INPUT APPARATUS

• US 20090140994A1
• Filed: 11/12/2008
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Tsuyoshi, Santo, Kouichi, Shitanaka, Hitokazu
• Granted Patent: US 8,531,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/0293 with an integrated touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/032 Feedback about selected symbol, e.g. display
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/064 Optical isolation of switch sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/016 Lever; Rocker
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/026 Car
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such

Abstract

An input apparatus includes: a display plate having a plurality of display sections; an electrostatic touch panel provided at a lower face of the display plate; an operation body on which the display plate and the electrostatic touch panel are placed; a plurality of light-emitting elements for illuminating the plurality of display sections of the display plate from a lower side of the display plate through the electrostatic touch panel; and a control section that is electrically connected to the electrostatic touch panel and the plurality of light-emitting elements, and that controls light emission of the plurality of light-emitting elements in accordance with touch operation to the electrostatic touch panel.

Claims

1. An input apparatus comprising:

a display plate having a plurality of display sections;

an electrostatic touch panel provided at a lower face of the display plate;

an operation body on which the display plate and the electrostatic touch panel are placed;

a plurality of light-emitting elements for illuminating the plurality of display sections of the from a lower side of the display plate through the electrostatic touch panel; and

a control section that is electrically connected to the electrostatic touch panel and the plurality of light-emitting elements, and that controls light emission of the plurality of light-emitting elements in accordance with touch operation to the electrostatic touch panel.

2. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of display sections have a plurality of first display sections and a plurality of second display sections, and the second display sections are provided in the vicinity of the first display sections.

3. The input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the plurality of light-emitting elements include a plurality of first light-emitting elements and a plurality of second light-emitting elements,

the plurality of the first light-emitting elements are provided respectively at positions corresponding to the plurality of the first display sections, and

the plurality of the second light-emitting elements are provided respectively at positions corresponding to the plurality of the second display sections.

4. The input apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

the control section causes a predetermined first light-emitting element and a predetermined second light-emitting element, among the plurality of the first light-emitting elements and the plurality of the second light-emitting elements, to emit light.

5. The input apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

all of the first display sections are illuminated in accordance with the touch operation.

6. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the input apparatus includes a switch for providing ON or OFF in accordance with an up-and-down movement of the operation body and the control section detects the ON or OFF of the switch.

7. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the display plate and the electrostatic touch panel have a circular arc-like shape.

8. An input apparatus comprising:

a display plate having a plurality of display sections;

an electrostatic touch panel provided at a lower face of the display plate;

an operation body on which the display plate and the electrostatic touch panel are placed;

a plurality of light-emitting elements for illuminating the display sections from its lower side through the electrostatic touch panel; and

a switch for providing ON or OFF in accordance with an up-and-down movement of the operation body,

wherein;

the display section has a plurality of first display sections and a plurality of second display sections, and the plurality of the second display sections are respectively provided in the vicinity of the plurality of the first display sections,

the light-emitting element includes a plurality of first light-emitting elements and a plurality of second light-emitting elements,

the first light-emitting elements are respectively provided under the corresponding first display sections, and

the second light-emitting elements are respectively provided under the corresponding second display sections.