JPH0683472A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily identify an operator without making the operator aware. CONSTITUTION:On the basis of a trigger signal generated by the trigger generation part 1 of a pen device 101, a pass code is read in a transfer code generation part 3 from a storage part 2 to generate a transfer code, which is sent by radio from a transmission part 4. The pass code is given as a value characteristic to the pen device at the time of its manufacture. The information processor 102 receives and stores the pass code in a receiving buffer 8 and then the pass code is taken out by a processing part 6; and current time is read out of a timer part 9 and stored in a storage part 7 together with the pass code.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus for inputting a pass code or the like to protect information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an information processing apparatus such as a computer has generally been equipped with a keyboard or an input device similar thereto. The usage of these devices may be an information processing device dedicated to each individual, or a semi-dedicated device that is distributed at the time of work and collected when leaving the company. In the former case, each individual needs to store his or her own information in the information processing device and protect it from other users.In the latter case, even if the information processing device used changes, It is necessary to use it to easily retrieve personalized information from the center computer.

In such a usage mode, in order to identify each individual, the user specifies a user by inputting a password such as an alphabetic character string unique to each user to the information processing device, a name, or the like. The method of doing was often used. When using an information processing device that does not have a keyboard,
Instead of the keyboard, a virtual keyboard is displayed on the screen, and a user can be specified by inputting a name or password through the virtual keyboard or writing by using a handwriting input device.

[0004]

However, an information processing apparatus equipped with a handwriting input device has the advantage that it is easy for beginners to use because it is not equipped with a keyboard. As described above, if a virtual keyboard is displayed when inputting a name or password in the handwriting input type information processing device, the operator has to be aware of the keyboard and eliminates the peculiarities of the keyboard. That's one of the advantages of not having a keyboard. In addition, when inputting a handwritten character, it may be seen by another person, and may be erroneously recognized by the device, resulting in lack of safety, stability, and simplicity.

Further, recent information processing apparatuses such as small personal computers generally have a resume function, and can retain the state at the end of processing and restore the state at the previous end when the power is turned on again. it can. Therefore, the device is easy to use, but in this case, even if the power is turned off and on again, it will be treated as a continuation of the previous time, and if the operator is not identified by entering the password etc., the dedicated user will be absent. Anyone can continue to use the information processing device, and there is a problem in terms of data protection.

[0006] Further, a beginner is unfamiliar with password entry and the like, and it is desirable to eliminate it as much as possible or to use a computer without being directly aware of it. The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, the user can easily specify,
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing device which is less uncomfortable for the user and can surely transmit the identification information of the operator during use.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] and

In order to achieve the above object, the information processing apparatus according to the present invention has the following configuration. Storage means for storing the code string, trigger generation means for generating a trigger signal,
A code transmitting unit having a generating unit that reads the code string based on a trigger signal from the trigger generating unit and generates an identification code string, and a transmitting unit that transmits the identification code string generated by the generating unit, and a signal. A code receiving unit having a receiving unit for receiving and an extracting unit for extracting and storing an identification code sequence from a signal received by the receiving unit.

[0008]

1 is a block diagram showing the outline of a handwriting input type information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The handwriting input type information processing apparatus automatically inputs a pass code unique to each pen from the pen to the information processing apparatus when a handwriting input is made from the dedicated input pen to identify the user.

In FIG. 1, a pen device 101 includes a trigger generating unit 1 which is a trigger signal generating means, a storage unit 2 which is a built-in device of a pass code, a transfer code generating unit 3 which generates a transfer code from a pass code, and a radio transmission. Transmission unit 4 as means
The information processing apparatus main body 102 includes a receiving unit 5 that is a wireless receiving unit, a processing unit 6 that extracts a passcode from the received transfer code, a storage unit 7 that holds the passcode when necessary, and a receiving unit. 5, a receiving buffer 8 and a clock unit 9 for measuring the current time are provided.

In this embodiment, when the trigger signal generated by the trigger generator 1 is transmitted to the transfer code generator 3, the transfer code generator 3 reads the transfer code from the memory 2 and sends it to the transmitter 4. The transmitter 4 converts this transfer code into a radio signal and transmits it. In this embodiment, a radio signal is used as the wireless medium. The transmitted transfer code is received by the receiving unit 5 provided in the information processing apparatus main body 102, once put in the receiving buffer 8, and then sent to the processing unit 6. The processing unit 6 extracts the passcode from the received transfer code and stores it in the storage unit 7. In the present embodiment, the time acquired from the clock unit 9 is also stored at the same time.

FIG. 2 is a general external view of a handwriting input computer device. An appropriate shape is drawn on the input surface by the pen device 101 and input to the information processing device main body 102. Figure 3
The internal block of the trigger generator 1 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 31 is a pen tip switch section that outputs a signal when a switch provided on the pen tip is pressed, and 32 is a pen tip switch section 31.
Is a trigger control unit that receives a signal from the device and generates a trigger signal. In this embodiment, when the pen is lowered on the writing surface,
A pen device having a pen tip switch for detecting this is used, and the pen tip switch is used for generating a trigger signal. The flow of processing in the trigger generator 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

In step S41, it is determined whether or not the pen tip switch has been pressed, and if it has been pressed, trigger signal generation processing is performed in step S42. If the pen tip switch is not pressed, trigger generation processing is not performed. The pen device repeats this series of processes. That is, a trigger signal is generated each time the switch of the pen tip is pressed. When the trigger signal thus generated is transmitted to the transfer code generation unit 3, the transfer code generation unit 3 reads the transfer code 501 shown in FIG. 5 from the ROM. In FIG. 5, “SYN” is a header code for synchronization,
"STC" is a code that indicates the start of the passcode, "COD
“E” is a pass code, “EDC” is a code indicating the end of the pass code, and “CSC” is a code for error detection. Although a method of adding the control code and the like after reading out may be used, in the present embodiment, the transfer code 501 in which the pass code and the communication control code and the like are combined is stored in the ROM constituting the storage unit 2 in advance. The code is fixed at the time of manufacturing the input pen device 101. The transfer code may be stored in the RAM and stored by a means such as storing data by an internal battery.

The transfer code created by the transfer code generator 3 is sent to the transmitter 4 and transmitted as a radio signal. In this embodiment, unidirectional communication is used. Therefore, the pen device 101 immediately transmits the transfer code after the trigger signal is generated. The transmitted transfer code is received by the receiving unit 5 provided in the information processing device 102 adjacent to the pen device 101. The transfer code received by the reception unit 5 of the information processing device 102 is temporarily stored in the reception buffer 8 and then sent to the processing unit 6. The processing unit 6 extracts the passcode from the transmitted transfer code and stores it in the storage unit 7 together with the time acquired from the clock unit 9. The flow of this receiving process is shown in FIG.

When the received signal is detected in step S61,
The reception code 501 is stored in the reception buffer 8 provided in the reception unit 5 in step S62, the passcode is extracted in step S63, the current time is acquired from the clock unit 9 in step S64, and stored in the storage unit 7 in step S65. Store passcode with time. The passcode stored in the storage unit 7 is freely accessed by application software or the like of the information processing apparatus 102, and is used for user identification or the like. For example, when the information processing apparatus 102 is connected to a host computer or the like and tries to obtain data from the host, if an application program for that purpose is started, the pass code is referred to in the program to inform the user. After checking the above, the process shifts to the process of obtaining data for the first time. Alternatively, the passcode itself can be sent to the host computer to check the host computer. In this way, the application is free to access the passcode.

The time is for indicating the "newness" of the passcode stored in the storage unit 7, and is used for judging how long ago the passcode was received from the present. If the application software or the like of the information processing apparatus 102 refers to the passcode of the storage unit 7 every time the input is performed with the pen and clears it each time the reference is performed, the time reference is not required.

By automatically inputting the passcode from the dedicated pen as described above, the user can be easily identified from the application software or the like in the handwriting input type information processing device using the pen device. Further, even a beginner can use the information processing device without being aware of the password or the like. Also, unlike the one-time entry of user identification information only at the beginning of use, the user can be constantly monitored while the device is in use, so even if the resume function is activated or the user leaves the device, It is also possible to protect the user's information, and even if a large number of people use it alternately, it is possible to keep records of the user. Will be very useful to do.

[0017]

Other Embodiments As another embodiment of the present invention, a pen device 1
A handwriting input type information processing apparatus in which the trigger generation unit 1 in 01 is configured differently from the previous embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the trigger generator 1. In FIG. 7, 71
Is a pen tip switch section indicating that a switch provided on the pen tip is pressed, 72 is a timer processing section for measuring the time interval T, 73 is a signal from the pen tip switch section 71 and a signal from the timer processing section 72. It is a trigger control unit that receives and conditions a trigger.

The timer processing section 72 is provided to suppress the number of times the transfer code is sent from the pen device 101 and to ensure a certain frequency. This is intended to reduce transmission power consumption and reception processing amount. In the present embodiment, when the trigger signal generated by the trigger generation unit 1 is transmitted to the transfer code generation unit 3, the transfer code generation unit 3 reads the transfer code from the storage unit 2 and sends it to the transmission unit 4, and the transmission unit 4 Converts this transfer code into a radio signal and transmits it. In this embodiment, a radio wave signal is used as the wireless medium.

The transmitted transfer code is the information processing apparatus 1
It is received by the receiving unit 5 provided in No. 02, once put in the receiving buffer 8, and then sent to the processing unit 6. The processing unit 6 extracts the passcode and stores it in the storage unit 7 together with the time acquired from the clock unit 9. In the present embodiment, a pen device having a pen tip switch section 71 for detecting the pen when the pen is lowered on the writing surface is used, and a pen tip switch and a timer processing section 72 are used for generating a trigger signal. .

The flow of this trigger generation processing will be described with reference to FIG. First, in step S81, it is determined whether or not the pen tip switch has been pressed. If it is pressed, the time lapse signal is read from the timer processing unit 72 in step S82, and it is determined whether or not T time has elapsed since the last generation of the trigger signal. If the time T has elapsed, a trigger signal generation process is performed in step S83, and the timer time is reset in step S84. In the above case, nothing is done. The pen device 101 repeats this process.

That is, once the pen tip switch is pressed to generate the trigger signal, the trigger signal generation is stopped by the depression of the pen tip switch until the time T elapses, and the pen tip switch is pressed again after the time T elapses. And emits a trigger signal. In this embodiment, the time T is set to several seconds. Hereinafter, the process after the trigger signal is transmitted to the transfer code generation unit 3 is the same as that in the above embodiment.

With the above arrangement, in addition to the effects of the above-described embodiment, the frequent judgment of the user does not hinder the progress of the original processing of the information processing apparatus.
Power consumption in the pen device can be reduced. In addition to the above, the trigger signal is generated by a method in which the timer device alone emits the signal at a constant cycle, a system in which a dedicated button is provided in the pen device and the user presses the button, and the like.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0024]

As described above, the information input device according to the present invention has an effect that the user can be easily specified, the user does not feel uncomfortable, and the operator's identification information can be transmitted at the time of use. There is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a handwriting input type information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a handwriting input type information processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a trigger generator.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of trigger generation.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a transfer code.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of processing on the receiving computer side.

FIG. 7 is a block configuration diagram of a trigger generation unit according to another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of trigger generation in another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Trigger generation part, 2 ... Storage part, 3 ... Transfer code generation part, 4 ... Transmission part, 5 ... Reception part, 6 ... Processing part, 7 ... Storage part, 8 ... Reception buffer, 9 ... Clock part, 31 ... Pen tip switch unit, 32 ... Trigger control unit, 71 ... Pen tip switch unit in other embodiments, 72 ... Timer processing unit in other embodiments, 73 ... Trigger control unit in other embodiments.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. Storage means for storing a code string, trigger generating means for generating a trigger signal, generating means for reading the code string based on a trigger signal by the trigger generating means and generating an identification code string, A code transmitting section having a transmitting means for transmitting the identification code sequence generated by the generating means; a receiving means for receiving the signal; and an extracting means for extracting and storing the identification code sequence from the signal received by the receiving means. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a code receiving unit having: 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification code string is uniquely given to each of the code transmitting units. 3. The code transmitting unit further comprises switch means for electrically disconnecting by a mechanical operation, and the trigger generating means generates a trigger signal based on the electrical disconnection by the switch means. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The code transmitting section further comprises a time measuring means for measuring the lapse of a predetermined time, and the trigger generating means generates a trigger signal at a time interval of a predetermined time or more by the time measuring means. The information processing device according to item 1. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit and the receiving unit each wirelessly transmit and receive a signal.