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:
Apr. 24, 2012
Filed:
May. 07, 2007
Applicants:
Jung-hyun Shim, Seongnam-si, KR;
Dong-kyung Nam, Yongin-si, KR;
Chang-su Kim, Suwon-si, KR;
Inventors:
Assignee:
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Suwon-Si, KR;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 3/042 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
An input apparatus and method using optical masking which enable a user to intuitively manipulate a menu by mapping light sources of an optical masking sensing unit and icons displayed on a display panel to corresponding positions. The input apparatus includes a display panel displaying a plurality of icons and functions of the icons, and an optical masking sensing unit including a plurality of optical devices as light sources, turning on optical devices located at positions corresponding to positions of the displayed icons.