| US 7,532,199 B2 | ||
| Input apparatus | ||
| Satoko Kubo, Tokyo (Japan); Hiroyuki Ohnuma, Chiba (Japan); and Haruhiko Yata, Kanagawa (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Sony Corporation, (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Jul. 11, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/178,980. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. P2004-205203 (JP), filed on Jul. 12, 2004; application No. P2004-205204 (JP), filed on Jul. 12, 2004; and application No. P2004-339283 (JP), filed on Nov. 24, 2004. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0170569 A1, Aug. 03, 2006 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. G09G 5/08 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 345—161 [345/158; 463/38] | 11 Claims |
| 1. An input apparatus, comprising:
a first operation housing having a plurality of first input buttons for performing a first group of functions, the first operation
housing being adapted principally to be held;
a second operation housing having a plurality of second input buttons for performing a second group of functions and a plurality
of third input buttons for performing a third group of functions;
a hinge section connecting the second operation housing to the first operation housing for pivotal movement between a folded
position and an unfolded position, the third input buttons being operable while the first input buttons and the second input
buttons are disposed between the first operation housing and the second operation housing in the folded position; and
a joystick control section disposed integrally with the first operation housing on a center line of the hinge section and
having an outer circumferential portion provided with fourth input buttons for performing functions corresponding to the first
group of functions and the second group of functions;
the joystick control section being exposed in both the folded position and the unfolded position so that input operations
can be performed using the fourth input buttons.
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