JP2614257B2 - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a keyboard device used for, for example, a portable information processing device.

(Prior Art) In recent years, in the field of information processing devices, the development of a so-called laptop type portable information processing device has been active.

Normally, in such a portable information processing apparatus, a plurality of input functions are provided in a specific key area on a keyboard, and these functions are individually used by switching a mode state for the purpose of further miniaturization. Such an overlay mode system is used.

This overlay mode system is frequently used, for example, when configuring a numeric keypad or the like.

By the way, recently, in addition to the method of securing a numeric keypad in a specific key area on a keyboard by the overlay mode method as described above, for example, an external keyboard dedicated to a numeric keypad such as a numeric keypad is connected to a connector such as a connector. There is a method of connecting and using the processing apparatus main body.

However, when the external keyboard dedicated to the numeric keypad of the information processing apparatus having the above-described overlay mode function is used in combination, even if the external keyboard is connected during the use of the overlay mode on the information processing apparatus, the mode state of the information processing apparatus is not changed. Does not change, causing unnecessary clutter of the input function of each keyboard, resulting in operational clutter.

Therefore, in such a case, the user has to perform an operation of canceling the overlay mode on the apparatus main body side, which causes a problem that the efficiency of keyboard input is reduced.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention is to solve such a problem, and when an external keyboard is connected in a mode state corresponding to the function of the external keyboard of the apparatus main body, the mode of the apparatus main body is changed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a keyboard device capable of automatically switching states and improving the efficiency of keyboard input.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a keyboard having a specific key area having a plurality of types of input functions respectively corresponding to a mode state. In the device, an external keyboard that is used by being connected to the device main body and has a part of an input function that a specific key area has, a connection detecting unit that detects a connection between the external keyboard and the device main body,
Mode switching means for switching the function mode of the apparatus main body to another function mode when the connection detection means detects the connection between the external keyboard and the apparatus main body in a mode state corresponding to the function of the external keyboard of the apparatus main body. Things.

(Operation) In the keyboard device of the present invention, the mode switching means detects the connection between the external keyboard and the device main body when the connection detecting means detects the connection between the external keyboard and the device main body in the mode state corresponding to the function of the external keyboard of the device main body. Function mode is switched to another function mode, so that when an external keyboard is connected in a mode state that matches the function of the external keyboard of the apparatus body, the mode state of the apparatus body can be automatically switched, and keyboard input can be performed. Efficiency can be improved.

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a portable information processing apparatus provided with a keyboard device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a portable information processing apparatus main body. The information processing apparatus main body 1 is equipped with a keyboard 2 having a function of inputting as a ten-key in an overlay mode state and a floppy disk (not shown) in a specific key area in addition to an input function in a normal mode state. The system comprises a floppy disk drive 3 for writing and reading data, and a display device 4 which can be opened and closed with respect to the keyboard 2 surface. Reference numeral 5 denotes a numeric keypad which has a dedicated function as a numeric keypad in a keyboard operation and is used by being connected to the apparatus main body via a connection unit such as a connector.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the keyboard 2 and the numeric keypad 5 in the portable information processing apparatus of FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a ROM in which an execution program of the entire apparatus is stored, 12 denotes a CPU that controls the entire apparatus in accordance with the execution program stored in the ROM 11, and 13 denotes a keyboard controller that controls the keyboard 2 of the information processing apparatus main body 1. ,
Numeral 14 denotes a numeric keypad controller for controlling the numeric keypad 5, such as a control one-chip microcomputer, and numeral 15 denotes a keyboard controller 13 and a numeric pad controller.
It is a data line with 14.

Next, a typical operation of the apparatus of this embodiment will be described.

When the numeric keypad 5 is connected to the information processing apparatus main body 1 when the overlay mode of the keyboard 2 is used in the information processing apparatus main body 1, first, a signal output from the keyboard controller 13 at a constant cycle is output. It is transferred to the numeric keypad controller 14 of the numeric keypad 5 via the data line 15 as a connection confirmation signal.

Upon receiving this signal, the numeric keypad controller 14
The control operation such as key scan is interrupted, and a response signal to this signal is returned to the keyboard controller 13 via the data line 15.

The keyboard controller 13 detects that the numeric keypad 5 is connected to the apparatus main body 1 based on the input of the response signal, and thereby releases the overlay mode of the keyboard 2 in the apparatus main body 1.

The response signal from the numeric keypad controller 14 to the keyboard controller 13 is continuously output together with the key code while the numeric keypad 5 is connected, and when the connection is cut off, the keyboard controller 13 again processes information. The overlay mode state of the keyboard 2 in the apparatus main body 1 is restored.

Thus, according to the information processing apparatus of this embodiment, by connecting the numeric keypad 5 to the information processing apparatus main body 1, the keyboard 2 in the information processing apparatus main body 1 is automatically set.
Is released, it is possible to eliminate the clutter of keyboard operation due to unnecessary overlapping of the input functions of the keyboard 2 and the numeric keypad 5 of the main body 1, thereby improving the efficiency of keyboard input. Can be planned.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the keyboard device of the present invention, when the external keyboard is connected in the mode state that matches the function of the external keyboard of the apparatus main body, the mode state of the apparatus main body is automatically changed. The input can be switched, and the efficiency of keyboard input can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a portable information processing apparatus provided with a keyboard device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 explains a control system relating to the keyboard device in the portable information processing device shown in FIG. It is a block diagram for performing. 2 ... keyboard, 5 ... numeric keypad, 13 ... keyboard controller, 14 ... numeric keypad controller.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A keyboard device in which a specific key area has a plurality of types of input functions corresponding to respective mode states, wherein the input function is used in connection with an apparatus main body and has the specific key area. An external keyboard, a connection detecting means for detecting a connection between the external keyboard and the apparatus main body, and a connection detecting means in a mode state corresponding to the function of the external keyboard of the apparatus main body. A keyboard device comprising: mode switching means for switching a function mode of the device main body to another function mode when connection between the external keyboard and the device main body is detected.