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:
Feb. 07, 2006
Filed:
Dec. 01, 2004
Toshiaki Sugimura, Yokohama, JP;
Masaaki Fukumoto, Yokohama, JP;
Takashi Ninjouji, Yokohama, JP;
NTT DoCoMo, Inc., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An input key which is assigned a plurality of information items to be inputted, of the present invention, includes a key top which can incline relative to a support plate for supporting the input key; a key top supported portion provided on an opposite surface in the key top to the support plate and arranged to be pushed together with the key top; a key top supporting portion provided on the support plate, and arranged to come into contact with the key top supported portion during a push on the key top and to support the key top supported portion so as to permit the key top to incline in a state of the contact with the key top supported portion; at least one inclination detector provided in a direction assigned one of the information items to be inputted, on an opposite surface in the support plate to the key top or on the opposite surface in the key top to the support plate; push detecting means for detecting a push on the input key; and inclination direction detecting means for detecting an inclination direction of the key top when the push detecting means detects a push on the input key.