15b, the CPU 6 executes the corresponding click operation process (described in detail below).

[0071] The touch panel 3 according to this embodiment is designed to bend slightly when pressure is applied from above, so that when the user presses the right side of the touch detection surface 3s, only the push button switch 15a is turned on, and when the user presses the left side of the touch detection surface 3s, only the push button switch 15b is turned on, thereby realizing so-called right clicks and left clicks.

[0072] The spacer 17 is, for example, a plate-shaped member, and is configured to be detachably attached between the touch panel 3 and the housing 7 through an opening (not shown) provided in the housing 7. This attachment and detachment is performed manually by the user, and therefore the spacer 17 constitutes an operation unit provided in the notebook computer 1.

[0073] When the spacer 17 is attached between the touch panel 3 and the housing 7, the spacer 17 functions as a displacement suppression means for suppressing displacement of the touch panel 3. In other words, even if a pressure is applied from above the touch panel 3, the spacer 17 prevents the displacement of the touch panel 3, so the touch panel 3 cannot be displaced. As a result, the push button switches 15a and 15b do not turn on. In contrast, when the spacer 17 is not attached between the touch panel 3 and the housing 7, there is nothing to prevent the displacement, so the touch panel 3 can displace in response to the pressure applied to the touch detection surface 3s, and therefore the push button switches 15a and 15b can be turned on.

[0074] Although Figure 7(c) shows an example in which the spacer 17 is mounted between the push button switches 15a and 15b, the spacer 17 may be mounted in another position as long as it functions as a displacement suppression means for suppressing displacement of the touch panel 3.

[0075] 8 is a schematic block diagram showing the functional blocks of integrated circuit 11 according to this embodiment. The difference between this figure and Figure 3 is that integrated circuit 11 does not include button function stopping unit 33, but instead includes spacer 17.

[0076] The button unit 31 according to this embodiment is configured to generate a button press state value for Button 1 based on the on / off state of push button switch 15a, and to generate a button press state value for Button 2 based on the on / off state of push button switch 15b. Specifically, when push button switch 15a is on, the button press state value for Button 1 is set to "1 (a value indicating that it is pressed)," and when push button switch 15a is off, the button press state value for Button 1 is set to "0 (a value indicating that it is not pressed)." Furthermore, when push button switch 15b is on, the button press state value for Button 2 is set to "1," and when push button switch 15b is off, the button press state value for Button 2 is set to "0."

[0077] When the spacer 17 is attached between the touch panel 3 and the housing 7 by the user, as described above, the push button switches 15a and 15b will not be turned on even if the user presses the touch detection surface 3s. As a result, the button press state value generated by the button unit 31 is always "0" and the output of the output unit 32 is in a stopped state (the "NR" state shown in FIG. 4). Therefore, in this embodiment, the spacer 17 can be said to function as a button function stopping means that stops the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 in accordance with the setting related to the operation of the stylus S (i.e., insertion of the spacer 17 by the user). Therefore, similar to the first embodiment, it is possible to stop the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 during an input operation with the stylus S.

[0078] As described above, according to the touchpad 2 of this embodiment, the spacer 17 functions as a button function stopping means, so that, as in the first embodiment, it is possible to prevent an unintended click operation from occurring when the user is inputting with the stylus S.

[0079] In addition, with the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment, the touch panel 3 does not displace when the spacer 17 is inserted, so it is possible to prevent the touch panel 3 from suddenly displacing while inputting with the stylus S, which would result in a sudden change in the pressure applied to the pen tip of the stylus S. This makes it possible to prevent disturbances in handwriting and discontinuous writing pressure values.

[0080] Next, a touchpad 2 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The touchpad 2 according to this embodiment differs from the third embodiment in that it has an actuator 18 instead of the spacer 17, and that a button function stopping unit 33 similar to that of the first embodiment is provided in the integrated circuit 11. In other respects, the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment is similar to the third embodiment, so the same components as those in the third embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the following description will focus on the differences from the third embodiment.

[0081] 9(a) is a diagram showing the planar positional relationship of the touch panel 3, push button switches 15a and 15b, pointing member 16, and actuator 18 that constitute the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment is configured with the actuator 18 at a position corresponding to the center of the touch panel 3 in a planar view. The actuator 18 may be located between the push button switches 15a and 15b, similar to the spacer 17 of the third embodiment.

[0082] 9(b) and 9(c) are diagrams showing a y-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 (see FIG. 1) in the vicinity of the actuator 18. As shown in these figures, the actuator 18 is composed of an electromagnet 18a fixed to the housing 7 (more specifically, to the bottom surface of the recess 7a shown in FIG. 7(a) and other figures) and a permanent magnet 18b fixed to the underside of the touch panel 3. A predetermined gap G is provided between the upper surface of the electromagnet 18a and the lower surface of the permanent magnet 18b. The gap G is set to a value larger than the displacement of the push button switches 15a and 15b when pressed by the touch panel 3. The electromagnet 18a is connected to the integrated circuit 11. Alternatively, the electromagnet 18a may be fixed to the underside of the touch panel 3, and the permanent magnet 18b may be fixed to the bottom surface of the recess 7a.

[0083] The integrated circuit 11 is configured to be able to control whether or not a magnetic force is generated from the electromagnet 18a by controlling the current flowing through the electromagnet 18a. The direction of the current flowing through the electromagnet 18a by the integrated circuit 11 is such that the electromagnet 18a and the permanent magnet 18b repel each other. For example, FIG. 9(c) shows an example in which the bottom surface of the permanent magnet 18b is the south pole. In this case, the integrated circuit 11 controls the direction of the current flowing through the electromagnet 18a so that the top surface of the electromagnet 18a is the south pole.

[0084] When current is supplied from the integrated circuit 11, the actuator 18 functions as a displacement suppression means that suppresses displacement of the touch panel 3. In other words, when a magnetic force is generated from the electromagnet 18a due to the current supplied from the integrated circuit 11, a repulsive force acts between the electromagnet 18a and the permanent magnet 18b, preventing the touch panel 3 from being displaced even when a pressure is applied to the touch detection surface 3s. As a result, the push-button switches 15a and 15b do not turn on. In contrast, when current is not supplied from the integrated circuit 11 to the actuator 18, no repulsive force is generated between the electromagnet 18a and the permanent magnet 18b, allowing the touch panel 3 to be displaced in response to a pressure applied to the touch detection surface 3s, and therefore the push-button switches 15a and 15b to be turned on.

[0085] FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram showing the functional blocks of an integrated circuit 11 according to this embodiment. As can be seen by comparing FIG. 10 with FIG. 8, the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment differs from the touchpad 2 according to the third embodiment in that it has an actuator 18 instead of a spacer 17 and that a button function disabling unit 33 is provided within the integrated circuit 11. The function of the button function disabling unit 33 is the same as that of the first embodiment, except that the actuator 18 is the control target instead of the output unit 32. Furthermore, the function of the button unit 31 according to this embodiment is the same as that of the third embodiment.

[0086] The button function disable unit 33 according to the present embodiment is configured to control the current flowing through the electromagnet 18a in the actuator 18 in accordance with the operating state of the stylus S or settings related to the operation of the stylus S. Specifically, as described above, the current flowing through the electromagnet 18a is controlled so that the touch panel 3 cannot be displaced in the following cases: when the stylus detection unit 35 detects that the stylus S is being operated; when the contact state detection unit 36 ​​detects that the stylus S is in contact with the touch detection surface 3s; when the user turns off a hardware switch (operation unit) (not shown); or when the user explicitly sets the driver software of the touchpad 2 to indicate that the stylus is being operated. This stops the output of the button press state value from the integrated circuit 11 during an input operation with the stylus S. Note that although multiple conditions have been listed here as conditions under which the button function disable unit 33 flows a current through the electromagnet 18a, in practice, any one or more of these conditions may be adopted.

[0087] As described above, according to the touchpad 2 of this embodiment, the button function stopping unit 33 can suppress the displacement of the touch panel 3 by controlling the current flowing through the electromagnet 18a, so as in the first and third embodiments, it is possible to prevent unintended click operations from occurring when the user is inputting with the stylus S.

[0088] In addition, with the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment, the touch panel 3 does not displace when current is flowing through the electromagnet 18a, so it is possible to prevent the touch panel 3 from suddenly displacing while inputting with the stylus S, which would result in a sudden change in the pressure applied to the pen tip of the stylus S. Therefore, as with the third embodiment, it is possible to prevent disturbances in handwriting and discontinuous writing pressure values ​​from occurring.

[0089] Next, a touchpad 2 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The touchpad 2 according to this embodiment differs from the third embodiment in the specific configuration of the displacement suppression means, but is otherwise similar to the third embodiment. Therefore, the same components as those in the third embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals, and the following description will focus on the differences from the third embodiment.

[0090] Fig. 11(a) is a diagram showing a y-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 (see Fig. 1) in the vicinity of the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment, and Fig. 11(b) is a diagram showing an x-direction cross section of the notebook computer 1 in the vicinity of the touchpad 2 according to this embodiment. As shown in these figures, the housing 7 according to this embodiment is configured to have a garage 7c below the push button switches 15a and 15b. The garage 7c is an elongated hole configured to be able to store the stylus S, and communicates with the recess 7a via an opening 7b provided in the bottom surface of the recess 7a.

[0091] In this embodiment, the push button switches 15a and 15b are fixed not to the bottom surface of the recess 7a but to a rectangular parallelepiped base 19 located within the opening 7b. When the stylus S is stored in the garage 7c, the base 19 rests on the stylus S, with its top surface being flush with the bottom surface of the recess 7a. Therefore, the touchpad 2 functions as a normal click pad.

[0092] The garage 7c, the opening 7b, the base 19, and the stylus S constitute a garage switch configured to switch whether or not the touch panel 3 is displaced depending on whether or not the stylus S is stored in the notebook computer 1. Since the stylus S is attached to and detached from the garage 7c by manual operation by the user, this garage switch also constitutes an operation unit provided in the notebook computer 1.

[0093] 12(a) and 12(b) are diagrams showing the state in which the stylus S has been removed from FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b), respectively. When the stylus S is removed from the garage 7c, the base 19 falls into the garage 7c. Accordingly, the push-button switches 15a and 15b and the touch panel 3 are displaced downward. However, the touch panel 3 is configured so that its corners catch on the bottom surface of the recess 7a. As a result, the base 19 and the push-button switches 15a and 15b are suspended in mid-air. In this state, the touch panel 3 cannot be displaced even if the user presses the touch detection surface 3s with a finger F or the stylus S. Therefore, the garage 7c, the opening 7b, the base 19, and the stylus S can be said to constitute a garage switch configured to switch whether the touch panel 3 is displaced or not depending on whether the stylus S is stored in the notebook computer 1.

[0094] 12(a) and 12(b), even if the user presses the touch detection surface 3s with a finger F or the stylus S, the push button switches 15a and 15b do not turn on, so the button press state value generated by the button unit 31 is always "0" and the output of the output unit 32 is stopped. Therefore, it can be said that the garage switch constituted by the garage 7c, the opening 7b, the base 19, and the stylus S functions as a button function stopping means that stops the output of the button press state value by the integrated circuit 11 in accordance with the setting related to the operation of the stylus S (i.e., the removal of the stylus S from the garage 7c).

[0095] As described above, according to the touchpad 2 of this embodiment, the garage switch constituted by the garage 7c, the opening 7b, the base 19, and the stylus S functions as a button function stopping means, so similar to the third embodiment, it is possible to prevent an unintended click operation from occurring when the user is performing input with the stylus S. It is also possible to prevent a sudden displacement of the touch panel 3 from causing disturbances in handwriting or discontinuous writing pressure values.

[0096] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0097] For example, in each of the above embodiments, an example has been described in which the present invention is applied to a non-discrete touchpad provided in a notebook computer, but the present invention can be widely applied to non-discrete touchpads.

[0098] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the button function stopping unit 33 immediately stops the output of the button press state value from the integrated circuit 11 when a change in the operation state of the stylus S or a change in settings related to the operation of the stylus S occurs. However, the output of the button press state value from the integrated circuit 11 may be stopped after a predetermined time has elapsed since the occurrence of such a change or modification. For example, when the contact state detection unit 36 ​​detects that the stylus S has transitioned to hover, the output of the button press state value from the integrated circuit 11 may be stopped after a predetermined time has elapsed since the detection, rather than immediately stopping the output of the button press state value from the integrated circuit 11. This makes it possible to prevent the click operation from being frequently switched between enabled and disabled.

[0099] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the touch panel 3 is of the capacitance type, but the present invention is also suitably applicable to cases where a pressure-sensitive touch panel is used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 1 laptop 2 Non-discrete touchpad 3 Touch panel 3s Touch detection surface 6 CPU 7. Housing 7a Recess 7b opening 7c Garage 8. Display 9 Keyboard 10, 10a~10d Force sensors 11 Integrated Circuits 12 Haptic Devices 15a, 15b Push button switch 16 Supporting member 17 Spacer 18 Actuators 18a electromagnet 18b permanent magnet 19 Foundation 30 Object detection unit 31 Button section 32 Output section 33 Button function stop part 35 Stylus detection unit 36 Contact state detection unit F finger S stylus

Claims

1. A touchpad that supports operation with objects including fingers and styluses, a touch panel having a touch detection surface that also serves as a position detection area for detecting the positions of the buttons and the object; a haptic device that provides sensory feedback to a user; an integrated circuit that causes the haptic device to output the sensory feedback in response to a force applied to the touch-sensitive surface; the integrated circuit stops the output of sensory feedback by the haptic device in accordance with the operation state of the stylus or a setting related to the operation of the stylus; Touchpad.

2. The integrated circuit is configured to detect that an operation by the stylus is being performed based on a detection result of a signal from the stylus. The touchpad of claim 1 .

3. The integrated circuit comprises: a touch panel configured to detect whether the stylus is in contact with the touch detection surface; When it is detected that the stylus is in contact with the touch detection surface, output of sensory feedback by the haptic device is stopped. The touchpad of claim 1 .

4. the integrated circuit is configured to detect that the stylus is in contact with the touch detection surface when a writing pressure value included in a signal from the stylus is greater than a predetermined value; The touchpad of claim 3 .

5. 1. A method performed by a touchpad that supports manipulation with objects including fingers and styluses, comprising: The touchpad is a touch panel having a touch detection surface that also serves as a position detection area for detecting the positions of the buttons and the object; a haptic device that provides sensory feedback to the user; causing the haptic device to output the sensory feedback in response to a force applied to the touch-sensitive surface; a step of stopping the output of sensory feedback by the haptic device in accordance with an operation state of the stylus or a setting related to the operation of the stylus; A method comprising:

6. 1. An integrated circuit included in a touchpad that supports operation with objects including fingers and styluses, outputting sensory feedback from a haptic device that provides sensory feedback to a user in response to a force applied to a touch detection surface that also serves as a position detection area for detecting the positions of the button and the object; stopping the output of sensory feedback by the haptic device in accordance with the operation state of the stylus or a setting related to the operation of the stylus; Integrated circuit.

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