Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program

An information processing method variably setting virtual buttons to an operation surface and operating the virtual buttons, comprising the steps of:

• detecting whether a user touches the operation surface of the operation input unit;
• detecting a position at which the user touches the operation surface of the operation input unit;
• detecting pressure applied by the user touching the operation surface of the operation input unit;
• interpreting, when the user touches the operation surface of the operation input unit in the position detecting step, a virtual button corresponding to the detected position as a selected virtual button, and correcting, when the pressure applied by the user touching the operation surface of the operation input unit in the pressure detecting step is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, a layout of the virtual buttons such that a size of the selected virtual button is enlarged according to intensity of the detected pressure;
• detecting a direction in which the position at which the user touches the operation surface is deviated from a center of the virtual button;
• and
• expanding the size of the selected virtual button in the detected direction of deviation.

A computer program installed on a computer to execute processing to an input device provided with an operation surface, a position detection unit detecting whether the user touches the operation surface of the operation input unit and detecting a position at which the user touches the operation surface of the operation input unit with a finger, and a pressure applied by the user touching the operation surface of the operation input unit, the processing comprising the steps of:

• setting virtual buttons to the operation surface in a predetermined layout;
• interpreting, when the position detection unit detects whether the user touches the operation surface of the operation input unit, a virtual button corresponding to the position at which the user touches the operation surface of the operation input unit in the position detection unit as a selected virtual button;
• correcting, when pressure is detected in the pressure detection unit and the detected pressure is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, the layout of the virtual buttons such that a size of the selected virtual button is enlarged according to intensity of the detected pressure;
• detecting a direction in which the position at which the user touches the operation surface is deviated from a center of the virtual button;
• and
• expanding the size of the selected virtual button in the detected direction of deviation;
• and
• setting the virtual buttons to the operation surface according to the corrected layout.