JP2002354079A - Key display unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a key display unit enabling easy set and modification of contents of a display unit with reduced number of depressions, while maintaining an ordinary clicking touch when depressing. SOLUTION: In a portable terminal unit, a display unit 1 electronically forming display contents is incorporated in an operation key, thus constituting the key display unit. With a function of modifying the display contents on the display unit 1 incorporated in the operation key, the display contents can be set and modified easily and arbitrarily by use of electronic means without printing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a key display device in which a display device is incorporated in operation keys of a portable terminal device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of operation key device employed in a portable terminal device has a structure in which fixed characters and symbols are printed on individual keys or a combination of a display unit and a touch panel. It was composed.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional operation key device, characters and symbols other than those printed on the key cannot be expressed on the key, so that the key operation becomes complicated. When searching for characters that are not printed, a key operation is performed by a so-called cyclic pressing means or the like in which the same key is repeatedly pressed using a display unit or the like separately from the key unit. . In such a case, if the number of times the key is pressed by the search character increases, or if the number of times the key is pressed is mistaken, the key must be pressed again the same number of times, and the number of times the key is pressed increases.

Further, since a touch panel and a touch panel are not provided with a pressing sensation (hereinafter referred to as a clicking sensation) at the time of pressing, it may not be possible to know whether or not the key is pressed. ,
There is a problem that many circuits for driving the touch panel are complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems. By incorporating a display device into a key, it is possible to easily set and change the contents of the display device while using a normal key having a click feeling. And a key display device capable of reducing the number of times of pressing.

[0006]

The key display device according to the present invention has a structure in which a monochrome display device for electronically forming display contents with respect to operation keys of a portable terminal device is incorporated. With this configuration, the contents of the monochrome display device can be easily set electronically, not by printing.

The key display device according to the present invention has a configuration in which a color display device for electronically forming display contents with respect to operation keys of a portable terminal device is incorporated. With this configuration, the contents of the display device can be easily set electronically, not by printing.

The key display device according to the present invention has a configuration in which the portable terminal device has a function of changing the display of the display device incorporated in the operation keys. With this configuration, it is possible to easily change the display of the operation key display device according to the change in the function of the operation key.

The key display device according to the present invention has a configuration in which each of the operation keys has a plurality of display devices, and the portable terminal device has a function of displaying characters on the plurality of display devices. With this configuration, any character can be displayed on each operation key.

The key display device according to the present invention has a configuration in which each of the operation keys has a plurality of display devices, and the portable terminal device has a function of displaying figures and images on the plurality of display devices. I have. With this configuration,
Any graphic or image can be displayed on each operation key.

The key display device according to the present invention has a configuration in which each of the operation keys has a plurality of display devices, and the portable terminal device has a function of displaying a moving image on the plurality of display devices. With this configuration, any moving image can be displayed on each operation key.

The key display device according to the present invention has a configuration in which the portable terminal device has a function of changing the display of the display device incorporated in the operation keys and searching for characters. With this configuration, a character search can be easily performed.

The key display device according to the present invention has a configuration in which the portable terminal device has a function of changing the display of the display device incorporated in the operation keys a plurality of times to search for a character having a large number of homonyms. I have. With this configuration, it is possible to easily execute a kanji search.

The key display device according to the present invention has a configuration in which the portable terminal device has a function of arbitrarily changing the display arrangement of the display device incorporated in the operation keys. With this configuration, the arrangement of the numbers on the display device can be easily changed.

The key display device according to the present invention has a configuration in which the portable terminal device has a function of dividing the functions of the operation keys into groups and color-coding the color of the color display device of each operation key for each of the groups. ing. With this configuration, operation keys having similar functions can be grouped by color to facilitate operation.

The key display device according to the present invention has a configuration in which the portable terminal device has a function of notifying an incoming call based on a change in color of the color display device and notifying a called party from the changed color display device. ing. With this configuration, an incoming call can be notified by a change in color of the color display device, and the other party can be easily notified by the color display device.

The key display device according to the present invention has a configuration in which the portable terminal device has a function of notifying the state of the portable terminal device by changing the characters and colors of the color display device and displaying the same. . With this configuration, the status of the portable terminal device can be easily notified by color.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, first to twelfth embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. (First Embodiment) First, a configuration of a key display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The key display device according to the present embodiment is configured by incorporating the monochrome display device 1 into operation keys. That is, the operation key (hereinafter, referred to as a key) shown in FIG. 1 has a configuration similar to that of an operation key often used in a portable terminal device or the like,
And a panel switch 4 that is in contact with the key board 6 to be a switch, and a diaphragm 5 attached to the panel switch 4 and separating the panel switch 4 from the key board 6. As described above, the key display device according to the present embodiment has the monochrome display device 1 incorporated as a display device inside the key top 2 of the operation keys. In addition,
The monochrome display device 1 may use a normal liquid crystal display device, but may use other display means.

Next, the operation of the key display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In such a configuration, when a key operation is performed, first, the user sees the display of the black-and-white display device 1 displayed inside the key top 2, knows the function of the key, and depresses the key top 2. The panel switch 4 provided with the diaphragm 5 is brought into contact with the key substrate 6 to transmit a key press to the internal circuit.

As described above, in the key display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the function of each key is displayed by incorporating and forming the monochrome display device 1 inside the key top 2. The display contents of the keys need not be printed in advance, and the display contents can be freely configured as shown in a display example 7.

(Second Embodiment) Next, with reference to FIG. 2, a key display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The key display device shown in FIG. 2 is different from the key display device shown in FIG. 1 in that a color display device 8 is provided instead of the monochrome display device 1. According to this configuration,
The key display device in the present embodiment is basically the same as that in the first embodiment. By providing the color display device 8 for each key, color printing is performed in advance on the display contents of each key. There is no need to perform the display, and the display contents can be easily viewed by color display as shown in Display Example 7.

(Third Embodiment) Next, a key display device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The display device 9 of the key display device according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 3 includes the monochrome display device 1 and the color display device 8 according to the first and second embodiments as the display device 9. Other configurations of the device are the same as those of the first and second embodiments. However, the display device 9 in the present embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is characterized in that the display content can be freely changed according to the function of the mobile terminal device.

Next, the display changing operation of the display device 9 in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The display contents of the display device are changed, for example, by selection on the initial screen, another key operation, or another method. Therefore, the key display device according to the present embodiment does not need to print and create the key display for each portable terminal device, and does not need to exchange the key display according to the function of the key. As described above, the function (meaning) of the operation key can be freely changed to a completely different character, numeral, graphic, or the like.

(Fourth Embodiment) Next, a key display device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The display device of the key display device according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has the display device 9 according to the third embodiment provided with a considerable number of operation keys, so that each operation key can be a complex character such as a kanji or a different language. Can be displayed or expressed. In the key display device according to the present embodiment, examples of display contents by a set of display devices 9 include a kanji display example 10, a Korean character display example 11,
As shown in Hiragana display example 12 and English character display example 13, any character can be displayed.

Such a selection and a change operation of the display language and display characters can be set, for example, on an initial screen of the portable terminal device. Therefore, the key display device according to the present embodiment does not need to print and create a key for each portable terminal device. For example, the display content can be freely changed according to the function of the portable terminal device by, for example, simply operating a key or another method. Can be changed.

(Fifth Embodiment) Next, a key display device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The display device of the key display device according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 5 includes a display device 9 according to the third embodiment provided with a considerable number of operation keys so that each operation key can display a complicated composition such as a graphic or an image. It can be displayed. In the key display device according to the present embodiment, FIG. 5 shows a graphic image display example 14 as an example of the display content of the display device, but this is not the only example. The display of the operation keys can be freely changed for such figures or images.

[0027] Such a graphic or image selection and change operation can be set, for example, on the initial screen of the portable terminal device. Therefore, the key display device according to the present embodiment does not need to print and create a key for each portable terminal device. Can be changed.

(Sixth Embodiment) Next, a key display device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The display device of the key display device according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is configured such that the display device 9 according to the third embodiment is provided for each operation key in a considerable number, and the display content is changed at high speed to be a moving image. It was done. That is, in the key display device according to the present embodiment, for example,
By rewriting or switching the display example 7 of the display device 9 shown in FIG. 6 at high speed, animations and moving images can be displayed on the key display device.

[0029] Such an animation or moving image selection and change operation can be set, for example, on the initial screen of the portable terminal device. Therefore, the key display device according to the present embodiment can freely change the display content according to the function of the portable terminal device, for example, simply by operating a key or another method.

(Seventh Embodiment) Next, a key display device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The display device 9 of the key display device according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 7 searches for a key that displays a desired character or the like by changing the key display by operating a key having the display device 9 according to the third embodiment. It is provided with a function to perform.

Hereinafter, an example of a character search operation by the key display device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
First, in FIG. 7, for example, when searching for the character of “ko” of Hiragana, for example, a character search function and a Hiragana character are selected on an initial screen. For this reason, the first character of the hiragana "Akasana ..." is displayed on the display device 9 of each key.
The first character (the selected character 15) containing the character to be searched for is selected and pressed (operation content 17), and then the key display device 9 displays The search is completed by selecting the selected character 16 "ko" and pressing it (operation content 18).

Next, as an example using the alphabet, when performing a character search for the letter "N" in the alphabet, first, for example, a character search function and an alphabet character are selected on the initial screen. Therefore, the alphabetic characters “ABCDE...
・ "Is displayed. Selected character 19 containing the character to be searched is selected and pressed (operation content 21). Then, the display device 9 of each key displays only" LMN ". Here, the search is completed by selecting and pressing "N" of the selected character 20 (selection content 22.) In this way, according to the key display device of the present embodiment, You can easily search for characters.

(Eighth Embodiment) Next, a key display device according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The display device 9 of the key display device according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is provided with “next” and “previous” keys, and is operated in the same manner as the operation of the keys having the display device 9 according to the third embodiment. For example, "Kana-Kanji conversion"
, There are many homographs and many search targets,
By operating a key a plurality of times to move the display of the display device 9 back and forth, a function of searching for a key that displays a desired character is provided.

Hereinafter, an example of a kana-kanji search using the key display device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 8, for example, when searching for the kanji “kawa”,
For example, the “kana-kanji search” function is selected on the initial screen. Therefore, "Kawa" is input in advance with the operation keys, and a kanji called "Kawa" is displayed on the key display device 9 by the kanji conversion operation. If the character to be searched is included, the search is completed by selecting and pressing the "kawa" key of the selected character 23 (operation content 24). Also,
If there are multiple kanji characters such as “KA” such as “Kawa”, they cannot be displayed with one key operation.
By pressing a key having a display of "previous" (previous page) and "next" (next page) (operation content 25), the search character is scanned by replacing the next display character. If the page is not on the next page, press the “Next” key again (Operation 2
6) If the user is not on the next page, the user presses the "next" key (operation content 28).
7 If there is a river, select and press it (operation content 29) to complete the search. Thus, according to the key display device of the present embodiment, any character can be easily searched.

(Ninth Embodiment) Next, a key display device according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The display device 9 of the key display device according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 9 is such that the display arrangement of the display device 9 according to the third embodiment can be freely changed. With the display device 9 according to the present embodiment configured in this manner, for example, when a personal identification number or the like needs to be pressed as necessary in electronic payment or the like by the portable terminal device, or a key operation is performed on the pressed content of the telephone number. In such a case, the arrangement of the key display on the display device 9 prevents the pressed content from being read by another person. That is,
The display device 9 in the present embodiment can change the arrangement of the key numbers and the like as shown in the display example 7 so that the key numbers cannot be read from the key operation.

Such an operation of changing the display arrangement of the display device 9 can be selected and set on the initial screen of the portable terminal device, for example. Therefore, the key display device according to the present embodiment can enhance the security effect by freely changing the display contents simply by operating the keys on the initial screen, for example.

(Tenth Embodiment) Next, a key display device according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The display device 9 of the key display device according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 10 includes a display unit 30 that displays the grouped colors, and the grouped colors correspond to the colors of the display devices 9 of the keys having similar functions. That is, it is configured to be. In the key display device according to the present embodiment, for example, when grouping is performed based on color information as in a display example 7 displayed on the display unit 30 of the mobile terminal device, when performing a selection operation, the grouped colors and The color can be selected so as to match the color of the display device 9 of the key.

Such an operation of setting and changing the arrangement of colors and the colors of the display device 9 can be selected and set on an initial screen of the portable terminal device, for example. Therefore,
The key display device according to the present embodiment can eliminate a selection error by freely changing display contents according to a use state, for example, simply by setting and changing an arrangement of colors and colors on an initial screen. Operability can be improved.

(Eleventh Embodiment) Next, a key display device according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The display device 9 of the key display device according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 11 is configured to change colors and blink when a portable terminal device rings, for example. In the key display device according to the present embodiment, for example, when the portable terminal device sounds, the display device 9 shown in FIG.
As in the display example 7, the incoming call is notified by changing the color and blinking, and the other party can be notified by the color. In addition, such an arrangement of color display of the display device 9 and a setting and changing operation of a called party to be notified by blinking are performed as follows.
For example, it can be performed on the initial screen of the portable terminal device. As a result, the called party can be easily known at the time of the incoming call.

(Twelfth Embodiment) Next, a key display device according to a twelfth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The display device 9 of the key display device according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 12 includes a bar graph of a different color depending on a call or a standby displayed on the display device 9 or a display number of the same color displayed on the display device 9 of each key. Is configured to represent the remaining battery power. In the key display device according to the present embodiment, for example, when monitoring the state of the remaining battery power of the portable terminal device, the color of the key display device 9 is changed by changing the color of the key display device 9 depending on the state of the call or the standby mode. Can be represented by a bar graph as shown in display example 7 or by the number of displays on the display device of the same color, and information such as the remaining amount during a call and the remaining amount during standby can be notified. In addition, such an operation of setting and changing the arrangement of the monitor and the color display of the display device 9 and the display content can be performed, for example, on the initial screen of the portable terminal device. Thereby, the state of the portable terminal device such as the remaining amount of the battery can be easily known.

[0041]

The key display device according to the present invention is configured as described above. In particular, by incorporating the display device into the operation keys, the display content can be easily set on the keytop and the display content can be changed. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a key display device which can be operated easily and can be reduced in the number of operations, while being a normal key having a click feeling.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a key display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a key display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example by a key display device according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example by a key display device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example by a key display device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example by a key display device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display character search operation by a key display device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display character search operation by a key display device according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an operation of changing a display character arrangement by a key display device according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing that display devices of a key display device according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention are grouped by color;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state of a portable terminal device by a change in color of a display device according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a state of a portable terminal device as an indicator based on a change in color of a display device according to a twelfth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Black-and-white display device 2 Key top 3 Key base 5 Panel switch 6 Key board 7 Display example 8 Color display device 9 Display device 10 Kanji display example 11 Korean character display example 12 Hiragana display example 13 English display example 14 Graphic image display example 15 Selection Character "ka" 16 Selected character "ko" 17, 18, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 2
9 Operation content 19 Selected character “LMN” 20 Selected character “N” 23 Selected character “River” 27 Selected character “River” 30 Display

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) H01H 9/16 H01H 13/02 A 13/02 13/70 C 13/70 H04M 1/247 H03M 11/14 G06F 3 / 023 320C H04M 1/247

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A key display device comprising a monochrome display device for electronically forming display contents with respect to operation keys of a portable terminal device. 2. A key display device comprising a color display device for electronically forming display contents with respect to operation keys of a portable terminal device. 3. The key display device according to claim 1, wherein the portable terminal device has a function of changing a display of a display device incorporated in the operation keys. 4. The operation key according to claim 1, wherein each of the operation keys has a plurality of display devices, and the portable terminal device has a function of displaying characters on the plurality of display devices. Key display device according to the above. 5. The operation key according to claim 1, wherein each of the operation keys has a plurality of display devices, and the portable terminal device has a function of displaying a graphic or an image on the plurality of display devices. A key display device as described in Crab. 6. The portable terminal device according to claim 1, wherein each of the operation keys has a plurality of display devices, and the portable terminal device has a function of displaying a moving image on the plurality of display devices. Key display device according to the above. 7. The key according to claim 1, wherein the portable terminal device has a function of changing a display of a display device incorporated in the operation keys to search for a character. Display device. 8. The portable terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said portable terminal device has a function of changing a display of a display device incorporated in said operation key a plurality of times to search for a character having a large number of homonyms. A key display device according to any one of the above. 9. The key display according to claim 1, wherein the portable terminal device has a function of arbitrarily changing a display arrangement of a display device incorporated in the operation keys. apparatus. 10. The portable terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the function of the operation keys is divided into groups, and the color of the color display device of each operation key is classified into colors for each group. Key display device. 11. The portable terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the portable terminal device has a function of notifying an incoming call based on a change in color of the color display device and notifying a called party from the color display device in which the color has changed. Key display device. 12. The key display according to claim 2, wherein said portable terminal device has a function of notifying a state of said portable terminal device by a character, a color change, and a display manner of said color display device. apparatus.