Patent ID: 8339289

Claim:
An input-key control device for an apparatus having a plurality of operating modes for controlling a plurality of input keys to receive input provided by a user, the input-key control device comprising: a key-related-information storage unit that stores the operating modes and key-identifying information in association with each other, the key-identifying information being information for identifying an input key operable in the operating mode associated with the key-identifying information; an input-key identifying unit that identifies, when the operating mode is switched, an input key which has newly become operable as a result of the switching of the operating mode by comparing the key-identifying information stored in the key-related-information storage unit and associated with the operating mode before the switching and the key-identifying information stored in the key-related-information storage unit and associated with the operating mode after the switching; and a light-emission control unit that causes a lighting manner of a light-emitting element that illuminates the input key identified by the input-key identifying unit to differ from a lighting manner of a light-emitting element that illuminates at least one other input key.