Technique for executing a combined operation in response to a single press and release of a sensor unit

摘要

A touch panel is constructed by a display/sensor unit which is slightly larger than a display screen of an LCD and a sensor unit which is projected to the outside from one side, for example, from one side on the right. A finger of the user is touched to a selection item such as desired button, icon, or the like on the display/sensor unit and vertically moved on the sensor unit. A selection display constructed by a plurality of buttons is displayed along the side of the display screen by the LCD. A button beside the finger is highlighted. When the finger is released, the highlighted button is selected. If there are no buttons adjacent to the finger, the button is not highlighted. Even if the finger is released, the state is not changed. When finger is moved to the display/sensor unit, the selection display disappears.

主权项

1. An input method using a sensor unit, in which the sensor unit is located to an outside of one side of a display screen, an instruction according to a touching position of a finger or a touch pen onto said sensor unit is given, and a controller generates a control signal on the basis of said instruction, comprising the steps of:
displaying a selection display, comprising a plurality of selection menu items, on said display screen; highlighting one of said selection menu items in a position of a same height as that of the finger or the touch pen when the finger or the touch pen is vertically moved while keeping a state where the finger or the touch pen is touched onto the sensor unit; and automatically selecting said highlighted selection menu item upon lifting the finger or the touch pen, from constant contact with said sensor unit, in the position of the same height as that of the position of the highlighted selection item, wherein a single press and release contact operation of the finger or the touch pen with the sensor unit executes a combined operation (a) to highlight the selection, menu item and (b) to select the selection menu item on the selection display.