| 主权项 |
1. An input apparatus for, in response to a user's sliding operation on an operation surface, inputting a coordinate point in the operation surface to move a pointing image, which is displayed on a display screen of a display device, to a target button image from among a plurality of button images, the input apparatus comprising:
an acquisition device configured to acquire the coordinate point in the operation surface; a characteristic setting device configured to, based on the coordinate point inputted in the user's sliding operation, estimate and set a characteristic line, which represents a tendency of trace of the coordinate point in the user's sliding operation directed to a lateral direction or a longitudinal direction of the operation surface; a correction device configured to correct the coordinate point with reference to the set characteristic line so that the trace of the coordinate point directed to the lateral direction or the longitudinal direction of the operation surface acquired by the acquisition device is corrected to be a horizontal line extending in the lateral direction or a vertical line extending in the longitudinal direction; and an output device configured to output the coordinate point corrected by the correction device to the display device, as an output-coordinate for moving the pointing image; wherein the characteristic setting device sets a circular arc passing through the coordinate point that is first inputted in the operation surface in the user's sliding operation and first acquired by the acquisition device, and sets the characteristic line to a straight line that extends from the first-inputted coordinate point on the circular arc to the center of the circular arc; and the correction device corrects the coordinate point with reference to the straight line, which extends from the first-inputted coordinate point on the circular arc to the center of the circular arc, wherein: in cases where the correction device corrects the coordinate point so that the trace of the coordinate point directed to the lateral direction is corrected to be the horizontal line extending in the lateral direction, the characteristic setting device sets the characteristic line for the lateral direction so that the characteristic line for the lateral direction passes through the coordinate point first acquired by the acquisition device, and sets a belt-shaped characteristic belt for the lateral direction so that the characteristic belt for the lateral direction contains the characteristic line for the lateral direction and has a predetermined width; and the correction device includes: a determination portion configured to, each time the coordinate point is acquired by the acquisition device after the characteristic belt for the lateral direction has been set, compare the acquired coordinate point with the characteristic belt for the lateral direction and determine whether or not the acquired coordinate point is within the characteristic belt for the lateral direction; and a changing portion configured to, when the determination portion determines that the acquired coordinate point is within the characteristic belt for the lateral direction, change the acquired coordinate point so that the trace of the coordinate point follows the horizontal line. |
