Touch panel apparatus and electronic apparatus providing tactile feedback to an operator
A touch panel apparatus is provided with a strain gauge sensor ( 16 ), a piezoelectric element ( 17 ), and a control unit ( 1 ). The strain gauge sensor ( 16 ) detects the pressing force to be applied to a touch panel ( 12 ) when a select-execute function key ( 18 ) is operated. The piezoelectric element ( 17 ) makes the touch panel ( 12 ) vibrate. The control unit ( 1 ) changes the function to be selected with the operation of the select-execute function key ( 18 ), in accordance with the pressing force detected by a pressing force detection unit ( 20 ), and when an arbitrary function is continued to be selected for a prescribed period of time (T0), the function that is continued to be selected is executed. The control unit also makes, each time the function is changed, the touch panel ( 12 ) vibrate with a first vibration pattern by controlling the piezoelectric element ( 17 ), and makes, when a function is to be executed, the touch panel ( 12 ) vibrate with a second vibration pattern that is different from the first vibration pattern by controlling the piezoelectric element ( 17 ).
1. A touch screen apparatus comprising:
a display that displays a select-execute function key accepting selection and execution of a plurality of functions;
a touch panel that is disposed on a display face of the display unit and accepts an operation performed by a user through the select-execute function key;
a detector of pressing force that detects a pressing force applied to the touch panel in response to the operation performed by the user through the select-execute function key;
a vibration driver that vibrates the touch panel; and
a controller that changes a function to be selected by the operation of the select-execute function key according to the pressing force detected by detector and a plurality of preset thresholds to which the plurality of functions is assigned,
wherein the controller causes:
the touch panel to vibrate in a first vibration pattern by controlling the vibration driver every time the function is changed;
the function to be executed when a predetermined amount of time elapses, during which the pressing force corresponding to the function is maintained within a range by the user; and
the touch panel to vibrate in a second vibration pattern that is different from the first vibration pattern by controlling the vibration driver when the function is executed.
2. The touch panel apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vibration driver, in the first vibration pattern, vibrates the touch panel in such a way that an operation face side of the touch panel is elevated once, and, in the second vibration pattern, vibrates the touch panel in such a way that the operation face side of the touch panel is elevated for a plurality of times.
3. The touch panel apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, in a case in which the pressing force detected by the pressing force detector exceeds a maximum of the plurality of preset thresholds, the controller it cancels execution of the plurality of functions.
4. The touch panel apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case in which the pressing force detected by the detector exceeds a maximum of the plurality of preset thresholds, the controller cancels execution of the plurality of functions.
5. A touch panel apparatus including: a display that displays a select-execute function key accepting selection and execution of a plurality of functions;
a touch panel that is disposed on a display face of the display and accepts an operation performed by a user through the select-execute function key;
a pressing force detector that detects a pressing force applied to the touch panel in response to the operation performed by the user through the select-execute function key;
a vibration driver that vibrates the touch panel; and
a controller that changes a function to be selected by the operation of the select-execute function key according to the pressing force detected by the pressing force detector and a plurality of preset thresholds to which the plurality of functions is assigned, and that executes the function when a redetermined amount of time elapses, during which the pressing force corresponding to the function is maintained within a range by the user,
wherein, in a case in which the pressing force detected by the pressing force detector exceeds a maximum of the plurality of preset thresholds, the controller cancels execution of the plurality of functions.
6. An electronic apparatus comprising a touch panel apparatus including: a display that displays a select-execute function key accepting selection and execution of a plurality of functions;
a touch panel that is disposed on a display face of the display and accepts an operation performed by a user through the select-execute function key;
a detector of pressing force that detects a pressing force applied to the touch panel in response to the operation performed by the user through the select-execute function key;
a vibration driver that vibrates the touch panel; and
a controller that changes a function to be selected by the operation of the select-execute function key according to the pressing force detected by the detector and a plurality of preset thresholds to which the plurality of functions is assigned,
wherein the controller causes:
the touch panel to vibrate in a first vibration pattern by controlling the vibration driver every time the function is changed;
the function to be executed when a predetermined amount of time elapses, during which the pressing force corresponding to the function is maintained within a range by the user; and
the touch panel to vibrate in a second vibration pattern that is different from the first vibration pattern by controlling the vibration driver when the function is executed.
7. The electronic apparatus comprising a touch panel apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the vibration driver, in the first vibration pattern, vibrates the touch panel in such a way that an operation face side of the touch panel is elevated once, and, in the second vibration pattern, vibrates the touch panel in such a way that the operation face side of the touch panel is elevated for a plurality of times.
8. The electronic apparatus comprising a touch panel apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein, in a case in which the pressing force detected by the detector exceeds a maximum of the plurality of preset thresholds, the controller cancels execution of the plurality of functions.
9. The electronic apparatus comprising a touch panel apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein, in a case in which the pressing force detected by the detector exceeds a maximum of the plurality of preset thresholds, the controller cancels execution of the plurality of functions.
10. An electronic apparatus comprising a touch panel apparatus including: a display that displays a select-execute function key accepting selection and execution of a plurality of functions;
a touch panel that is disposed on a display face of the display and accepts an operation performed by a user through the select-execute function key;
a detector of pressing force that detects a pressing force applied to the touch panel in response to the operation performed by the user through the select-execute function key;
a vibration driver that vibrates the touch panel; and
a controller that changes a function to be selected by the operation of the select-execute function key according to the pressing force detected by the detector and a plurality of preset thresholds to which the plurality of functions is assigned, and that executes the function when a predetermined amount of time elapses, during which the pressing force corresponding to the function is maintained within a range by the user,
wherein, in a case in which the pressing force detected by the detector exceeds a maximum of the plurality of preset thresholds, the controller cancels execution of the plurality of functions.