A multifunction input device for use with a computer plotter system, word processing system, or Chinese hand-write recognition system, which includes a double-loop conductor array for use with a wireless battery-driven induction pen, a wireless non-battery induction pen, a static pen, a finger, and data processing circuit, wherein induction current and static current are produced upon approaching of the wireless induction pen, static pen, or finger, causing conductors of the double-loop conductor array to scan the position of the pen, and generate an enabling scanned signal, so that the XYZ coordinate values of the pen are sent to a host computer.

There is provided a method and apparatus for categorizing substantially simultaneous inputs to a touchscreen. The method is described within a computer device having a display screen adapted to receive touchscreen input. In a first step, the display screen is divided into a plurality of sectors. Next, the sectors are sequentially scanned for input. When a plurality of substantially simultaneous inputs are sensed in respective sectors, the location by sector of each input is ascertained. A unique value is then assigned to each input received, the assigned values corresponding to the sequence in time of the respective inputs based upon the sequentially scanned sectors in which the inputs occurred. The apparatus includes a display screen adapted to receive touchscreen input. A touchscreen driver/sensor is provided to divide the display screen into a plurality of sectors and to sense input in each of the sectors. A sequence counter is used to actuate the driver/sensor to scan the display screen sectors sequentially and at predetermined intervals for input, and to assign a unique value to each input received.

In a resistive-film type touch panel having two resistive-film sheet, a first resistive-film sheet has a power supply means connected to it which generates in it a voltage gradient and the second resistive-film sheet detects a voltage which corresponds to a pressed position on the touch panel. Voltage information corresponding to pressed position coordinate values detected from the two resistive-film sheet is transferred to an A-D conversion means via a switching means for determination of the pressed position on the panel. A non-display region of the panel is provided with function keys, and the panel is additionally provided with a notification means and a non-display region pressing detection means, the notification means making notification of the output from the non-display region pressing detection means, which indicates that the non-display region has been pressed, without intervention of the analog-digital conversion means, directly to a processing/control circuit.

Comprises a panel, and a coordinate control section that detects a point touched on the panel and generates a signal according to the detected point. The coordinate control section generates a coordinate signal that shows coordinates of a touched point, when one point touch on the panel has been detected. When simultaneous touches of two or more points on the panel has been detected, the coordinate control section generates a control that shows a control set in advance corresponding to the number of touched points.

In the coordinate detection of resistive film system, detection of the coordinates of simultaneously designated two points is made possible. On a touch panel composed of two conductive films, whether input is made in a point or simultaneously at two points is judged by a current monitor. Simultaneous inputs at two points decrease the apparent resistance of the conductive film, and can be detected by an increase in the current. If the input of a point is identified, the coordinate data of the input point are retained as latest coordinate data in a RAM. If simultaneous inputs at two points are identified, coordinate data are obtained from the coordinate data retained in the RAM and from the potentials in the x and y directions, obtained from two conductive films constituting a touch panel, through amplifiers, and are outputted, together with the coordinate data retained in the RAM, as the coordinate data of the two points.