Navigation pad and method of using same

A handheld electronic device, comprising:

• an outer housing having a front face;
• a display screen in the front face;
• a navigation touch pad mounted in the front face of the housing and adapted to provide a user input for controlling the electronic device, the navigation touch pad having a circular configuration with a center and a circumference;
• the touch pad having a plurality of touch sensors at predetermined locations about the area of the touch pad adapted to detect touching by a user's finger and to provide an output control signal in response to touch detection, the touch sensors arranged at spaced angular intervals in a generally circular path around the touch pad and are adapted to detect movement of a finger in a corresponding circular path;
• a plurality of light sources defining a single plane and extending linearly from the center to the circumference of the navigation touch pad and associated with each touch sensor, the light sources positioned to extend linearly and radially from the center to the circumference of the navigation touch pad at spaced intervals in the generally circular path, the light sources comprising light pipes, each light pipe linearly extending and continuously spanning from the center to the circumference of the navigation touch pad at spaced intervals in the generally circular path;
• and
• a control unit adapted to activate each light source in response to receipt of an output control signal from the touch sensor associated with the light source.