Patent ID: 8077057

Claim:
An input device comprising: a keyboard input unit having a plurality of input keys; an input pad that detects touch of a hand through a change in capacitance, the input pad including a detecting switch that is provided on a proximal side with respect to the keyboard input unit and detects pressing operation when the input pad is pressed, a palm detecting unit that is provided outside of the input pad and detects the hand that is in a position of operating the keyboard input device; and a data processing unit that generates different input signals on the basis of a detection output of the input pad according to whether the palm detecting unit detects the hand or not, wherein when both hands are detected at the palm detecting unit and it is judged that a preset area on the input pad is touched with the hand, and, in addition, when the pressing of the input pad is detected by the detection switch, the data processing unit generates an input signal that has been assigned to the area in advance; and when both hands are not detected at the palm detecting unit and the touching of the area on the input pad with the hand is detected, the data processing unit generates a pad input signal that includes coordinate information that indicates a position on the input pad that is touched with the hand irrespective of the output of the detection switch.