US 6,575,618 B1Granted

Information processing device

AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation

InventorsShigeki Inoue, Yoshito Uzawa, Hajime Kurihara, Motomu Hayakawa

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Abstract

An information processing device to which data can be input by the use of a rotary bezel. A pulse-count detection sensor unit 32 and a rotational-direction detection sensor unit 33 read an optical pattern which is formed on the rotary bezel to generate a series of pulse signals. The pulse-count detection sensor unit 32 and the rotational-direction detection sensor unit 33 are arranged such that a phase difference occurs between the signals of the sensor unit 32 and the signals of the sensor unit 33, so that it is possible to detect the rotational direction of the rotary bezel. A data-signal generating element 81 generates a data signal on the basis of the detected rotational angle and the pulse count generated by the pulse-count detection sensor unit 32.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An information processing device comprising:

a support body;
a rotary body supported on the support body for rotation around a circumference of the support body by manual operation of a user;
a detection sensor mechanism provided on the support body for detecting a rotational angle and a rotational direction of the rotary body around the circumference of the support body;
signal generating means, responsive to the rotational angle and the rotational direction detected by the detection sensor mechanism, for generating an output signal;
a display device for displaying information corresponding to the output signal generated by the signal generating means;
and
an optical pattern formed on a surface of the rotary body and arranged at a position that opposes the detection sensor mechanism, the detection sensor mechanism comprising a light emitting means for irradiating a detection light toward the optical pattern, and a light receiving means for detecting a reflected light from the optical pattern, and the detection sensor mechanism detecting the rotational angle and the rotational direction of the rotary body in response to light detected by the light receiving means.

4 more elements

An information processing device comprising:

a support body;
a rotary body supported on the support body for rotation around a circumference of the support body by manual operation of a user;
a detection sensor mechanism provided on the support body that detects a rotational angle and a rotational direction of the rotary body around the circumference of the support body;
a signal generator, responsive to the rotational angle and the rotational direction detected by the detection sensor mechanism, for generating an output signal;
a display device for displaying information corresponding to the output signal generated by the signal generator;
and
an optical pattern formed on a surface of the rotary body and arranged at a position that opposes the detection sensor mechanism, the detection sensor mechanism comprising a light emitter that irradiates a detection light toward the optical pattern, and a light receiver that detects a reflected light from the optical pattern, and the detection sensor mechanism detecting the rotational angle and the rotational direction of the rotary body in response to light detected by the light receiver.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.