User navigation device with a code wheel and an encoder
First Claim
1. A user navigational apparatus comprising:
- a dial;
a code wheel coupled to the dial, wherein the code wheel comprises a track of alternating reflective and non-reflective sections located within a plane of the code wheel;
an encoder comprising an emitter and a detector, the emitter configured to generate a light signal incident on the track of the code wheel, the detector configured to detect a reflected light signal reflected off of the reflective sections of the track and to generate a channel signal corresponding to the reflected light signal;
a switch coupled to the dial, the switch to generate a first button click operation in response to depression of only a portion of the dial;
a dome switch operationally coupled to an independent button; and
an illumination ring approximately surrounding the independent button, wherein the dial circumscribes the illumination ring and the independent button.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user navigational apparatus. The user navigational apparatus includes a code wheel and an encoder. The code wheel is coupled to a dial. The code wheel includes a track of alternating reflective and non-reflective sections. The optical reflective encoder includes an emitter and a detector. The emitter generates a light signal incident on the track of the code wheel. The detector detects a reflected light signal. The reflected light signal corresponds to a portion of the incident light signal that is reflected off of the reflective sections of the track. The detector also generates a channel signal corresponding to the reflected light signal. Embodiments of this type of user navigational apparatus achieve reduced thickness compared to conventional implementations of jog wheels.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A user navigational apparatus comprising:
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a dial; a code wheel coupled to the dial, wherein the code wheel comprises a track of alternating reflective and non-reflective sections located within a plane of the code wheel; an encoder comprising an emitter and a detector, the emitter configured to generate a light signal incident on the track of the code wheel, the detector configured to detect a reflected light signal reflected off of the reflective sections of the track and to generate a channel signal corresponding to the reflected light signal; a switch coupled to the dial, the switch to generate a first button click operation in response to depression of only a portion of the dial; a dome switch operationally coupled to an independent button; and an illumination ring approximately surrounding the independent button, wherein the dial circumscribes the illumination ring and the independent button. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A user navigational apparatus comprising:
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a rotary dial; a dome switch operationally coupled to an independent button; an illumination ring approximately surrounding the independent button, wherein the rotary dial circumscribes the illumination ring and the independent button; means for generating a light signal incident on a coded track, wherein the coded track comprises alternating reflective and non-reflective sections located within a plane of the code wheel; and means for detecting motion of the coded track, wherein the coded track is configured to move in response to a user movement of the rotary dial, wherein the user movement comprises depressing only a portion of the rotary dial to activate a first button clicking operation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for making a user navigational apparatus, the method comprising:
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coupling a code wheel to a rotary dial, wherein the code wheel comprises a track of alternating reflective and non-reflective sections located within a plane of the code wheel; mounting an emitter on a circuit substrate relative to the code wheel, the emitter to generate a light signal incident on the track of the code wheel; mounting a detector on the circuit substrate relative to the code wheel, the detector to detect a reflected light signal reflected off of the reflective sections of the track and to generate a channel signal corresponding to the reflected light signal; mounting a dome switch operationally coupled to an independent button; and mounting an illumination ring approximately surrounding the independent button, wherein the rotary dial circumscribes the illumination ring and the independent button. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification