Apparatus and method for manipulating a touch-sensitive display panel

Abstract

The present invention enables to easily perform a graphic processing even when a touch panel is used. When a resistance film unit is pressed with a pen or a finger, output voltages associated with the X coordinate and the Y coordinate position are changed and these output voltages are transmitted as the X coordinate data and the Y coordinate data to a touch panel driver. According to the output from the resistance film unit, the touch panel driver generates an event for supply to a GUI handler. The touch panel driver includes a two-point specification detector which detects two point specifications and causes to calculate coordinates of the two points. The GUI handler generates a message corresponding to the GUI according to the event and supplies the message to an application. The GUI handler includes a processing mode modification block which differently interprets the event when a single point is specified and when two points are specified, thereby modifying the graphic processing mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A coordinate position input apparatus comprising: a touch panel for outputting a coordinate data of a middle point when two points are simultaneously touched; storage means for retaining coordinate position of the two points detected previously; detection means for detecting a coordinate position of a current middle point; and calculation means for calculating a coordinate of one of the two touch points assumed to be a moving point by subtracting a coordinate position of a previous fixed point from a current middle point coordinate multiplied by  2 . 
     
     
       2. The coordinate input apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein when a second point is touched while a first point is touched, the touch point of the second point is calculated according to a current middle point coordinate position and a previous first point touch position coordinate position. 
     
     
       3. A hand-held portable computer comprising:
 a touch-sensitive display panel; and   a processing apparatus, coupled to the touch-sensitive display panel, wherein the processing apparatus:
 (a) executes a graphical processing application; 
 (b) determines a threshold movement distance value; 
 (c) detects a first point contacted on a surface of the touch-sensitive display panel, wherein the first point corresponds to a graphic object; 
 (d) determines a value of a movement distance of the first point contacted; 
 (e) if the determined value of the movement distance of the first point contacted is less than the threshold movement distance value, executes a first processing mode in the graphical processing application, said first processing mode being executed independent of any detection of any additional point contacted on the surface of the touch-sensitive display; 
 (f) if the determined value of the movement distance of the first point contacted exceeds the threshold movement distance value, determines that a second point is contacted on the surface of the touch-sensitive display panel in addition to the contacted first point, wherein the second point corresponds to the graphic object; and 
 (g) in response to the determination that the second point is contacted in addition to the contacted first point, executes a second, different processing mode in the graphical processing application. 
   
     
     
       4. The hand-held portable computer of claim 3, wherein the first and second processing modes perform at least one of enlargement, reduction, and rotation. 
     
     
       5. A hand-held portable computer comprising:
 a touch-sensitive display panel; and   a processing apparatus, coupled to the touch-sensitive display panel, wherein the processing apparatus:
 (a) executes a graphical processing application; 
 (b) communicates with the touch-sensitive display panel to display a plurality of selection items and a graphic object on the touch panel; 
 (c) determines a threshold movement distance value; 
 (d) detects a first point contacted on a surface of the touch-sensitive display panel that corresponds to one of the plurality of selection items; 
 (e) determines a value of a movement distance of the first point contacted; 
 (f) if the determined value of the movement distance of the first point contacted is less than the threshold movement distance value, executes a first processing mode in the graphical processing application; 
 (g) if the determined value of the movement distance of the first point contacted exceeds the threshold movement distance value, determines that a second point is contacted on the surface of the display panel in addition to the contacted first point, wherein the second point corresponds to a graphic object; and 
 (h) in response to the determination that the second point is contacted in addition to the contacted first point, executes a second, different processing mode in the graphical processing application. 
   
     
     
       6. A hand-held portable information processing apparatus, comprising:
 a touch-sensitive display panel; and   a processing apparatus, coupled to the touch-sensitive display panel, wherein the processing apparatus
 (a) executes a graphical processing application; 
 (b) determines a threshold movement distance value; 
 (c) detects a first point contacted on the surface of the touch-sensitive display panel; 
 (d) determines a value of a movement distance of the first point contacted; 
 (e) if the determined value of the movement distance of the first point contacted is less than the threshold movement distance value, executes a first process in the graphical processing application, wherein the first point corresponds to a graphic object indicative of the first process; 
 (f) if the determined value of the movement distance of the first point contacted exceeds the threshold movement distance value, determines that a second point is contacted on the surface of the touch-sensitive display panel in addition to the contacted first point; and 
 (g) in response to the determination that the second point is contacted in addition to the contacted first point, executes a second, different process in the graphical processing application. 
   
     
     
       7. The hand-held portable information processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first process relates to moving a predetermined object along a trace associated with the detected first point. 
     
     
       8. The hand-held portable information processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second process performs at least one of enlargement, reduction, and rotation. 
     
     
       9. The hand-held portable information processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first process comprises shifting from a first operation mode to a second operation mode. 
     
     
       10. The hand-held portable information processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second process comprises an operation indicated on the touch-sensitive display panel as a result of execution of the first operation mode to a second operation mode. 
     
     
       11. A method of operating a portable information processing apparatus, wherein the portable information processing apparatus includes a touch-sensitive display panel, the method comprising:
 executing a graphical processing application;   determining a threshold movement distance value;   detecting a first touch point being contacted on the surface of the touch-sensitive display panel;   determining a value of a movement distance of the first point contacted;   if the determined value of the movement distance of the first point contacted is less than the threshold movement distance value, executing a first process in the graphical processing application;   if the determined value of the movement distance of the first point contacted exceeds the threshold movement distance value, determining that a second touch point is contacted on the surface of the touch-sensitive display panel in addition to the contacted first point, wherein the second touch point corresponds to a graphic object; and   in response to the determination that the second touch point is contacted in addition to the contacted first touch point, executing a second, different process in the graphical processing application, and wherein execution of the second process is dependent on execution of the first process.   
     
     
       12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first process comprises shifting from a first operation mode to a second operation mode. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second process comprises an operation indicated on the display panel as a result of execution of the first operation mode to a second operation mode. 
     
     
       14. The hand-held portable computer of claim 3, wherein the graphic object is rotated around the first point contacted on the surface of the touch-sensitive display panel in the second processing mode.