JPH0210964B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (A) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a keyboard identification method for identifying the type of connected keyboard in an information processing apparatus to which various keyboards can be connected.

(b) Prior art In general, keyboards include JIS keyboards based on the JIS standard, book-type keyboards with a book attached, and
There are many types of keyboards, including keyboards with layouts other than the JIS standard, and in recent years, these different types of keyboards have come to be used by connecting them to the same information processing device. In this case, if the same type of character code is generated from all the keyboards used, the information processing device can process all the keyboards with the same processing program, but the character code is output from one keyboard, and the character code is output from the other keyboard. If the keyboard outputs an address code indicating the X and Y addresses of the key matrix, the processing program on the information processing device side must be selected depending on the type of keyboard connected. Similarly, even if a keyboard that outputs an address code is used, the character code corresponding to the address code will be different because the keyboard layout is different between the JIS standard keyboard and the other keyboard. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the type of keyboard connected to the information processing device.

Therefore, conventionally, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-159328, a part of the key matrix of the keyboard is used as a setting part for the identification signal indicating the type of keyboard, and here, A diode was connected to the keyboard to generate a code signal and a type signal in response to key operations, and the type signal was used to identify the type of keyboard.

However, in such conventional methods, a part of the key matrix is used as a type signal setting section, which limits the usable key matrix, and also requires key operations to identify the keyboard. There was a drawback that it did not work.

(C) Object of the Invention The object of the present invention is to enable automatic keyboard identification without the need for key operations, and to realize keyboard identification with a very simple configuration.

(d) Structure of the Invention The present invention provides information in which a plurality of types of keyboards can be connected to an information processing device main body, and a key code corresponding to a pressed key is sent from the connected keyboard to the main body via a data line. In the processing device, different identification codes are assigned to the plurality of types of keyboards depending on the type, and with one of the plurality of types of keyboards connected to the main body, the main body instructs the keyboard to send an identification code. In response to the instruction, the keyboard sends its own identification code to the main body via the data line, and the main body identifies the type of keyboard connected using the received identification code. .

(E) Embodiment FIGS. 1 and 2 are block diagrams showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a first keyboard, 2 is a second keyboard different in type from the first keyboard, and 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. is a terminal device that can be connected to both the first and second keyboards, and the first and second keyboards 1 and 2 each have output terminals O ₁ to O ₄ for outputting code signals in parallel. The terminal device 3 is equipped with input terminals I ₁ to I ₄ for inputting code signals in parallel.

In the first keyboard 1, 4 is a key matrix, 5 is a clock pulse generation circuit that generates clock pulses for key scanning, 6 is an encoder, and 7 is a 4-bit signal that scans the Y address based on the clock pulse and is obtained by key operation. This is an address code generation circuit that converts X address data and Y address data into 4-bit address codes _a1 to _a4 , and when a "1" level signal is input to the reset terminal R, the key Address codes a ₁ to a ₄ are generated according to the key operations of matrix 4, but “0” is output to the reset terminal R.
When a level signal is applied, the address code a ₁ ~
_A4 is all set to the "1" level, and this reset terminal R is connected to input terminal _O5 . Also, the fourth output stage of the address code
For the bit, there is an AND gate 8 whose one end is input with the address code _A4 and whose output end is connected to the output terminal _O4 .
is provided, and the other end of the AND gate 8 is connected to the input terminal _O5 .

On the other hand, the second keyboard 2 includes a first character code generation circuit 9 that converts the address codes a ₁ to _{a 4} from the address code generation circuit 7 into 4-bit character codes C ₁ to C _{4 and} generates them. This is a different type of keyboard from Keyboard 1, and in the third bit of the character code output stage, character code C ₃ is input to one end, and the output end is connected to output terminal O ₃ .
An AND gate 10 is provided, and the other end of this AND gate 10 and the reset terminal R of the address code generation circuit 7 are connected as in the first keyboard 1.
Connected to input terminal _O5 .

By the way, in the terminal device 3, 11 is an input/output interface, 12 is a central processing unit for controlling the keyboard, and 13 is a program memory in which various processing programs are stored. First keyboard 1 on device 3
When connected, the central processing unit 12 generates the identification instruction signal RST as "0" for a predetermined period.
Then, since a signal of "0" is applied to the reset terminal R of the address code generation circuit 7, all address codes _a1 to _a4 become "1", but the AND
There is also a “0” identification instruction signal RST at one end of gate 8.
is input, so "1110" is input to output terminals O ₁ to O ₄ .
The code signal will be output.

On the other hand, when the second keyboard 2 is connected to the terminal device 3 and the identification instruction signal RST is generated as "0", the address codes a ₁ to a ₄ and the character code C ₁
~ _C4 are all "1", but only the output of AND gate 10 is "0", so the output terminals _O1 ~ _O4
A code signal of "1101" will be output from. In this way, when a keyboard is connected and the identification instruction signal RST is set to "0" for a predetermined period, different code signals are output from the output terminals O ₁ to O ₄ during the predetermined period depending on the connected keyboard. Therefore, the terminal device 3 can identify the type of connected keyboard by reading the code signal during this predetermined period. Then, by reading out the corresponding processing program from the program memory 13 based on this identification, it becomes possible for the central processing unit 12 to perform processing corresponding to the connected keyboard. still,
After identification, if the identification instruction signal RST is set to "H",
Since an "H" signal is always applied to one end of the AND gates 8 and 10, the address codes a ₁ to a ₄ corresponding to the key operations of the key matrix 4 are
Alternatively, character codes C ₁ to C ₄ are output from output terminals O ₁ to _{O 4} .

By the way, as the logic gate used in the code signal output stage of the keyboard, not only AND gates but also NAND gates and OR gates can be used. Also, if there are many types of keyboards that can be connected, multiple logic gates can be installed. It's okay.

Furthermore, in general terminal devices, all code signals of the connected keyboard are set to a predetermined level by an initial reset signal when the power is turned on, so this initial reset signal can be used as an identification instruction signal. .

(F) Effects of the Invention The keyboard identification method according to the present invention is very convenient because it can automatically identify the type of keyboard without requiring any key operations. Also, since the identification code is transmitted using the data line that transmits the key code, a dedicated line and connector for transmitting the identification code and special hardware for receiving the identification code are required. without,
Configuration becomes easier.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a main part block diagram showing a keyboard different from that in FIG. 1. Explanation of main drawing numbers, 1, 2...Keyboard, 3...
...Terminal device, 4...Key matrix, 7...Address code generation circuit, 8, 10...AND gate,
9... Character code generation circuit, 11... Input/output interface, 12... Central processing unit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an information processing device in which a plurality of types of keyboards can be connected to an information processing device main body, and a key code corresponding to a pressed key is sent from the connected keyboard to the main body via a data line. ,
Different identification codes are assigned to the plurality of types of keyboards depending on the type, and with one of the plurality of types of keyboards connected to the main body, an instruction to send an identification code is issued to the keyboard from the main body, and the keyboard is activated. In response to the instruction, the keyboard transmits its own identification code to the main body via the data line, and the main body side identifies the type of the connected keyboard based on the received identification code. Identification method. 2. The keyboard identification method according to claim 1, wherein the instruction to send the identification code from the information processing apparatus main body is an initialization instruction to the keyboard.