Information processing apparatus

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a touch panel which displays pieces of identification information including letters, figures, and symbols and detects a contact of the panel with a finger of a user or other object. When the touch panel detects the contact of the panel, a detection unit specifies identification information of one or more of the multiple pieces of identification information displayed on the touch panel, indicated by a position at which the contact in question occurred. The detection unit also detects an area of part of the panel where the contact occurred. A storage unit stores reference identification information and a reference area range. A control unit performs particular processing upon matching of the detected identification information with the stored reference identification information and the area of the contact detected by the detection unit falling within the stored reference area range.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
 a touch panel which displaies a plurality of pieces of identification information and detecting a contact of the panel with an object of interest;   a detection unit, when the touch panel detects a contact with the object, which specifies identification information indicated by a position at which the contact in question occurred, of the multiple pieces of identification information displayed on the panel, and which detects an area of part where the contact occurred;   a storage unit which stores reference identification information and a reference area range;   a determination unit which determines whether the identification information detected by the detection unit matches the reference identification information stored in the storage unit and whether the area of the contact detected by the detection unit falls within the reference area range stored in the storage unit; and   a control unit which performs particular processing on condition the determination unit determines that the identification information detected by the detection unit matches the reference identification information stored in the storage unit and the area of the contact detected by the detection unit falls within the reference area range stored in the storage unit.   
     
     
       2. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the storage unit stores, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the identification information and the area of the contact detected by the detection unit as the reference identification information and the reference area range, respectively.   
     
     
       3. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein:
 the storage unit stores first identification information and a first area range and second identification information and a second area range as the reference identification information and the reference area ranges; and 
 the determination unit determines, on condition the identification information detected by the detection unit matches the first identification information stored in the storage unit and the area of the contact detected by the detection unit falls within the first area range stored in the storage unit, whether the identification information detected by the detection unit matches the second identification information stored in the storage unit and the area of the contact detected by the detecting unit falls within the second area range stored in the storing unit. 
 
     
     
       4. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein:
 the storage unit stores a threshold value; and 
 the reference area range stored in the storage unit is defined based on the threshold value. 
 
     
     
       5. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the area of the contact detected by the detection unit is registered as the threshold value when a predetermined condition is satisfied.   
     
     
       6. An information processing apparatus comprising:
 a touch panel which displaies a plurality of pieces of identification information and detecting a contact of the panel with an object of interest;   a detection unit for, when the touch panel detects a contact of the panel with the object, which specifies identification information indicated by a position at which the contact in question occurred, of the multiple pieces of identification information displayed on the touch panel, and which detects an area of part where the contact occurred;   a storage unit whish stores a series of identification information and a series of area ranges, the series of area ranges each corresponding to the respective identification information; and   a control unit which performs particular processing on condition that a set of identification information detected by the detection unit matches the series of identification information stored in the storage unit and a series of contact areas detected by the detection unit each falls within the corresponding one of the series of area ranges stored in the storage unit.   
     
     
       7. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the storage unit stores a first set of area ranges and a second set of area ranges as corresponding area ranges of the stored series of identification information; and   first processing is performed on condition that a set of identification information detected by the detecting unit matches the series of identification information stored in the storage unit and the areas of the contact detected by the detecting unit each falls within a corresponding one of the first set of area ranges stored in the storage unit, and second processing is performed on condition that a set of identification information detected by the detecting unit matches the series of identification information stored in the storing unit and the areas of the contact detected by the detecting unit each falls within a corresponding one of the second set of area ranges stored in the storage unit.   
     
     
       8. An information processing apparatus comprising:
 a touch panel which displays a plurality of objects for inputting identification information and detects a contact of the touch panel with a finger of a user;   a storage unit which stores (1) first information including first reference identification information and a first reference area range, and (2) second information, different from the first information, including second reference identification information and a second reference area range;   a detection unit which detects input information necessary to identify the user when the touch panel detects a contact with the finger of the user, wherein detecting the input information includes detecting (1) identification information inputted by an object indicated by a position at which the contact in question occurred, of the plurality of objects for inputting identification information displayed on the touch panel, and (2) an area of the contact of the finger;   a control unit which controls the information processing apparatus to operate at least in an identification mode and a registering mode; and   a determination unit which determines in the identification mode that (1) the first information matches the input information when the identification information detected by the detection unit matches the first reference identification information and when the area of the contact detected by the detection unit falls within the first reference area range, and (2) the second information matches the input information when the identification information detected by the detection unit matches the second reference identification information and when the area of the contact detected by the detection unit falls within the second reference area range,   wherein the control unit performs particular processing on condition that the determination unit determines that the first information or the second information matches the input information in the identification mode,   wherein the registering mode includes a first registering mode for inputting first input information corresponding to a first portion of the finger and a second registering mode for inputting second input information corresponding to a second portion of the finger,   wherein the first reference identification information and the second reference identification information are generated and stored in the storage unit based on both the first input information and the second input information, the first portion corresponding to a pad of the finger,   wherein the determination unit determines in the identification mode that the first information or the second information matches the input information based on the first portion and/or the second portion of the finger,   wherein the control unit is configured to associate a first password with the first information, and a second password with the second information, and   wherein the storage unit is configured to store the first password associated with the first information and the second password associated with the second information.    
     
     
       9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first reference identification information and the first reference area range stored in the storage unit, and the second reference identification information and the second reference area range stored in the storage unit, are based on the identification information and the area of the contact detected by the detection unit.  
     
     
       10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:
 the storage unit stores a threshold value; and   the first reference area range and the second reference area range stored in the storage unit are defined based on the threshold value.    
     
     
       11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the area of the contact detected by the detection unit is registered as the threshold value when a predetermined condition is satisfied.  
     
     
       12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first and second passwords are numeral passwords.  
     
     
       13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:
 the first information includes one numeral password as the first reference identification information and the first reference area range includes a plurality of input methods with the finger for each user; and   the second information includes one numeral password as the second reference identification information and the second reference area range includes a plurality of input methods with the finger for each user.    
     
     
       14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of input methods correspond to displaying a normal standby screen, a mail creating screen and starting application.  
     
     
       15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the particular processing includes unlocking the information processing apparatus.  
     
     
       16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the particular processing includes displaying a mail creating screen.