Pen Input Position Adjustment for Easier On-Screen Object Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing information processing apparatuses using electronic pens face difficulties in operability, particularly for novice users, due to the need for precise positioning and object determination through contact or hovering with the screen, which complicates operations like drag and selection of small objects.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus with a touch sensor unit and pen input adjustment unit that adjusts the pen position to align with an object's position within a peripheral allowable range, allowing the touch sensor unit to detect contact and adjust the pen's position to the object's position, simplifying operations by eliminating the need for hovering and button pressing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the electronic pen performs both positioning and object determination with a single contact operation, then the operation steps are reduced, but the positioning precision and object selection accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the screen into multiple detection regions (first detection region and second detection region) with different functions. The first detection region handles object selection while the second detection region handles positioning for drag operations. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized for its specific purpose, maintaining precision while simplifying overall operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the first detection region acts as a mediator between the user's contact and the actual object to be manipulated. When contact occurs in the first detection region, the system identifies the target object and then uses the second detection region for precise positioning, effectively mediating between rough selection and precise operation.
2Measurement precision
If the electronic pen requires hovering state with button pressing for object determination, then positioning and object determination are separated, but the device complexity and learning burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the object determination function and positioning function into a unified contact-based operation. By detecting contact position and determining objects based on predefined regions, the system combines multiple functions into a single intuitive gesture, reducing operational complexity while maintaining determination accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides self-service by automatically determining the target object based on contact position without requiring additional user actions like button pressing or hovering. The electronic pen and system work together to automatically identify and select objects, eliminating the need for complex multi-step operations.
3Ease of operation
If the electronic pen uses contact pressure threshold for object determination, then object selection is simplified, but the control precision for drag operations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection function into two distinct regions: the first detection region for object selection (simplified operation) and the second detection region for drag positioning (precise control). This segmentation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function, maintaining ease of object selection while achieving precise drag operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the screen are assigned different functional qualities. The first detection region has the quality of being responsive to pressure for object selection, while the second detection region has the quality of providing precise positional feedback for drag operations. This local differentiation of functional qualities resolves the contradiction between ease of selection and precision of control.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided an information processing apparatus to increase the operability of an operation of selecting an object on a screen with a pen. The information processing apparatus includes: a display unit; a touch sensor unit arranged on a screen of the display unit and capable of detecting at least a position of a pen that comes into contact with the screen; a pen input processing unit that outputs pen input information based on the position of the pen detected by the touch sensor unit to an OS; and a pen input adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the pen to the position of the object and outputs the position to the pen input processing unit when the touch sensor unit detects the contact of the pen at a position within the peripheral allowable range set around the object on the screen.