Patent ID: 7545367
Filing Date: 2009-06-09
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A rotary input apparatus comprising: an operational end which is enabled to be rotationally operated; an operational input device that detects a rotational displacement of the operational end to move a pointer displayed on a display section to perform a selection operation of any one of various kinds of selection items displayed on the display section; and a driving force generating section that generates and transmits a driving force to the operational end in accordance with a reaction force pattern when the operational end is rotationally operated, the operational input device setting the reaction force pattern against the rotational displacement of the operational end and varying the reaction force pattern on the basis of an input signal from at least one of an internal of and an external to the operational input device when the operational end is rotationally operated, wherein the input signal from at least one of the internal of and the external to the operational input device includes a vibration data surrounding of the operational end obtained by a detection of the vibration or a prediction thereof, and the operational input device comprises a rotational position detecting section that detects a rotational position of the operational end and the vibration data is derived on the basis of a history of the rotational position of the operational end detected by the rotational position detecting section when the reaction force pattern is set to be constant irrespective of the rotational position of the operational end.