JP2616628B2 - Key input device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a key input device used for office computers, word processors, and the like.

[0002]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a key input device for inputting Japanese characters in Roman characters, and determines whether or not a consonant key is operated while a vowel key is operated or before a vowel key is operated. As a result, when it is determined that the consonant key has been operated, it is converted to a character code consisting of a consonant key and a vowel key, and when it is determined that the consonant key has not been operated, a character consisting of only the vowel key It is converted into a code.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a key input device such as an office computer, when Japanese is input in Roman characters, two characters (for example, << T >><< A >> keys) are used for normal characters, and one key is used for vowel keys. Kana characters are input by operating the keys. In this case, a person who is not yet accustomed to the keyboard may perform key operations using one finger on each side.

[0004]

In such a case, usually, a consonant key is operated and then a vowel key is operated to input a kana character. However, a key operation is performed by right and left fingers one by one. Therefore, the key operation of the consonant key and the vowel key may be performed at the same time. For example, << K >>, << A >>
Key is operated at the same time, and then the << A >> key is operated, it is not known whether it is desired to input "ka" or "red". An object of the present invention is to enable correct character input even when a consonant key and a vowel key are simultaneously operated.

[0005]

The means of the present invention are as follows. Holding means 1 (see the functional block diagram of FIG. 1,
The same applies hereinafter) is a memory that stores and holds data (for example, a consonant on code, a consonant on flag, and the like) indicating that a consonant key that can be a consonant in Japanese input in Roman characters is operated. The determining means 2 determines whether or not a consonant key has been operated during or before a vowel key which may be a vowel in Roman Japanese input is operated based on the stored contents of the holding means 1. . The character code conversion means 3 converts the code into a character code consisting of the consonant key and the vowel key when the discrimination means 2 determines that the consonant key is operated, and when it is determined that the consonant key is not operated. Is converted to a character code consisting of only vowel keys.

[0006]

The operation of the means of the present invention is as follows. Now, it is assumed that the "T" key is operated first, and then the "A" key is operated in order to input the kana character "ta". In this case, when the consonant key << T >> is operated, data indicating that the consonant key has been operated is stored and held in the holding means 1. The determining means 2 determines whether or not the consonant key has been operated while the vowel key is being operated or before the vowel key is operated, based on the contents stored in the holding means 1. Since the consonant key is operated before is operated, the character code converting means 3 converts the character code into a character code composed of a consonant key and a vowel key. As a result, the kana character "ta" is input.

If it is assumed that the << T >> and << A >> keys are almost simultaneously, that is, if the consonant key is operated while the vowel key is operated, the discrimination means 2 discriminates that. The character code conversion means 3 converts the character code into a character code composed of a consonant key and a vowel key. Therefore, also in this case, the kana character "ta" is input.

On the other hand, in order to input the kana character "a",
It is assumed that only the "A" key has been operated. In this case, since the consonant key is not operated while the vowel key is operated or before the vowel key is operated, the discriminating means 2 judges so, and the character code converting means 3 determines only the consonant key. To a character code consisting of by this,
The kana character "A" is input.

Therefore, even when the consonant key and the vowel key are operated at substantially the same time, a character composed of the consonant key and the vowel key can be input, so that a keyboard particularly effective for a person who is not used to the keyboard is provided. can do.

[0010]

An embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. Configuration FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram showing a basic configuration of the key input device. The CPU 11 captures a key code output from the key input unit 12 corresponding to the operation key, and
3 controls various operations of the key input device according to a key processing program stored in the key input device. That is, CPU
In a kana input mode 11 for inputting katakana using Roman characters, a key code output from the key input unit 12 corresponding to an operation key is converted into a Roman character / kana using a conversion table 14, thereby reading from the conversion table 14. The output character code is transmitted as input data. In this case, the CPU 11 operates the key input unit 1 as necessary.
2 is stored in its internal register RT, and Roman / kana conversion is performed based on the contents of the internal register RT.

FIG. 3 shows a key arrangement state on a keyboard constituting the key input section 12. As shown in FIG. In other words, the keys on this keyboard can be consonants in Japanese input in Roman characters. Consonant blocks BK1 including consonant keys of "F", "W",..., "Z" and "G", and Japanese input in Roman characters. << A >>, << I >>, << U >>,
It is divided into two blocks on the left and right of the vowel block BK2 including the vowel keys << E >> and << O >>. Further, the vowel block BK2 includes Japanese-specific characters “YA (ャ)”,
“YU”, “YO”, “n” and “tsu” are assigned. In this case, << YA >>, << YU >>, and << YO >> are hereinafter referred to as “suffix keys”.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of the conversion table 14, in which the horizontal axis direction is "K", "S", "T",.
Corresponding to the consonant keys "U" and "F", and the vertical axis direction is a normal vowel key << A >>, << I >>, << U >>, << E >>,
《O》, followed by the suffix keys 《YA》, 《YU》, 《Y
It corresponds to the keys of "O", "n" and "tsu".

Operation FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation in the case of inputting Japanese (Katakana) in Roman characters. The flowchart shown in FIG. 5 will be specifically described with reference to a key operation example shown in FIG. Here, FIG. 6A shows an example of a key operation when the kana character “A” is input, and FIGS. 6B to 6D show an example of a key operation when the kana character “K” is input. 6
(2) to (6) show a case where the key operation timing is slightly shifted.

FIGS. 6 (1) and 6 (2) show examples of normal key operation. First, in the case of FIG.
The input operation when only the "A" key is operated will be described.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a key code (key ON) output from the key input unit 12 corresponding to an operation key.
The execution is started each time a key OFF code is input to the CPU 11 in addition to the code.

That is, when the << A >> key is operated, first,
Since the key ON code is input, it is detected in step S1 of detecting the type of the key code that the vowel ON code has been input. In this case, the process proceeds to step S4,
It is checked whether or not a consonant ON code is stored and held in the internal register RT. Since only the vowel key has been operated, the process proceeds to step S3, and the vowel ON code that has just been input is stored in the internal register RT. To be stored.

Next, since the key OFF code of the << A >> key is input, it is detected in step S1 that the vowel OFF code has been input. In this case, the vowel key corresponding to the vowel key is stored in the internal register RT and the consonant ON code is not stored (steps S7, S8). In other words, only the vowel key is stored. On the condition that the operation is performed, the character code is converted into a vowel character code using the conversion table 14 (step S9). The character code thus converted is sent from the CPU 11 as input data. As a result, the character "A" is input in response to the input timing of the vowel OFF code.
Finally, the contents of the internal register RT are all cleared (step S6).

Next, the input operation in the case of FIG. 6 (2), that is, when the "A" key is operated after the "K" key is operated will be described. In this case, when the << K >> key is operated, the input of the consonant ON code is detected in step S1 and the process proceeds to step S3, where the consonant ON code is stored in the internal register R.
Stored in T. Next, since the consonant OFF code is input, the process proceeds from step S1 to step S2 to check whether the consonant ON code of the key is stored in the internal register RT. Here, if there is no consonant ON code, the key operation is naturally invalidated.
Since the consonant ON code has already been input before the F code is input, the process proceeds to step S3, where the consonant OFF code is transferred to the internal register RT and stored therein.

Thereafter, the << A >> key is operated to turn on the vowel.
Since the code is input, the steps from step S1 to step S
Proceed to 4. In this case, since the consonant ON code is stored in the internal register RT, the process proceeds to step S5, where the conversion table 14 is used to convert the code into a character code composed of a consonant key and a vowel key. As a result, the character "" is input in response to the input timing of the vowel ON code. Finally, the contents of the internal register RT are all cleared (step S6).

Next, an input operation when the << K >> key and the << A >> key are operated substantially simultaneously as shown in FIGS. 6 (3) to 6 (6) will be described.

FIG. 6 (3) shows an example of key operation when a consonant ON code, a vowel ON code, a vowel OFF code, and a consonant OFF code are sequentially input. In this case, first, when a consonant ON code is input, the consonant ON code is stored in the internal register RT (step S3). Next, a vowel ON code is input. In this case, since a consonant ON code is stored in the internal register RT,
This is detected in step S4, and the process proceeds to step S5, where the character code is converted into a character code composed of a consonant key and a vowel key. Therefore, in this case, the character "" is input in response to the input timing of the vowel ON code.

FIG. 6D shows an example of key operation when a vowel ON code, a consonant ON code, a consonant OFF code, and a vowel OFF code are sequentially input. In this case, first, the vowel ON code is input, but since the consonant ON code has not yet been input at this time, step S4
Is detected, the process proceeds to step S3, and the vowel is turned on.
The code is stored in the internal register RT. Next, consonant O
When the N code is input, the consonant ON code is also stored in the internal register RT (step S3). Then, consonant O
The FF code is input. In this case, the internal register R
Since the consonant ON code is stored in T, this is detected in step S2, and the process proceeds to step S3, where the consonant OFF code is stored in the internal register RT. Finally, the vowel OFF code is input. In this case, since the internal register RT stores the vowel ON code, consonant ON code, and consonant OFF code, this is detected in steps S7 and S8. Proceeding to step S5, the character code is converted into a character code composed of a consonant key and a vowel key. Therefore, in this case, the character "" is input in response to the input timing of the vowel OFF code.

FIG. 6 (5) shows an example of key operation when a consonant ON code, a vowel ON code, a consonant OFF code, and a vowel OFF code are sequentially input. In this case, FIG.
As a result of performing the same input operation as in (3), the character "" is input in response to the input timing of the vowel ON code.

FIG. 6 (6) shows an example of key operation when a vowel ON code, a consonant ON code, a vowel OFF code, and a consonant OFF code are sequentially input. In this case, FIG.
Similarly to (4), the vowel ON code and the consonant ON code are stored in the internal register RT, and the character "K" is input in response to the input timing of the vowel OFF code.

As described above, in this embodiment, even when the consonant key and the vowel key are operated at the same time, the character code can be converted into a character code composed of the consonant key and the vowel key, as in the case of the normal key operation.

Although the above embodiment is applied to a keyboard divided into a consonant block and a vowel block, the present invention can also be applied to a keyboard having an ordinary JIS arrangement.

[0027]

According to the present invention, a correct character input can be performed even when the consonant key and the vowel key are simultaneously operated, so that a key input device which is particularly effective for a person who is not used to a keyboard can be provided. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram showing a basic configuration of the key input device.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an arrangement state of keys on a keyboard.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conversion table 14 shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation when Japanese is input in Roman characters.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a key operation example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 CPU 12 Key input unit 13 ROM 14 Conversion table

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A key input device that has a vowel key that can be a vowel and a consonant key that can be a consonant in Japanese input in Roman characters, and stores data indicating that a consonant key has been operated in a key input device that performs Japanese input in Roman characters. Holding means for holding; determining means for determining whether or not a consonant key is operated while the vowel key is operated or before the vowel key is operated, based on the storage content of the holding means; When it is determined that a consonant key has been operated, it is converted to a character code consisting of a vowel key to the consonant key, and when it is determined that the consonant key has not been operated, it is converted to a character code consisting of only the vowel key. A key input device, comprising: character code conversion means for converting.