Did You Know...
...that the x-ray was discovered purely by accident? When German physicist Wilhelm Konrad von Roentgen was experimenting with cathode rays in 1895, he put an activated Crookes tube in a book and went out to lunch. When he returned, he discovered that a key that had also been placed in the book showed up as an image on the developed film!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8184023 | Rotary operation type input device A rotary input device includes a circular ring shaped operation body, a magnetic first guide plate fixed to the bottom of the operation body, movable magnets disposed on the bottom of a first flat plane of the first guide plate concentrically with the operation body... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8130123 | Rotary actuator and input device using the same A rotary actuator includes a roller having a center shaft protruding along a center axis, a bearing for supporting the center shaft of the roller to allow the roller to rotate about the center axis, a ring magnet fixed to the center shaft of the roller, an elastic m... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8094044 | Portable electronic device with scroll wheel control module A portable electronic device with scroll wheel control module includes a housing (20), a display (212) and two scroll wheel mechanisms (41,42). Two side walls (220) of the housing having a slot (222) defined therein. Each scroll wh... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8009064 | Data input device for portable terminal Provided is a data input device which is employed in a portable terminal and used as an auxiliary input device. The data input device includes first data input means mounted on a predetermined position of a side surface of the main body of the portable terminal so t... | 08/30/2011 |
| 7920075 | Regulation control device with an encoder and its encoder mechanism A regulation control device comprises an encoder mechanism and a shell set. The encoder mechanism includes a base, a PCB, and an encoder, the PCB being arranged on a side of the substrate and a fixed shaft on an opposite side of the PCB being arranged in the base. T... | 04/05/2011 |
| 7436325 | Intelligent floor mat A floor mat suitable for a vehicle is shown in FIG. 1 includes a circuit (1) for operating remotely controllable devices (20) both inside a vehicle or outside a vehicle. In another embodiment, a floor mat is equipped with a transponder that will... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7417571 | Method for providing a correlation A method for providing a correlation between a periodic analog/digital conversion and an angle-synchronous signal, in which the periodic analog/digital conversion is provided with a timing mark, which correlates with the angle-synchronous signal, and is assigned to ... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7355585 | Input device and information processing apparatus with such input device and cursor display control method An input device may be used with the information processing apparatus and the like, and provides an improved ease of operation in moving the cursor on the display screen. The input device includes a set of cursor keys 1 that, when activated, cause the ... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7287333 | Signal detecting device The present invention is a signal detecting device, which includes a casing, drive unit, feeding strip and transmitting strip. The signal detecting section of transmitting strip coincides with the movement path of the transmitting section of the conducting disc, and... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7215323 | Three-dimensional integrated tough screen input apparatus A 3D input device (102) is used to generate control data (108) for electronic or electrical devices, and has: an actuation part (104), which is designed so that it can be manipulated indirectly or directly by a... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7211755 | Knob structure A knob structure is disposed on an electronic device to input a preset control signal. The knob structure includes a rotary encoder, a brake wheel, and a rotary wheel. A plurality of ratchets is disposed around the circumference of the brake wheel and locked on the ... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7180021 | LED illuminated door chime push button with adjustable task light An illuminated doorbell pushbutton assembly includes a pushbutton assembly that uses a light source, or a plurality thereof to illuminate the pushbutton. The assembly also includes a user-adjustable rotating task light that can be used to direct light to a door lock... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7166810 | Switching device and remote control transmitter using the switching device A switching device and a remote control transmitter using the switching device are provided. In the switching device, a driving body rotating in conjunction with an operation body is provided. This rotation of the driving body provides an electrical contact or separ... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7154479 | Precision resolution A mobile communication apparatus comprises a processor means and an interface. The interface comprises a display and a input means, which comprises a rotating input means arranged to provide a angular movement signal in accordance with an angular movement of the rot... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7145549 | Ring pointing device A method, system, apparatus, and program product for moving a pointer on a display screen. A ring capable of being worn by a user contains a sensor unit having multiple sensors. When the user activates one of the sensors, the pointer on the display screen moves in a... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7141748 | Multifunctional switch with indicator A multifunctional switch with an indicator for selecting and switching a plurality of functions is disclosed. The multifunctional switch is provided with a dial knob capable of being pushed in an axial direction and rotated; a window formed at a center of the dial k... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7126072 | Key switch and electronic device A jog dial switch, which functions as a key switch, includes a key sheet, a rotatable key top arranged on the key sheet, and a movement amount detector for detecting movement amount of the key top. The movement amount detector includes four permanent magnets arrange... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7091434 | Dial switch having an ornamental colored ring A dial switch disposed on a front surface of a control panel is surrounded by a colored ring which is visible from a front side of the control panel. Behind the front surface of the control panel, an ornamental prism made of a transparent material and a light source... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7084856 | Mouse having a rotary dial A user operated input device is disclosed. The user operated input device includes a housing and a rotary dial positioned relative to an external surface of the housing. The rotary dial provides a control function. ... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7078632 | Four-directional switching device A four-directional switching device includes a driving member 2, a pair of hollow protruding portions 6b, and other pair of hollow protruding portions 6b. The driving member 2 covers an operating member 3 supports the... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7080324 | Control for a graphical user interface supporting coupled variables and method of operation thereof A variable control displayed through a graphical user interface and linked to a control element. The variable control has graphical representations of readily identifiable and easy to use controls. These controls include at least one text box to display a value. The... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7053320 | Switch device A switch device is configured by engaging a plurality of switches in a cam section of an operating member in a manner such that a detecting section can detect positions of operation of the operating member based on electric ON/OFF states of the switches. With this a... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7046172 | Dual optical angular encoder To monitor the reliability of the information provided by a dual optical angular encoder, comprising two pairs of cells for detecting marks borne by a disc, at a given instant, the sequences of at least four successive states taken by the two groups of cells before ... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7042441 | Input device including a scroll wheel assembly for manipulating an image in multiple directions A scroll wheel assembly includes a rotatable member. Encoded rotation of the rotating member causes scrolling of an image on a display screen along an axis. An actuator is located within the rotational member. Pressure on different parts of the actuator causes scrol... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7038667 | Mechanisms for control knobs and other interface devices Mechanisms for a control knob or other interface device providing additional degrees of freedom for the knob. One embodiment provides a rotatable knob moveable also in a lateral plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of rotation. A mechanism providing the lat... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7038148 | Operating device of electronic apparatus An operating device of an electronic apparatus contains a rotatable operating knob protruding from a panel and stopper means for preventing the rotation of the operating knob. When the power of the electronic apparatus is turned off, the rotation of the operating kn... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7030773 | System and method for communicating with an appliance through a light emitting diode An apparatus includes a controller for controlling operation of an appliance, an indicator light coupled to the controller to provide a visible indication of an operator selection in response to the controller energizing the indicator light, and a driver coupled to ... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7015688 | Device for adjustment of rotation angles A device for adjusting rotation angles, e.g. an electrical rotary switch (1), has a stator (2) and a rotator (3) mounted on the stator (2). The rotator (3) rotates between at least two rotational angle positions. The device has a m... | 03/21/2006 |
| 6980198 | Multifunction keyboard for advanced cursor driven avionic flight decks An aircraft display and control system generally includes a processor, a cursor control and selection device, a multifunction keyboard, an aeronautical information database, a geographic database, and a plurality of display devices. Users, such as an aircraft pilot ... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6972364 | User interface and a synthesizer with a user interface A synthesiser to generate sounds often in a musical environment but also in a speech environment. Such synthesis of sounds is often accompanied by at least one mode of filtering or many modes. Hitherto, the application of such filtering has involved a control for ea... | 12/06/2005 |
| 6972945 | Modular computer device and computer keyboard for modular device A keyboard for a computer receptive to a modular or other device, and a modular touch screen device having at least one changeable virtual key, are described. The keyboard includes a connector receptive to a corresponding connector of a device such as a personal dig... | 12/06/2005 |
| 6965383 | Scaling persistence data with interpolation An oscilloscope apparatus for scaling and displaying persistence data using interpolation. The oscilloscope apparatus acquires a waveform and accumulates persistence data of the acquired waveform in a results buffer. The size of the persistence data is selectable by... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6966054 | Method and system for generating a computer program A method and system is described for generating executable code for a computer program. A programmer creates an intentional program tree using a syntax-independent editor. The editor allows a programmer to directly manipulate the intentional program tree. The intent... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6961052 | Methods and apparatus for providing multi-directional navigation control A navigation control apparatus, such as used to control a cursor on a display of an IP telephone, has a geometry that allows a user to produce a diagonal motion of the cursor displayed on the IP telephone. The navigation control apparatus has a support mount having ... | 11/01/2005 |
| 6956558 | Rotary force feedback wheels for remote control devices A force feedback wheel is provided on a mouse or other interface device manipulated by a user. A sensor detects a position of the mouse in a workspace and sends a position signal to a connected host computer indicating that position. A rotatable wheel is mounted upo... | 10/18/2005 |
| 6939067 | Keyboard with improved lateral region A keyboard having an input region that provides a set of input elements designed to complement a separate pointing device such as a computer mouse. These input elements enable both the dominant and non-dominant hand to work easily together to perform various functio... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6939294 | Endoscope apparatus allocating functions of switches by endoscope An endoscope apparatus has an endoscope that is arranged to be connectable to a processor unit, and has a first, second and third operation switches provided on an operation section of the endoscope for operating various functions. The endoscope is provided with a r... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6932524 | Keyboard with improved lateral region A keyboard having an input region that provides a set of input elements designed to complement a separate pointing device such as a computer mouse. These input elements enable both the dominant and non-dominant hand to work easily together to perform various functio... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6919815 | Appliance control communication methods and apparatus An apparatus includes an appliance control panel and a controller. The appliance control panel is disposed on an appliance. The appliance control panel has first and second optical communication devices that are in communication with an external surface of the appli... | 07/19/2005 |
| 6914543 | Method for initializing position with an encoder A method for detecting an absolute rotational position of an electromechanical device or the at least one component thereof comprising determining a first absolute position of the electromechanical device or the at least one component thereof based on a commutation ... | 07/05/2005 |
