DE4127288A1 - Keyboard for data input e.g. for typewriter, calculator, remote controller - allows use of single finger to operate foil contact with 10 stages providing continuous output of signals equivalent to alphanumeric functions - Google Patents

Abstract

The keyboard has 10 input elements (0-9) arranged in a stack of 3 T shaped layouts. At the centre of each 'T' arrangement is a steel pin. Entry of alphanumeric characters or functions are made with a continuous movement of the finger across the surface. This provides a continuous output of coded data equivalent to written words. Specific functions are defined in table form in the system memory. The inputs are formed as foil contacts. ADVANTAGE - Improves input of alphanumeric data.

Description

The morse key and its signal sequences and labeled are known Keyboards for data entry on typewriters, standardized keyboards etc. Newer keys around whole syllables, and words were keyed at the same time by Prof. H. H. Zimmermann, Saarbrücken in his Cossma 2 keyboard proposed and there is a French patent A1 02 13 022 before that the variety of keys by combination keys also the "clavier electronique actionable dune column main ", but complicated with 2 fingers on 2 finger fields, is operated in a highly abstract combinatorial manner. US patents for microwriters are also prior to US A 0 42 777 and 30 22 878 Also scanner data entry via light pens and writing on screens are for comparison and delimitation here. For the latter, which are also known as keyboardless input, it is different from the 3 t keyboard proposed here not real keyboards, but black and white raster analyzes.

The special thing about the 3 t keyboard described here, whose Key sequences are equal to the bit sequences and result in a character, like a programming button, for which it is of course also suitable, is, however, that it is the writing gesture of over foil painting organically combined with the keyboard principle of course, so too and especially z. B. a blind man, about feeling the elevations the 3 steel pins can provide full data input if he is the Key order follows. The key sequences now and this is also new and have never been there before, follow the iconic image the small letters when entering on the way of the keys, between 1 and 7 and are therefore less abstractly new and therefore easy to remember since the usual external lower case largely corresponds.

Of course, in real and real, the signs only follow the real ones triggered key impulses, the same from behind, so to speak organic characters result or can be executed in different ways finger-tapping and jumping movements that are still common today, as long as the electrical switching path generates the same pulse train and forward it and that is, touches the keys that clearly belong to a character will. The key sequence follows the electrical connection of FIG. 10 Keys defined in the permanent memory by exact pulse definition, and can be in the freely programmable memory any other alphabets and characters are assigned, from other cultures z. B. which is also the subjective feeling of iconic agreement with it, up to very complex Chinese characters.  

"Writing" is done continuously with a finger or pen. The output of the keyed character can, acoustically as sound or visually appear immediately on a screen. Is written apparently and really always on the same keys and the same Place, as is common with all typewriters and the direct output of the sign and thus the success feedback takes place elsewhere on output device. What is new is that this is in the same place Write, now for small letters on only 10 keypads becomes possible. The novelty is due to the specific key combination circuit and the specific spatial arrangement of the buttons. Double storage and the symbol analysis function change are new.

Unlike the Morse code, since there is more than one key certain keys namely (zero, 1 and 7 according to drawing) only for Marking of the beginning and end of the character used. It will 2 different symbol analysis systems alternately introduced via the zero key, with the same start and end for punctuation and a 1 input and 7 output symbol analysis function via buttons, 1 and 7. The purpose of the double analysis systems over zero and 1/7 is functional in that immediately and after each character or one String can be punctuated, or a calculation or Forming function can be inserted via the 2nd analysis function and then can be switched back again for further input Symbols, based on the last calculated processed result.

In this way it is achieved that this keyboard for computing devices, and translation machines, telephoning and writing about Telephone line etc can be used. Therefore belongs to incomplete description also the pair function. (P1 to P25) If 2 buttons are pressed at the same time, each from a corresponding 5 group, the individual function of each key is suppressed and a pair function upstream that covers the entire functional area the following single key sequences can change and in the festival memory must be provided. First press the pair again generates the mode change. The following are the special functions described in detail, tables and figures follow in the appendix for better understanding and iconic perception and some embodiments of the assignment of the chain of the electrical keystroke pulses to the small German ones Letters, numbers and some punctuation marks.  

In the following, for excitation 1, (+) non-excited 0 is used and replaced by 0123456789 in Fig. 1. The machine in alphabetical readiness to write was reached with pair 2 + 6. After this switch-on, touching key 1 once means that a symbol begins and is continued by at least one further key touch. Until this has been done, the machine maintains its current setting until key 7 is touched again. This ends the creation of a symbol, and the machine switches back to standby and automatically jumps to the next but one image position, it sees placing on the hand writing surface after 7 as the end of a word and creates a gap when it is displayed on the monitor.

If 9 is touched after 7, this means for the circuit, move one position and put the next symbol on the word. However, at least one additional key z. B. 8 between 1 and 7 have been touched so that a symbol is triggered at all which is displayed on the screen after touching 7 so that the Machine continues to the next image position.

The recorder uses key 1 to write fulfills the zero key as well as character decryption function 2 3 4 5 6 8 and 1 as the fixed start and 7 as the fixed end.

The keys 0 23 456 8 are used to interconnect letters as parts Pieces of the individual symbols. Since there is no symbol without touching 1 can begin and cannot end without touching 7, these two Keys must always be excited, we can use them to differentiate omit the letters and assume they are 1 ...... 1.

So there are 7 sensors in 2 states (2 to the 7) to distinguish letters. A schematic assignment follows for the 26 "small" letters closest to the script come and also written with a writing pen over the sensors can be, whereby, as said, a symbol always begins at 1 and with 7 ends. The simplest symbol is the zero and is printed out or displayed on a screen as soon as the 1 8 7 keys are touched. If this is done a second time, a 2nd zero after that Set 2 digits further to the right. In addition, the 9 after 1 8 7 touched, then zeros are put together. Recognizes here the reader has a basic principle of ttts, namely writing on the same place. So it is in a circular motion of the hand 1879 1879 etc triggered several times, the device writes a chain of zeros and put them side by side on a line. The interlacing remains blank at the moment. See Tab. 1, a schematic assignment of the 26 small alphabet letters for the key combinations.  

The 10 keys in the triple -t- as shown in Fig. 1 are divided into 2 unlinked, similar groups of 5, (see arrangement of the 5 groups in Fig. A), which, by rotating and stacking and arranging and interconnecting to form the 10 system can be put together. In terms of production technology, the production of similar 5-key foils is sufficient. For the design of the individual button, see Fig. C.

The simultaneous triggering, each of the elements of a group of 5 with one of the other 5 acts as a combination command and is queried primarily by the corresponding microprocessor. 5 times 5 = 25 pairs are possible in this way, P1 ... P25.

The buttons 1, 7 and 0, 9 have one within a function mode outstanding position. 1 is always the beginning of a character and 7 always the end. 0 serves as a punctuation mark when writing encoder and in arithmetic mode as an operative signifier, each time a character that starts at zero and ends at zero. d. H. the simplest character that can be triggered with 0 is the period and is triggered by pressing 2 times 0. Each between 2 zeros Touched key is interpreted as another symbol element part (See table 4).

E.g. means pressing 0 and 9 simultaneously in 3t (this is P1) the system is now switched to the telephone keypad, the following ones Key presses are processed one after the other like telephone numbers. In the case of the combination pairs, it makes no difference whether 12897 from the lower group or 34506 from the upper group is pressed as long a button belonging to the pair is still pressed while the others are added. The overlap in terms of time is effective as a combination trigger and switching to a P1 ... to P25 mode.

After switching on and off, the device remains in the last switched mode. There is no function mode without a combination trigger. Within the group of 5 there is no particular simultaneous one Command function, unless delete and switch to start. This is done by simultaneously pressing pairs within one 5 he reached group, about 3, 6 is intended for this.

A single key is released and then another when touched this applies as a result of individual pulses and, the device remains in the previously activated pair mode.

It is possible after the P1 mode and the corresponding selection of one Telephone number approximately in P2 mode by pressing 2 + 6 in t to switch and then write about over the phone. Because P2 switches to the write mode described in the first Sensor buttons. In this sense let P3 be the simultaneous pressing of 1 + 3, such as switching the key functions to arithmetic mode. It is clear that additional functional groups are occupied in this way can be.  

The assignment in Tab. 1 does not differentiate in which order the keys after beginning 1 and before end 7 are touched. There are so several more or less organic movements, circles, Forward and backward movements possible, as long as they are accurate set buttons are touched or not touched to Create the desired character. Not even double touches within the symbol drawing need to be analyzed in Tab. 1. It would still be conceivable to differentiate between must and can touch A scheme is also conceivable that the order of the Touches considered, and a reversible clear assignment of touching from the end. Then theoretically within the beginning and end of a character, the same symbol can also be written backwards, d. H. from right to left. Then double touches have one depending on when they come other meaning, see Tab. 2.

For the problem of upper and lower case, which means nothing other than a 1 to 1 assignment of all characters to their large form, the following boldly elegant solution in the t, as previously described, lends itself. The double analysis function of the 0 and 1-7 keys is used together with the 9 key. First, the desired symbol is capitalized in the usual same way. Then you go back to 0 in a large circle and directly back to 9, and that means for the analysis function switched to 0: set the previous one only to capitalize a lower case letter. In the picture, the writing movements look as follows from Fig. F z. B. for the capital A that appears on a screen. Since only the beginning and end of symbol production are fixed in one place, using the zero key and 1-7 keys 2 types of quantities, here in, 3t for German letters and punctuation marks, are mathematically theoretically the fixed signals from a memory for different languages and Sign systems can be assigned to an amount of hand movements just as indefinitely, just as the number of key sequences in a circle for a single character is theoretically unlimited, as long as I use the mentioned inputs and outputs and is only limited by human imagination, practical handling and the power of the microprocessors . In this sense, Arabic script, Hebrew, Chinese characters, Japanese or European, can be assigned to the specified and partially executed, suggested key sequences and hand movements. Due to this universality and possible complexity, the benefits of this externally simple 10-button arrangement cannot be fully estimated and, as I hope, a real sensible new development-stimulating invention.

Table 1, assignment of the pocket sequences (0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8) to the small German alphabet letters, 1 = touched, 0 = not touched.

Table 2, mapping some of the same key sequences to numbers the keys on / off sequence for the letters are the same as the numbers and exactly correspond to the hand and drawing movements of Table 1 and do not need to be repeated here.

Table 2

1 = i, 2 = r, 3 = l, 4 = f, 5 = x, 6 = z, 7 = m, 8 = n, 0 = 0,. . ., Etc.

this could now be continued for a hexadecimal system 11 = a, z. B.

The decisive factor is that the P parallel function is connected upstream causes this change. Lying on the zero key the arithmetic commands and the number output on the screen follows the move to the left, as with the calculator.  

Tab. 2 sorts the letters according to their start and end combination. After beginning 1, only 2 or 8 can follow, and before 7 only 8 or 6 are. Both are wrong or impossible.

Tab. 3

Tab. 4

Examples of the zero function

The beginning and end of each character is triggered by the zero, i.e. +

Claims (8)

1.Universally programmable keyboard consisting of 10 membrane sensor keys without pressure point in a specific 3 t-shaped arrangement around 3 raised tangible immovable steel pins, which are arranged in a specific arrangement one above the other between the keys, with electrical conductor tracks for the key impulses and a permanently programmed memory which stores the key sequences as specific characters recognizes and a freely programmable memory that supplies the output data and the corresponding sequence control, characterized in that in the subjective impression of the continuous writing movement around the fixed steel pins, the membrane keys are touched and the printed pulses are fed to the memories in succession and priority via conductor tracks are recognized and processed in group combinations as characters commands, machine orders etc. 2. The possible simultaneity in the external operation of the buttons. The 10 keys in 3 t arrangement in a robust cover film are characterized in that they are paired with two groups of five wire so that pressing specific pair buttons simultaneously the following functions of the individual buttons via flip-flops define until the next pair key selection. (P1 to P25) 3. (Securing the symbol unit by interrupting the zero key.) When the buttons are pressed individually, this is universally programmable 3 t numeric keyboard, characterized in that the top key (Called zero key) and their single touch impulse, both can mean the beginning and the end of a key sequence, and the intermediate impulses in the punctuation memory are assigned, or the arithmetic commands in another pair mode. (Px) 4. (securing the symbol or drawing unit between keys 1 and 7.) Send the lower cross keys alternating with the zero function key, also the impulse memory and signal that a character begins or ends, the Left cross key 1 always only shows the beginning, and the right 7 the end. The possible key sequences between 1 u. 7 are firmly anchored in the memory and can be assigned to alphabets, tone sequences, letters, etc. ASCII If key 1 is touched after 7, the function changes to the zero function 5. The lower button (called 9) has a pulse suppression function. So-called. No-blank button and means that after 7 or 1 is triggered Suppression of switching on, or if not triggered after 7 or 1 jumps the output page one place. 6. This keyboard is also characterized, that the capitalization afterwards, as capitalization of the last small character via the key sequence 909, each time pressed, which corresponds to the hand movement of encircling the other buttons. The 1: 1 assignment of the characters takes place between the memories.   7. This universally programmable 10 keyboard has inside the zero key function (here 3.) and the amount of punctuation Assignments to the defined possible key sequences in the permanent memory an umlaut function encircling the top metal pin, and the key sequence 0 3 4 5 0 triggers and each last typed Characters assigned an umlaut. This can be an acoustic letter or word output or foreign language characters ie the translation of the last letter written. 8. The pair connections in this 10 keyboard (here 2.) can be whole Include functional areas, since they have priority in the permanent memory are treated and set the following single key sequences, then fixed to telephone function, deletion, programming functions etc.