IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,456,426
Granted Patent B2
US 8,456,426 · App. 12/810,840 · Granted Jun 4, 2013

Portable terminal device, display control method, and display control program

Inventors: Tomohiro Ishihara (Kanagawa, JP); Kazumasa Gomyo (Kanagawa, JP); Satoshi Iino (Kanagawa, JP); Yuji Hashimoto (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,456,426
App. No.
12/810,840
Granted
Jun 4, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided a portable terminal device that enables a user to operate all buttons to be operated by moving only one finger of one hand carrying the terminal when operating the terminal equipped with both a touch panel and a stationary operation section and that exhibits superior operability. The portable terminal device has enclosures 11, 12 with a movable portion, a display section 17 capable of displaying visible information showing an operation target area, and a touch sensor 13 that detects a position on a display screen of the display section touched by a user's finger, or the like. The device is further provided with a shape detection section for detecting a change in the shape of the enclosure; an input operation management section for managing a position detected by the touch sensor and an operation target area of each of pieces of visible information displayed on the display section in an associated manner; and a display control section that automatically makes a change to at least display positions of the respective pieces of visible information about the operation target displayed on the display section in accordance with a change in shape of the enclosure detected by the shape detection section.

Claims (14)

1. A portable terminal device comprising:

a first enclosure;

a second enclosure, the first enclosure and the second enclosure being slidable relative to each other, wherein the first enclosure and the second enclosure are enabled to occupy a contracted state or an extended state;

a display section provided on the first enclosure; and

a stationary operation section provided on the second enclosure,

wherein the display section is configured to display, when a character is input in the contracted state of the first enclosure and the second enclosure, a virtual keyboard and candidates for conversion at a first region of the display section; and

wherein the display section is configured to display, when a character is input in the extended state of the first enclosure and the second enclosure, candidates for conversion at a second region of the display section, the second region being closer than the first region to the stationary operation section, without displaying the virtual keyboard.

2. The portable terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the first region is adjacent to the virtual keyboard.

3. The portable terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the first region is located above the virtual keyboard.

4. The portable terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the first region is located between an input message display section for displaying an input character on the display section and the virtual keyboard.

5. The portable terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the stationary operation section is exposed to the outside of the portable terminal device in the extended state of the first enclosure and the second enclosure.

6. A display control method of a portable terminal device including a first enclosure and a second enclosure, the first enclosure and the second enclosure being slidable relative to each other such that the first enclosure and the second enclosure are enabled to occupy a contracted state or an extended state, the display control method comprising:

displaying, when a character is input in the contracted state of the first enclosure and the second enclosure, a virtual keyboard and candidates for conversion at a first region of the display section; and

displaying, when a character is input in the extended state of the first enclosure and the second enclosure, candidates for conversion at a second region of the display section, the second region being closer than the first region to the stationary operation section, without displaying the virtual keyboard on the display section.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
Reel/Frame 033033/0163 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2010
From: ISHIHARA, TOMOHIRO; GOMYO, KAZUMASA; IINO, SATOSHI; HASHIMOTO, YUJI
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025384/0817 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2007-340356 · Dec 28, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110007009A1 · Jan 13, 2011