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US 6,234,651 B1Granted
Touch sensitive switch with light
AssigneeStanley Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorsTomoaki Kodama, Kazuyoshi Hibiya
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A touch sensitive switch with a light comprises a light sensor which detects a finger approaching the key top using the output of the light sensor to detect that the touch sensitive switch with a light is to be operated before the operation takes place. Notification to the person who operates the key-top can therefore be given by any predetermined effect such as a voice accruing based on the output of the light sensor just before the operation starts. Therefore, confusion does not arise even when the switch is put to a large number of uses.
Claims7
A touch sensitive switch with a light, comprising:
- a switch element for controlling the operation of a device connected to the switch element;
- a key top located adjacent the switch element;
- a light emitting element provided within the key top and with a surface of the key top being illuminated by light transmitted by the light emitting element;
- and
- a light sensor for detecting a finger approaching the key top before operation of the switch element to indicate the device to be operated by the switch element.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.