Patent ID: 7432915

Claim:
A touch panel input device comprising: an input detector detecting an input operation to a touch panel; a piezoelectric substrate including a plurality of drive electrodes; an AC power supply circuit generating a drive potential with a predetermined waveform between a plurality of output terminals; and a selector switch allowing said drive electrodes of said piezoelectric substrate to be connected to and disconnected from said output terminals of said AC power supply circuit; wherein: when said input operation is detected within an operations area of said touch panel, said selector switch connects at least one of said drive electrodes of said piezoelectric substrate to at least one of said output terminals so that there is a connection between said drive electrodes and said output terminals, said touch panel is vibrated by said piezoelectric substrate, which expands and contracts in response to said drive potential applied between said drive electrodes, thus adapted to provide an input operation sensation to an operator; and when said touch panel input device is not operating, said selector switch substantially at the same time shorts said drive electrodes of said piezoelectric substrate and disconnects at least one of the drive electrodes of said piezoelectric from an output terminal of said AC power supply circuit.