# US 2015/0177907 A1 · Electronic apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2015/0177907 A1 - Document ID: US20150177907A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/414,785 - Filed: 2013-07-02 - Published: 2015-06-25 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-27 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America - Inventors: Tomoki Takano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150177907A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text - G06F 3/04886: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus - G06F 2203/04101: 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A control unit causes a first display and a first vibration when a finger has continued to exist in a first X-Y region of a touch panel and a first Z region for a prescribed time. When the finger being in a second X-Y region of the touch panel enters a second Z region from the first Z region, the control unit activates a prescribed function and causes a second display and a second vibration. When the finger being in the second X-Y region enters the second Z region before the finger continues to exist in the first Z region for the prescribed time, the control unit causes only a third display and a third vibration without activating the prescribed function. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic apparatus comprising: a display unit; and a touch panel which is placed on the display unit and can detect a distance between an instruction body and the touch panel, wherein a prescribed function corresponding to a first region and/or a second region of the touch panel is activated when the distance of the instruction body being in the second region becomes shorter than or equal to a second distance which is shorter than a first distance after a state that the instruction body exists in the first region and the distance is shorter than or equal to the first distance and longer than the second distance has lasted for a prescribed time or more; and wherein the prescribed function is not activated and the display unit makes at least a display to an effect that input has failed when the distance of the instruction body being in the second region becomes shorter than or equal to the second distance before the state that the instruction body exists in the first region and the distance is shorter than or equal to the first distance and longer than the second distance lasts for the prescribed time or more. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display of the display unit is changed when the prescribed function is activated. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the first region coincides with the second region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first region includes the second region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first region and the second region coincide with each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first region and/or the second region corresponds to an icon that is displayed on the display unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second distance is equal to zero. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit makes a prescribed display when the distance of the instruction body being in the second region becomes shorter than or equal to the second distance after the state that the instruction body exists in the first region and the distance is shorter than or equal to the first distance and longer than the second distance has lasted for the prescribed time or more. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit makes a first display when the state that the instruction body exists in the first region and the distance is shorter than or equal to the first distance and longer than the second distance has lasted for the prescribed time or more; and wherein the display unit makes a second display when thereafter the distance of the instruction body being in the second region becomes shorter than or equal to the second distance. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the display unit makes a third display when the distance of the instruction body being in the second region becomes shorter than or equal to the second distance before the state that the instruction body exists in the first region and the distance is shorter than or equal to the first distance and longer than the second distance lasts for the prescribed time or more. ### Claim 11 (canceled) ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration unit, wherein the vibration unit makes a prescribed vibration when the distance of the instruction body being in the second region becomes shorter than or equal to the second distance after the state that the instruction body exists in the first region and the distance is shorter than or equal to the first distance and longer than the second distance has lasted for the prescribed time or more. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration unit, wherein the vibration unit makes a first vibration when the state that the instruction body exists in the first region and the distance is shorter than or equal to the first distance and longer than the second distance has lasted for the prescribed time or more; and wherein the vibration unit makes a second vibration when thereafter the distance of the instruction body being in the second region becomes shorter than or equal to the second distance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The electronic apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first vibration and the second vibration are the same vibration. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration unit, wherein the vibration unit makes a third vibration when the distance of the instruction body being in the second region becomes shorter than or equal to the second distance before the state that the instruction body exists in the first region and the distance is shorter than or equal to the first distance and longer than the second distance lasts for the prescribed time or more. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the third vibration is the same as the first vibration and/or the second vibration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the vibration unit is at least one of a speaker, a buzzer, a vibrator, and a piezoelectric device. ### Claim 18 An operation control method which can be used in an electronic apparatus having a display unit and a touch panel which is placed on the display unit and can detect a distance between an instruction body and the touch panel, wherein: a prescribed function corresponding to a first region and/or a second region of the touch panel is activated when the distance of the instruction body being in the second region becomes shorter than or equal to a second distance which is shorter than a first distance after a state that the instruction body exists in the first region and the distance is shorter than or equal to the first distance and longer than the second distance has lasted for a prescribed time or more; and the prescribed function is not activated and at least a display to an effect that input has failed is made by the display unit when the distance of the instruction body being in the second region becomes shorter than or equal to the second distance before the state that the instruction body exists in the first region and the distance is shorter than or equal to the first distance and longer than the second distance lasts for the prescribed time or more.