JP2001195172A - Input device for computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a keyboard device to enable to user to perform keying-in by one-handed operation, to perform the keying-in promptly and exactly without feeling fatigue, and to especially enable a person who is familiar with a cellular telephone to easily input characters. SOLUTION: Arrangement of a ten key of a keyboard is set the same as that of a telephone set. Structure that characters for inputting alphabets, Japanese KANA (Japanese syllabary) other than numerals are shown is defined as fundamental, and character inputting on the ten keys is enabled by the ten keys and other necessary keys.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer keyboard having a numeric keypad portion, and more particularly to a keyboard having a numeric keypad portion having a character input function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Computers are now indispensable for daily life. Computers are rapidly spreading not only at work but also at home. One of the major reasons is the spread of the Internet and the use of e-mail.

[0003] There are two methods of inputting Japanese using a keyboard, which are generally used in computers at present. When inputting with a kana, the individual keys representing the 46 characters of the Japanese syllabary are struck with a finger and input, and the computer converts the kana into a sentence mixed with kanji. In the case of inputting in Roman letters, each key representing 26 letters of the alphabet is input by typing with a finger, and the computer converts them into kana, which is further converted into a sentence mixed with kanji.

[0004] The character arrangement of the keyboard is not an arrangement suitable for Japanese input in either the kana input method or the Roman character input method. In the case of the Kanade input method, it is very difficult to memorize the key positions because the arrangement of the keys is completely different from the configuration of the Japanese syllabary and there are many characters. In the case of input in Roman characters, the commonly used QWER
It is difficult to determine that the alphabet sequence of a computer keyboard called TY is completely different from the configuration of the Japanese syllabary sound, and it is difficult to determine which Roman character is used depending on the sound. In other words, it is not easy for anyone other than those who are familiar with computers to learn the key layout and input sentences in both the kana input method and the Roman character input method. In order to solve such a problem, for example, handwriting input using a pen or input using voice has been developed, but none of them is as efficient as a keyboard.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to character input,
In particular, it is an object of the present invention to propose a computer keyboard in which keys can be easily arranged for inputting Japanese and an input method using the keyboard.

The basis of the present invention is to make it possible to input Japanese using the numeric keypad of a conventional keyboard. The Japanese syllabary represents the phoneme created by the combination of rows and columns, and the rows are "a row", "ka row",
There are ten rows, such as “sa row”, “ta row”, and so on. The columns are "A", "I", "U", "E", "O"
Consists of five elements. By arranging the keys representing the rows in order on the keyboard, especially on the numeric keypad, the number of keys to be used is reduced, and it is considered that even a person who is not familiar with the keyboard can input very easily.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a keyboard designed to facilitate input of characters, especially Japanese, for those who are familiar with the Japanese syllabary and those who are familiar with character input using a mobile phone or the like. It is.

This operation has already been widely used in character input of a cellular phone or the like, and the present inventors have described this key arrangement and a character input method using the same in a computer.
We have found a way to incorporate it into a keyboard so that users such as mobile phones can use a computer without having to learn a new method of inputting characters for the computer.

That is, the present invention relates to a keyboard which can be used for character input using a numeric keypad. Each numeric keypad has, in addition to numerals, a display for Japanese syllabary input and a display for alphabetical input. Either or both of them are displayed, and the key for inputting the Japanese syllabary can be operated by one key per line, and the alphabet can be operated by one key of two to four characters.

Each number or character can be input by providing a key for switching the character type and operating the key. For example, every time the switch key is pressed, “number” → “alphabet” → “kana” →
You can switch the input mode to "Kanji" etc.

For example, if the key indicating "A" is pressed once in a state where kana can be entered, "A" is displayed when the key is pressed twice, "U" is displayed when the key is pressed twice, and "U" is displayed when the key is pressed three times. , Each time you press the key, “A” → “I” → “U” → “E” → “O” →
"A" (or "@") and the characters in the column are sequentially displayed, and the character is determined by a key operation indicating determination or adoption, by inputting the next character, or by moving the cursor. In the state where alphabets can be entered, "AB
Pressing the key indicating "C" once displays "A", pressing twice displays "B" three times, and pressing "C" displays three times. The characters described on the key in the order of “C” → “A” (or “a”) are displayed in order, and the character is determined by a key operation indicating determination or adoption, by inputting the next character, or by moving the cursor.

Further, in a state where Japanese can be input, after inputting one or a plurality of kana, by pressing a key representing conversion in the same manner as in a conventional kanji conversion method, it is possible to convert the character into a mixture of kana and kanji.

On or near the numeric keypad, there are necessary symbols such as “,”, “.”, “!”, “＠”, and “゛” and “゜” Various keys that can easily perform the keyboard of the present invention, such as keys for conversion, switching, determination or adoption, character type selection, deletion, up / down / left / right cursor movement, etc., are prepared.

By using this new keyboard, Japanese input operation can be performed with one finger, so that it is easy for even a person who is unfamiliar with a computer or a person who is familiar with character input of a mobile phone to operate. And key positions are simple and easy to remember.

[0015]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The figures shown here are for illustration only and the invention is not limited to the specific examples described here.

The keyboard shown in FIG. 1 is composed of a conventional numeric keypad, a numeric keypad 1 in which, in addition to numerals, a key for displaying the Japanese syllabary and alphabet and other necessary symbols are arranged, and a conventional character And an input part 2.
Characters can be input not only from the character array portion 2 of the conventional keyboard but also from the numeric keypad portion 1.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the numeric keypad portion 1 of FIG. Each of the numeric keys has a display for inputting the Japanese syllabary and a display for inputting alphabets in addition to numbers, and the input character can be selected by pressing a switching key.

The keyboard shown in FIG. 3 is composed of a conventional ten-key part, only a ten-key part 1 in which, in addition to numerals, keys for displaying Japanese syllabary and alphabet and other necessary symbols are arranged. It can be used as an alternative to, or in addition to, a conventional keyboard.

The keyboard shown in FIG. 4 includes a conventional numeric keypad, a numeric keypad 1 in which, in addition to numerals, keys for displaying Japanese syllabary and alphabetical characters and other necessary symbols are arranged. It is composed of a part 2 and a part 3 corresponding to a conventional numeric keypad. The computer user can use these keys as needed and according to convenience.

[0020]

As described above, the first effect of the keyboard having a character input function on the numeric keypad according to the present invention is that character input, particularly Japanese, is facilitated and work efficiency is improved. be able to. The reason is that characters can be input without having to remember alphabets and / or kana positions as in a conventional keyboard.

The second effect is an increase in computer users. The reason is that the button arrangement of the ten-key telephone of the present invention is almost the same as that of the ten-key telephone, and the arrangement is easy to accept even for a computer user.

[0022]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a full view of a keyboard capable of performing an operation corresponding to a numeric input and an operation corresponding to a character input by operating a numeric keypad portion.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a ten-key part 1 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a full view of a ten-key keyboard having only a ten-key part.

FIG. 4 is an overall view of a keyboard in which a numeric keypad of the present invention is added to a conventional keyboard with numeric keys.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Numeric keypad part of this invention 2 Conventional QWERT type keyboard character input part 3 Conventional numeric keypad part

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A keyboard having a numeric keypad portion capable of performing an operation corresponding to a number input and an operation corresponding to a character input in a numeric keypad portion of a computer keyboard. 2. The keyboard according to claim 1, wherein:
A keyboard having a ten-key portion displayed in ascending order from the upper left key in the order of each numeric input. 3. The keyboard according to claim 1, wherein:
A keyboard having, on each numeric keypad, a numeric keypad portion in which, in addition to numbers, one of a display for Japanese syllabary input and a display for alphabet input or both of them are displayed. 4. The keyboard according to claim 3, wherein:
On the numeric keypad, "A line", "KA line", "SA line", "TA line", "NA line", "HA line", "MA line", "YA line", "RA line", A keyboard having a numeric keypad portion on which "wa line" characters or an equivalent display are displayed. 5. The keyboard according to claim 3, wherein:
A keyboard having a numeric keypad portion on the numeric keypad, the display indicating 26 letters of the alphabet. 6. The input method according to claim 1, wherein when an operation corresponding to character input is performed, a displayed character is changed according to a rule each time the same key is pressed.