Character input device

• US 8,525,779 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eui Jin Oh
• Original Assignee: Eui Jin Oh
• Inventors: Oh, Eui Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US12/745,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20100309116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 345156- 58, 345/161, 345/169, 345/173, 345156-158, 178 1801- 1804, 463 36- 39
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to a character input device. The character input device includes a base. An input unit is provided on the base and independently performs first directional input in which the input unit moves from a reference location to one of first direction indication locations arranged radially around the reference location and spaced apart from one another, and second directional input in which one of second direction indication locations arranged radially on the input unit and spaced apart from one another is selected. A first detection unit detects movement of the input unit. A second detection unit detects second directional input. A control unit extracts a first character assigned to a first direction indication location at which movement of the input unit is detected, or a second character assigned to a second direction indication location at which second directional input is detected.

Claims

1. A character input device, comprising:

a base;

an input unit provided on the base and configured to include a movable input unit for performing first directional input in such a way that the movable input unit is moved from a reference location to any one of a plurality of first direction indication locations arranged radially around the reference location and spaced apart from one another, and a press input unit for performing second directional input in such a way that any one of a plurality of second direction indication locations arranged radially on the press input unit itself and spaced apart from one another is pressed;

a first detection unit for detecting movement of the movable input unit;

a second detection unit for detecting pressing of the press input unit; and

a control unit for extracting a first character assigned to a first direction indication location at which the movement of the movable input unit is detected, or a second character assigned to a second direction indication location at which pressing of the press input unit is detected, from a memory unit and executing the first or second character.

2. The character input device according to claim 1, wherein the movable input unit performs the first directional input by performing lateral movement.

3. The character input device according to claim 1, wherein the movable input unit performs the first directional input by performing tilting movement.

4. The character input device according to claim 1, wherein the press input unit is operated in association with the movable input unit, and thus is moved together with the movable input unit when the movable input unit performs first directional input.

5. The character input device according to claim 1, further comprising a direction press input unit arranged below the press input unit and at a location at which the direction press input unit is capable of coming into contact with the press input unit through second directional input performed using the press input unit even if the movable input unit performs the first directional input, the direction press input unit coming into contact with the second detection unit by contact of the press input unit.

6. The character input device according to claim 1, further comprising a direction press input unit configured to support a bottom of the movable input unit and arranged at a location at which the direction press input unit is capable of coming into contact with the press input unit through second directional input performed using the press input unit even if the movable input unit performs the first directional input, the direction press input unit coming into contact with the second detection unit by contact of the press input unit.

7. The character input device according to claim 1, wherein the movable input unit is formed in a shape of a stick, and the first detection unit is provided to correspond to a bottom of the movable input unit and configured to detect movement of the movable input unit.

8. The character input device according to claim 1, wherein the movable input unit is provided to be stacked on the press input unit.

9. The character input device according to claim 8, wherein the press input unit is maintained at an original position thereof when first directional input is performed using the movable input unit.

10. The character input device according to claim 9, wherein the first detection unit is installed on a sidewall of the base and configured to detect the first directional input of the movable input unit.

11. The character input device according to claim 9, wherein the press input unit is formed to have a through center, and the first detection unit is installed at a location of the base corresponding to the through center of the press input unit, thus detecting the first directional input of the movable input unit.

12. A character input device, comprising:

a base;

a movable input unit provided at a reference location of the base and configured to perform first directional input in which the movable input unit is moved to any one of a plurality of first direction indication locations arranged radially around the reference location and spaced apart from one another;

press input units respectively provided on the base at a plurality of second direction indication locations arranged radially around the reference location and spaced apart from one another, and configured to perform second directional input in which any one of the second direction indication locations is pressed;

a first detection unit for detecting movement of the movable input unit;

a second detection unit for detecting pressing of the press input units; and

a control unit for extracting a first character assigned to a first direction indication location at which the movement of the movable input unit is detected, or a second character assigned to a second direction indication location at which pressing of a relevant press input unit is detected, from a memory unit, and executing the first or second character, wherein a film-shaped associative input unit for enabling first directional input to be performed by moving the movable input unit along with the press input units by movement or tilting of the press input units is provided over the movable input unit and the press input units.

13. A character input device, comprising:

a support unit;

a detection unit installed on the support unit;

a tilt portion for performing second directional input in such a way that the tilt portion is tilted from a reference location to any one of a plurality of first direction indication locations arranged radially around the reference location and spaced apart from one another;

a press unit for performing first directional input in such a way that any one of a plurality of second direction indication locations arranged radially on the press unit itself and spaced apart from one another is pressed, and is formed on the top of the tilt portion; and

a control unit for extracting a first character assigned to the first direction indication location or a second character assigned to the second direction indication location, from a memory unit, and executing the first or second character.

14. The character input device according to claim 13, further comprising an elastic element installed between the support unit and the tilt portion.

15. The character input device according to claim 14, further comprising a contact projection corresponding to the detection unit, provided on the inner side of the tilt portion.

16. The character input device according to claim 15, wherein both the contact projection and the detection unit are provided to respectively correspond to the second direction indication locations.