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:
Dec. 25, 2007
Filed:
Aug. 08, 2002
Tadamitsu Sato, Fukushima-ken, JP;
Katsumi Kato, Fukushima-ken, JP;
Yasuji Hagiwara, Fukushima-ken, JP;
Masahiro Soma, Fukushima-ken, JP;
Tadamitsu Sato, Fukushima-ken, JP;
Katsumi Kato, Fukushima-ken, JP;
Yasuji Hagiwara, Fukushima-ken, JP;
Masahiro Soma, Fukushima-ken, JP;
Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An input apparatus includes a flat input device of a pressure-sensitive type or a capacitive type, and an indicator sheet on which indication marks are formed is fixed on the surface of the flat input device. A tactile-feel-generating unit is provided behind the flat input device. The tactile-feel-generating unit includes dome-shaped inversion plates which are disposed at positions corresponding to the indication marks. When one of the indication marks is pressed setting an input mode, an operation signal is generated in accordance with an item represented by the indication mark, and a tactile feel is generated by a reaction force of the corresponding inversion plate. When an indication mark is touched, while in an input mode, the control unit recognizes the resulting signal to be a coordinate data signal.