JP2001255987A - Method and device for inputting japanese character - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and device for inputting Japanese syllabary characters to computer equipment. SOLUTION: This is a method for inputting Japanese syllabary characters to computer equipment, by depressing the button switch of an inputting device with a finger tip according to a defined rule and a device for performing the inputting operation using the method.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for inputting Japanese into an information processing device such as a computer by pressing a button switch of an input device with a fingertip according to a defined operation procedure, thereby quickly and easily setting a place. A method that allows you to enter Japanese regardless of the language. And a device for performing the input.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional key input device of an information processing apparatus (computer keyboard), each key arranged on a fixed keyboard is assigned a code, so that Japanese kana characters can be input. Must master the character arrangement of the keyboard to be used, and considerable training is required to master the operation. In addition, the keyboard is not portable and requires a considerable area for stable installation when used. For this reason, use at the time of movement etc. was almost impossible.

[0003]

Therefore, miniaturization of a keyboard, an input device by character recognition using a combination of a pen device and a liquid crystal panel, an input method by voice, and the like have been devised. However, it is not a fundamental solution to the drawbacks, such as the need to consider operation training, installation locations, and usage environments.

[0004]

According to the present invention, in order to fundamentally solve such a disadvantage, ten "button switches" corresponding to the fingers of both hands are prepared as shown in FIG. 1 and pressed. Define the characters corresponding to the combination of the order. Next, an input device having the wiring structure shown in FIG. 2 is prepared, and by pressing a button switch of the input device in a defined order, a key signal is generated to convert the input signal into a kana character. And enables input to various information processing devices. The character definition and device based on this combination of fingers are as follows.

The notation of key operation is defined as follows.・ Right hand: R1 = button switch corresponding to right thumb, R
2 = button switch corresponding to the right index finger, R3 = button switch corresponding to the right middle finger, R4 = button switch corresponding to the right ring finger, R5 = button switch corresponding to the right little finger ・ Left hand: L1 = button corresponding to the left thumb Switch, L
2 = button switch corresponding to the left index finger, L3 = button switch corresponding to the left middle finger, L4 = button switch corresponding to the left ring finger, L5 = button switch corresponding to the left little finger ・ The primary key depends on the button switch pressed first Key signal generated ・ The secondary key is a key signal generated by the second button switch pressed.

The combination of the key operation (the order in which the primary key is pressed and the secondary key is pressed) corresponding to the input character is defined as follows. "Oh (R1 → L1)", "Oh (R1 → L2)",
"U (R1 → L3)", "E (R1 → L4)",
“O (R1 → L5)” “ka (R2 → L1)”, “ki (R2 → L2)”, “ku (R2 → L3)”, “ke (R2 → L4)”, “ko (R2
→ L5) “sa (R3 → L1)”, “shi (R3 → L2)”, “su (R3 → L3)”, “se (R3 → L4)”, “so (R3)
→ L5), “ta (R4 → L1)”, “chi (R4 → L2)”, “tsutsu (R4 → L3)”, “te (R4 → L4)”, “to (R4
→ L5) “na (R5 → L1)”, “ni (R5 → L2)”, “nu (R5 → L3)”, “ne (R5 → L4)”, “no (R5
→ L5) ”” (L1 → R1) ”,“ Hi (L1 → R2) ”,“ Fu (L1 → R3) ”,“ He (L1 → R4) ”,“ H (L1 → R1)
→ R5) ”Ma (L2 → R1),“ Mi (L2 → R2) ”,“ Mu (L2 → R3) ”,“ Me (L2 → R4) ”,“ M (L2 → R4) ”
→ R5) ”“ Y ゃ (L3 → R1) ”,“,. (L3 → R2) ”,
“Yu (L3 → R3)”, “− (L3 → R4)”, “Yo (L3 → R5)” “La (L4 → R1)”, “Ri (L4 → R2)”, “Ru (L4) → R3), “RE (L4 → R4)”, “R (L4
→ R5) “Wa (L5 → R1)”, “Dark point (L5 → R2)”, “N (L5 → R3)”, “Semi-dull point (L5 → R4)”, “A (L5 → R5)” 1. "A- ぁ", "I- ぃ", "U- ぅ", "E-
ぇ, お, や, や, 、, ゆ, 、, よ
”,“, .. ”are switched each time the secondary key is pressed. Note 2. The turbid point is used in "Da (Da)" etc., and the semi-voiced point is used in "で (Pi)" etc.

[0007] A combination of key operations corresponding to the input of numerals and other input items (indicated by "+" when two button switches are pressed simultaneously) is defined as follows. “1 (L5 + L4 → R1)”, “6 (R5 + R4 → L
1), “space (R5 + R4 → R1)”, “2 (L5 + L4 → R2)”, “7 (R5 + R4 → L
2) ”,“ Kanji conversion / next candidate display (R5 + R4 → R
2) "3 (L5 + L4 → R3)", "8 (R5 + R4 → L
3), “Line feed / determination (R5 + R4 → R3)”, “4 (L5 + L4 → R4)”, “9 (R5 + R4 → L
4) ”,“ Cursor advance (L5 + L4 → L1) ”,“ 5 (L5 + L4 → R5) ”,“ 0 (R5 + R4 → L
5), “cursor retreat (L5 + L4 → L2)”, “cancel deletion (L5 + L4 → L3)”, “input mode switching (L3 + L4 → R3 + R4)”

[0008] The character input procedure is defined as follows. Step 1.1: Press the primary key: Generate consonants (a to w) representing the kana syllabary (a to w) Step 2. Press the secondary key: 50 kana tones (a, i, u,
Step 3. Release the secondary key: keep the specified character. Step 4. Release the primary key: confirm the character.

An input device having the wiring structure of FIG.
A signal is encoded by an “input signal encoding device” based on ON / OFF information generated by an input operation and output. Then, the output is connected to a “connection terminal” prepared in a computer to be connected as shown in FIG. These devices and methods are similar to the principles used in conventional computer keyboards. As this connection terminal, a terminal for connecting a conventional keyboard device may be used, or a general-purpose interface such as a wireless or serial bus may be used.

A computer to which the input device is connected is provided with a "device drive program" for driving the device as shown in FIG. 3, and controls the input device and converts it into a kana input signal using a conventional keyboard. I do. Conversion of kanji, katakana, English words, and the like of the converted input signal is performed by using a “Japanese conversion program (FE.
P. : Front-end processor).
Also, a text input mode and a command input mode are prepared so that switching can be performed by a switch. The system operation and the like are performed in the command mode by separately preparing a command control program. Since the contents of the command depend on the operation method of various computers, details thereof are not described here. To check the entered characters,
The display is performed by a computer.

The input device has a shape considering portability.
It is conceivable to mount an input button switch on the stick type shown in FIG. This facilitates downsizing of the device.

It is conceivable that the input device is further provided with a button switch for input at a fingertip of the glove as shown in FIG. An input signal is generated by pressing the fingertip of the glove against a hard flat surface such as a desk or a wall. As a result, Japanese characters can be input in any environment.

Although the above two examples have been described as an embodiment of a method of inputting Japanese characters and an input device, various types of input devices for generating an ON / OFF signal in response to the movement of a finger can be considered. Therefore, a slight change in the definition of the input operation and a similar input device based on the input method should be understood to be within the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As an example of a character input operation using this method, a process of inputting a text "draw a picture." Procedure 1. Press the primary key (R1) = Generate a consonant (a) representing (row). Procedure 2. Press the secondary key (L4): Specify the character (e) with the line vowel (e). Release the secondary key: keep the designated character (e). Step 4. Release the primary key: fix the character (e). Step 5. Press the primary key (R5 + R4): specify operation of other input keys. Press the secondary key (R2) → Execute kanji conversion / display next candidate Step 7. Release the secondary key → Maintain the converted kanji * Steps 6 and 7 until the kanji candidate (picture) to be input is displayed Step 8. Release the primary key (R5 + R4) → Determine the kanji (picture) Step 9. Press the primary key (L5) → Generate a consonant (w) representing a row (wa row) Procedure 10.2 Press the next key (R5) → specify the character (を) with the line vowel (o). Procedure 11.2 Release the next key → the specified character ( Step 12. Release the next key → confirm the character (). Step 13. Press the primary key (L3). → Generate a consonant (y) representing the row (or row). Procedure 14. Secondary key (R2). ) → Specify the character (,) with the line vowel (i) Step 15. Release the secondary key → Maintain the specified character (,) Step 16. Release the primary key → Determine the character (,) Hand 17 Press the primary key (R2) → Generate a consonant (k) representing (or column) Procedure 18. Press the secondary key (L1) → Specify the character (or) with the row vowel (a) Procedure 19.2 Release the key → keep the designated character (ka) Step 20.1 Release the next key → fix the character (ka) Step 21.1 Press the next key (R2) → generate a consonant (k) representing (ka row) 22. Press the secondary key (L4) → specify the character (ku) with the line vowel (u). Procedure 23. Release the secondary key → maintain the specified character (ku). Procedure 4. Release the primary key → confirm the character (K). Procedure 25. Press the primary key (R5 + R4) → specify the operation of other input keys. Procedure 26. Press the secondary key (R2) → Kanji conversion / next candidate. Execute the display * Step 6 until the kanji candidate (writing) to be input is displayed
And the procedure 7 are repeated. Procedure 27. Release the primary key (R5 + R4) → Determine the kanji (writing). Procedure 28. Press the primary key (L3). → Generate a consonant (y) representing (or row). Press the secondary key (R2) → Specify the character (,) with the line vowel (i) Step 30.2 Press the secondary key (R2) → Change the character (.) Step 3 Release the secondary key → Maintain the designated character (.) Procedure 32.1. Release the next key → Determine the character (.) By the above operation procedure, "Draw a picture." Can be input.
The procedure for inputting a sentence with such kanji conversion depends on the kana conversion function of various Japanese conversion programs (FEP), so it is necessary to consider a slight change in the input operation. It can be understood that a sentence can be input with the same number of steps as a conventional keyboard.

By using this method and apparatus, the user only needs to have enough space to move his / her finger, and can input characters using an input device that is large enough to fit in the hand. Therefore, the user can operate / input to the portable computer device even in a situation where it is difficult to take up space such as in a moving train. The definition of character input order by primary key and secondary key is
Since the combination of consonants and vowels in the kana syllabary is followed, those who have mastered and are proficient in Japanese can easily master the above input method. Further, in this operation method, kana characters are input by encoding the movement of the finger and the combination thereof, so that the shape of the input device can be flexibly changed according to the purpose of use. If the user becomes proficient in the operation, it becomes possible to input characters at the speed of a normal conversation level. Therefore, the combination with a portable computer or the like is considered to be very useful as an auxiliary means of communication for a deaf person.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing fingers of both hands and corresponding button switches.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an apparatus for generating an input signal by an input operation.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram for connecting an input device to a computer.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example (for right hand) in which a character input device is mounted in a stick shape.

FIG. 5: Input device (button switch) at fingertip of glove
FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example (right hand) in which is implemented.

[Explanation of symbols]

 R1 is a button switch corresponding to the right thumb R2 is a button switch corresponding to the index finger of the right hand R3 is a button switch corresponding to the middle finger of the right hand R4 is a button switch corresponding to the ring finger of the right hand R5 is a button switch corresponding to the little finger of the right hand L1 is a button switch corresponding to the left thumb L2 is a button switch corresponding to the index finger of the left hand L3 is a button switch corresponding to the middle finger of the left hand L4 is a button switch corresponding to the ring finger of the left hand L5 is a button switch corresponding to the little finger of the left hand

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method for inputting Japanese characters 2. A stick-type device for inputting according to the method of claim 1. 3. A glove device with a button switch for inputting by the method of claim 1.