Keypad joystick

• US 20020149564A1
• Filed: 05/17/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ISMO Limited
• Original Assignee: ISMO Limited
• Inventors: Vanner, Alan H., Simpson, Christian J.
• Application Number:
  US10/048,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20020149564A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0205 Lever arrangements for operating keyboard cursor control keys in a joystick-like manner

Abstract

A keypad joystick (10) for use in operating a hand-held keypad of a device, such as a cellular telephone (38), to enable enhanced playability of electronic games by operating the keypad comprises actuating means (11) adapted to operate keys (44) of the keypad selectively and means (12) for locating the actuating means (11) relative to the keypad so that, in operation, only a single key (44) is operated.

Claims

1. A keypad joystick comprising actuating means (11) adapted to operate keys (44) of the keypad selectively and means (12) for locating the actuating means (11) relative to the keypad so that, in operation, only a single key (44) is operated, the locating means (12) including an aperture (22) and the actuating means (11) including an elongate component (19) extending through the aperture (22) characterised in that the locating means (12) and the actuating means (11) comprise complementary formations (17;

23, 24, 25, 26) which co-operate to restrain rotation of the elongate component (19) relative to a longitudinal axis thereof.

2. A joystick as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the locating means (12) is adapted to bridge the keypad.

3. A joystick as claimed in claim 2 characterised in that the locating means (12) is adapted to locate in recesses (41, 42) provided on opposite sides of a cellular telephone (38).

4. A joystick as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the locating means is adjustable so as to locate on cellular telephones of different dimensions.

5. A joystick as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the actuating means (45) includes a firing button (50, 51, 52).

6. A joystick as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the locating means (55) is provided with a plurality of buttons (56, 57, 58, 59) adapted to operate respective keys (44) of the keypad.