Touch panel control device with touch time and finger direction discrimination

Claim 1

A touch panel control device for outputting control data to select an operation mode for an electronic device according to how a finger touches a touch panel, comprising: touch position detecting means arranged in a matrix form on said touch panel, for detecting the coordinates of a touch position of said touch panel; scanning means for periodically scanning said touch position detecting means; memory means responsive to said touch position detecting means for storing the coordinates of a detected touch position on said touch panel; coordinate comparing means for comparing, for each scan, said coordinates stored in said memory means with those of a current touch position while a finger touches said panel to determine the direction of finger movement; timer means for performing a time measuring operation initiated when a finger first touches a touch position on said touch panel as detected by said touch position detecting means and continuing so long as the finger continues to touch said touch position; and an operation discriminator for selectively outputting said control data to select an operation mode from a plurality of possible operation modes dependent upon the time measuring operation of said timer means and the results of comparisons of said coordinate comparing means, whereby said operation modes are discriminated based upon the direction of finger movement when the finger moves across the touch panel for more than a predetermined distance, and whereby said operation modes are discriminated based upon the time duration a finger touches said touch panel when the finger moves across said touch panel for less than said predetermined distance.