Patent ID: 8130214
Filing Date: 2012-03-06
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An input apparatus comprising: an operation member that is rotatable and is movable in a direction along a rotation axis between an extended position and a pushed-in position, wherein the operation member is pushed in from the extended position to the pushed-in position; a biasing member for biasing the operation member toward the extended position; a first handler that engages the operation member when the operation member is in the extended position and is continuously rotatable along with the operation member; a second handler that engages the operation member when the operation member is in the pushed-in position, wherein the second handler is rotatable along with the operation member in either direction of rotation at a predetermined angle and wherein a neutral biasing member biases the second handler toward a neutral position; a first detection unit for obtaining a detection output based on a rotation of the first handler, wherein the first detecting unit comprises a rotary encoder that outputs one pulse for each predetermined angle of rotation of the first handler; and a second detection unit for obtaining a detection output based on a rotation of the second handler, wherein the second detection unit continuously outputs detection signals when the second handler rotates in either direction at a predetermined angle; and a control unit for obtaining a detection output from each of the first detection unit and the second detection unit and outputting display data to a display unit; wherein, when the control unit obtains pulses from the first detection unit in a state in which a plurality of pieces of data is being displayed on the display unit, pieces of data of the displayed plurality of pieces of data are sequentially selected on a predetermined unit based on the obtained pulses; and wherein, when the control unit continuously obtains detection signals from the second detection unit in a state in which a plurality of pieces of data is being displayed on the display unit, pieces of data of the displayed plurality of pieces of data are sequentially selected on a data set-by-data set basis, the data set comprising a plurality of pieces of data in excess of the predetermined unit.