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, 2012
Filed:
Apr. 27, 2009
Tasuku Kohara, Kanagawa, JP;
Kenichi Yamada, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazuo Koike, Kanagawa, JP;
Taisuke Omi, Kanagawa, JP;
Tsuyoshi Endoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Tasuku Kohara, Kanagawa, JP;
Kenichi Yamada, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazuo Koike, Kanagawa, JP;
Taisuke Omi, Kanagawa, JP;
Tsuyoshi Endoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An input apparatus for enabling a user to enter an instruction into a main apparatus has high durability and offers superior operability. The input apparatus includes a table device having a table with a variable size. An image of plural virtual keys that is adapted to the size of the table is projected by a projector unit onto the table. Position information about a finger of the user that is placed on the table is detected by a position detecting device contactlessly. One of the plural virtual keys that corresponds to the position of the finger of the user detected by the position detecting device is detected by a key detecting device based on information about the image of the plural virtual keys and a result of the detection made by the position detecting device.