Touch Screen Input Method and Device

Abstract

A touch panel is constructed by a display/sensor unit which is slightly larger than a display screen of an LCD and a sensor unit which is projected to the outside from one side, for example, from one side on the right. A finger of the user is touched to a selection item such as desired button, icon, or the like on the display/sensor unit and vertically moved on the sensor unit. A selection display constructed by a plurality of buttons is displayed along the side of the display screen by the LCD. A button beside the finger is highlighted. When the finger is released, the highlighted button is selected. If there are no buttons adjacent to the finger, the button is not highlighted. Even if the finger is released, the state is not changed. When finger is moved to the display/sensor unit, the selection display disappears.

1 . A display system comprising:
 a first display device having a display panel for displaying images output by a first network processing unit;   a second display device having a display panel for displaying images output by a second network processing unit; and   a controller,   wherein the controller controls display on each said first and second display devices,   wherein said controller receives an instruction from a user to perform one of:
 a first process to display a first image, output by the first network processing unit and displayed on the first display device, onto said second display device, 
 a second process to display a second image, output by the second network processing unit and displayed on said second display device, onto said first display device, and 
 a third process to exchange images output by the first and second network processing units on said second and first display devices respectively. 
   
     
     
         2 . The display system according to  claim 1 , wherein the instruction, according to a touching position of a finger or a touch pen, is given onto said second display device. 
     
     
         3 . The display system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first process, said second process, and said third process each correspond to a button displayed on said second display device,
 wherein each process is performed based on the user's instruction.   
     
     
         4 . The display system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first process, said second process, and said third process each correspond to a movement of a finger or a touch pen on the second display device, and wherein each process is performed based on the user's touch and movement. 
     
     
         5 . The display system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first process, said second process, and said third process each correspond to a touch instruction according to a touching position of a finger or a touch pen onto said second display device, and wherein each process is performed based on the user's touch instruction. 
     
     
         6 . The display system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second network processing units receive analog signals. 
     
     
         7 . A controller comprising:
 a communication section to communicate with (a) a first display device which receives an input from a first network processing unit and (b) a second display device which receives an input from a second network processing unit,   the controller in response to an instruction selects one of:   sending a first image signal from the first network processing unit of the first display device to the second display device;   sending a second image signal from the second network processing unit of the second display device to the first display device, and   exchanging image signals from the first and second network processing units between the first and second display devices.   
     
     
         8 . The controller according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller receives image data from one or more external connections. 
     
     
         9 . The controller according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller receives image data from an internet source. 
     
     
         10 . The controller according to  claim 7 , wherein the inputs from the first and second network processing units are analog inputs. 
     
     
         11 . An information process apparatus, comprising:
 a display section,   a sensor section on the display section that accepts user instructions according to a touching position of a finger or a pen onto said sensor section,   an image controlling section that generates control signals according to the instructions from the user, and   a communication section that sends to a first network processing unit, receiving an image signal which is displayed on said display section, when a first instruction from a user is received, an instruction to display the image signal on an external device,   wherein said image controlling section generates a control signal to display an image, from a second network processing unit, which is displayed on the external device onto said display section based on a second instruction from the user.   
     
     
         12 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said image controlling section generates a control signal to exchange image signals from the first and second network processing units between the image displayed on said display section and an image displayed on the external device, based on a third instruction from said user. 
     
     
         13 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said sensor section accepts said first instruction when a finger or pen moves in a first direction on said display section, and accepts said second instruction when the finger or pen moves in a second direction on said display section, wherein said first direction and second direction are in opposite directions to each other. 
     
     
         14 . The information process apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the first and second network processing units are analog units.