JPH02170215A - Keyboard - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the input of Japanese words in Roman alphabet by dividing the alphabet keys into a vowel key group, a voiceless consonant key group, a voiced/semivoiced consonant key group, and a group of other keys and setting the voiceless consonant key group and the voiced/semivoiced consonant key group at both sides of the vowel key group respectively together with the group of other keys set at a position other than the key groups. CONSTITUTION:The hatching is applied to a vowel key group 2 with the right and left descending oblique lines and can be distinguished from other areas. A voiceless consonant key group 3 is set at the right of the group 2 and hatched with the right descending oblique lines. Then a voiced/semivoiced consonant key group 4 is set at the left of the group 2 and hatched with the left descending oblique lines. Furthermore another English character key group 5 is set at the left of the group 4 and enclosed with a full line and not hatched. In such a constitution, the selection of consonants is facilitated at the input of a row sound consisting of the consonants and vowels. Then the Japanese words are inputted simply and at high speed in the Roman alphabet.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a keyboard for a calculator or an electronic notebook, and particularly to an arrangement of alphabet keys suitable for inputting Japanese Roman characters.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, with the increasing integration and functionality of LSIs, small information processing devices such as calculators and electronic notebooks that can process Japanese have been announced.

In such a compact information processing device, it is necessary to make the main body as small as possible in order to improve portability. For this reason, as a method of inputting Japanese, a method of inputting Roman characters using alphabetic characters with a small number of keys has been adopted, rather than a method using kana characters with a large number of keys.

A known example employing such a method is the one described in JP-A-60-225925. Second
The figure shows the key arrangement of a conventional keyboard. 1 is the keyboard body, 20-24 are vowel letter keys, 30-3
4.40-44, 50-54 indicate consonant letter keys,
Vowel letter keys 20 to 24 are arranged in alphabetical order, and consonant letter keys 30 to 34.40-44.50 to 54 are also arranged in alphabetical order.
The keys are arranged in alphabetical order. Using this keyboard,
When inputting Japanese, when inputting a vowel, press the key in vowel character key group 2, and when inputting the hammered sound of a vowel in a consonant, after pressing the key in consonant character key group 8. , by pressing the vowel letter key group 2 key.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional keyboard described above, when entering a consonant + vowel sound, the number of keys included in the consonant character key group 8 is large, so it takes a long time to select the desired consonant, causing eye strain. There were problems such as the mental irritation of selecting any one key from a large number of keys.

The purpose of the present invention is to
To provide a keyboard that allows easy selection of consonants and allows easy and high-speed input of Japanese Roman characters.

[Means to solve the problem]

The above purpose is to divide the alphabetized keys into a vowel key group, a clear consonant key group, a voiced sound semi-voiced consonant key group, and other key groups. This can be achieved by placing the keys separately and placing the other key groups in positions other than those mentioned above.

[Effect]

When inputting a consonant consisting of a consonant and a vowel, a key is selected from the clear consonant key group when the consonant is a clear consonant, and a key is selected from the voiced semi-voiced consonant key group when the consonant is a voiced or semi-voiced consonant.

Therefore, when entering a clear consonant, you only need to select one key out of nine keys, and when entering a voiced or semi-voiced consonant, you only need to select one key out of five keys, reducing the time required to select a key. can.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be explained below.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the key arrangement of the keyboard of the embodiment. 1 is the keyboard body, 2 is the vowel letter key vertically 5
3 is a clear consonant character key group arranged in the order of the 0 syllables, 3 is the clear consonant character key group arranged vertically in the order of the 50 syllables, 4 is the voiced sound and semi-voiced sound keys arranged vertically in the order of the 50 syllables. The character key group 5 is another alphabet key group in which alphabet keys other than those mentioned above are arranged vertically in alphabetical order. 6 is a space key for inputting a blank.

In FIG. 1, the vowel character key group 2 is hatched with a diagonal line downward to the right and a diagonal line downward to the left, so that it can be distinguished from other areas. Kiyone consonant character key group 3 is
It is placed to the right of the vowel letter keys, and is hatched with diagonal lines downward to the right. The voiced sound consonant character key group 4 is arranged to the left of the vowel character key group 2, and is hatched with a diagonal line downward to the left. The other English character key group 5 is arranged to the left of the voiced sound, semi-voiced sound, consonant character key group, and is only surrounded by a solid line without hatching. In this embodiment, each group can be distinguished by the difference in hatching, but the groups may be distinguished by changing the color of the area of each group or the shape of each key.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the key matrix circuit of the keyboard of the embodiment. 91 is a scanning signal line, and 92 is a reading signal line, which are connected to a control device (not shown). Key switches are arranged in a matrix at the intersections of the scanning signal line 91 and the reading signal line 92. These key switches correspond to the keys shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the structure of the key switch of the keyboard of the embodiment. 71 is a print sheet on which keys are printed; 72 is a film-like upper substrate on which scanning signal lines 91 and conductive upper carbon ink 74 are printed; 76 is a reading signal line 92 and conductive lower carbon ink 75. A film-like lower substrate 73 on which is printed
is a spacer for preventing carbon ink 74 and carbon ink 75 from coming into contact when no pressure is applied to print sheet 71. Upper substrate 72.
The lower board 76 is connected to a control device (not shown), and has terminals extending to the outside so that the control device can detect the on/off state of the key switch.

Note that the conversion to make the consonant key and the vowel key equivalent to pressing a kana character key for one character can be performed using a normal Roman character or kana character conversion means, and will not be described in detail.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily select a consonant when inputting a consonant consisting of a consonant and a vowel. This has the effect of making it easy to achieve.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a key layout diagram of a keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a key arrangement diagram of a conventional keyboard, FIG. 3 is a key matrix circuit diagram of the keyboard, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the structure of a key switch of a keyboard according to an embodiment. 1...Keyboard. 2...Vowel letter key group. 3... Kiyone consonant character key group. 4...Dakuon semi-voiced consonant character key group. 5...Other character keys. l Inaki 2nd

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Divide the alphabetized keys into a vowel key group, a clear consonant key group, a voiced sound semi-darkened consonant key group, and other key groups, and on both sides of the vowel key group, a clear consonant key group and a voiced sound semi-darkened consonant key group. What is claimed is: 1. A keyboard having a key arrangement in which each group of keys is arranged as shown in FIG.