Rotator wheel

• US 20070102266A1
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Wingett, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 7,679,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/5.A
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2025/045 having a rotating dial around the operating member for additional switching functions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display

Abstract

An input apparatus for a multimedia device, said input apparatus comprising: a rotator wheel having an upper planar surface that is substantially annular in shape and exposed in order that the upper planar surface may be accessed by a user of the multimedia device; means for detecting rotational movement of the rotator wheel about an axis perpendicular to the upper planar surface of the rotator wheel; and select means activated when a pressure is applied to the upper surface of the rotator wheel in a direction substantially parallel to an axis perpendicular to the upper planar surface of the rotator wheel.

Claims

1. A dome switch having a shape extending at least substantially along a length of an annular shaped path, wherein the path is circular in shape.

2. A dome switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dome switch surrounds at least one other dome switch.

3. A dome switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dome switch comprises a partial annulus.

4. A dome switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dome switch comprises a complete annulus.

5. A dome switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shape of the dome switch is defined by the shape of the dome sheet.

6. A dome switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein a select means is activated upon actuation of the dome switch.

7. A dome switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rotator wheel is mounted on said dome switch.

8. A dome switch as claimed in claim 7, wherein the dome switch is actuated when a pressure is applied to an upper surface of the rotator wheel in a direction substantially parallel to an axis perpendicular to the upper planar surface of the rotator wheel.

9. A dome switch as claimed in claim 7, wherein an upper planar surface of the rotator wheel is substantially annular in shape.

10. A dome switch as claimed in claim 7, wherein an upper planar surface of the rotator wheel is exposed such that the upper planar surface may be accessed by a user.

11. A dome switch as claimed in claim 7, wherein the rotator wheel is connected to monitoring means for detecting rotational movement of the rotator wheel about an axis perpendicular to the an upper planar surface of the rotator wheel.

12. An input apparatus comprising a dome switch as claimed in claim 1.

18. An input apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein activation of the dome switch comprises temporarily modifying the electrically conductive or electrically capacitive properties of an electronic element.

13. An input apparatus for a multimedia device, said input apparatus comprising:

a rotator wheel having an upper planar surface that is substantially annular in shape and exposed in order that the upper planar surface may be accessed by a user of the multimedia device;

means for detecting rotational movement of the rotator wheel about an axis perpendicular to the upper planar surface of the rotator wheel; and

select means activated when a pressure is applied to the upper surface of the rotator wheel in a direction substantially parallel to an axis perpendicular to the upper planar surface of the rotator wheel.

14. An input apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising means to detect rotational movement of the rotator wheel.

15. An input apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the means to detect rotational movement comprises conductive tracks.

16. An input apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which a bridge contact is arranged to rotate in conjunction with the wheel.

17. An input apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein a tactile response of the select means is substantially the same over all of the rotator wheel.