Sliding input device and input method
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorJu-il Eom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sliding input device and an input method are provided. The input method using the input device includes: moving an upper plate and a stick unit fixed to the upper plate when force is exerted on the upper plate; sensing movements of the stick unit along guide lines provided in a lower plate, and generating directional key signals corresponding to the movements. Accordingly, a user can input up, down, left, and right directional information by manipulating the upper plate by pushing or pulling the upper plate in a plane, without pushing buttons. Therefore, the user can easily and rapidly perform desired manipulation, and the user can have fun while manipulating the input device to input the directional information.
Claims25
A sliding input device comprising:
- an upper plate;
- a lower plate having guide lines in four directions of up, down, left, and right;
- a stick unit which is fixed to the upper plate and moves along the guide lines of the lower plate by a force exerted on the upper plate;
- and
- a sensing unit, which is provided in the lower plate, senses movements of the stick unit, and generates input signals corresponding to the movements.
An input method using an input device including an upper plate, a lower plate having guide lines in four directions of up, down, left, and right, and a stick unit located in the lower plate and fixed to the upper plate, the input method comprising:
- (a) moving the upper plate and the stick unit when force is exerted on the upper plate;
- (b) sensing movements of the stick unit along the guide lines in the lower plate;
- and
- (c) generating directional key signals corresponding to the movements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.