JP2007316891A - Character input device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a character input device, enabling easy and rapid input of Japanese characters in spite of a small size by considering the ergonomics in inputting. <P>SOLUTION: The character input device 10 comprises line selection keys 1 to be operated by the right hand, which are arranged on the upper plane of a casing of the character input device 10, and row selection keys 2 to be operated by the left hand, which are arranged on side surfaces of the casing. When each character of Japanese alphabet is inputted, one of the line selection keys 1 is selected by use of the first finger of the right hand to input a consonant, and one of the row selection keys 1 is selected by use of any finger of the left hand to input a vowel. According to this, each Japanese character can be easily and rapidly inputted by alternately using the right hand and the left hand. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a character input device for inputting Japanese characters in a small information terminal such as a mobile phone.

  When inputting Japanese characters in a small information terminal such as a mobile phone, in order to reduce the number of physical keys as much as possible due to restrictions on the shape of the terminal, normally a plurality of characters are assigned to one key and pressed. A method of selecting a character by the number of times is taken.

  This method requires only about 10 keys to input, but requires many presses and requires complicated operations. Therefore, when inputting the same character, it is necessary to repeat it for easy input. There have been devised devices that allow input by pressing a key (for example, Patent Document 1), and those that have a dedicated key for moving a stage up and down (for example, Patent Document 2).

  In such a system, there are cases where the number of key presses is small in the case of a specific input pattern, but generally, on average, about 3 or more key presses are required to input one character. There is a problem that the operability is inferior to that of a normal computer keyboard.

  Therefore, in order to reduce the number of times of pressing a key for inputting one character, a consonant and a vowel are assigned to each of predetermined keys among 10 to 15 keys arranged in 4 to 5 rows and 3 rows. Have been devised in which a single character is input by two key press operations (for example, Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4).

However, in this method, operation is performed simply by assigning a consonant and a vowel to a predetermined key among 10 to 15 keys arranged in 4 to 5 rows and 3 rows. Ease is not considered at all, and there is still a problem in terms of ease of operation and quickness.
JP 2002-149314 A JP 2001-306234 A JP 2004-254268 A JP 2004-21434 A

  As described above, the conventional small information terminal has various devices for inputting Japanese characters with a small number of keys, but still has problems in terms of ease of operation and speed. there were.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and is a character input device capable of inputting Japanese characters easily and quickly while being small in consideration of ergonomics at the time of input. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the character input device according to the present invention selects a row selection key from row A to row row to input a consonant, selects a column selection key from row A to row B, and outputs a vowel. In a character input device for inputting Japanese 50-syllable characters by inputting, the row selection key is arranged in the first area operable with one of the left hand and the right hand, and column selection is performed. The key is arranged in a second area that is different from the first area and that can be operated with the other hand.

  In addition, the character input device according to the present invention selects a line selection key from line A to line W, inputs a consonant, selects a line selection key from line A to step B, and inputs a vowel. In the character input device for inputting each character of the Japanese syllabary, the line selection key is also used as a column selection key, and a part of the line selection keys is selected from the left hand and the right hand. It is arranged in a first area that can be operated with one hand, and the remaining row selection keys are arranged in a second area that can be operated with the other hand, different from the first area. .

  According to the present invention, the character input device can be reduced in size, and Japanese characters can be input easily and quickly using the right hand and the left hand alternately.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
First, the character input device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  This embodiment is composed of a row selection key for selecting a row to a row and a column selection key for selecting a row to a row, and the row selection key and the column selection key are: They are arranged so that they can be pressed with the right hand and the left hand (or vice versa).

  That is, as shown in FIG. 1, in this character input device 10, for example, 12 keys are arranged in a matrix of 3 rows by 4 rows in a predetermined position below the upper plane of a box-shaped housing. ing. Of these keys, select 9 keys from the 1st to 3rd columns and 1 key at the center of the 4th column. Is assigned as a row selection key 1 for In addition, the two keys at both ends of the fourth row are assigned as keys for inputting a muddy point and a semi-turbid point, respectively. When the character input device is provided in a mobile phone terminal, these keys can also be used as keys for inputting numbers 1 to 9, 0, and symbols * and #.

  In addition, five stage selection keys 2 are arranged at predetermined positions on the side of the box-shaped housing. That is, as shown in the drawing, when the casing of the character input device 10 is held with the left hand or both hands, a step selection key is arranged on the left side surface of the casing so that it can be operated with the thumb of the left hand. On the right side of the housing, a step-to-step selection key is arranged so that each of the other four fingers can be operated.

In such a configuration, in order to input each Japanese character of the Japanese syllabary, first select one of the row selection keys 1 with the thumb of the right hand, input a consonant, and then select either finger of the left hand. Use to select one of the column selection keys and enter the vowel. Therefore, to input Japanese sentences in hiragana, the right hand and the left hand can be used alternately. (Note that when entering characters with a cloudy or semi-cloudy point, after entering the consonant and vowel as described above, the key for entering the cloudy or semi-cloudy point can be selected with the left or right finger. .)
According to this embodiment, in order to input a single hiragana character, it is only necessary to press the key twice for row and column selection. Moreover, since both hands can be used alternately by assigning rows and stages to different hands, quick input is possible.

  In the above description, the keys are arranged so that the row selection key selection operation is performed with the right hand finger and the column selection key selection operation is performed with the left hand finger. However, the selection operation is performed with the opposite left and right hands. A key may be arranged on the screen. In this case, the arrangement of the stage selection keys is reversed left and right.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the present embodiment, two rows and columns are assigned to each key. When selecting a row, that is, when keys 1-5 are used for row selection, keys 6-9, 0 become column selection keys, and when selecting a row, that is, as row selection. When the keys 6-9, 0 are used, the keys 1-5 are the column selection keys. Further, the keys 1 to 5 are arranged to input with the left hand, and the keys 6 to 9 and 0 are arranged to input with the right hand.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 2, in the character input device 10, for example, 12 keys are arranged in a matrix of 3 rows and 4 columns in a predetermined position on the upper plane of a box-shaped housing. . In addition, when this character input device is provided in the terminal of the mobile phone, nine keys from the first to the third column are the keys for inputting the numbers 1 to 9, and the fourth column. The key is a key for inputting the number 0 and the symbols * and #. In this embodiment, these keys are divided into two groups, and three keys in the first column and The two keys on the left side of the second vertical column, that is, the keys for inputting numbers 1 to 5, are the first group of keys 3 operated by the finger of the left hand, and the one key on the right side of the second vertical column The six keys in the third to fourth columns, that is, the keys for inputting the numbers 6 to 9 and 0 and the symbols * and # are the keys 4 of the second group operated with the finger of the right hand.

  As shown in the figure, the first group of keys, that is, the key 3 for inputting the numbers 1 to 5, serves as a row selection key for selecting a row from row to row, and 6 to 9, 0. When the key for inputting the number is used as a row selection key for selecting a row to a row, it also serves as a column selection key for selecting a row to a row. . Also, among the keys of the second group, the keys for inputting the numbers 6 to 9 and 0 are used as the row selection keys for selecting the rows to the rows and the numbers 1 to 5 are input. When the key is used as a row selection key for selecting a row from row to row, it also serves as a column selection key for selecting a row to row. Of the keys of the second group, two keys for inputting the symbols * and # are assigned as keys for inputting a muddy point and a semi-turbid point, respectively.

In such a configuration, in order to input each Japanese character of the Japanese syllabary, when the character is a character belonging to a line to the first line, the first group of lines is firstly moved with the thumb of the left hand. Select one of the selection keys 1 to input a consonant, and then select one of the second group of column selection keys with the thumb of the right hand and input a vowel. Also, if the character is a character belonging to a line to a line, first select one of the second group row selection keys 1 with the thumb of the right hand and input a consonant, and then the left hand. A vowel is input by selecting one of the second group column selection keys with the thumb. (Note that when inputting characters with a cloudy or semi-cloudy point, after inputting the consonant and vowel as described above, the key for inputting the cloudy or semi-cloudy point may be selected with the finger of the right hand.)
According to the present embodiment, the input of the line and the column specified to input one hiragana character is always performed by different keys, and input is performed using the right hand and the left hand alternately. Character input is possible.

  In the above description, the first group key selection operation is performed with the left hand finger, and the second group key selection operation is performed with the right hand finger. (In other words, the first group key selection operation is performed with the right hand finger, and the second group key selection operation is performed with the left hand finger).

The top view which shows the structure of the character input device which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The top view which shows the structure of the character input device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Row selection key 2 ... Column selection key 3 ... Key of the first group (Ana row selection and Awa row selection time selection key)
4… Key of the second group (Ha ~ wa line selection and a row selection time selection key)
10. Character input device

Claims (4)

  Select a line selection key from line A to line W and input a consonant, then select a line selection key from line A to column B and enter a vowel to input each character of the Japanese alphabet. In the character input device, the line selection key is arranged in a first area operable by one of the left hand and the right hand, and the column selection key is arranged in the other hand different from the first area. The character input device, wherein the character input device is arranged in a second region operable by the device.   The character input device according to claim 1, wherein the first region is arranged at a predetermined position on an upper plane of the device, and the second region is arranged at a predetermined position on a side surface of the device.   Select a line selection key from line A to line W and input a consonant, then select a line selection key from line A to column B and enter a vowel to input each character of the Japanese alphabet. In the character input device, each of the row selection keys also serves as a column selection key, and a part of the row selection keys can be operated with one of the left hand and the right hand. A character input device, wherein the character input device is arranged in one area and the remaining row selection keys are arranged in a second area that is different from the first area and can be operated with the other hand. The partial row selection key is used as a row selection key for a row to a row, the remaining row selection keys are used as a row selection key for a row to a row, and the first area is The character input device according to claim 3, wherein the character input device is disposed at a predetermined position on the upper plane, and the second region is disposed at a predetermined position on the upper plane of the device adjacent to the first region.

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