Patent · US Expired

Virtual key pad for optical scanning apparatus

US5996894A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
8References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 24, 1998
Grant dateDec 7, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 24, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N2201/0422
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Virtual key pads assigned to correspond to function commands conventionally executed in response to operating real key pads, are scanned by an optical scanning apparatus for recognizing if they have been touched by user or which among them have/has been touched, and for executing the function commands corresponded by that/those which was/were touched, whereby the virtual key pads act as real key pads, thereby real key pads are no longer necessary. Also a cover-mat with virtual key pads and more than one window thereon is suggested to conveniently adapt a scanning apparatus to various applications.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.