Patent ID: 8416219

Claim:
An operating device comprising: an annular switch attached to an outer peripheral surface of a substantially rod-shaped operating lever so as to be capable of performing a reciprocating motion in a certain fixed direction along the outer peripheral surface of the operating lever; a contact/non-contact detection device that detects contact and non-contact states in relation to the annular switch; a display device that displays a plurality of functions of a specific operation subject pre-associated with the annular switch in a single row extending in a direction corresponding to the direction of the reciprocating motion of the annular switch when the contact/non-contact detection device detects the contact state in relation to the annular switch; a function selection device that selects one function from the plurality of functions displayed in the single row by the display device in accordance with a position of the reciprocating motion of the annular switch in the certain fixed direction when the contact/non-contact detection device detects the contact state in relation to the annular switch; and an execution instruction device that issues an instruction to the corresponding operation subject to execute the function selected by the function selection device at a point in time when the contact/non-contact detection device detects that the annular switch has shifted from the contact state to the non-contact state.