The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 16, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 17, 1996
Hideki Oikawa, Nagano, JP;
Hiroshi Kuriyama, Nagano, JP;
Eiji Tukahara, Nagano, JP;
Kenichi Nakajima, Nagano, JP;
Kenji Watanabe, Tokyo, JP;
Takanobu Kameda, Tokyo, JP;
Tomoyuki Shimmura, Tokyo, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A dial input device is provided. A dial is rotatably arranged on a support member and has a plurality of kinds of characters circumferentially allocated thereto. n (n.gtoreq.1) first contact member(s) arranged in a manner concentric with the dial is/are circumferentially divided into s (s.gtoreq.2) divisional parts and formed by electrically conductive portions and electrically non-conductive portions arranged in a mixed manner. A second contact member is arranged in a manner concentric with the dial and circumferentially divided into m (m.gtoreq.2) parts each of which is formed by an electrically conductive portion alone. n.times.s first brushes are arranged on the dial in a manner circumferentially corresponding to the s divisional parts of each of the n first contact member(s). A second brush is arranged on the dial in a manner corresponding to the second contact member. The characters are expressed by k (k.ltoreq.2.sup.(n.times.s) .times.m) identifying patterns out of 2.sup.(n.times.s) .times.m identifying patterns formed by a combination of bit patterns of n.times.s bits generated by contact between the electrically conductive portions and the electrically non-conductive portions of each of the divisional parts of the first contact member and the n.times.s first brushes, and m grouping patterns generated by contact between the m parts of the second contact member and the second brush.