Patent ID: 6326956
Filing Date: 2001-12-04
Classification: G06F,H03K

Abstract:
A control device for providing a control signal to electrical apparatus wherein at least one photosensor in said control device detects movement of a moveable member which photosensor responds to light produced by a light source, wherein the improvement comprises:said control device being disposed in front of an electronic image display screen within an image display area thereof which display screen displays changeable images conveying information pertinent to operation of the control device, said display screen also being said light source,further including a display screen controller coupled to said image display screen and being conditioned to cause display of a light pattern at said image display area which light pattern is viewed by said photosensor, said moveable member being positionable to cause said photosensor to view any of a plurality of locations in said light pattern and wherein said photosensor produces a location sensing signal in response to light produced by the display screen at a selected location in the light pattern, and,a digital data processor receiving said location sensing signal and being conditioned to vary the value of said control signal in response to location sensing signals originating from different ones of said locations in said light pattern.