Sunarrow Limited

Toshiaki Uotani

Shuji Koga

An object of the present invention is to provide a directionality judging method for an operation key in a direction detecting switch, capable of detecting a key operation in any direction; and superior as the cursor can be freely moved by one operation key. The present invention is a directionality judging method for an operation key comprising; wherein an initial value is set whose unit is a minimum division region as a criterion for specifying the operation direction of the operation key from the input signal, and a position of the operation key at a time when it is pressed is detected from the input signal and the operation direction is stored in a memory; and next, an effective operation range comprising the plurality of regions of minimum division regions including the operation direction of the operation key is set in a controller; an operation of the operation key whose state is in the effective operation range is judged to be the same direction; and for an operation at a position at which the operation key deviates from the effective operation range, a new operation direction at the deviating position and an effective operation range are set.

Operation direction judging method for operation key in direction detecting switch

An object of the present invention is to provide a direction detecting switch which can detect a key operation in every directions of 360 degree, can obtain an accurate click feeling, and can also detect a strength or a speed of the key operation. A direction detecting switch is comprised of a determining key arranged in a center portion; a ring key arranged so as to surround said determining key; a movable electrode arranged so as to be operative in accordance with an operation of the ring key; a fixed electrode arranged so as to face to said movable electrode; and a click operation body arranged in correspondence to said determining key, wherein a key top of said determining key and a ring key top of the ring key are arranged so as to be fixed onto a sheet-like rubber elastic member, wherein said click operation body is pressed in accordance with an operation of the determining key so as to open and close the contact point and is formed as a structure generating a click feeling, and wherein said click operation body is formed as a structure which detects a change of an electrostatic capacity generated between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode and converts the change into an electric signal so as to output, at a time of the pressing operation of the ring key in an optional direction of 360 degree, and a click feeling is always obtainable by pressing said click operation body.

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Mitsuke, Japan

Toshiaki Uotani