JP5586764B2 - User interface device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a user interface device.

  An input method in a computer system has evolved from a character user interface (CUI) for inputting data or commands from a keyboard to a graphical user interface (GUI) using computer graphics displayed on a screen. The use of the GUI is not limited to general-purpose computers such as personal computers and server computers, but is widely used in the field of various home appliances as well as mobile terminals such as PDAs and mobile phones.

  In recent years, the use of touch panels has become widespread in the fields of computer systems, mobile terminals, and various home appliances. By touching the touch panel on which computer graphics are displayed in combination with a GUI, the touch panel can be used. Interfaces for entering data or commands are also common.

  As a technique for using such a touch panel as an input device for a computer system or the like, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a portable terminal device using a touch panel. Patent Document 2 discloses a touch panel input device that can be used as a conventional pointing device by using a part of the touch panel as a mouse emulation unit. Patent Documents 3 to 4 disclose techniques related to a touch panel that supports a multi-touch function capable of detecting touch operations at a plurality of locations.

JP 7-28884 A JP-A-8-221204 JP 2008-310818 A JP 2009-54141 A

  FIG. 13A illustrates an example of a mobile terminal 200 using a touch panel. The mobile terminal 200 displays an icon 203 on a display unit 202 provided with a touch panel function provided in the housing 201, detects a touch operation on a portion of the display unit 202 where the icon 203 is displayed, and corresponds to the icon. The application is started, and processing such as displaying data is performed. FIG. 13B shows a state in which the user 300 holds such a mobile terminal 200 with one hand.

  Here, when attention is paid to the state in which the user 300 holds the mobile terminal 200 with one hand, only the thumb can be used for the operation of the mobile terminal 200 among the fingers of the held hand, and the range 202a that the thumb can reach. Is only part of the display unit 202. For this reason, in order to touch an icon outside the range 202a where the user can reach the thumb while the user is holding the mobile terminal 200 with one hand, the hand on the side that does not hold the mobile terminal 200 must be used. There is a problem that the convenience of the touch panel cannot be fully utilized. In addition, when the operation is performed using both hands, the screen of the display unit 202 is mostly hidden, and there is a problem that the advantage of the graphical user interface that allows easy visual operation is impaired. Furthermore, it has been difficult for users who are handicapped to use the touch panel function.

  In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a user interface device capable of selecting and operating a desired icon without using both hands while holding a device such as a mobile terminal having a touch panel function with one hand. For the purpose.

  In order to solve the above problems, a first aspect of the present invention includes a display unit having a touch panel function and a screen display function, and a control unit. Then, by this control unit, one group of a plurality of icons previously divided into a plurality of groups corresponding to a predetermined function or data is arranged in a ring shape and displayed on the display unit, and the displayed icon When the drag operation performed by the user's finger is detected by the touch panel function and the operation speed of the detected drag operation by the user's finger is slower than the threshold, the displayed icon is displayed in the relative position. When the detected operation speed of the drag operation by the user's finger is a speed equal to or higher than a threshold value, the icon group displayed on the display unit is switched to another group. It is intended to control.

  In the first aspect of the present invention, the control unit also displays menu information representing a group of icons being displayed together with the display unit.

  1st viewpoint of this invention WHEREIN: The said control part also calls the program corresponding to the said icon according to the touch operation made with respect to the site | part which displays the said icon of the said display part, It is also characterized by the above-mentioned. .

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a user interface device capable of selecting and operating a desired icon without using both hands while holding a device such as a mobile terminal having a touch panel function with one hand. Can be provided.

The block block diagram of the mobile terminal 100 in this embodiment. The figure which showed the external appearance of the mobile terminal 100. FIG. The figure which shows an example of the user interface in this embodiment. The figure which shows the transition of the user interface in this embodiment. The figure which shows the transition of the user interface in this embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the user interface in this embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the user interface in this embodiment. The figure which shows the transition of the user interface in this embodiment. The figure which shows the transition of the user interface in this embodiment. The figure which shows the transition of the user interface in this embodiment. The flowchart of the operation | movement of the user interface in this embodiment. The flowchart which shows another operation | movement of the user interface as a reference example. (A) Drawing which shows the conventional example of the user interface in a mobile terminal. (B) Drawing which shows the prior art example of the user interface in a mobile terminal.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a mobile terminal 100 which is a user interface device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The mobile terminal 100 is a small device suitable for a user to hold and use with one hand, such as a mobile phone, PHS, PDA, and home appliance remote controller. Such a mobile terminal 100 includes a key input unit 101, a display unit 102, a control unit 103, and a storage unit 104.

  The key input unit 101 is an input device such as a keypad provided on the housing 105 of the mobile terminal 100 and other buttons, and a key event that is a signal corresponding to each key or button is controlled by a user operation. Section 103 is notified and used for various operations or control.

  The display unit 102 includes an LCD module 113 and an LCD controller 112 for performing screen display, and a sensor module 114 and a touch position detection unit 111 that detect a contact position of the user in response to an operation in which the user touches the screen. The screen display function and the touch panel function are realized. In other words, the display unit 102 receives data and control signals from the control unit 103 by the LCD controller 112 and displays a predetermined screen on the LCD module 113, and also accepts a user's operation of touching the screen by the sensor module 114. The touch position detection unit 111 detects the contact position, and notifies the control unit 103 of the position signal related to the contact position as an input. In the terminal device 100 of this embodiment, a user interface is provided by a display function and a touch panel function according to operations described later.

  The control unit 103 is a functional block that is virtually configured by executing a program stored in the storage unit 104 on a CPU (not shown), and includes a key input unit 101, a display unit 102, and a storage unit of the mobile terminal 100. Various functions of the mobile terminal 100 are realized by exchanging data and control signals with each functional block such as the unit 104. In addition, the control unit 103 of the mobile terminal 100 according to the present embodiment displays computer graphics such as icons on the display unit 102, detects an operation of touching or dragging the icon by a user using a touch panel function, and a user interface. Functions as a user interface device. The interface formed by the control unit 103 will be described in detail later.

  The storage unit 104 is a memory for storing predetermined information under the control of the control unit 103 and providing the stored information to the control unit 103. In addition, the storage unit 104 stores various programs executed by the control unit 103, and the control unit 103 reads and executes them appropriately. The storage unit 104 does not need to have a uniform configuration, and can be configured by appropriately combining various memories such as ROM, RAM, and Flash ROM, and further combined with a secondary storage device such as an HDD. It doesn't matter.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an appearance of such a mobile terminal 100. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the mobile terminal 100 includes a housing 105 provided with a key input unit 101 and a display unit 102.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a user interface formed by the control unit 103 in a state where the user holds the mobile terminal 100 with one hand. In this user interface, icons 151a to 151h are arranged and displayed in a ring shape on the display unit 102, and the user touches the portion of the display unit 102 where the icons 151a to 151h are displayed, thereby corresponding to each icon. A program is called to realize a predetermined function, and data is called from an associated program to display or display a submenu. Such an interface may be configured as a main menu of the mobile terminal 100, or may be configured as a submenu when a predetermined function is used.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the user performs a drag operation so as to rotate left on the display unit 102, the display positions of the icons 151a to 151h arranged in a ring shape are rotated accordingly. . FIG. 5 shows a state in which the display positions of the icons 151a to 151h are shifted one by one from the state shown in FIG. By repeating such an operation, the icons 151a, 151b, 151c, 151d, etc. that were not within the reach of the thumb of the hand held in the state shown in FIG. 3 are moved to the reach of the thumb to perform the touch operation. It becomes possible to do. Accordingly, all functions or data displayed on the display unit 102 can be selected and used only with the hand on the side holding the mobile terminal 100 without using both hands.

  Here, since the number of icons that can be displayed at one time on the display unit 102 is limited, when the functions and data to be provided are determined in advance, the functions and data to be provided are classified into a plurality of groups. To do. And it is set as the structure which displays the icon corresponding to every function and data group to provide on the display part 102 as one screen, and it is set as the structure which can switch the function and data group which display an icon according to a user's operation. Can do. This makes it possible to build a hierarchical menu for functions and data determined in advance. FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show examples of an interface presented to the user as a “disc menu” in which a group of such icons is compared to a disc. As shown in FIG. 6, this interface shows images of discs stacked in the center of the icon, and highlights the type of the currently displayed “disc menu” and the position in the whole. FIG. 7 shows an example in which such a disc menu is configured for the mobile terminal 100, and includes “disc menus” of initial menu, communication, multimedia, one-segment, game, electronic money, and maintenance. . As shown in FIG. 7, in the image of the disc stacked in the center of the icon, it is preferable to highlight the disc menu being displayed and to display the title name or image illustration.

  The above shows the case where the functions and data to be provided are determined in advance. However, when building a similar interface for Web search results, browsing history, address book, incoming call history, mail send / receive box, memo pad, etc. Cannot be grouped in advance because the content to be displayed is not determined in advance. Therefore, in this case, the contents to be displayed are listed in a predetermined order, a predetermined number of icons are displayed on the display unit 102 in accordance with the order of the list, and these are sequentially replaced according to the user's operation. preferable.

  In this case, for example, the icon at the top of the list is displayed at the display position of the icon 151a shown in FIG. 3, and 151b to 151h are displayed clockwise thereafter, and the user rotates leftward on the display unit 102. When the drag operation is performed, the display positions of the icons arranged in a ring shape are rotated according to the drag operation, and the icons 151b to 151i are displayed by exchanging the icons one by one in the list order. Hereinafter, by repeating such an operation, the displayed icons can be sequentially replaced to display a desired icon. Here, in FIG. 8, the position where the head icon is displayed is indicated by A, and the position where the tail icon is displayed is indicated by B. However, from the viewpoint of rotating the icon within the reach of the thumb, A and B are indicated. The position shown in FIG. 10 is appropriate.

Hereinafter, the interface operation in the mobile terminal 100 configured as described above will be described with reference to flowcharts.
First, an operation of using the “disc menu” when functions and data to be provided are determined in advance with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This operation is started in a state where the screen shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the display unit 102. First, it is determined whether or not there is a menu end instruction (ST101), and when the menu display is ended, the processing is ended as it is. If the menu display does not end, it is subsequently determined whether or not a touch operation has been performed at a location where the icon of the display unit 102 is displayed (ST102), and if there is an operation, a process corresponding to the icon is executed ( ST104).

  If it is determined in ST102 that there is no touch operation on the icon, it is determined whether a drag operation is subsequently performed (ST103). If the drag operation is not performed, the process returns to ST101 and the above-described processing is repeated. If the drag operation is performed, it is first determined whether the drag operation is in the left direction (ST105). If the drag operation is in the left direction, it is subsequently determined whether the drag operation is at a low speed (ST106). If the drag operation is at a low speed, a process of rotating the display icons one by one to the left is executed (ST107). If it is high speed (not low speed), processing for switching the display icon to the icon of the next menu disc is executed (ST108). On the other hand, if it is determined in ST105 that the drag operation is in the right direction (not in the left direction), it is subsequently determined whether the drag operation is at a low speed (ST109). (ST110), and if it is high speed (not low speed), a process of switching the display icon to the icon of the previous menu disk is executed (ST111). Any of ST107, ST108, ST110, and ST111 returns to ST101 after execution and repeats the above-described operation.

  As a reference example of the present invention, an operation when functions and data to be provided are not determined in advance with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This operation is started in a state where the screen shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the display unit 102. First, the presence / absence of a menu end instruction is determined (ST201), and when the menu display is ended, the processing is ended as it is. If the menu display does not end, it is subsequently determined whether or not a touch operation has been performed on the portion of the display unit 102 where the icon is displayed (ST202). If there is an operation, processing corresponding to the icon is executed (ST202). ST203).

  If it is determined in ST202 that there is no touch operation on the icon, it is determined whether a drag operation is subsequently performed (ST204). If the drag operation is not performed, the process returns to ST201 and the above processing is repeated. If the drag operation is performed, it is determined whether the drag operation is in the left direction (ST205), and the drag operation is performed in the left direction. If so, a process is performed in which the icons are rotated leftward to switch the displayed icons one by one in the forward direction of the list (ST206). On the other hand, when the drag operation is in the right direction (not in the left direction), a process of rotating the icons in the right direction and switching the display icons one by one in the reverse direction of the list is executed (ST207). In both ST206 and ST207, after execution, the process returns to ST201 and repeats the above-described operation.

  Through the processing as described above, in the mobile terminal 100 of the present embodiment, a user interface capable of selecting and operating a desired icon without using both hands while holding a device having a touch panel function with one hand. An apparatus is provided. With such a user interface device, the convenience provided by the touch panel of the mobile terminal 100 can be fully utilized, and a graphical user who can ensure easy visibility of the display unit 202 and can be easily operated visually. You can take full advantage of the interface. Furthermore, it is possible to realize a touch panel interface of the mobile terminal 100 that can be sufficiently used even for a user who is handicapped and cannot use both hands.

  The user interface device of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100; Mobile terminal, 101; Key input part, 102; Display part, 103; Control part, 104; Memory | storage part, 111; Touch position detection part, 112: LCD controller, 113; LCD module, 114: Sensor module.

Claims (3)

A display unit having a touch panel function and a screen display function;
One group of a plurality of icons previously divided into a plurality of groups corresponding to a predetermined function or data is arranged in a ring shape and displayed on the display unit, and dragging performed on the displayed icon by a user's finger When an operation is detected by the touch panel function and the operation speed of the detected drag operation by the user's finger is slower than a threshold value, the displayed icon is rotated while maintaining its relative positional relationship. And a control unit that switches a group of icons to be displayed on the display unit to another group when the operation speed of the drag operation with the detected user's finger is equal to or higher than a threshold value. User interface device.   The user interface device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit displays menu information representing a group of icons being displayed together with the display unit.   3. The user according to claim 1, wherein the control unit calls a program corresponding to the icon in response to a touch operation performed on a part of the display unit displaying the icon. 4. Interface device.