Switching apparatus for electronic devices

• US 5,250,930 A
• Filed: 09/09/1991
• Issued: 10/05/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Tatsuo, Otake, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOON, GIN F
• Application Number:
  US07/756,457
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 340/709, 340/710, 340/711, 340/706, 340/723, 200/517, 200/520, 200/547, 200/548, 200/571, 364/410
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/012 Joy stick type
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/034 Bezel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/008 Video game
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/016 combined with start switch, discrete keyboard

Abstract

A switching apparatus for an electron device, for controlling movement of an image on a display unit, including a plurality of pushbuttons being provided on upper surfaces with directional symbols which represent upward, downward, leftward, rightward directions and random or non-linear paths of travel in which the image displayed is allowed to move. When the pushbuttons are pressed, control signals are transmitted to a control circuit of the electronic device. The pushbuttons with the symbols indicating the four directions are arranged in a cross form, while the pushbuttons with the symbols indicating random and/or non-linear paths of travel are arranged between the pushbuttons forming the cross arms. Further, the pushbuttons with the directional symbols are arranged around a center pushbutton for stopping movement of the displayed image. The pushbuttons are made of a resilient material and assembled as a single unit.

Claims

1. An electronic device for controlling movement of an image on a display unit, comprising:

a stop pushbutton generating a stop signal when pressed and having a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a left side;

an upward pushbutton generating an upward signal when pressed and having a bottom side, a right side, and a left side, the bottom side of the upward pushbutton positioned adjacent to the top side of the stop pushbutton;

a downward pushbutton generating a downward signal when pressed and having a top side, a right side, and a left side, the top side of the downward pushbutton positioned adjacent to the bottom side of the stop pushbutton;

a rightward pushbutton generating a rightward signal when pressed and having a top side, a bottom side, and a left side, the left side of the rightward pushbutton positioned adjacent to the right side of the stop pushbutton;

a leftward pushbutton generating a leftward signal when pressed and having a top side, a bottom side, and a right side, the right side of the leftward pushbutton positioned adjacent to the left side of the stop pushbutton, the upward signal, the downward signal, the rightward signal, and the leftward signal forming a set of linear signals;

a first non-linear pushbutton generating a first non-linear signal and having a bottom side and a right side, the bottom side of the firs non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the top side of the leftward pushbutton and the right side of the first non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the left side of the upward pushbutton;

a second non-linear pushbutton generating a second non-linear signal and having a bottom side and a left side, the bottom side of the second non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the top side of the rightward pushbutton and the left side of the non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the right side of the upward pushbutton;

a third non-linear pushbutton generating a third non-linear signal and having a top side and a right side, the top side of the third non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the bottom side of the leftward pushbutton and the right side of the third non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the left side of the downward pushbutton;

a fourth non-linear pushbutton generating a fourth non-linear signal and having a top side and a left side, the top side of the fourth non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the bottom side of the rightward pushbutton and the left side of the fourth non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the right side of the downward pushbutton, the first non-liner signal, the second non-linear signal, the third non-linear signal, and the fourth non-linear signal forming a set of non-linear signals;

pushbutton assembly means for supporting the stop pushbutton, the upward pushbutton, the downward pushbutton, the rightward pushbutton, the leftward pushbutton, the first non-linear pushbutton, the second non-linear pushbutton, the third non-linear pushbutton, and the fourth non-linear pushbutton;

a substrate having a plurality of electrical contacts, each electrical contact corresponding to one pushbutton, wherein the electrical contact engages its corresponding pushbutton when the pushbutton is pressed; and

control circuit means or receiving the stop signal and for halting a movement of the image as it moves across the display unit in response thereto, for receiving each of the linear signals and for moving the image linearly across the display unit in response thereto, and for receiving each of the non-linear signals and for moving the image non-linearly across the display unit in response thereto.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the stop pushbutton, the upward pushbutton, the downward pushbutton, the rightward pushbutton, the leftward pushbutton, the first non-linear pushbutton, the second non-linear pushbutton, the third non-linear pushbutton, and the fourth non-linear pushbutton are comprised of a resilient material and are assembled into one unit.

3. The switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the upward pushbutton, the downward pushbutton, the rightward pushbutton, and he leftward pushbutton each have ea directional symbol on a surface.

4. The switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first non-linear pushbutton, the second non-linear pushbutton, the third on-linear pushbutton, and the fourth non-linear pushbutton each have a directional symbol on a surface.

5. The switching apparatus according of claim 1 wherein the stop pushbutton has a stop symbol on a surface.

6. An electronic device for controlling movement of an image on a display unit, comprising:

an upper housing having a plurality of pushbutton openings separated by a grating and a panel opening;

a stop pushbutton generating a stop signal when pressed and having a top side, a bottom side, a right side, a left side, and a bottom surface, the stop pushbutton having an electrical contact on its bottom surface;

an upward pushbutton generating an upward signal when pressed and having a bottom side, a right side, a left side, and a bottom surface, the bottom side of the upward pushbutton positioned adjacent to the top side of the stop pushbutton, the upward pushbutton having an electrical contact on its bottom surface;

a downward pushbutton generating a downward signal when pressed and having a top side, a right side, a left side, and a bottom surface, the top side of the downward pushbutton positioned adjacent to the bottom side of the stop pushbutton, the downward pushbutton having an electrical contact on its bottom surface;

a rightward pushbutton generating a rightward signal when pressed and having a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a bottom surfce, the left side of the rightward pushbutton positioned adjacent to the right side of the stop pushbutton, the rightward pushbutton having an electrical contact on its bottom surface;

a leftward pushbutton generating a leftward signal when pressed and having a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a bottom surfce, the right side of the leftward pushbutton positioned adjacent to the left side of the stop pushbutton, the leftward pushbutton having an electrical contact on its bottom surfce, the upward signal, the downward signal, the rightward signal, and the leftward signal forming a set of linear signals;

a first non-linear pushbutton generating a first non-linear signal and having a bottom side, a right side, and a bottom surface, the bottom side of the first non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the top side of the leftward pushbutton and the right side of the first one-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the left side of the upward pushbutton, the first non-linear pushbutton having an electrical contact on its bottom surfce;

a second non-linear pushbutton generating a second non-linear signal and having a bottom side, a left side, and a bottom surface, the bottom side of the second non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the top side of the rightward pushbutton and the left side of the non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the right side of the upward pushbutton, the second non-linear pushbutton having an electrical contact on its bottom surface;

a third non-linear pushbutton generating a third non-linear signal and having a top side, a right side, and a bottom surface, the top side of the third non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the bottom side of the leftward pushbutton and the right side of the third non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the left side of the downward pushbutton, the third non-linear pushbutton having an electrical contact on its bottom surface;

a fourth non-linear pushbutton generating a fourth non-linear signal and having a top side, a left side, and a bottom surface, the to side of the fourth non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the bottom side of the rightward pushbutton and the left side of the fourth non-linear pushbutton positioned adjacent to the right side of the downward pushbutton, the fourth non-linear pushbutton having an electrical contact on its bottom surface, the first non-linear signal, the second non-linear signal, the third non-linear signal, and the fourth non-linear signal forming a set of non-linear signals;

pushbutton assembly means for supporting the stop pushbutton, the upward pushbutton, the downward pushbutton, the rightward pushbutton, the leftward pushbutton, the first non-liner pushbutton, the second non-linear pushbutton, the third non-linear pushbutton, and the fourth non-liner pushbutton, the pushbutton assembly means having a groove between each pushbutton, each groove being engaged with the grating formed in one of the plurality of pushbutton openings of the upper housing so that each pushbutton projects through the grating;

a substrate having a plurality of wiring patterns, each wiring pattern corresponding to one pushbutton, wherein each wiring pattern engages its corresponding pushbutton when the pushbutton is pressed; and

control circuit means for receiving the stop signal and for halting a movement of the image as it moves across the display unit in response thereto, for receiving each of the linear signals and for moving the image linearly across the display unit in response thereto, and for receiving each of the non-linear signals and for moving the image non-linearly across the display unit in response thereto.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 further comprising:

a lower housing having a sidewall guide notch formed on a side wall of the lower housing, a bottom guide notch formed on the bottom of the lower housing, and having a battery receptacle formed integrally therewith, the lower housing secured to the upper housing by fastening means for fixably holding the upper housing and the lower housing together;

touch-sensitive panel means, mounted on the lower housing and positioned in the panel opening of the upper housing, for generating color signals, abstract graphic signals, and icon signals;

a slide switch substrate attached to the lower housing;

a slide switch having a longitudinal movement;

a slide switch guide block attached to the slide switch substrate, the slide switch guide block having a guide block guide notch which is parallel to a movement of the slide switch; and

a slider having an upper guide plate and lower guide plate, the upper guide plate having a protrudent portion engaged in the guide block guide notch of the slide switch guide block and a flat portion extending through the sidewall guide notch, the lower guide plate having a protrudent portion which is engaged with the bottom guide notch.

8. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the control circuit means further comprises:

an analog-to-digital converter;

an intermediate frequency amplifier; and

encoder;

a read only memory;

first dynamic random access memory means for data storage,

second dynamic random access memory means for display image storage,

a video display processor connected to the second dynamic random access memory means and the second; and

a gate array connected to the analog-to-digital converter, the intermediate frequency amplifier, the first dynamic random access memory means, the read only memory, and the video display processor.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8 wherein the stop pushbutton, the upward pushbutton, the downward pushbutton, the rightward pushbutton, the leftward pushbutton, the first non-linear pushbutton, the second non-linear pushbutton, the third non-linear pushbutton, and the fourth non-linear pushbutton are comprised of a resilient material and are assembled into one unit.