JP3197764B2 - 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 an input device used in an information processing apparatus such as a notebook personal computer and a sub notebook personal computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the appearance of a conventional input device. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 30 denotes a keyboard. A plurality of keys 31, such as character keys, cursor movement keys, function keys, and control keys, are arranged at predetermined positions on the keyboard 30.
At 31 the required key entry is made. At the edge of the keyboard 30, a ball 33 of a trackball 32 is provided so as to roll freely. When the ball 33 is rolled, the trackball 32 detects the direction and amount of rotation, and a screen (not shown) The upper pointer is moved. On the edge of the keyboard 30, click keys 34 and 35 are provided at a predetermined distance from the ball 33. Then, the coordinates of the pointer are determined by a click operation of the key 34,
If an icon or the like exists on the coordinates, a work screen of the icon is displayed. On the other hand, when the click operation of the key 35 is performed, the screen returns to the screen before the click operation of the key 34 is performed.

[0003] In order for the user to make an input with such an input device, the user operates both keys with the fingers spread over the key 31 and performs a key operation. When a pointing operation is performed, for example, the ball 33 is turned with the thumb of one hand. Move the other hand to key 3
4. Move up to 35 and click.

[0004]

However, in the conventional input device, when performing an operation with a pointing device such as a trackball while performing a key operation, a user moves at least one hand from the key to the pointing device. In such a case, it is difficult to perform a blind touch. In addition, in the case of frequently performing an operation using a pointing device, there is a problem that hand movement is complicated and input efficiency is low. On the other hand, portable information processing apparatuses such as notebook-type and sub-notebook-type personal computers are required to be further miniaturized, and in order to cope with this, the pointing device must be miniaturized as much as possible. Must.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide two different codes assigned respectively to a plurality of keys of a keyboard based on a detection signal of a detection means. An object of the present invention is to provide an input device which has high input efficiency and can cope with miniaturization by selecting one of the code tables.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input device including a keyboard having a plurality of keys and a pointing device for moving a pointer on a screen, wherein a user touches the pointing device. Detecting means, two code tables respectively assigned different codes corresponding to the keys, and selecting means for selecting one of the two code tables based on a detection signal of the detecting means. It is characterized by having.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the input device according to the first aspect, when the selection means selects one of the code tables according to the detection signal, it is determined whether or not the key is operated. Means, and maintaining means for maintaining the selected code table while it is determined that a key operation is performed.

[0008]

In the input device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the user's contact with the pointing device that moves the pointer on the screen is detected by a detecting means such as a magnetic sensor. On the other hand, a code table in which codes such as a character code and a control code are assigned corresponding to a plurality of keys provided on a keyboard is set in the input device. In addition to the code table, a code table for clicking to which a code to be used when clicking with the pointer is assigned is set. In the click code table, for example, an execution code is assigned to a key group in the right half of the keyboard, and a release code is assigned to a key group in the left half.

The selection means selects the code table based on the detection result of the detection means when the user does not touch the pointing device, and selects the code table for clicking when the user touches the pointing device. I do.
Thus, during operation of the pointing device, a click can be performed with the keys of the keyboard, and the input by the pointing device is performed without providing a button, a key, or the like for clicking.

In the input device according to the second aspect of the invention, when the selection means selects the above-described code table for click according to the detection signal from the detection means, the judgment means operates the keys of the keyboard. It is determined whether or not the key code is clicked, and while the key is operated, the maintaining means maintains the code table for the click regardless of the detection signal from the detecting means.
Thus, the code table for clicking is maintained during the so-called drag-and-drop operation, so that the operation is not hindered.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an input device according to the present invention, where 1 is a keyboard. The keyboard 1 is provided with a plurality of keys 11 such as a character key, a cursor movement key, a function key, and a control key in a predetermined arrangement. A signal from the key 11 is given to a control unit 21 of the input control device 2. It is supposed to be. In addition, the control unit 21 controls the direction and amount of rotation of the ball to move a pointer (both not shown) on the screen from a pointing device 12 such as a trackball having a conductive ball rotatably. The signal is also input to each
21 outputs the signal to a processing device (not shown).

A touch detector 13 is connected to the ball of the pointing device 12, and the touch detector 13 detects a magnetic field generated by a current flowing when a user makes contact with the ball, and the touch detector 13 is connected to the ball. And a detection signal is given to the control unit 21. Then, the control unit 21 provides the signal provided from the key 11 and the detection signal of the touch detector 13 to the selection unit 22.

On the other hand, the input control device 2 has a first keyboard table 23 in which control codes, function codes, character codes, and the like are tabulated in correspondence with the keys 11, and an execution code, a release code, and the like of the pointer. Is provided with a second keyboard table 24 which is tabulated in correspondence with the second keyboard table. In the second keyboard table 24, for example, an execution code is assigned to the right-half key 11 of the keyboard 1, and a release code is assigned to the left-half key 11.

The selection unit 22 selects the first keyboard table 23 based on signals given from the keys 11 and the touch detector 13 when the user is not in contact with the ball of the pointing device 12, as described later. When touching the ball, the second keyboard table 24 is selected. Therefore, when the pointing device 12 is not operated, the control unit 21 reads a corresponding code from the control code, the function code, the character code, and the like of the first keyboard table 23 based on the signal from the key 11, and Output it. On the other hand, when the pointing device 12 is operated, the control unit 21 reads a corresponding code from the execution code and the cancellation code of the second keyboard table 24 based on the signal from the key 11, and outputs it.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a selecting procedure of the selecting section 22 shown in FIG. The selection unit 22 determines whether or not the user is in contact with the ball of the pointing device 12 based on the detection signal of the touch detector 13 obtained via the control unit 21 (step S1). If not, the first keyboard table 23 is selected (step S
2) If the ball is in contact, the second keyboard table 24 is selected (step S3).

When the second keyboard table 24 is selected, the selection unit 22 determines whether or not the input of the signal is continued based on the signal of the key 11 obtained through the control unit 21 ( Step S4) During the continuation, the selection unit 22
Maintains the second keyboard table 24 regardless of the detection signal of the touch detector 13 (step S5). by this,
During the drag and drop operation, the second keyboard table 24 is maintained even if the contact with the ball is interrupted.

When it is determined in step S4 that the input of the signal from the key 11 has been interrupted, the selection unit 22 returns to step S1 to determine whether the user is in contact with the ball of the pointing device 12. .

In this embodiment, a case where a trackball is used as a pointing device is described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that devices such as mouse input and pen input can also be used. .

[0019]

As described in detail above, in the input device according to the present invention, a dedicated key is not required for clicking, so that the size of the keyboard can be reduced accordingly. Further, since the input related to the click can be performed by the key of the keyboard, the moving amount of the finger is reduced, and further, the input operation can be performed with high efficiency without learning a new blind touch. It has excellent effects.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a selection procedure of a selection unit illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the appearance of a conventional input device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 keyboard 2 input control device 11 key 12 pointing device 13 touch detector 21 control unit 22 selection unit 23 first keyboard table 24 second keyboard table

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 3/033 G06F 3/02-3/027

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An input device comprising: a keyboard having a plurality of keys; and a pointing device for moving a pointer on a screen, wherein: a detecting means for detecting a user's contact with the pointing device; An input device, comprising: two code tables to which different codes are assigned, and a selection unit that selects one of the two code tables based on a detection signal of the detection unit. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting unit selects one of the code tables based on the detection signal, and determines whether the key is operated. 2. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising: a maintenance unit that maintains the selected code table.