Mobile terminal device and input device
View Patent ↗A mobile terminal device includes a display section having a display screen, an input section having a touch input region on the display screen, and a control section for displaying a plurality of keys. The display screen is provided as a software keyboard where a touch operation on a specific key causes an input of the specific key. In the specific display region on the display screen that can display operation keys on the software keyboard, the control section selects these keys from a previously prepared set of input candidate key groups. In response to a specific operation on the specific display region, the control section allows the plurality of keys to be displayed on the specific display region. In response to touch on a desired key in the specific display region, the control section determines that an input of the key has been performed.
1. A mobile terminal device, comprising:
a display including a first display section configured to display a stationary first plurality of operation keys including operation keys corresponding to character inputs and a second display section configured to display a second plurality of operation keys configured to rotate in a drum-like manner;
a touch sensor configured to receive a touch input corresponding to at least one of the first plurality of operation keys displayed in the first display section and the second plurality of operation keys displayed in the second display section; and
a controller configured to select the second plurality of operation keys displayed in the second display section based on a predetermined set of operation keys stored in memory, and switch the second plurality of operation keys displayed in the second display section to a third plurality of operation keys based on predetermined touch input received at the second display section, wherein
the touch sensor is configured to detect a moving touch operation in the second display section, and
the controller is configured to switch the second plurality of operation keys displayed in the second display section to the third plurality of operation keys based on the moving touch operation and control the display to simultaneously display the third plurality of operation keys in the second display section and the first plurality of operation keys in the first display section,
the second plurality of operation keys are assigned to a first page of operation keys and the third plurality of operation keys are assigned to a second page of operation keys,
the controller switches from the first page to the second page based on the moving touch operation, and
the controller is configured to display a page indicator in the second display section graphically indicating a position of a currently displayed page among a plurality of available pages of operation key display groups.
2. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein
the touch sensor is configured to detect a single touch input at one of the second plurality of operation keys in the second display section, and
the controller is configured to activate an operation corresponding to the one of the second plurality of operation keys.
3. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein
the touch sensor is configured to detect a moving touch operation at one of the second plurality of operation keys in the second display section, and
the controller is configured to compare a speed of the moving touch operation against a predetermined threshold value and activate an operation corresponding to the one of the second plurality of operation keys when the speed of the moving touch operation is less than the predetermined threshold value.
4. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to cyclically switch between the second plurality of operation keys displayed in the second display section and the third plurality of operation keys.
5. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second plurality of operation keys displayed in the second display section include operation keys corresponding to functions of the mobile terminal device, which initiate a program at the mobile terminal device when selected.
6. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second plurality of operation keys displayed in the second display section include operation keys corresponding to character inputs.
7. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein
said controller is configured to obtain a usage frequency of each of said second plurality of operation keys, and change positions of the second plurality of operation keys based on said usage frequency.
8. The mobile terminal according to claim 1 , wherein
said controller is configured to obtain a usage frequency of each of said first plurality of operation keys and said second plurality of operation keys, and change positions of said first and second pages of said operation keys based on said usage frequency.
9. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller switches the second plurality of operation keys in an endless loop.
10. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second plurality of operation keys and the third plurality of operation keys are configured to be switched bi-directionally.
11. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second plurality of operation keys and the third plurality of operation keys include the same character.
12. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second plurality of operation keys and the third plurality of operation keys include pictorial symbols.
13. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second plurality of operation keys or the third plurality of operation keys include a combination of character keys and functional keys.
14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer program instructions, which when executed by a mobile terminal device, cause the mobile terminal device to perform a method comprising:
displaying, in a first display section of the mobile terminal device, a stationary first plurality of operation keys including operation keys corresponding to character inputs;
displaying, in a second display section of the mobile terminal device, a second plurality of operation keys configured to rotate in a drum-like manner;
receiving a moving touch operation in the second display section;
selecting the second plurality of operation keys displayed in the second display section based on a predetermined set of operation keys stored in memory; and
switching the second plurality of operation keys displayed in the second display section to a third plurality of operation keys based on the moving touch operation and simultaneously displaying the third plurality of operation keys in the second display section and the first plurality of operation keys in the first display section, wherein
the second plurality of operation keys are assigned to a first page of operation keys and the third plurality of operation keys are assigned to a second page of operation keys and the switching includes switching from the first page to the second page based on the moving touch operation; and
displaying a page indicator in the second display section graphically indicating a position of a currently displayed page among a plurality of available pages of operation key display groups.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 14 , further comprising:
detecting a single touch input at one of the second plurality of operation keys in the second display section; and
activating an operation corresponding to the one of the second plurality of operation keys.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 14 , further comprising:
activating an operation corresponding to the one of the second plurality of operation keys when the speed of the moving touch operation is less than the predetermined threshold value.