User navigation device with a code wheel and an encoder

A user navigational apparatus comprising:

• a rotary dial;
• a dome switch operationally coupled to an independent button;
• an illumination ring approximately surrounding the independent button, wherein the rotary dial circumscribes the illumination ring and the independent button;
• means for generating a light signal incident on a coded track, wherein the coded track comprises alternating reflective and non-reflective sections located within a plane of the code wheel;
• and
• means for detecting motion of the coded track, wherein the coded track is configured to move in response to a user movement of the rotary dial, wherein the user movement comprises depressing only a portion of the rotary dial to activate a first button clicking operation.

A method for making a user navigational apparatus, the method comprising:

• coupling a code wheel to a rotary dial, wherein the code wheel comprises a track of alternating reflective and non-reflective sections located within a plane of the code wheel;
• mounting an emitter on a circuit substrate relative to the code wheel, the emitter to generate a light signal incident on the track of the code wheel;
• mounting a detector on the circuit substrate relative to the code wheel, the detector to detect a reflected light signal reflected off of the reflective sections of the track and to generate a channel signal corresponding to the reflected light signal;
• mounting a dome switch operationally coupled to an independent button;
• and
• mounting an illumination ring approximately surrounding the independent button, wherein the rotary dial circumscribes the illumination ring and the independent button.