JP6019000B2 - Character input device, character input program, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a character input device, a character input program, and an image forming apparatus.

  Touch panel devices having a touch panel function, such as smartphones and tablet PCs, are in widespread use. As such a touch panel device, not only a device corresponding to a so-called single touch operation but also a device corresponding to a multi-touch operation based on a plurality of touches has been proposed. When a multi-touch operation is applied, the coordinate position detected on the touch panel increases, and therefore, misalignment or erroneous detection of the coordinates detected as the contact position tends to occur depending on the detection accuracy of the device. For example, when the display object is enlarged or reduced by a pinch operation such as pinch-in or pinch-out, it is displayed at an unintended enlargement ratio, or when the display object is moved by a drag operation, it is not intended The display may move to the location.

  For this reason, a technique for improving user operability by improving an algorithm of gesture operation has been proposed. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a technique for improving the recognition rate of gesture operation intended by the user by detecting the positional relationship between the detected coordinates and the direction in which the detected coordinates have moved. Also, in Patent Document 2 below, the user enlarges to a standard size by dividing the enlargement / reduction step for each standard size, for enlargement / reduction when the paper size is fixed and the size is fixed. For example, a technique for improving the operability of the gesture operation when instructing enlargement or reduction is shown.

JP 2012-203440 A JP 2012-121179 A

  An erroneous input of an operation instruction in a touch panel device often depends on the detection accuracy of the device. For example, when the operator performs a drag operation or a pitch operation on the touch panel, it is necessary to sequentially detect the contact position as time elapses. Since the accuracy of detecting a contact position that moves continuously is insufficient, it may be impossible to accurately detect a drag operation or a pitch operation. The techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 can compensate for an operation error by a user, but cannot correct a deviation or a false detection due to device detection accuracy. For this reason, on an inexpensive touch panel device such as a pressure method, a gesture operation intended by the user is not detected, and there is a possibility that processing unintended by the user is performed.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problem, and can accurately recognize a gesture operation indicated by contact by an operator and reduce malfunction even in a device having low accuracy of detecting contact. Objective.

  A character input device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a display unit that displays an image, a contact detection unit that detects contact by an operator on the display screen of the display unit and a contact position thereof, and the contact detection unit. Based on the contact positions that are sequentially detected as time passes, the contact position is continuously detected as time passes by the operation detection unit that detects a gesture operation by an operator and the contact detection unit. When a contact position at a coordinate position that is not continuous with the detected final contact position is detected, another contact position is detected within a predetermined time after the non-continuous contact position is detected. Another contact position determination unit that determines whether or not the contact has been performed, and when the another contact position determination unit determines that the other contact position has been detected within the predetermined time, the other contact And a distance determination unit that determines which one of the non-continuous contact positions has a short distance to the final contact position, and the operation detection unit uses the distance determination unit to reach the final contact position. The gesture position is detected by recognizing the contact position determined to be shorter as the contact position following the final contact position.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a character input program that causes a computer to detect a contact by an operator on a display screen of a display unit and a contact detection unit that detects the contact position, and the contact detection unit to elapse time. When the contact position is continuously detected as time passes by the operation detection unit that detects a gesture operation by an operator based on each contact position that is sequentially detected along with the contact detection unit. If a contact position at a coordinate position that is not continuous with the detected final contact position is detected, has another contact position been detected within a predetermined time after the non-continuous contact position is detected? A separate contact position determination unit that determines whether or not the separate contact position determination unit determines that the separate contact position is detected within the predetermined time. The contact position and the non-continuous contact position are caused to function as a distance determination unit that determines whether the distance to the final contact position is short, and the operation detection unit is further connected to the distance determination unit. Thus, the contact position determined to have a shorter distance to the final contact position is recognized as a contact position following the final contact position, and the gesture operation is detected.

  For example, based on the contact on the display screen by the operator, when consecutive contact positions are detected one after another as time elapses, the position detected next to the last detected last contact position is There is a high possibility that the coordinate position is continuous to the final contact position or the vicinity position. According to the present invention, when the operator performs a pinch operation or a drag operation and the contact detection unit sequentially detects the contact positions that change with time, the detected last contact position continues. When a contact position at a coordinate position not detected is detected, if another contact position is detected within a predetermined time after the non-continuous contact position is detected, the non-continuous contact with the other contact position is detected. Of the positions, the contact position that is determined to have a shorter distance to the final contact position is recognized as a continuous contact position following the final contact position. For this reason, according to the present invention, even if the contact detection unit erroneously detects the contact position at a position not intended by the operator, it can accurately detect the gesture operation indicated by the original contact position based on the operation by the operator. Is possible. That is, according to the present invention, the operator can input an original gesture operation that the operator wants to input regardless of the performance and accuracy of the contact detection unit.

Further, a character input device according to another aspect of the present invention includes a display unit that displays an image, a contact by an operator on the display screen of the display unit, and a contact detection unit that detects a contact position thereof,
An operation detection unit that detects a gesture operation by an operator based on each contact position that is sequentially detected as time passes by the contact detection unit;
The operation detection unit is a contact position that has been detected so far at the same time as the final contact position when the contact detection unit sequentially detects the contact position as time passes. When a contact position at a non-continuous coordinate position is detected, the contact position at a continuous coordinate position is detected with a similar trajectory over time from either the final contact position or the non-continuous contact position. When it is determined that the contact position is detected continuously from both the final contact position and the non-continuous contact position, the midpoint of the contact position is recognized as the contact position subsequent to the final contact position. A gesture operation is detected .

  According to the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to accurately recognize a gesture operation indicated by contact by an operator and reduce malfunction even in a device with low accuracy for detecting contact.

It is a front sectional view showing the structure of an image forming apparatus provided with a character input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a functional block diagram schematically showing a main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a first embodiment of operation detection processing by the image forming apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen of a display part. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen of a display part. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen of a display part. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen of a display part. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of operation detection processing by the image forming apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen of a display part. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen of a display part. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a third embodiment of operation detection processing by the image forming apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen of a display part. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen of a display part.

  Hereinafter, a character input device, a character input program, and an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing a structure of an image forming apparatus including a character input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  An image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. The image forming apparatus 1 is configured to include an operation unit 47, an image forming unit 12, a fixing unit 13, a paper feeding unit 14, a document feeding unit 6, a document reading unit 5, and the like in an apparatus main body 11A.

  The operation unit 47 receives instructions such as an image forming operation execution instruction and a document reading operation execution instruction from the operator regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 1. The operation unit 47 includes a display unit 473 that displays operation guidance to the operator.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 performs a document reading operation, the document reading unit 5 optically processes a document fed by the document feeding unit 6 or a document placed on a contact glass (document placing glass) 161. Read and generate image data. Image data generated by the document reading unit 5 is stored in a built-in HDD or a network-connected computer.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 performs an image forming operation, the image data generated by the document reading operation, the image data received from a user terminal device such as a computer or a smartphone connected to a network, or stored in a built-in HDD. The image forming unit 12 forms a toner image on a recording sheet P as a recording medium fed from the sheet feeding unit 14 based on the image data and the like. The image forming units 12M, 12C, 12Y, and 12Bk of the image forming unit 12 include a photosensitive drum, a developing device 122 that supplies toner to the photosensitive drum, a toner cartridge (not shown) that stores toner, and a charging device. 123, an exposure device 124, and a primary transfer roller 126, respectively.

  The paper feed unit 14 includes a plurality of paper feed cassettes. The control unit (not shown) rotates the pickup roller 145 of the paper feed cassette in which the recording paper of the size specified by the instruction from the operator is rotated, so that the recording paper P stored in each paper feed cassette is loaded. It is conveyed toward the nip portion N.

  When performing color printing, the magenta image forming unit 12M, the cyan image forming unit 12C, the yellow image forming unit 12Y, and the black image forming unit 12Bk of the image forming unit 12 each receive image data. A toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 121 by charging, exposure, and development processes based on the image composed of each color component, and the toner image is driven by the primary transfer roller 126 by the driving roller 125a and the driven roller 125b. The image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 125 that is stretched around the belt.

  The intermediate transfer belt 125 is driven by a driving roller 125 a in a state where an image carrying surface on which a toner image is transferred is set on the outer peripheral surface thereof and in contact with the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 121. The intermediate transfer belt 125 travels endlessly between the driving roller 125a and the driven roller 125b while being synchronized with each photosensitive drum 121.

  The toner images of the respective colors transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 125 are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 125 with the transfer timing adjusted to become a color toner image. The secondary transfer roller 210 receives a color toner image formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 125 from the paper supply unit 14 at a nip N between the intermediate transfer belt 125 and the driving roller 125a as an opposing roller. The conveyance path 190 is transferred to the recording paper P that has been conveyed. Thereafter, the fixing unit 13 fixes the toner image on the recording paper P to the recording paper P by thermocompression bonding. The recording paper P on which the color image has been formed after completion of the fixing process is discharged to a discharge tray 151.

  Next, the electrical configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 10. The control unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM, a ROM, a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like, and controls overall operation of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The control unit 10 includes a document reading unit 5, an image processing unit 31, an image memory 32, a paper transport unit 411, an image forming unit 12, an operation unit 47, a facsimile communication unit 71, a network interface unit 91, an HDD (hard disk drive) 81, and the like. Connected with. The control unit 10 performs operation control of each of the connected mechanisms and transmits / receives a signal or data to / from each mechanism.

  The control unit 10 includes a control unit 100 that controls overall operation of the image forming apparatus 1 described above, and a display control unit 103 that controls display control of the display unit 473. The control unit 100 executes operation control for each function of the scanner function, the printer function, the copy function, and the facsimile function in accordance with a job execution instruction input from the user through the operation unit 47 or a personal computer connected via a network. It controls the drive and processing of each mechanism necessary for the operation.

  The document reading unit 5 includes a scanner unit 51 including the reading mechanism 163 having an image irradiation lamp 511 and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor 512. The document reading unit 5 irradiates the document with the image irradiation lamp 511 and receives the reflected light with the CCD sensor 512 to read the image from the document.

  The image processing unit 31 performs image processing on the image data of the image read by the document reading unit 5 as necessary. For example, the image processing unit 31 performs predetermined image processing in order to improve the quality after the image read by the document reading unit 5 is formed by the image forming unit 12.

  The image memory 32 stores image data read by the document reading unit 5.

  The paper transport unit 411 includes the pick-up roller 145 and the transport roller 192 shown in FIG. Transport.

  As described above, the image forming unit 12 includes the image forming units 12M, 12C, 12Y, and 12Bk, the intermediate transfer belt 125 stretched around the drive roller 125a, and the secondary transfer roller 210. Image data to be output by the image forming unit 12 is transmitted from image data read by the document reading unit 5, image data transmitted from a client computer or the like in the local area via the network interface unit 91, and the like. Image data.

  The operation unit 47 includes a touch panel unit 102 and operation key units that receive instructions from the user regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 1. The touch panel unit (contact detection unit) 102 is provided in a display portion of the display unit 473 provided in the operation unit 47, and detects contact by the operator on the display screen of the display unit 473 together with the contact position (coordinate position). When the touch panel unit 102 detects the contact by the operator, the touch panel unit 102 outputs a detection signal indicating the contact position to the operation detection unit 104 described later. The configuration of the touch panel unit 102 is not particularly limited. For example, a pressure type detection mechanism is used.

  The facsimile communication unit 71 includes an unillustrated encoding / decoding unit, modulation / demodulation unit, and NCU (Network Control Unit), and performs facsimile transmission using a public telephone network. For example, the facsimile communication unit 71 transmits image data of a document read by the document reading unit 5 to a facsimile device or the like via a telephone line, or receives image data transmitted from the facsimile device or the like.

  An HDD (image storage unit) 81 stores image data read by the document reading unit 5. The image data stored in the HDD 81 can be used for image formation by the image forming unit 12. The HDD 81 stores a character image to be displayed on the display unit 473.

  The network interface unit 91 includes a communication module such as a LAN board, and transmits / receives various data to / from a device (such as a personal computer) in the local area via the LAN connected to the network interface unit 91.

  The control unit 10 further includes an operation detection unit 104, another contact position determination unit 105, and a distance determination unit 106. The control unit 10 is operated by a CPU according to a character input program according to an embodiment of the present invention stored in a built-in memory or ROM, or HDD 81, so that an operation detection unit 104, another contact position determination unit 105, and a distance It functions as the determination unit 106. Alternatively, by providing a dedicated hardware circuit corresponding to the operation detection unit 104, the separate contact position determination unit 105, and the distance determination unit 106, the operation detection unit 104, the separate contact position determination unit 105, and the distance determination unit. It may function as 106.

  The operation detection unit 104 detects a gesture operation by the operator based on each contact position that is sequentially detected by the touch panel unit 102 over time. In the present embodiment, the operation detection unit 104, when contact on the display screen (touch panel) of the display unit 473 is detected by the touch panel unit 102, the operation detection unit 104 is based on the movement of the contact position over time for the contact. Whether the gesture operation by is dragging, pinching in, or pinching out, and further, the content indicated by the dragging, pinching in, or pinching out is detected.

  When the operator slides a finger on the display screen while one finger is in contact with the display screen of the display unit 473, the touch panel unit 102 operates a detection signal indicating each moving position as time passes. The data is output to the detection unit 104. The operation detection unit 104 detects that the operation by the operator is a drag operation when the detection signal from the touch panel unit 102 indicates a contact position that sequentially moves at successive coordinate positions. The detection method of the drag operation is not limited to this. A known technique can be used for detection of the drag operation.

  In addition, when the operator is in contact with a plurality of locations on the display screen, the touch panel unit 102 detects contact with each of the plurality of locations and sends a detection signal indicating the contact position to the operation detection unit 104 or the like. Output to. When the detection signal indicating the contact position is sent from the touch panel unit 102 at the same time for the plurality of contacts, the operation detection unit 104 determines the direction in which the plurality of contacts move on the display screen. The operation detection unit 104 detects, for example, (1) pinch-in when the movement direction of the contact position (coordinate position) indicating two contacts moves toward each other, and (2) the contact position indicating two contacts ( When the movement direction of the coordinate position moves away from each other, it is detected as a pinch out. In addition, the detection method of pinch in and pinch out is not restricted to this. A known technique can be used to detect the pinch-in and pinch-out.

  The separate contact position determination unit 105 performs coordinate positions that are not continuous with the detected final contact position when the touch panel unit 102 sequentially detects contact positions that change over time as described above. When the contact position is detected, it is determined whether another contact position is detected within a predetermined time after the non-continuous contact position is detected. In addition, the separate contact position determination part 105 also performs the process shown in each embodiment mentioned later.

  The distance determination unit 106 detects the other contact position and the touch panel unit 102 when the other contact position determination unit 105 determines that the other contact position is detected within the predetermined time. It is determined which of the non-continuous contact positions has a short distance to the final contact position detected by the touch panel unit 102.

  When the distance determination unit 106 determines that one of the other contact position and the non-continuous contact position has a short distance to the final contact position, the operation detection unit 104 determines the final contact position. The operation position is determined by recognizing the contact position determined to have a shorter distance as the continuous contact position following the final contact position.

  The distance determination unit 106 also performs processing shown in each embodiment described later.

  A character input device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes, for example, the display unit 473, the touch panel unit (contact detection unit) 102, the operation detection unit 104, another contact position determination unit 105, and a distance determination unit 106. .

  Next, a first embodiment of operation detection processing by the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a first embodiment of the operation detection process performed by the image forming apparatus 1. 4 to 7 are diagrams showing examples of display screens of the display unit 473. FIG.

  When an operator inputs an operation instruction to the image forming apparatus 1, when the operator touches and slides on the display screen (touch panel) of the display unit 473, the touch panel unit 102 moves along with the movement. A detection signal indicating each contact position is output to the operation detection unit 104. When the operation detection unit 104 is in a state of continuously receiving a predetermined number of predetermined contact positions that are continuous coordinate positions based on the detection signal (YES in S1), the separate contact position determination unit 105 Determines whether the contact position newly acquired from the touch panel unit 102 is a coordinate position continuous with the last contact position detected by the touch panel unit 102 (S2).

  When the separate contact position determination unit 105 determines that the newly acquired contact position is a coordinate position continuous with the final contact position (YES in S2), the operation detection unit 104 determines that the contact position is Based on this, a gesture operation by the operator is detected (S6).

  On the other hand, when the separate contact position determination unit 105 determines in S2 that the newly acquired contact position is a coordinate position that is not continuous with the final contact position (NO in S2), the separate contact position determination unit 105 further It waits for a predetermined time until the next contact position is output from the touch panel unit 102 (S3). That is, the operation detection unit 104 does not immediately determine that the input of the contact position based on the slide operation by the operator is finished even if the contact position that becomes the continuous coordinate position is not detected continuously. If S1 is NO, the process returns to S1.

  Here, when the separate contact position determination unit 105 determines that another new contact position has been detected within the predetermined time (YES in S4), the distance determination unit 106 determines that the new separate contact position is determined. It is determined which of the contact position and the non-continuous contact position detected by the touch panel unit 102 has a short distance to the final contact position detected by the touch panel unit 102 (S5).

The operation detection unit 104 determines the contact position that has been determined by the distance determination unit 106 that the distance to the final contact position is short among the new another contact position and the non-continuous contact position as the final contact position. Is recognized as a contact position subsequent to the contact position, and a gesture operation by the operator is detected (S6).

  In addition, when the separate contact position determination unit 105 determines that a new separate contact position has not been detected within the predetermined time (NO in S4), the information indicated by each contact position up to this point is displayed. Based on this, a gesture operation by the operator is detected.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when the operator performs a drag operation on the display screen of the display unit 473 and the touch position is sequentially detected by the touch panel unit 102 over time. When a contact position is detected at a coordinate position away from the detected contact position group, according to the conventional technique, it is determined that the drag operation has been completed at this point. The unit 104 does not immediately determine that the drag operation has ended at this point. As shown in FIG. 5, when a contact position closer to the final contact position in the contact position group than the contact position of the distant coordinate position is detected within a predetermined time period, the operation is detected. It is assumed that the unit 104 continues the drag operation without ending it.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, when the operator is performing a pinch-out operation on the display screen of the display unit 473 and the touch position is sequentially detected by the touch panel unit 102 over time. In addition, when a contact position is detected at a coordinate position away from the detected contact position group, according to the prior art, it is determined that the pinch-out operation has been completed at this point. The operation detection unit 104 does not immediately determine that the pinch-out operation has been completed at this time. As shown in an example in FIG. 7, when a contact position closer to the final contact position in the contact position group than the contact position of the distant coordinate position is detected within a predetermined time, an operation detection is performed. The unit 104 assumes that the pinch-out operation has not been completed and continues.

  For example, when contact positions of consecutive coordinate positions are detected one after another based on the touch on the display screen by the operator, it is detected next to the last detected last contact position. It is highly possible that the position is a coordinate position continuous to the final contact position or a position in the vicinity. According to the first embodiment, even if the touch panel unit 102 erroneously detects the contact position at a position not intended by the operator, whether the operation by the operator is a drag operation or a pinch operation, and the drag operation or the pinch is performed. It becomes possible to accurately detect the contents of the operation. That is, according to the first embodiment, the operator can input an original operation instruction that the operator wants to input regardless of the performance and accuracy of the contact detection unit. Thereby, even if it is an apparatus with the low precision which detects a contact, it becomes possible to recognize the gesture operation which the contact by an operator shows correctly, and to reduce a malfunction.

  Next, a second embodiment of operation detection processing by the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of the operation detection process performed by the image forming apparatus 1. 9 and 10 are diagrams illustrating an example of a display screen of the display unit 473. FIG.

  When an operator inputs an operation instruction to the image forming apparatus 1, when the operator touches and slides on the display screen (touch panel) of the display unit 473, the touch panel unit 102 moves along with the movement. A detection signal indicating each contact position is output to the operation detection unit 104. When the operation detection unit 104 is in a state of sequentially receiving a predetermined number of predetermined contact positions that are continuous coordinate positions based on the detection signal (YES in S11), the operation detection unit 104 is a touch panel unit. At the same time as the final contact position detected by 102, it is determined whether or not a contact position at a coordinate position that is not continuous with the contact position detected so far has been detected (S12).

  Here, when the operation detection unit 104 determines that the contact position of the discontinuous coordinate position has been detected (YES in S12), based on the detection signal from the touch panel unit 102, the final contact position and the discontinuity are not detected. From any of the contact positions, the contact positions of successive coordinate positions are sequentially detected as time passes, and it is determined whether the trajectories formed by the sequentially detected contact positions are the same (S13). If NO in S11 and NO in S12, the process returns to S1.

  When the operation detection unit 104 determines that the trajectory formed by the contact positions sequentially detected subsequent to the final contact position and the non-continuous contact position is the same (YES in S13), the operation detection unit 104 The midpoint between the contact positions sequentially detected after the non-continuous contact positions is recognized as the contact position following the final contact position, and the gesture operation by the operator is detected (S14, S15).

  On the other hand, when the operation detection unit 104 determines that the trajectory formed by the contact positions sequentially detected after the final contact position and the non-continuous contact position is not the same (NO in S13), the final contact position is determined. Subsequently, the gesture operation by the operator is detected using the detected contact position (S16, S15).

  For example, when a person with a thick finger performs a touch panel operation, if the pressure type touch panel is used, even if the drag operation is performed by touching the display screen with one finger, the contact position at two points is detected. There is. In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, the touch position is detected by the touch panel unit 102 at a coordinate position apart from the final contact position together with the final contact position. At this time, when the operator continues the drag operation, as shown by a solid line in FIG. 10, the contact position continues to both the final contact position and another contact position at a coordinate position apart from the final contact position. The touch panel unit 102 sequentially detects them. According to the present embodiment, since the contact position serving as the midpoint is recognized as a contact position detected subsequent to the final contact position, and a gesture operation by the operator is detected, a drag operation such as a person with a thick finger is performed. Even if two contact positions are detected at the same time based on the above, the gesture operation by the operator can be detected based on the contact position to be input by the operator with the finger.

  Next, a third embodiment of operation detection processing by the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a third embodiment of the operation detection process performed by the image forming apparatus 1. 12 to 13 are diagrams showing examples of display screens of the display unit 473. FIG.

  When an operator inputs an operation instruction to the image forming apparatus 1, when the operator touches and slides on the display screen (touch panel) of the display unit 473, the touch panel unit 102 moves along with the movement. A detection signal indicating each contact position is output to the operation detection unit 104. When the operation detection unit 104 is in a state of sequentially receiving a predetermined number of contact positions, which are consecutive coordinate positions, in accordance with the detection signal (YES in S21), the operation detection unit 104 indicates the new contact position. When the state is not received (NO in S22), the separate contact position determination unit 105 waits for a predetermined time until the next contact position is output from the touch panel unit 102 (S23). At this time, the operation detection unit 104 does not immediately determine that the input of the contact position based on the slide operation by the operator has ended even if the contact position that is a continuous coordinate position is not detected continuously. If NO in S21 and YES in S22, the process returns to S1.

Here, if another contact position determination unit 105 determines that another touch position within said predetermined time is detected (YES in S24), the distance determination unit 106, the contact position of those said another is, the touch panel It is determined from the final contact position detected by the unit 102 whether or not it is within a predetermined distance (S25).

  When the distance determination unit 106 determines that the other contact position is within the predetermined distance (YES in S25), the operation detection unit 104 determines the other contact position as the final contact position. Next, it is recognized as a contact position, and a gesture operation by the operator is detected (S26).

  On the other hand, when NO in S24 and when the distance determination unit 106 determines that the other contact position is not within the predetermined distance (NO in S25), the operation detection unit 104 determines that the final detection position Based on the contact positions obtained up to the contact position, the gesture operation by the operator is detected (S27).

  An example of the second separate contact position determination unit and the second distance determination unit in the claims is the separate contact position determination unit 105 and the distance determination unit 106 in the third embodiment. However, even if the second separate contact position determination unit and the second distance determination unit are provided separately from the separate contact position determination unit 105 and the distance determination unit 106, they are included in the present invention.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 12, when the operator is performing a pinch operation on the display screen of the display unit 473, it is impossible to detect the contact position at successive coordinate positions due to the accuracy of the pressure-type touch panel. Even in this case, as shown in FIG. 13, the new contact position detected within the predetermined time is within a predetermined distance from the finally detected contact position, for example, When the coordinate positions are close to each other, the operation detection unit 104 assumes that the pinch operation has not been completed and continues.

  As a result, even if there is a location where it is impossible to detect the contact position at successive coordinate positions due to the accuracy of the pressure-type touch panel, it is based on the contact position that should have been originally detected by the slide operation by the operator. Thus, the gesture operation by the operator can be detected.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the above, and may be a copier, a facsimile apparatus, a scanner apparatus, or the like. The character input device according to the present invention can be widely applied not only to image forming apparatuses but also to other electronic devices, medical devices, mobile communication terminals, and the like.

  Note that the configurations and processes shown in the above embodiments using FIGS. 1 to 13 are only one embodiment of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention to the configurations and processes.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 12 Image forming part 100 Control part 102 Touch panel part 103 Display control part 104 Operation detection part 105 Separate contact position determination part 106 Distance determination part 473 Display part

Claims (5)

A display for displaying an image;
A contact detection unit for detecting contact by an operator on the display screen of the display unit and a contact position thereof;
An operation detection unit that detects a gesture operation by an operator based on each contact position that is sequentially detected as time passes by the contact detection unit;
When the contact detection unit detects the contact position of the coordinate position that is not continuous to the final contact position detected when the contact position is continuously detected as time elapses, the continuous Another contact position determination unit that determines whether another contact position is detected within a predetermined time after the contact position that is not detected is detected;
When it is determined by the separate contact position determination unit that the separate contact position has been detected within the predetermined time, either the separate contact position or the non-continuous contact position is the final contact. A distance determination unit that determines whether the distance to the position is short,
The operation detection unit detects the gesture operation by recognizing a contact position determined by the distance determination unit as having a short distance to the final contact position as a contact position following the final contact position. Character input device. A display for displaying an image;
A contact detection unit for detecting contact by an operator on the display screen of the display unit and a contact position thereof;
An operation detection unit that detects a gesture operation by an operator based on each contact position that is sequentially detected as time passes by the contact detection unit;
The operation detection unit is a contact position that has been detected so far at the same time as the final contact position when the contact detection unit sequentially detects the contact position as time passes. When a contact position at a non-continuous coordinate position is detected, the contact position at a continuous coordinate position is detected with a similar trajectory over time from either the final contact position or the non-continuous contact position. When it is determined that the contact position is detected continuously from both the final contact position and the non-continuous contact position, the midpoint of the contact position is recognized as the contact position subsequent to the final contact position. A character input device that detects gesture operations . The operation detection unit, the contact detection unit the gesture operation indicated by the movement of the contact position due to the time detected by the claim 1 or claim detects whether indicates which pinch operation or drag operation 2 The character input device described in 1. A character input device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium. Computer
A contact detection unit for detecting contact by an operator on the display screen of the display unit and a contact position thereof;
An operation detection unit that detects a gesture operation by an operator based on each contact position that is sequentially detected as time passes by the contact detection unit;
When the contact detection unit detects the contact position of the coordinate position that is not continuous to the final contact position detected when the contact position is continuously detected as time elapses, the continuous Another contact position determination unit that determines whether another contact position is detected within a predetermined time after the contact position that is not detected is detected;
When it is determined by the separate contact position determination unit that the separate contact position has been detected within the predetermined time, either the separate contact position or the non-continuous contact position is the final contact. Function as a distance determination unit that determines whether the distance to the position is short, and further, the computer
The operation detection unit detects the gesture operation by recognizing a contact position determined by the distance determination unit as having a short distance to the final contact position as a contact position following the final contact position. Character input program to make it work.