Pointing device and electronic apparatus provided with the pointing device

Abstract

A pointing device capable of generating a fixed control signal regardless of operated directions and preventing the generation of a control signal owing to malfunctions, and an electronic apparatus capable of moving a controlled object on a display screen in any direction at a velocity corresponding to an operated amount of an operating section. An original point is defined as a point where a slid distance of a slide key is 0. The maximum slid distance and the minimum slid distance are defined as max_max and min_max, respectively, when moving the slide key until it reaches the rim of an opening section. When the slide key is located within a circular area whose center is the original point and whose radius is n/N of max_max (n and N are arbitrary positive integers, and n<N), a calculating section determines the strength of a control signal as 0. When the slide key is located within a toric area whose distance from the original point is larger than n/N of max_max and smaller than min_max, the calculating section determines the strength of a control signal according to the slid distance of the slide key. When the slide key is located within an area whose distance from the original point is larger than min_max, the calculating section determines the same strength of a control signal as the strength determined when the slid distance of the slide key is min_max.