JP2695470B2 - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of use] The present invention relates to a keyboard device having a plurality of key layout functions.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, the kana key layout of keyboard devices such as word processors and personal computers varies variously depending on the model. For example, the layout according to JIS C 6233 (information processing keyboard layout), the new JIS standard (JIS C 6236 -1986 Kana-to-Kanji conversion keyboard layout for inputting Japanese sentences), aiueo order layout, etc.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, it is very difficult for an operator to input such a keyboard layout by using another keyboard layout once memorized. For this reason, it is impossible to use a keyboard device that employs another key arrangement, and it is impossible to use a word processor or a personal computer equipped with the keyboard device, which is inconvenient.

The present invention has been made in view of these problems,
By providing one keyboard device with a plurality of key layout functions, it is possible to enable a plurality of operators with different key layouts to input from one keyboard device, and to provide a keyboard device with improved usability. There is.

Configuration of the Invention [Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following structures as means for solving the above problems. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the keyboard device of the present invention stores a keyboard M2 in which a plurality of switch units M1 are arranged, and key arrangement information in which character information is associated with the arrangement positions of the switch units M1. The key arrangement storage means M3 and the arrangement position of the touched switch single body M1 are collated with the key arrangement information stored in the key arrangement storage means M3, and the character information corresponding to the touched switch single body M1 is obtained. In a keyboard device having a control means M4 for outputting as an electric signal, an information storage means M5 in which key layout information different from the key layout information stored in the key layout storage means M3 is stored in advance.
And a key layout changing means M6 for changing the key layout information stored in the key layout storage means M3 into the key layout information stored in the information storage means M5, and the key layout information of the keyboard is displayed on the display M7. It is characterized in that display control means M8 is provided.

Here, the information storage means is a recording medium in which key layout information different from the key layout information stored in the key layout storage means M3 is previously stored, and corresponds to, for example, an IC card, a magnetic card or the like. The stored key layout information is information in which the array position of the single switch M1 and the character information are associated with each other, like the key layout information stored in the key layout storage means M3.

[Operation] The keyboard device of the present invention configured as described above,
The key arrangement information stored in the key arrangement storing means M3 is changed to the key arrangement stored in the information storing means M5 by the key arrangement changing means M6, and the arrangement position of the touched switch unit M1 on the keyboard M2. Is compared with the changed key layout information stored in the key layout storage means M3 by the control means M4, and the character information corresponding to the touched switch single body M1 is output as an electric signal.

Therefore, the keyboard layout of the keyboard M2 becomes the keyboard layout stored in the information storage means M5, the functions of a plurality of keyboard layouts can be obtained with one keyboard, and the display control means M8 causes the display M7 to display the keyboard layout. Therefore, the changed key layout can be known.

[Embodiment] Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a personal computer system equipped with a keyboard device as a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows an electrical configuration of the personal computer system.

As shown in these drawings, a personal computer main body 1 is provided, and the personal computer main body 1 has a keyboard device 3 and a display device (CR which displays characters and the like input from the keyboard device 3).
T display) 5 is connected.

The keyboard device 3 is provided with a keyboard 13 on which a plurality of switches 11 are arranged, and an IC card reader 17 for reading information from the IC card 15. The switch unit 11 is a contact-type switch whose contacts are closed when pressed and opened when released, and the contact portions 11a are arranged in a matrix (FIG. 3). The output signal from the matrix of the contact portion 11a and the output signal from the IC card reader 17 are input to the keyboard control circuit 19 incorporated in the keyboard device 3. Unlike the ordinary keyboard device, no characters are engraved on the touched upper surface of the switch unit 11.

The keyboard control circuit 19 is a well-known CPU 19a, ROM 19b, RA
It is configured as an arithmetic logic circuit centering on M19c and the like, and is provided with an input / output port 19d and the like for inputting data from the matrix of the contact portion 11a and the IC card reader 17 and outputting data to the personal computer body 1 as described above. In addition, the ROM 19b has the key layout of the keyboard 13 shown in FIG.
233), in a table format in which character information in the information code format is associated with each position of the matrix of the contact part 11a.
JIS key layout information is stored in advance.

The IC card 15 has a built-in one-chip microcomputer, and likewise has well-known CPUs 15a, ROM15b, RAM15c.
It is configured as an arithmetic logic circuit centering on the above, and has an input / output port 15d for inputting / outputting data with the outside. Note that R
The OM15b has a table-type new JIS in which character information is associated with each position of the matrix of the contact part 11a so that the key arrangement of the keyboard 13 follows the new JIS standard (JIS C 6236-1986) shown in FIG. Key layout information is stored in advance.

On the other hand, a flexible disk drive 21 as an external storage device is mounted on the personal computer body 1, and a main control circuit 23 is provided inside. The main control circuit 23 is configured as a calculation logic circuit centering on the well-known CPU 23a, ROM 23b, RAM 23c, etc., and inputs the data output from the input / output port of the keyboard control circuit 19 described above, and also the CRT display 5 and the flexible disk drive. 21 and an input / output unit 23d for inputting / outputting data.

CPU1 of the keyboard control circuit 19 configured as above
The 9a performs various processes according to a control program stored in the ROM 19b in advance. Hereinafter, such processes will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 6 and 7.

The flowchart of FIG. 6 shows an initialization routine that is first executed when the keyboard control circuit 19 is powered on from the personal computer body 1. When the processing is started, first, the IC card reader 17 reads the IC card. New JIS stored 15
A command to read the key layout information is output (step 10).
0). Then, the output data which is the reading result of the IC card reader 17 is input (step 110), and it is determined whether the input output data is error data (step 120). The error data referred to here is data that is output from the IC card reader 17 when the IC card reader 17 cannot read the information stored in the IC card 15 accurately. It will also be output when is not loaded.

If it is determined in step 120 that the data is error data, then the JIS key layout information stored in the ROM 19b is read and the read JIS key layout information is written in the RAM 19c (step 130). On the other hand, if it is determined in step 120 that the data is not error data, then the IC card reader
The new JIS keyboard layout information input from 17 is written in the RAM 19c (step 140). Step 130 or Step 140
After execution, the process proceeds to step 150, the key layout information in the RAM 19c is output to the personal computer main body 1, and then the process of this routine ends.

The flowchart of FIG. 7 shows a main routine that is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals after the initialization routine is executed. By executing this main routine, the character information touched by the operator is transferred to the personal computer body 1. It is output as an electrical signal required for.

When the processing is started, first, the array position on the matrix of the contact part 11a of the touched switch unit 11 is read as position data (step 200), and then the position data is stored as the key array information in the RAM 19c. The table is collated and the character information corresponding to the position data is retrieved (step 210). Then, the retrieved character information is output to the PC main body 1 as a necessary electric signal (step
220) and thereafter, the processing of this routine is once terminated.

On the other hand, the CPU 23a in the main control circuit 23 of the personal computer body 1
Performs various processes in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM 23b in advance. One of these processes will be described with reference to FIG.

The flowchart of FIG. 8 shows an initialization routine which is first executed when the power of the personal computer 1 is turned on, and when the processing is started, first, various initial processings that are normally performed are performed (step 300). Then, the keyboard layout information output from the keyboard control circuit 13 is input (step 310). Then, the input key layout information is displayed on the CRT display 5 (step 320). Any display method may be used as long as it represents the keyboard layout of the keyboard 13. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, it is displayed using a figure at the bottom of the screen. Then, the processing of this routine ends.

That is, according to the processing shown in FIG. 6 and FIG.
When the power is turned on to the PC body 1 with the IC card 15 not loaded in the IC card reader 17, the keyboard
The key layout of 13 is the JIS key layout corresponding to the key layout information stored in the ROM 19b of the keyboard control circuit 19, and the IC card 15 is loaded into the IC card reader 17 and the personal computer 1 is powered on. In this case, the keyboard layout of the keyboard 13 is the new JIS keyboard layout corresponding to the keyboard layout information stored in the ROM 15b of the IC card. Therefore, an operator skilled in JIS key layout may perform key input without loading the IC card 15, and an operator skilled in new JIS key layout may load the IC card 15 and perform key input, The single keyboard device 3 can be used by both operators who are skilled in JIS layout and operators who are skilled in new JIS layout, and the keyboard device 3 is highly usable.

Further, according to the process shown in FIG. 8, since the key arrangement of the keyboard 13 is displayed on the CRT display 5, even if no characters are engraved on the upper surface of the switch unit 11,
There is no problem in key input.

Although the key arrangement of the keyboard 13 is configured to be displayed on the CRT display 5 in the above-mentioned embodiment, such a display is not necessary because a skilled person can naturally perform a blind touch. The display may be performed only when the instruction is given.

 Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the arrangement position of the single switches on the keyboard of the keyboard device. That is,
As shown in FIG. 10, on the keyboard device 400, the switch unit 401 corresponding to the space key is divided into three,
Furthermore, on the lower side of the figure of the single unit, two thumb shift keys are provided.
402 and 403 are arranged. Then, the ROM of the keyboard control circuit stores in advance the key layout information for achieving the key layout of the abbreviated JIS standard shown in FIG. 11 (which is different from FIG. 4 in that the space layout position is divided into three parts). In addition, the ROM of the IC card stores in advance key layout information for achieving the thumb character shift key layout (developed by Fujitsu Limited) shown in FIG. The other hardware and software configurations are the same as in the first embodiment.

According to the second embodiment configured as described above, if the IC card is not loaded in the IC card reader, the keyboard key layout can be made into the JIS key layout, and by loading the IC card , The keyboard key layout can be switched to the thumb shift key layout. Therefore, one keyboard device 400 can be used by both an operator who is skilled in JIS arrangement and an operator who is skilled in thumb shift key, and is highly usable.

In addition, in the second embodiment, if another IC card in which the new JIS key layout information is stored in advance is prepared, it is possible to input the JIS key layout, the new JIS key layout, and the thumb shift key layout with one keyboard device. And the usability is further improved.

Further, in the above-described first and second embodiments, the key layout information stored in the IC card and the key layout information stored in advance in the keyboard control circuit have completely different configurations according to different standards. Instead of this, the key arrangement may differ only in a part of the key arrangement.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and it is needless to say that the present invention can be implemented in various modes without departing from the scope of the present invention.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As described in detail above, the keyboard device of the present invention can achieve various key layouts by itself, and as a result, a plurality of operators skilled in different key layouts can use it. Also, if the operator is a beginner, he or she can operate the keys while looking at the key layout on the display, and when the operator finds out what his or her favorite key layout is, he or she can change the key layout while changing the key layout. You can also try the operation. Furthermore, even in the case of a skilled operator, depending on the software used, there are cases where a key layout other than one's favorite keyboard layout has better operability, so the key layout should be changed to a key layout suitable for that software. , You can operate the keys while looking at the display, improving usability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 9 show a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is provided with a keyboard device as the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a personal computer system, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the personal computer system, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a JIS key layout, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a new JIS key layout. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an initialization routine executed by the keyboard control circuit of the keyboard device, FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a main routine executed by the keyboard control circuit, and FIG. 8 is executed by the main control circuit of the personal computer body. Initialization routine flowchart, Figure 9 CR
Explanatory drawing showing an example of the display of the T display, FIGS. 10 to 12 show the second embodiment, FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the upper surface of the keyboard device as the second embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing an abbreviated JIS key layout, and FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing a thumb shift key layout. M1 ... Switch alone, M2 ... keyboard M3 ... key layout storage means, M4 ... control means M5 ... information storage card M6 ... key layout changing means 3 ... keyboard device, 11 ... switch alone 13 ... Keyboard, 15 …… IC card 15a …… CPU, 15b …… ROM 17 …… IC card reader 19 …… Keyboard control circuit, 19a …… CPU 19b …… ROM, 19c …… RAM

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A keyboard on which a plurality of switches are arranged, a key arrangement storing means for storing key arrangement information in which character information is associated with arrangement positions of the switches, and an arrangement position of the touched switch. And a control means for collating the key arrangement information stored in the key arrangement storing means with the character information corresponding to the touched switch as an electric signal, and the key arrangement storing means. The information storage means in which key layout information different from the key layout information stored in is stored in advance, and the key layout information stored in the key layout storage means is changed to the key layout information stored in the information storage means. A keyboard device for changing the key arrangement and display control means for displaying the key arrangement information of the keyboard on a display. .