Patent · US Expired

Input means for generating input signals to an electronic device

US6504492B1 · kind B1 · utility

21Cited by
5References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 3, 1999
Grant dateJan 7, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 3, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01H2239/012
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A keypad arrangement is used for providing electrical information to an electronic device in response to a manual pressing action of a user. The keypad arrangement comprises a number of depressable keys (803, 907) within a certain keypad area. It comprises also an arrangement of essentially continuous conducting means (301, 302, 901, 902, 1401, 1402) next to the depressable keys. Connection creating means (801, 908) are associated with each depressable key for providing, as a response to the depression of a key, an electrical connection through said essentially continuous conducting means. The electrical characteristics of the created electrical connection uniquely identify the location of the depressed key in relation to said essentially continuous conducting means.

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