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US006340800B1
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,340,800 Bi
Zhai et al. (45) Date of Patent: Jan. 22,2002
(54) MULTIPLEXING CONTROL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
(75) Inventors: Shumin Zhai, San Jose, CA (US);
Phillip Edward Partin, Wake Forest,
NC (US)
(73) Assignee: International Business Machines
Corporation, Armonk, NY (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/580,994
(22) Filed: May 27, 2000
(51) Int. C I. I101I1 3/20
(52) U.S. CI 200/5 R; 200/17 R; 200/18
(58) Field of Search 200/1 R, 5 R,
200/4, 6 R, 11 R, 16 R, 17 R, 18, 1 B, 42.01, 563, 566, 318.2, 321, 336, 339
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,283,401 A 2/1994 Schmucker 200/6 A
5,516,991 A 5/1996 Hommann 200/6 R
5,749,617 A * 5/1998 Wissrich et al 296/107
5,902,972 A 5/1999 Nestor et al 200/1 B
5,925,860 A * 7/1999 Lee 200/18
5,945,646 A 8/1999 Miller et al 200/5 R
6,034,337 A * 3/2000 Siegert 200/50.32
6,225,578 Bl * 5/2001 Kobayashi et al 200/5 R
6,281,453 Bl * 8/2001 Uleski 200/4
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Dish Network TM Universal Remote Control, manual 123473388-AA Rev. AB, available on the World Wide Web at URL: http://www.dishnetwork.com/pdf/remote/remote.pdl, printed May 16, 2000, pp. 1-13. Microsoft ^ Natural ^ Keyboard Pro, brochure, material not dated.
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—Michael Friedholer
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Samuel A. Kassatly
(57) ABSTRACT
A compact multiplexing control device combines simplicity with efficiency, ease ol use, and quick access, and enables a user to switch among multiple lunctions. The multiplexing control device is comprised ol two main components: a selector and an executor. The selector is a manually rotatable ring labeled with lunctions. The executor is a rocker which is disposed at a fixed location at the center ol the ring. In a resting position, the rocker is aligned with a pair ol fiinctions, while in a selection position, the ring is rotated so that the rocker is aligned with a new pair ol lunctions. Once the desired function is aligned with one pad of the rocker, the user can press that pad to execute the selected function.
20 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets
