# US 9,436,383 B2 · Operating device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,383 B2 - Document ID: US9436383B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/409,892 - Filed: 2012-12-25 - Published: 2015-08-13 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-06-26 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho; SMK Corporation - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho; Smk Corporation - Inventors: Takao Imai; Hiroaki Fukuoka; Osamu Yoshikawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436383B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes} - G06F 3/0418: {for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment} - G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text - 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 2203/04808: Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Provided is an operating device that suppresses differences in operational feeling resulting from the amount of sensitivity of a detection subject. The operating device (1) includes a touch panel (2) that outputs a first capacitance in accordance with the distance between a finger and an operation surface (20), a determination unit (3) that determines contact to the operation surface (20) by the finger by comparing the first capacitance acquired from the touch panel (2) and a pre-set first threshold (30), a discrimination unit (4) that, after contact has been determined by the determination unit (3), discriminates on the basis of the first capacitance the amount of sensitivity of the finger contributing to the capacitance detected by the touch panel (2), an alteration unit (5) that alters the first threshold (30) to a second threshold (51) on the basis of the amount of sensitivity of the finger discriminated by the discrimination unit (4), and a control unit (6) that detects an operation by the finger by comparing a second capacitance acquired by the touch panel (2) to the second threshold (51) acquired from the alteration unit (5). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operating device, comprising: a detecting portion formed from a touch panel having an operation surface that outputs a first detection value in accordance with a distance between a detection object and the operation surface; a determination circuit that determines contact to the operation surface by the detection object by comparing the first detection value acquired from the detecting portion and a pre-set first threshold; a discrimination circuit that, after contact has been determined by the determination circuit, discriminates on the basis of the first detection value the amount of sensitivity of the detection object contributing to the detection value detected by the detecting portion; an alteration circuit that alters the first threshold to a second threshold on the basis of the amount of sensitivity of the detection object discriminated by the discrimination circuit; and an control unit that detects an operation by the detection object by comparing a second detection value acquired from the detecting portion to the second threshold acquired from the alteration circuit, wherein different areas of the operating surface of the touch panel are contacted with detection objects having different contact areas; wherein the discrimination circuit associates the different contact areas of the detection objects on the operation surface of the touch panel with different distances between the detection objects and the touch panel that result in the outputting of the first detection values, and wherein the alteration circuit alters the first threshold to a second threshold such that the different distances become a substantially same distance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The operating device according to claim 1, wherein the discrimination circuit comprises a table for associating a contact area of the detection object on the operation surface of the touch panel calculated on the basis of the first detection value with the amount of sensitivity of the detection object, and discriminates the amount of sensitivity of the detection object on the basis of the contact area and the table. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The operating device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates coordinates based on contact or approach of the detection object when a second detection value is not less than the second threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The operating device according to claim 2, wherein, in the discrimination circuit, an average value of contact area during detection of contact of the detection object conducted by the detecting portion is defined as the contact area of the detection object on the operation surface of the touch panel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The operating device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit calculates coordinates based on contact or approach of the detection object when a second detection value is not less than the second threshold.