# US 10,120,485 B2 · Electronic device and operation input program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,485 B2 - Document ID: US10120485B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/095,555 - Filed: 2016-04-11 - Published: 2016-08-04 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-25 - Assignees: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hidekazu Kano; Hiroaki Kitada; Takafumi Inoue - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120485B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0416: {Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers} - G06F 3/0445: {using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer} - G06F 3/0487: using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser - G06F 2203/04102: Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper - G06F 2203/04105: Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position - H04M 1/0206: {Portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts, e.g. hinged housings} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract An electronic device that provides a number of function modes and operates by selecting one of the function modes. The device includes an audio output unit and a wireless communication unit that execute functions for the function modes. Moreover, a deformation detecting unit that detects deformation of an exterior housing by an external force and a storage unit that stores a correspondence between a deformation pattern and a response operation registered per function mode. The device also includes an operation determining unit that detects the deformation pattern based on the deformation and a control executing unit that reads a response operation of a current function mode associated with the deformation pattern and controls operation states of the audio output unit and the wireless communication unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device configured to operate in a plurality of function modes, the electronic device comprising: a function unit configured to execute a function corresponding to a selected function mode; an exterior housing that deforms upon receiving an external force; a touch sensor for detecting a touch operation applied to the exterior housing and generating a touch output signal as a function thereof; a deformation sensor for detecting a deformation of the exterior housing and generating a deformation output signal as a function thereof; a storage unit that stores a correspondence relationship between deformation patterns of the exterior housing indicated by the deformation output signal and respective response operations; and a controller configured to: control operation of the electronic device as a function of the touch output and deformation output signals; disable the touch sensor when the deformation sensor is enabled and disable the deformation sensor when the touch sensor is enabled; identify a deformation pattern stored in the storage unit based on the detected deformation of the exterior housing as indicated by the deformation output signal, determine the response operation corresponding to the identified deformation pattern and the selected function mode, and control an operation state of the function unit based on the determined response operation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the deformation sensor to enter an activation state from a pause state when the function unit enters a predetermined operation state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the touch sensor comprises a capacitive sensor and integrated circuit configured to detect a touch operation of a user on an operation surface of the exterior housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to control the deformation sensor to enter the activation state from the pause state when the touch sensor enters a pause state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the touch sensor is configured to enter the pause state after a period of time passes after detecting the touch operation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein: the plurality of function modes includes a communication control mode; the function unit includes a wireless communication unit configured to communicate wirelessly in the communication control mode; and the controller is configured to control the deformation sensor to enter the activation state from the pause state when the wireless communication unit receives a wireless signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the deformation sensor includes a piezoelectric film that deforms in response to a pressing force applied to the exterior housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the piezoelectric film comprises a chiral polymer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to any one of claim 1, wherein the exterior housing has a rectangular flat shape and the deformation sensor detects deformation of each of opposing outer surfaces of the exterior housing. ### Claim 10 A non-transitory memory storing an operation input program to be executed by an electronic device that comprises: a function unit configured to execute a function corresponding to a function mode selected from a plurality of function modes; an exterior housing that deforms upon application of an external force; a touch sensor for detecting a touch operation applied to the exterior housing and generating a touch output signal as a function thereof; a deformation sensor for detecting a deformation of the exterior housing and generating a deformation outputs signal as a function thereof; and a storage unit that stores a correspondence relationship between deformation patterns of the exterior housing indicated by the deformation output signal and respective response operations, wherein the operation input program, when executed by a processor of the electronic device, is configured to: control operation of the electronic device as a function of the touch output and deformation output signals; disable the touch sensor when the deformation sense is enabled and disable the deformation sensor when the touch sensor is enabled; identify a deformation pattern stored in the storage unit based on the detected deformation of the exterior housing as indicated by the deformation output signal, determine the response operation corresponding to the identified deformation pattern and the selected function mode, and control an operation state of the function unit based on the determined response operation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The operation input program according to claim 10, wherein the operation input program, when executed by the processor of the electronic device, is further configured to control the deformation sensor to enter an activation state from a pause state when the function unit enters a predetermined operation state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The operation input program according to claim 11, wherein the touch sensor comprises a capacitive sensor and integrated circuit configured to detect a touch operation of a user on an operation surface of the exterior housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The operation input program according to claim 12, wherein the operation input program, when executed by the processor of the electronic device, is further configured to control the deformation sensor to enter the activation state from the pause state when the touch sensor enters a pause state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The operation input program according to claim 13, wherein the operation input program, when executed by the processor of the electronic device, is further configured to control the touch sensor to enter the pause state after a period of time passes after detecting the touch operation. ### Claim 15 A method for controlling a functional unit of an electronic device that is configured to execute a function corresponding to a selected function mode of a plurality of function modes, the method comprising: using a touch sensor to detect a touch operation applied to the exterior housing and generate a touch output signal as a function thereof; using a deformation sensor to detect a deformation of an exterior housing of the electronic device and generating a deformation output signal as a function thereof; storing a correspondence relationship between deformation patterns of the exterior housing as indicated by the deformation output signal and respective response operations; using a controller to: control operation of the electronic device as a function of the touch output and deformation output signals; disable the touch sensor when the deformation sensor is enabled and disable the deformation sensor when the touch sensor is enabled; identify a deformation pattern stored based on the detected deformation of the exterior housing as indicated by the deformation output signal; determine the response operation corresponding to the identified deformation pattern and the selected function mode; and control an operation state of the function unit based on the determined response operation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, further comprising using the controller to control the deformation sensor to enter an activation state from a pause state when the function unit enters a predetermined operation state. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, further comprising using the touch detector to detect a touch operation of a user on an operation surface of the exterior housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, further comprising using the controller to control the deformation sensor to enter the activation state from the pause state when the touch detector enters a pause state. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, further comprising using the controller to cause the touch sensor to enter the pause state after a period of time passes after detecting the touch operation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of function modes includes a communication control mode and the function unit includes a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate in the communication control mode, the method further comprising using the controller to control the deformation sensor to enter the activation state from the pause state when the wireless communication unit receives a wireless signal.