JP5151589B2 - Key input error prevention device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a key input device such as a portable terminal, and more particularly to a key input erroneous operation prevention device for preventing erroneous operation of key input.

In a portable terminal such as a cellular phone, even when the key input by the key input device is not intended, the input may be performed when the key is touched during handling. In order to prevent such an erroneous operation in the key input device, there has been proposed an erroneous operation preventing device in which the key input becomes invalid even when the key is pressed. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a technique in which the validity / invalidity of each key of a key input device is displayed on a display device, and the validity / invalidity of each key can be set while referring to this display. According to this technique, if the key is set to be invalid, no key input is performed even when the key is touched, and erroneous operation can be prevented. Further, as a key input device of this type in recent years, a technique has been proposed in which one key is operated as a plurality of function keys by properly using the key pressing method. Patent Document 2 proposes a double action key that operates as a different function key by half-pressing or fully pressing one key. Even in such a key input device, if the key is set to be invalid by applying the technique of Patent Document 1, even if the key is operated unexpectedly, the key input is not performed and an erroneous operation is performed. Will be prevented.
JP-A-1-213706 JP 2004-326545 A

  If the erroneous operation prevention technique of Patent Document 1 is applied to the key input device of Patent Document 2, it is possible to invalidate the input of the key and prevent an erroneous operation. In this case, however, how to press the key. Regardless, that is, both the case where the key is half-pressed and the case where the key is fully pressed are invalid. Therefore, for example, in the case of a key input device in which two different functions, for example, a photo shooting function and a photo display function in a mobile phone are assigned to half-press and full-press of one key, the key is set to be invalid. Both the photo shooting function and the photo display function are disabled. Therefore, when there is a request to disable the photo shooting function but to enable the photo display function, it becomes impossible to respond to this request and the convenience of the mobile phone is reduced. Occurs. In recent years, mobile phones have been reduced in size while being multi-functionalized, and it is required to assign various types of functions to one key. When the technology is applied, all the various functions assigned to the key cannot be executed, and as a result, it becomes difficult to reduce the number of keys, miniaturizing the key input device, and further downsizing the mobile phone It becomes an obstacle in the above.

  An object of the present invention is to enable / disable for each function in one key to which a plurality of functions are assigned, and to improve the convenience of key input while preventing erroneous operation on the key. It is intended to provide a device for preventing erroneous key input operation.

  The present invention provides a control means capable of setting valid / invalid for each of a plurality of key inputs in a key input device configured to perform a plurality of key inputs based on a plurality of different operations for one key. Prepare. Specifically, it comprises storage means for storing the correspondence of a plurality of key inputs for one key as a correspondence list, and display means for displaying the heel correspondence list, and the control means displays the correspondence displayed on the display means. Based on the list, the validity / invalidity of each key input can be set, and the validity / invalidity of each set key input is stored in the storage means.

  Further, more specifically, it includes one or more switches whose on / off state is changed by a plurality of different operations on one key, and the control means detects the on / off state of the switch, It is configured to refer to the correspondence list stored in the storage means to determine the validity / invalidity of the switch and execute a function corresponding to the operation of the switch.

  According to the present invention, in a key input device in which a plurality of different operations are performed on one key to perform a plurality of key inputs, valid / invalid is set for each operation, that is, for each key input. It is possible to selectively enable key input for a specific operation without invalidating key input for all operations of one key. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the key input device by making one key multifunctional, while preventing an erroneous operation on the key.

  As a preferred form of the present invention, a plurality of different operations are differences in the depth of key press, and the switch is composed of a plurality of switches whose on / off states are changed at different depths of depression, and the control means is a plurality of these. It is configured to be able to set valid / invalid for these switches. Alternatively, a plurality of different operations are differences in key pressing time, and the control means is configured to be able to set valid / invalid for key input due to a difference in duration of the ON state of one switch.

  As another preferred mode of the present invention, the display means displays that each of a plurality of key inputs for at least one key is valid / invalid. Or a display means displays the function only about the key input validated among the several key inputs about at least 1 key. Further, the display means displays whether each of the plurality of key inputs for at least one key is valid / invalid and its function. Validity / invalidity of a plurality of key inputs, or an effective key input function, and further, validity / invalidity of the key input and its function can be quickly confirmed visually, and key input can be easily set.

  Next, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view of a mobile phone including a key input device to which a key input erroneous operation preventing device of the present invention is applied. Here, a total of 12 buttons of numerical keys “0” to “9” and symbol keys “#” and “*” disposed on the operation panel 1a of the cellular phone 1 as the key input device of the present invention. The example applied to the key input part 10 which consists of many keys including a key is shown. The mechanism of at least the twelve button keys in the key input unit 10 has the same configuration. As shown in the conceptual configuration in FIG. 2, the operation panel 1a is pressed when the user presses the key button 101 of each button key with a fingertip. The two switches 102 and 103 arranged in an overlapping manner are sequentially turned on. Here, a half-press switch 102 that is turned on by half-pressing the key button 101 shallowly and a full-press switch 103 that is turned on by full-pressing the key button 101 deeply are configured. In the mobile phone 1 of the first embodiment, as with a general mobile phone, a setting key 11, a cursor key (cross key) 12, and the like for use in setting described later are provided.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the internal circuit configuration of the mobile phone 1, and the key input unit 10 including the 12 button keys is connected to the control unit 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 2 detects the on / off states of the half-press switch 102 and the full-press switch 103 that are operated by pressing each button key of the key input unit 10, and this A required function can be executed based on the detection result. At this time, the time when the switches 102 and 103 are turned on is measured, and when the switch is continuously turned on for a predetermined time or longer, it is detected as a long press switch state, and the time when the switch is turned on for a time shorter than the predetermined time is shortened. It is detected as a push switch state. That is, the control unit 2 switches the state of each button key of the key input unit 2 into a full-press long-press switch state where the button key is fully pressed for a predetermined time or more and a half-press long-press switch which is half-pressed for a predetermined time or more Four different switch states are detected: a state, a full-pressed short-press switch state that is fully pressed for a time shorter than a predetermined time, and a half-pressed short-press switch state that is also half-pressed for a short time. The required functions are assigned to the four switch states. Actually, functions are not assigned to all four switch states of the button keys, but functions are assigned to arbitrarily selected switch states. Note that the assignment of each function to each switch state of each button key and the operation of each function associated therewith are the same as those in a conventional cellular phone, and thus description thereof is omitted here.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a storage unit 3 is connected to the control unit 2. The control unit 2 accesses the storage unit 3 to switch states of the button keys of the key input unit 10 and will be described later. It is possible to store a corresponding list of whether these switch states are invalid or valid. In addition, the control unit 2 can rewrite the valid / invalid state of each switch state of the correspondence list stored in the storage unit 3 by operating the setting key 11 and the cursor key 12 provided on the mobile phone 1. Is possible. Further, the control unit 2 determines whether each switch state by the operation of the button key is valid or invalid for the function assigned to each button key based on the storage of the correspondence list. Only the control corresponding to the switch state is executed. On the other hand, the control unit 2 controls the display unit 4 of the mobile phone 1, for example, a liquid crystal display, to execute various displays, but displays a correspondence list stored in the storage unit 3 as a display related to the present invention. It is possible to display.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the correspondence list L displayed on the display unit 4, in which the twelve button keys are arranged in the vertical column and the four different switch states are displayed as the correspondence list L arranged in the horizontal column. In the correspondence list L, whether the setting of the switch state is invalid or valid is displayed in four different switch state frames of the button keys. For example, in the case of the “1” button key, the switch state of “long press of full press” is “valid”, the switch state of “long press of half press” is “valid”, and “short press of full press”. It can be seen that the switch state of “push” is “invalid” and the switch state of “half press short press” is set to “invalid”. That is, with respect to the “1” button key, key input is performed only when a long press is performed by either full pressing or half pressing, and no key input is performed when short pressing is performed. Then, the user operates the setting key 11 and the cursor key 12 while referring to the correspondence list L displayed on the display unit 4 to switch and display “valid” and “invalid” in each switch state. The validity / invalidity of each switch state of the button key stored in the storage unit 3 can be rewritten.

  A procedure for preventing an erroneous operation at the key input unit 2 in the mobile phone of the first embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the user operates the menu key (not shown) of the mobile phone 1 to enter the key input setting mode, the correspondence list of each button key shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the display unit 4 (S101). The user operates the cursor key 12 to move the cursor C to the switch state frame corresponding to the button key to be set valid / invalid. In the correspondence list L in FIG. 4, the cursor C is moved to the “full press long press” frame of the “3” key. Further, when the setting key 11 is operated, “valid” and “invalid” of the frame in which the cursor C is moved can be alternately switched and displayed. Is set to a desired state, and erroneous operation prevention setting is executed (S102). After the setting, when the key input setting mode is canceled, the correspondence list is not displayed on the display unit 4, and the correspondence list is stored in the storage unit 3 to save the validity / invalidity of the set switch state at the same time (S103).

  By performing the setting as described above, the user can select desired button keys, here “0” to “9”, “*”, “#”, as shown in the processing flowchart in FIG. When the button keys are operated, the control unit 2 detects the switch state of the button keys (S201), and then reads the correspondence list stored in the storage unit 3 (S202). Next, the switch status “valid” and “invalid” detected by referring to the read correspondence list is determined (S203). When the switch state is set to “valid”, the function assigned to the switch state is executed (S204). On the other hand, when the switch state is set to “invalid”, that is, when erroneous operation prevention is set, the operation of the button key is invalidated and the assigned function is not executed.

  For example, in the case of the correspondence list shown in FIG. 4, the user fully presses the “1” button key for a short time, and the control unit 2 indicates that the switch state of the button key is “short press of full press”. Even when detected, when the correspondence list stored in the storage unit 3 is referred to, the control unit 2 does not execute the assigned function because the switch state is set to “invalid”. Thus, even if the user does not intend to press the “1” button key for a short time, or when the user carries the “1” button key touches clothes or the like, the button is fully pressed only momentarily. Even if exactly the same situation as when the switch state of "" is operated occurs, a function not intended by the user is not executed, and so-called erroneous operation is prevented. On the other hand, when the user fully presses the “1” button key for a predetermined time, the control unit 2 detects the switch state of “full press and long press” and refers to the corresponding list in the storage unit 3 to switch the switch. Since the state is set to “valid”, the control unit 2 executes the assigned function. Therefore, even if the same “1” button key is operated, the function assigned to the “1” button key is selectively performed by performing a key operation in which the pressed state, that is, the switch state is different. Can be executed.

  As described above, in the mobile phone 1 according to the first embodiment, one button key has four switch states for a plurality of button keys constituting the key input unit 10, and these switch states are different from each other. Since the functions can be assigned, the key input unit 10 can be downsized and the mobile phone 1 can be downsized even when the multifunctionality is improved. On the other hand, since each switch state of each button key can be individually enabled / disabled, erroneous operation of the button key can be reliably prevented.

  FIG. 6 shows a correspondence list L1 according to the key misoperation preventing apparatus of the second embodiment. In the first embodiment, the validity / invalidity of the switch state of each button key is simply displayed. However, it is difficult to understand at a glance whether the function assigned to each switch state of each button key is valid. Thus, in the second embodiment, the corresponding function is displayed only when each switch state is set to be valid, and the function is not displayed when the switch state is set to be invalid. Here, as in the first embodiment, the “0” to “9” numeric keys and the “#” and “*” symbol keys are respectively “full press long press”, “half press long press”, and “all press”. The correspondence list L1 of the switch states “short press” and “short press half” is displayed, and the function is displayed only within the switch state frame that is set to be valid.

  For example, in the numeric button key “5”, “long press with full press” is valid, and “backlight” as its function is displayed. Therefore, even if the numeric button key “5” is pressed fully for a short time, or half pressed for a long time or short, the switch state at this time is invalid. "Is displayed and no function is executed. In this way, since the user displays the correspondence list L1, the switch state and function of each button key currently set can be known at a glance, so that the convenience of key input by the user is enhanced. If the key input setting mode is set while the correspondence list L1 is displayed, it is possible to enable / disable each switch state as in the first embodiment. In particular, when invalidity is set to valid again, functions that have not been displayed so far will be displayed in the corresponding switch state frame of the correspondence list L1, and displayed when the valid setting is invalidated again. The function that was being used disappears.

  In the second embodiment, each switch state of each button key that is set to be effective, that is, how to press and the function to be enabled can be visually confirmed, and the convenience at the time of setting by the user can be improved, It is effective in confirming the function of each current button key and improving convenience when using a mobile phone.

  In the first and second embodiments, an example of a key input device in which four different switch states are set for one button key has been shown. However, two most commonly used button keys, “full press” and “half press”, are shown. The present invention may also be applied to a key input unit in a switch state. FIG. 7 shows an example of this, corresponding to the case where the switch states of “full press” and “half press” are set to the numeric keys “0” to “9” and the symbol keys “#” and “*”, respectively. It is a list L2. Here, the function in the switch state of each button key is displayed in the upper column, and the validity / invalidity is displayed in the lower column. For example, the number key “5” has a function of inputting a numerical value “5” in the switch state of “full press”, and this switch state is valid, but in the switch state of “half press” The “backlight” is turned on, and this switch state is invalid. Therefore, if the number key “5” is fully pressed, the value “5” is input to the control unit 2 and “5” is displayed on the display unit 4, but the backlight is not turned on even if it is half-pressed. Thereby, even if the button key is half-pressed by an erroneous operation, the backlight is not turned on unexpectedly.

  In the third embodiment, it is possible to visually confirm each switch state of each button key, that is, how to press and its function, and whether it is valid or invalid, and convenience for use by the user during setting or use of the mobile phone Can be increased.

  The key input device according to the present invention (the key input unit of the embodiment) is not limited to the button key described in the embodiment, and an input device including a key having a different operation method such as a cross key or a rotation key can be used. The present invention can be applied. The device to which the key input device of the present invention is applied is not limited to the mobile phone of the embodiment, and can be applied to various devices including the key input device. Furthermore, the display device is not limited to a liquid crystal display device, and any display device that can display the validity / invalidity of each key is applicable.

1 is an external view of a mobile phone to which the present invention is applied. It is a figure for demonstrating the switch state of a key button, and its detection. It is a block block diagram of the principal part of this invention. 3 is a correspondence list according to the first embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the operation | movement in this invention. 10 is a correspondence list of Example 2. 12 is a correspondence list of Example 3.

Explanation of symbols

1 Cellular Phone 2 Control Unit 3 Storage Unit 4 Display Unit 10 Key Input Unit 11 Setting Key 12 Cursor Key L, L1, L2 Corresponding List C Cursor

Claims (8)

In a key input device configured to perform a plurality of key inputs based on a plurality of different operations for one key, the key input includes control means capable of setting valid / invalid for each of the plurality of key inputs. An erroneous operation prevention device ,
Storage means for storing the acceptance status of each key input corresponding to a plurality of key operations on the one key as a correspondence list, and display means for displaying the correspondence list, wherein the control means displays on the display means Enabling / disabling the acceptance status of each key input based on the corresponding list, and storing the validity / invalidity of the acceptance status of each key input in the storage means,
The one key includes one or more switches whose ON / OFF state is changed by a plurality of different operations, and the plurality of key inputs are key inputs corresponding to the operation of the switches. Detects the on / off state of the switch and refers to the correspondence list stored in the storage unit to determine whether the key input accepting state corresponding to the switch is valid / invalid to handle the operation of the switch To perform the function
The plurality of different operations are differences in key press depth, and the switch is composed of a plurality of switches whose ON / OFF states change at different press depths, and the control means is used to operate the plurality of switches. An apparatus for preventing erroneous operation of key input, which sets validity / invalidity of a corresponding key input reception state. 2. The key input erroneous operation prevention according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays that the acceptance state of each key input corresponding to a plurality of key operations for at least one key is valid / invalid. apparatus. 2. The key input erroneous operation preventing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays only a function corresponding to a key input which is set valid among a plurality of key inputs for at least one key. The display means displays that each key input accepting state corresponding to a plurality of key inputs for at least one key is valid / invalid and a function corresponding to the key input. The key input erroneous operation prevention device according to 1. In a key input device configured to perform a plurality of key inputs based on a plurality of different operations for one key, the key input includes control means capable of setting valid / invalid for each of the plurality of key inputs. An erroneous operation prevention device,
Storage means for storing the acceptance status of each key input corresponding to a plurality of key operations on the one key as a correspondence list, and display means for displaying the correspondence list, wherein the control means displays on the display means Enabling / disabling the acceptance status of each key input based on the corresponding list, and storing the validity / invalidity of the acceptance status of each key input in the storage means,
The one key includes one or more switches whose ON / OFF state is changed by a plurality of different operations, and the plurality of key inputs are key inputs corresponding to the operation of the switches. Detects the on / off state of the switch and refers to the correspondence list stored in the storage unit to determine whether the key input accepting state corresponding to the switch is valid / invalid to handle the operation of the switch To perform the function
The plurality of different operations are differences in key pressing time, and the control means enables / disables the key input acceptance state corresponding to the key operation for a key operation due to a difference in duration of the ON state of one switch. A key input erroneous operation preventing apparatus characterized by setting the key. 6. The key input erroneous operation prevention according to claim 5 , wherein the display means displays that each key input accepting state corresponding to a plurality of key operations for at least one key is valid / invalid. apparatus. 6. The key input erroneous operation preventing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the display means displays only a function corresponding to a key input that is set valid among a plurality of key inputs for at least one key. The display means, claims, characterized in that to display the function of accepting states of the key input corresponds to its key input is a valid / invalid corresponding to a plurality of key inputs for at least one key 5. An apparatus for preventing erroneous key input operation according to 5 .

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