Patent ID: 7608039

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a hand-held endoscopic surgical camera including a housing for the endoscopic camera, wherein an upper portion of the housing slopes downward towards a user of the endoscopic camera and includes a recessed region; circuitry, within the housing, to control functionality of the hand-held endoscopic surgical camera, wherein the endoscopic surgical camera includes focus and zoom functions; a control operable by a user to operate the circuitry, wherein the control includes a keypad made of a single piece of pliable material and including four keys mounted in a cross-like configuration, wherein the keypad electronically controls the focus and zoom functions of the endoscopic surgical camera and wherein the keypad is mounted so that a upper portion of the keypad extends above the upper portion of the housing and a lower portion of the keypad extends into the recessed region; and a light source to illuminate the control, wherein the light source is a phosphorescent substance that is integral with the keypad, and wherein the keypad includes opaque symbols that are not self-illuminating on the top surface of the keypad to indicate corresponding functions, such that the control is self-illuminating and the opaque symbols are visible in a dark environment in contrast to the rest of the self-illuminating keypad.