Electrostatic input device
There is provided an electrostatic input device including a plurality of electrodes, and receiving an input operation according to electrostatic capacitances generated between the plurality of electrodes and an object when the object comes close to a detection surface, the device including a variation detection unit configured to detect variations in the electrostatic capacitances, a determination unit configured to determine whether the object coming close to the detection surface is the fingertip or the palm on the basis of the variations detected by the variation detection unit, and a control unit configured to inhibit reception of an input operation on the detection surface for a predetermined period of time in a case where the determination unit determines that the object coming close to the detection surface is the palm.
1. An electrostatic input device comprising:
a detection surface configured to receive an input operation of an object approaching thereto, the detection surface including at least one specific region set at an end of the detection surface;
a plurality of electrodes, electrostatic capacitances being generated between the plurality of electrodes and the object when the object comes close to the detection surface; and
a microcomputer connected to the plurality of electrodes, the microcomputer:
detecting variations in the electrostatic capacitances for the plurality of electrodes;
determining whether or not there is a touch on the detection surface by the object;
determining whether or not the touch is the input operation on the at least one specific region of the detection surface, if it is determined that there is the touch on the detection surface;
permitting reception of the input operation by the detection surface if it is determined that the touch is not the input operation on the at least one specific region;
determining whether the object coming close to the detection surface is a fingertip or a palm on the basis of the detected variations if it is determined that there is no touch on the detection surface; and
inhibiting the reception of the input operation by the detection surface for a predetermined period of time if it is determined that there is no touch and the object coming close to the detection surface is the palm,
wherein the determining that the object coming close to the detection surface is the palm includes:
calculating an integrated value of the variations in the electrostatic capacitances formed between the object and the plurality of electrodes for each of the at least one specific region while there is no touch on the detection surface;
obtaining a moving average of the integrated value of the variations in the electrostatic capacitances for each of the at least one specific region; and
determining that the object is the palm if the moving average of the integrated value exceeds a threshold value.
2. The electrostatic input device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the microcomputer inhibits the reception of the input operation by inhibiting an inhibition region of the detection surface from receiving the input operation for the predetermined period of time if it is determined that the object coming close to the detection surface is the palm.
3. The electrostatic input device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the microcomputer stops inhibiting the reception of the input operation if another input operation is performed on the detection surface other than the inhibition region thereof.
4. The electrostatic input device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the microcomputer sets a plurality of specific regions on the detection surface and determines, for each of the plurality of specific regions, if the object coming close to the detection surface is the palm, and inhibits the reception of the input operation by inhibiting a corresponding inhibition region of the detection surface from receiving the input operation for the predetermined period of time if it is determined, for one of the plurality of specific regions, that the object coming close to the detection surface is the palm.
5. An electrostatic input device comprising:
a detection surface configured to receive an input operation of an object approaching thereto, the detection surface including at least one specific region set at an end of the detection surface; and
a plurality of electrodes, electrostatic capacitances being generated between the plurality of electrodes and the object when the object comes close to the detection surface,
wherein the electrostatic input device is installed with a program causing the electrostatic input device to execute the steps of:
detecting variations in the electrostatic capacitances for the plurality of electrodes;
determining whether or not there is a touch on the detection surface;
determining whether or not the touch is the input operation on the at least one specific region of the detection surface if it is determined that there is the touch on the detection surface;
permitting reception of the input operation by the detection surface if it is determined that the touch is not the input operation on the at least one specific region;
determining whether the object coming close to the detection surface is a fingertip or a palm on the basis of the detected variations if it is determined that there is no touch on the detection surface; and
inhibiting the reception of the input operation by the detection surface for a predetermined period of time if it is determined that there is no touch and the object coming close to the detection surface is the palm,
wherein the determining that the object coming close to the detection surface is the palm includes:
calculating an integrated value of the variations in the electrostatic capacitances formed between the object and the plurality of electrodes for each of the at least one specific region while there is no touch on the detection surface;
obtaining a moving average of the integrated value of the variations in the electrostatic capacitances for each of the at least one specific region; and
determining that the object is the palm if the moving average of the integrated value exceeds a threshold value.