JP2006019919A - Electronic equipment with pen input means and push key - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable pen input with a push key and to expand an input function in addition to a new processing function by the pen input. <P>SOLUTION: On the surface of the key top 12 of the push key 11, a pen input switch 16 is provided which senses operation by a pen P. When the surface of the key top 12 is operated with the pen, the pen input switch 16 senses that and input process different from that by the push key 11 is performed. The input function can, therefore, be expanded in addition to the new processing function without increasing the number of push-button type switches 21. In concrete, a recess 113 for pen insertion is formed at the center part of the key top 12 and the pen input switch 16 is provided in the recess 13. Consequently, input with the pen can be performed while the pen is inserted into the recess 13 at the center part of the key top 12 and further the pen input switch 16 provided in the key top recess 13 senses the insertion of the pen. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device including a pen key capable of pen input together with a pen input unit (pen input touch panel) as an input unit, and a push key capable of pen input.

A keyboard of an electronic device, for example, a keyboard of a mobile phone, has independent keys and generally employs a push key that is pushed down with a fingertip.
And as an electronic device provided with a pen input means in addition to a keyboard with push keys, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) provided with a pen input touch panel (tablet) on the display unit, or a pen input touch panel (tablet with a keyboard unit) ) Has already been commercialized.
Also, commercialization of portable terminals with a communication function such as a cellular phone is being considered. For example, a PDA touch panel (tablet) is provided on the display unit as in a PDA (see Patent Document 1), a notebook As in the case of a personal computer, a configuration in which a touch panel (tablet) for pen input is provided on a keyboard portion (see Patent Document 2) has been proposed.

  In these electronic devices that have already been commercialized and are under consideration for commercialization, the key function of the push key provided in the keyboard section is to operate automatic switching based on the application and to operate dedicated keys and shift keys for switching the input mode. Manual switching by is performed. In other words, the key function is automatically switched depending on which application is currently in operation, and the input mode switching key can be operated to switch between the Roman input mode and the kana input mode. By operating, you can switch between uppercase and lowercase.

In addition, as a keyboard of a portable electronic device such as a PDA, there is a proposal in which a plurality of recesses are formed on the surface and a key-like element is disposed on the bottom of the recesses (see Patent Document 3). According to this keyboard, the key-like element is activated by inserting the pen into the recess.
JP 2003-338864 A JP 2003-289349 A JP 7-295706 A

  However, the push key of the electronic device already commercialized and the electronic device under consideration for commercialization (Patent Documents 1 and 2) has an application automatic switching function and an input mode according to the number of switches operated by the push-down operation. The manual switching function can be obtained, and there was a limit to the key input function expansion.

  Further, the keyboard proposed in Patent Document 3 is formed with a recess for insertion corresponding to a key-like element in order to prevent an input error with a pen, and cannot perform finger input. Therefore, even when applied to a mobile phone, it is only possible to input with a pen in addition to input with a finger press, and it is impossible to expand the function of key input.

An object of the present invention is to extend the input function of a push key in an electronic device including a push key together with a pen input means (pen input touch panel) as an input means.
Another object of the present invention is to enable input by a pen in a push key and to expand the input function by adding a new processing function by pen input.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the invention described in claim 1 includes a pen input switch 16 sensitive to the operation of the pen P on the surface of the key top 12 of the push key 11 as shown in FIGS. Is provided.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the key top surface is operated with a pen, the pen input switch is responsive and an input process different from the push key is performed.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the push key 11 according to claim 1, wherein, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a pen insertion recess 13 is formed in the center of the key top 12. In addition, the pen input switch 16 is provided in the recess 13.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the pen can be input by inserting the pen into the recess at the center of the key top, and the pen input switch provided in the key top recess is sensitive to the insertion of the pen.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the push key 11 according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the pen input switch 16 is opposed to the bottom surface in the recess 13. It is characterized by comprising a pair of conductive elements (for example, switch electrodes) 19 which are arranged and are made conductive by contact of a pen tip with a conductor.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the pen input switch is activated when the pair of conductive elements spaced apart and opposed to the bottom surface in the recess are brought into conduction by the contact of the pen tip with the conductor.

  A fourth aspect of the present invention is the push key 11 according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the light emission state changes when the pen input switch 16 is operated. To do.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, by using the push key as the light emission key whose light emission state is changed when the pen input switch is operated, the key light emission state corresponding to the difference in the input form between the finger input and the pen input is obtained. The input processing function can be sorted by change.

  The invention described in claim 5 is an electronic device (for example, a mobile phone) including pen input means (for example, a touch screen, a touch pad, etc.) 5 and 7 and a push key 11 as shown in FIGS. Etc.), a pen input switch 16 sensitive to the operation of the pen P is provided on the surface of the key top 12 of the push key 11.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when the key top surface of the push key provided together with the pen input means is operated with the pen, the pen input switch is sensitive, and an input process different from the push key is performed.

  According to the present invention, when the surface of the key top is operated with a pen, the pen input switch is sensitive, and an input process different from the push key can be performed, that is, a new input by pen input without increasing the number of pushbutton switches. The input function can be expanded by adding processing functions.

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 1 showing a mobile phone as one embodiment of an electronic apparatus to which the present invention is applied, 1 is a keyboard, 2 is various input keys, 3 is a function key, 4 is a cross cursor key, and 5 is a touch screen.
In the keyboard 1 on the main body side, various input keys 2 and function keys 3 arranged as shown are configured by push keys 11. The touch screen 5 provided on the lid side is configured by superimposing a tablet (pen input touch panel) as pen input means on a display unit using a liquid crystal screen.

On the surface of the push key 11, for example, various input keys 2, numerals, hiragana characters, and alphabet characters representing the respective input functions are respectively displayed as partially enlarged in FIG. 2. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the push key 11 is pressed, the dome switch 21 which is a push button type switch is operated, and character input processing corresponding to each function is performed.
That is, when the push key 11 pushes down the key top 12 incorporated in the casing 10 of the keyboard 1 with a finger, the protrusion 25 provided on the lower surface of the push button portion 24 of the key sheet (key rubber) 23 causes the dome switch 21 to be moved. When the dome switch 21 is pressed down and contacts the switch electrode 22 on the switch substrate 20, a predetermined key input process is performed.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, the key top 12 engages the engagement protrusion 14 formed on the parallel inner surface thereof with the engagement recess 26 formed on the parallel outer surface of the push button portion 24, The push button unit 24 is integrated and assembled.

A pen insertion recess 13 for inserting a pen tip of a pen P such as a stylus pen or a mechanical pencil is formed in the center of the key top 12 of each push key 11. The recess 13 has a small hole shape penetrating the key top 12, and is formed in a circular taper shape in the illustrated example.
And in each recessed part 13, the pen input switch 16 which act | operates by the contact of the pen point of the pen P is arrange | positioned. As shown in the figure, the pen input switch 16 is constituted by a pressure sensitive element or a conductive element (switch electrode) provided on a pen input switch sheet 15 interposed between the lower surface of the key top 12 and the upper surface of the push button portion 24. It is configured.
Therefore, when a pen tip of a pen P such as a stylus pen or a mechanical pencil is inserted into the recess 13, the pen input switch 16 is responsively operated by being pushed down by the pen tip, and is operated by a finger pressing of the push key 11. An input process different from the finger input is performed.

  In the above, even when the dome switch (push button type switch) 21 of the push key 11 and the pen input switch 16 are structurally closed at the same time, the depression sensitivity of both switches by a known processing method such as software and hardware. Time can be processed by determining that it is a finger input. For example, a two-system switch may be inserted into the logic circuit to maintain the output, or simultaneous depression of the two systems may be detected by software and processed.

When only the pen input switch 16 is activated, an input process based on the selection of a function to be used such as function setting, phone book registration, camera activation, or the like is performed based on an input function other than character input.
Specifically, for various input keys 2, for example, function setting for 1 key, address book for 2 key, data folder for 3 key, still image camera shooting for 4 key, video camera shooting for 5 key, Internet connection setting for 6 key , 7 keys can be assigned a mail function, and 8 keys can be assigned a browser function. In this way, for example, if the pen tip of the pen P is inserted into the recess 13 of the 5 key, the pen input switch 16 is activated, and the display screen of the mobile phone immediately enters the video shooting screen and enters the shooting ready state.
In addition, the input method can be changed even if the same character is input. For example, it is possible to perform processing such as operating in the kana-kanji conversion mode when the finger of the push key 11 is pressed (during finger input) and operating in the alphanumeric input mode when using the pen (during pen input).

As described above, in each push key 11, the input function can be expanded by adding a new processing function by the pen input switch 16 without increasing the number of dome switches (push button type switches) 21. In other words, the number of pen input switches 16 is increased in addition to the number of dome switches (push button type switches) 21 corresponding to the number of push keys 11.
Since the pen input switch 16 is located in the recess 13 at the center of the key top 12, it is assumed that the pen input switch 16 is an element (such as a pressure sensitive element) that is sensitive to a pressing operation with a finger, for example. However, since the pen input switch 16 is not sensitive to the finger pressing operation, no malfunction occurs.

  For example, if the annular protrusion is formed on the surface of the key top 12 by projecting the periphery of the recess 13, the annular protrusion can prevent the recess 13 from entering into the recess when the finger is pressed. The shape of the annular protrusion is arbitrary.

Next, FIG. 5 illustrates a stylus switch that is one of the pen input switches 16. A pair of conductive elements (electrodes) 19 such as a donut divided in half as shown on the bottom surface in the recess 13 are shown in FIG. Are arranged opposite to each other. That is, the stylus switch (pen input switch) 16 is connected to the switch wiring portion 18 formed in the pen input switch sheet 15 at the switch wiring exposed portion 17 as shown in the figure formed on the pen input switch sheet 15. The conductive element (switch electrode) 19 at the end is arranged so as to face each other.
In this case, the pen tip of the stylus pen is used as a conductor, and when the pen tip hits the bottom surface in the recess 13, the pair of conductive elements 19 are conducted by the conductor.
As described above, a stylus switch in which the pair of conductive elements 19 are turned on by contact of the pen tip with the stylus pen conductor may be adopted as the pen input switch 16.

In this case, the light emission state may be changed when the stylus switch (pen input switch) 16 is operated, that is, when the pair of conductive elements 19 are turned on, using the push key 11 as a light emission key having a light emitter inside.
Specifically, for example, it is set so that a part or front of the push key 11 emits light strongly at the time of pen input, or is dimmed and turned off.
As described above, by changing the key emission state of the push key 11 according to the difference in the input form between the finger input and the pen input, there is an advantage that the input processing function can be classified.

Next, FIG. 6 shows a modification of the mobile phone, which is a pen input means using the touch pad 7 instead of the pen input means using the touch screen 5 of FIG.
That is, a display unit 6 is provided on the lid side by a liquid crystal screen, and a tablet (pen input means) at the position surrounded by the function keys 3 instead of the cross cursor key 4 in FIG. A pen input touch panel) 7 is provided.
Also in such a modification, the various input keys 2 and the function keys 3 of the keyboard 1 are constituted by the push keys 11 described above.

In the above embodiment, the keyboard of the cellular phone is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other computers such as a keyboard of a portable terminal such as a PDA, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, and a server keyboard. Keyboards of other electronic devices such as general keyboards, keyboards of electronic musical instruments, keyboards of keyboard musical instruments, and other general electronic musical instruments may be used.
In the embodiment, the pen input switch is a mechanical switch, but other switches may be used as long as a similar switch function such as a touch sensor (pressure sensor) or an optical sensor sensitive to pen insertion is obtained.
Further, the key arrangement, the key shape, and the concave shape thereof are arbitrary, and it is needless to say that the specific detailed structure can be appropriately changed.

1 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration of a mobile phone as an embodiment of an electronic apparatus to which a keyboard of the present invention is applied, showing a mobile phone provided with a touch screen. It is the top view which expanded and showed a part of keyboard part of FIG. FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the push key, and is an enlarged cross-sectional view along the line AA in FIG. 1. It is an expanded sectional view along the arrow BB line of FIG. It is the top view which showed the example of the stylus switch. It is the schematic perspective view which showed the modification of a mobile telephone, and showed the mobile telephone provided with the touchpad.

Explanation of symbols

1 Keyboard 2 Various input keys 3 Function keys 5 Touch screen (pen input means)
7 Touchpad (pen input means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Housing | casing 11 Push key 12 Key top 13 Pen insertion recessed part 14 Engagement protrusion 15 Pen input switch sheet 16 Pen input switch 17 Switch wiring exposure part 18 Switch wiring part 19 Conductive element (switch electrode)
20 Substrate for switch 21 Push button type switch (dome switch)
22 Switch electrode 23 Key sheet (key rubber)
24 Pushbutton 25 Switch pushing projection 26 Engaging recess P Pen

Claims (5)

  A push key characterized in that a pen input switch sensitive to pen operation is provided on the surface of the key top of the push key. While forming a recess for pen insertion in the center of the key top,
The push key according to claim 1, wherein the pen input switch is provided in the recess.   3. The push key according to claim 1, wherein the pen input switch includes a pair of conductive elements that are spaced from and opposed to a bottom surface in the concave portion and are electrically connected by contact of a pen tip with a conductor. .   The push key according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the push key is a light emission key whose light emission state changes when the pen input switch is operated. In an electronic device having a pen input means and a push key,
An electronic apparatus comprising a pen input switch sensitive to a pen operation on a surface of a key top of the push key.

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