JP3037314B1 - Key input device - Google Patents

Abstract

A keyboard used in a small portable terminal requires an operator to carefully press a key, and thus has poor operability. A plurality of key elements (14) are provided for each key on a keyboard (11). First, the key basic effective range 15 of the key whose key element 14 is pressed most often is specified. Then, the key 5 corresponding to the key basic effective range 15 is set as a temporary key. When the number of pressed key elements in the key expansion effective range 16 of the temporary key is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value,
If the number of pressed key elements outside the key expansion effective range 16 of the temporary key is equal to or less than a predetermined reference value, it is determined that the temporary key is a pressed key.

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 such as an operation unit and a keyboard used in an information processing device and a communication terminal, and particularly to a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone and a small personal computer. The present invention relates to a key input device suitable for a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a portable terminal such as a cellular phone or a small personal computer, it is important to reduce the size of the housing. However, if the size of the housing is too small, the size of a key input unit such as an operation unit and a keyboard is also reduced. Become. In this case, since the key interval cannot be sufficiently set, erroneous pressing increases and operability deteriorates.

For example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Hei 3-7223 discloses a keyboard provided with a support for supporting a fingertip on a key top in order to prevent a mistake in pressing. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-98012 describes a keyboard in which the shape of a key top is changed for each key.

[0004]

However, these conventional key input devices cannot solve the poor operability due to physical restrictions. That is, when the key interval is small, when a certain key is to be pressed, an adjacent key may be pressed at the same time. In order to prevent such a situation from occurring, the operator must carefully press a key, and the operability cannot be eliminated.

According to the present invention, even if a key is pressed beyond the key top range, a plurality of keys are not simultaneously pressed,
It is an object to provide a key input device with improved operability.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A key input device according to the present invention is a key input device in which a plurality of keys are arranged and information indicating a key pressed by an operator is output to the outside. A key determining unit that determines a pressed key based on the number of pressed key elements, wherein the key determining unit determines that the key element is pressed most often
The key is assumed to be a temporary key that may have been pressed, and the
Press keys in the key expansion effective range wider than the area
Determines whether the temporary key is a pressed key based on the number of elements.
Is characterized.

[0007]

[0008]

[0009] Here, the key determination unit determines the temporary key when the number of pressed key elements in the effective key expansion range is equal to or more than the reference value and the number of pressed key elements outside the effective key expansion range is equal to or less than the reference value. You may be comprised so that it may determine whether it is a pressed key.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the key input device according to the present invention. As shown in FIG.
In this embodiment, a keyboard 1 in which each key is arranged
1 and an interface unit 13 that outputs key press information to the main body of the personal computer, a key determination unit 12 that determines which key has been pressed is provided.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a part of the keyboard 11. FIG. 2 illustrates nine keys 1 to 9 (the symbols correspond to the numbers described on the key tops). In the example shown in FIG. 2, each of the keys 1 to 9 has nine key elements 14. The key elements 14 correspond to independent contacts, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a section of one key. As shown in FIG. 3, each of the key elements 14 is a bar-shaped key top. When the key is pressed, the key element 14 is pressed downward. The lower surface of the key element 14 is in contact with, for example, a flexible resin film 21. Further, another resin film 23 is provided below the resin film 21. The portion of the resin film 21 that is in contact with the key element 14 is a projection, and the resin film 2
A dome is formed between the dome and the dome. In the dome, conductive portions 22 and 24 are formed on the resin film 21 side and the resin film 23 side.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the back surface of the resin film 21. As shown in FIG. 4, the ground level is supplied to the conductive portion 22 in the resin film 21. FIG. 5 shows the state of the surface of the resin film 23 and the key determination unit 1.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing two components. As shown in FIG.
In the resin film 23, the conductive part 24 is pulled up via a resistance part 25. Accordingly, when the key element 14 is pressed down and the conductive portions 22 and 24 come into contact with each other, the conductive portion 24 is at the ground level.

The output of the conductive section 24 is input to a counting circuit 27. The counting circuit 27 counts the number of inputs at the ground level. Further, the press switch determining circuit 28 determines which key has been pressed by introducing the count value of the counting circuit 27 provided for each of the keys 1 to 9.

Next, the operation of the key input device will be described with reference to the explanatory diagram of FIG. 2 and the flowchart of FIG. Here, the description will be given with the key 5 to which the numeral “5” is attached as an example. Hereinafter, the range within each of the keys 1 to 9 will be referred to as a key basic effective range. Here, since the key 5 is taken as an example, the inside of the outer frame of the key 5 is the key basic effective range 15 as shown in FIG. Also, in this embodiment, the key expansion effective range 1 that is wider than the key basic effective range 15
6 is defined.

As shown in FIG. 6, a pressed switch determination circuit 28 receives a count value from each counting circuit 27. Then, the key basic effective range 15 of the key whose key element 14 is pressed most often is specified (step S11). In this example, it is assumed that each key element 14 in the pressing range 17 shown in FIG. 2 has been pressed. Therefore, the pressed switch determination circuit 28
The range of the key 5 is recognized as the key basic effective range 15.

The depression switch determination circuit 28 sets a key (key 5 in this example) corresponding to the key basic effective range 15 as a temporary key. In the example shown in FIG. 2, eight key elements 14 are pressed and one key element 14 is not pressed in the key basic effective range 15 of the key 5 which is a temporary key. ing.

The pressed switch determination circuit 28 also inputs the number of pressed key elements 14 in the key expansion effective range 16 for the key 5. And some key elements 1
4 is pressed (step S1).
2). In the example shown in FIG. 2, two key elements 14 for keys 4 and 8 in the key expansion effective range 16 are respectively provided.
Is within the pressing range 7, so that the key expansion effective range 1
At 6, it is recognized that the twelve key elements 14 have been pressed.

Further, the pressed switch determination circuit 28 inputs the number of key elements 14 that are pressed outside the key expansion effective range 16. Then, it is recognized how many key elements 14 have been pressed (step S12). In the example shown in FIG. 2, since one key element 14 of the key 7 corresponds, the depression switch determination circuit 28 determines that one key element 14 is depressed outside the key expansion effective range 16. recognize. The counting circuit 27 receives the information about the key expansion effective range 16 from the depression switch determination circuit 28, and thereby the number of pressed key elements 14 in the key expansion effective range 16 and the key expansion effective range 16 The number of the outside pressed key elements 14 can be output.

Then, the pressed switch determination circuit 28 determines that the number of pressed key elements within the key expansion effective range 16 of the temporary key is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value (step S13), If the number of pressed key elements is equal to or smaller than a predetermined reference value (step S14), it is determined that the temporary key is the pressed key (step S1).
5). Also, when the number of pressed key elements within the key expansion effective range 16 of the temporary key is less than a predetermined reference value, or when the number of pressed key elements outside the key expansion effective range 16 of the temporary key is larger than the predetermined reference value, Determines that no key has been pressed (step S16).

The key determining section 12 outputs information indicating the determined pressed key to the interface section 13. The interface unit 13 outputs information indicating a pressed key to a higher-level device such as a personal computer.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
A plurality of key elements 14 are provided for each of the keys 1 to 9, and the key determination unit 12 determines a temporary key from the number of pressed key elements, and determines a pressed key based on the number of pressed key elements inside and outside the key expansion effective range 16 corresponding to the temporary key. To determine. Then, as in the example shown in FIG. 2, even if the depressed range 7 deviates from the key basic effective range 15, the key 5 which is a temporary key can be determined as a depressed key.

Therefore, the operator does not need to pay attention to strictly pressing the key basic effective range 15, and the operability is improved. In the conventional case, according to the pressing range 7 shown in FIG.
May be detected as being pressed at the same time, and as a result, the key pressed by the operator may not be specified.

In this embodiment, after the temporary key is determined, the pressed key is determined based on the number of pressed key elements inside and outside the key expansion effective range 16. However, if the control is to be simplified, the temporary key is determined. The key may be used as it is. Even with such a configuration, since the pressed key is determined according to the number of pressed key elements 14, even if the pressed range 7 deviates from the key basic effective range 15, one pressed key is specified. .

The configuration of the switch and key determination unit 12 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 is merely an example, and other configurations may be employed. For example, the key element 14 may be realized by a touch sensor or an optical sensor instead of a bar-shaped key top. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a pressing portion may be provided above the key element 14, or the key element 14 may be exposed and directly pressed by the operator. . However, when the key elements 14 are bare, it is desirable that many key elements 14 are densely arranged.

The number and arrangement of the key elements 14 in each of the keys 1 to 9 shown in FIG.
There are no restrictions on the arrangement or density of the pieces. In extreme cases, key element 1
If the size of 4 is sufficiently smaller than the key basic effective range, one key element 14 may be provided for each of the keys 1 to 9 as shown in FIG. In this case, if the size of the key element 14 is sufficiently smaller than the key basic effective range, the possibility that the next key element is erroneously pressed even if the finger to be pressed is shifted is small.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the key input device determines the pressed key based on the number of pressed key elements, each key having a plurality of independent key elements. Key determination unit, and the key determination unit
Temporary keys that may have been pressed many times
And the key expansion effective range wider than the temporary key area
Key on the temporary key based on the number of key elements
Since a configuration of determining whether over, since the operator does not become a state in which a plurality of keys is pressed at the same time be pressed key over the key top ranges operator without paying attention to the keypress Thus, there is an effect that the possibility of mistakenly being pushed is eliminated and operability is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a key input device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a keyboard.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a section of one key of the keyboard.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a back surface of a resin film provided below a key.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of a surface of a resin film provided below a resin film provided below a key and components of a key determination unit.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a part of the keyboard.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Keyboard 12 Key determination part 13 Interface part 14 Key element 15 Key effective range 16 Key expansion effective range 17 Pressing range

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A plurality of keys are arranged and pressed by an operator.
Key input device that outputs information indicating the key
Therefore, each key has a plurality of independent key elements, and determines the key pressed based on the number of key elements pressed.
Equipped with a key decision unit to decide, The key determination unit presses the key whose key element is pressed the most.
A temporary key that may have been dropped
The number of pressed key elements in a wide key expansion effective range
Determine whether the temporary key is a pressed key based on This
And a key input device. 2. The key determining unit according to claim 1, wherein said key determining unit includes :
Key expansion is enabled when the number of pressed key elements
When the number of pressed key elements outside the range is below the reference value
2. The key input device according to claim 1, wherein whether the temporary key is a press key is determined .