Input Data Processing Program for Touch Controllability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional touch-operated pointing devices suffer from unsatisfactory controllability due to unintended operations caused by variable touch area sizes and positions, particularly at touch start and stop points, leading to inaccurate input position determination and increased complexity and cost with existing solutions.

Innovation Solution

A computer-readable storage medium with an input data processing program that determines a virtual area to follow changes in the input area, allowing for precise control of cursor movement by adjusting the virtual area's position and size based on input area data, thereby reducing unintended operations and simplifying the device structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the input position is determined based on the touch area (centroid method), then the input position can be calculated, but the input position may move against the operator's intention when the touch area changes, resulting in unintended operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinput position determination accuracyVSAvoidoperation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent stores the input area data from a predetermined number of frames before the current frame, rather than using the current frame's data directly. This preliminary action allows the system to anticipate and compensate for touch area variations before they cause unintended operations, improving reliability while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a buffer mechanism by using historical input area data from previous frames to cushion against sudden changes in touch area. This beforehand cushioning prevents the input position from jumping unexpectedly when the touch area changes, thereby preventing unintended operations while still allowing accurate position tracking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Measurement precision

If light emitting elements, light receiving elements, and a camera are disposed around the touch panel to correct the center position, then the input position can be accurately calculated, but the apparatus complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinput position accuracyVSAvoidapparatus structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a virtual copy of the input area data from previous frames and uses this copied data to determine the input position. Instead of using physical cameras and light sensors to capture and correct position data, the system copies and processes existing touch data, achieving accurate position determination without additional hardware components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/optical system (cameras, light emitting elements, light receiving elements) with a data processing system that uses temporal information from previous frames. This substitution eliminates complex hardware while maintaining or improving measurement precision through computational methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If the touch area changes during operation (at touch start or stop points), then the input position calculation becomes inaccurate, but maintaining a fixed calculation method causes unintended operations

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecontrollabilityVSAvoidinput position accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically selects input area data from a predetermined number of frames before the current frame, adapting to changing touch conditions. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain accurate position tracking during touch area transitions by using historically stable data, improving both ease of operation and measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses feedback from previous frames' input area data to correct and improve the current frame's position calculation. By continuously monitoring and incorporating historical data, the system adjusts its position determination to account for touch area changes, thereby maintaining high measurement precision and ease of operation throughout the interaction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP1760571B1Input data processing program and information processing apparatus
Publication Date: 2017.06.28 NINTENDO CO LTD
  • EP1760571B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1760571B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1760571B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The game apparatus executes a storage step of repeatedly acquiring input area data representing an input area (41) in accordance with a detection result from the input device, and storing the input area data in a memory. Next, the game apparatus executes: a virtual area determination step of determining a virtual area (42) so as to follow a change of the input area (41) represented by the input area data each time the input area data is stored in the memory; and a first process execution step of executing a first process, such as a process of moving a cursor, in accordance with the virtual area (42) having been determined by the virtual area determination step.