JPH01200429A - Keyboard - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the load of a host device and at the same time to increase processing speed by reading the data on the key codes out of a nonvolatile memory and sending this data to a host device when a request is received from the host device. CONSTITUTION:A microprocessor 11 produces a corresponding key code in case of depressing a key switch 18 and stored in a work area 16 of a nonvolatile memory. Then the data is sent to a high-order controller 21 from the area 16 via an interface control part 19 and at the same time stored in a trace area 17, as well. The key code is also stored in the area 17 by a lap-around system. The groups of key codes are read out under the control of the processor 11 and sent to the controller 21 via the part 19 when a trace data sending instruc tion is received from the controller 21. Thus, the load of a host device is re duced and various processing speeds can be increased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a keyboard used for manually inputting various types of data, and particularly to a keyboard suitable for data analysis when a failure occurs.

[Conventional technology]

Keyboards are widely used as data input devices for computers. A plurality of key switches are arranged on the keyboard, and when an operator selectively presses one of the keys, a corresponding key code is generated and sent to a higher-level control device. The upper control device uses the key code sent from the keyboard as keyboard data.

By the way, when a failure occurs due to keyboard operation, it is necessary to clarify the operation procedure for the operator.

Particularly in computers used in financial institutions, there is a risk of unexpected accidents unless problems caused by keyboard key operations are identified. Therefore, especially in high-level control devices used in such fields, an area for storing keyboard data is prepared in the memory. The keyboard data is then stored in memory so that it can be analyzed at a later date.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In such a high-level control device, each time keyboard data is entered manually, a process is executed to store the keyboard data one by one in memory. Therefore, the more frequently keyboard data is input, the more frequently the work to store this data must be done, which is one of the factors that reduces the data processing capacity of the entire system. Ta.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard that allows an operator to clarify the keyboard operation procedure when a failure occurs without placing an excessive burden on a higher-level control device.

[Means to solve the problem]

In the present invention, the key code is not only sent to the upper control device side, but also stored in a nonvolatile memory provided on the keyboard body side. When the higher-level control device needs keyboard data to analyze a failure, the data stored in this non-volatile memory is read out and supplied to the higher-level control device to meet that request. did.

Thus, according to the present invention, the keyboard Ill! Keyboard data is stored in I, so reading it out will clarify the keyboard operation procedure when a failure occurs. Moreover, since the keyboard data is stored on the keyboard side, the burden on the higher-level control device side is reduced accordingly.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Examples.

FIG. 1 shows the structure of a keyboard in one embodiment of the present invention.

This keyboard 10 has a microprocessor (MPU) 1
1. The microprocessor II is connected to the following units via a bus 12 such as a data bus.

(i) ROM 13: This is a read-only memory that stores programs and various data for controlling this keyboard IO.

(11) Non-volatile memory 14: Random access memory backed up by a battery 15. This non-volatile memory 15 is divided into a work area 16 as an area in which programs of the microprocessor 11 operate, and a trace area 17 in which key codes are stored. The capacity of the trace area 17 is, for example, 256 bytes.

(iii) Key switch 18: These are various switches arranged on the unillustrated panel surface of the keyboard 10 body.

(iv) Interface control unit 19: An interface for sending keyboard data 22 to the upper control device 21 shown in FIG. 3 and sending and receiving various control signals 23 and 24 to and from this control device 21 through a cable not shown. It is.

Control associated with the operation of the keyboard configured as described above will be described next.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the key switch 18 is pressed (step (2)), the microprocessor 11 generates a corresponding key code (step (2)).

This key code is stored in work area 16 of non-volatile memory.
The data is sent to the upper control device 21 via the interface control unit 19 (step ■).
. This data is also stored in the trace area 17 (step ■). Key codes are stored in the trace area 17 in a wrap-around manner. As a result, a predetermined number of key codes are always stored in the trace area 17 starting from the most recently entered key code. Since the nonvolatile memo IJ14 is backed up by the battery I5, its stored data can be saved even when the control device 21 is powered off.

The key code group thus stored in the trace area 17 is read out under the control of the microprocessor 11 when a trace data sending instruction is sent from the control device 21 as a control signal 24. The data is then sent to the control device 21 via the interface control section 19. At this time, the key codes are sent out in order from the one stored last (the one input most recently). Therefore, on the control device 21 side, the operation status of the keyboard 10 can be analyzed by storing this in its memory and outputting the contents as necessary.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, there is no need for the higher-level control device to store each key code.

Therefore, the burden is reduced and various processes can be performed at high speed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings are for explaining one embodiment of the present invention, of which FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main part of the circuit configuration of the keyboard, FIG. 2 is a memory area configuration diagram showing the configuration of the nonvolatile memory, FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram showing the configuration of the keyboard and a higher-level control device, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing data processing on the keyboard side. 10...Keyboard, 11...Microprocessor, 13...
・ROM. 14...Nonvolatile memory, 17...Trace area, 18...Key switch, 19...Interface control unit, 21...
...Upper control device. Applicant: Agent of Nippon Electric Engineering Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Non-volatile memory, various key switches, key code generating means for generating a corresponding key code each time these key switches are pressed, and each key generated by the key code generating means. key code sending/storing means for sending a code to a host device and storing it in the non-volatile memory; and upon a request from the host device, reading data stored in the non-volatile memory and transmitting the data to the host device. A keyboard characterized by comprising: data sending means for transmitting data.