JPH03142522A - Input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To secure the direct connection to the interface of a host computer in a small area even with use of plural input devices by providing plural functions to each input device and using the interfaces in accordance with each function. CONSTITUTION:The interface of a RAM 14 is first initialized and the interfaces are used for a keyboard, a mouse only, an RS-232C, etc., based on the checking result of a memory MOD. At use of a keyboard interface 3, a tablet 7 is driven to store the position information if generated with touch of an input pen 9 into the memories X and Y. If the information stored in both memories X and Y are not equal to the position information on the mode switching area where the contents of the memory MOD are changed, a key code is produced from the position information corresponding the a menu sheet and stored in an output buffer BUF. Then the data are read out of the buffer BUF and continuously outputted to a host computer 2 via a keyboard I/F 3 until no data exists any more.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an input device equipped with a plurality of output formats using input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a tablet, and a digitizer for outputting to a host computer.

(Prior Art) The input interface of a conventional host computer is
A dedicated input device corresponding to each interface was connected.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In conventional human-powered devices, input devices such as keyboards and tablets are connected to a host computer by providing direct interfaces, so the host computer needs to be compatible with multiple input devices. This has caused a problem in that the area of the device used for the interface becomes large.

(Means to be Solved by the Invention) Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is an input device connected to a host computer equipped with a human interface such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a digitizer, and means for connecting to a plurality of interfaces of the host computer. The present invention proposes an input device for selecting a means for connecting to the interface.

(Function) In the present invention, a plurality of interface functions are arranged in a user-powered device, and an input signal corresponding to the selected interface is inputted to a host computer.

(Example) Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an input device, in which a keyboard interface 3 for connecting to a host computer 2, an interface 4 for connecting to a mouse (not shown), and a communication interface 5 are arranged for the CPUI. Further, a driver 6 that applies an opening pulse to the capacitively coupled tablet 7 is connected to the CPUI, and an A/D converter 8 that converts the signal from the input pen 9 that detects the pulse from the tablet 7 from analog to digital is connected. has been done.

Furthermore, the CPtJl includes a pen switch 0 for detecting contact of the input pen 9 with the tablet 7, a mouse left button switch 11, a right button switch 12, a ROM 13, and a RAM.
14 are connected.

Next, the operation will be explained. First, a tablet 7 as the main input device (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 57-6608, No. 58
-6966, etc.), pulses are sequentially applied from the driver 6 according to instructions from the CPUI.

The tip of the input pen 9 is brought into contact with a desired position on the tablet 7, and the previously applied pulse is detected by capacitive coupling with the electrode wire in the tablet 7 corresponding to the position of the tip of the input pen 9. The signal is applied to the CPUI via the A/D converter 8, and a signal representing the position information (x, y) of the tablet 7 that the input pen 9 is in contact with is generated from the detected pulse. Reference symbol 4 is a first-in/first-out output buffer for outputting coordinate data input by pen touch from input pen 9 to tablet 7, data from pen switch 10, and key data from a full keyboard (not shown). This is a RAM with BUF.

Next, the procedure of the present invention will be explained with reference to the attached FIG. 2 and a flowchart. First, initial settings are performed to store O in the memory (MOD), clear the output buffer BUF, and clear the interface (Step E). Next, check the contents of the memory (MOD) (Step 2. Step 3)
), if 0, go to step 3; if 1, go to step 10; otherwise, go to step 24; from step 3 to step 9, use the keyboard interface,
From step 10 to step 23, a mouse dedicated interface is used, and from step 24 to step 3, an R3-232C interface is used.

A detailed explanation will be given starting from step 3, which uses the keyboard interface.

Deactivate the tablet, touch the input pen to the desired position on the tablet's menu sheet, and use the procedure described above to determine whether position information (information as a signal of the specified position of the tablet) is generated. 3),
If position information has been generated, memory (X), (Y)
If stored in step 4), proceed to step 5. Further, if there is no signal from the input pen and position information has not been generated, the process returns to step 3. In step 5, memory (X) (
If Y) belongs to the mode switching area in which the contents of the memory (MOD) are changed, the process proceeds to step 32, and if it does not belong, the process proceeds to step 6. In step 6, the memory (X
), (Y), and stores the data of this key code in the output buffer BUF. In step 7, data is read from the output buffer 7BUF (step 7), and this data is output to the host computer via the keyboard interface (step 8). If there is data in the output BUF, the process returns to step 7; if there is no data, the process returns to step 3 (step 9). Next, step l using the mouse-only interface.
I will explain from o. Move the tablet and touch the input pen to the desired position of the position information input canister on the tablet's menu sheet (see Figure 2) to determine whether position information has been generated using the procedure described above. Step 10), if position information has been generated, the memory (X
), (Y) and the process proceeds to step 11) and step 12. If there is no signal from the input pen and no position information is generated, the process returns to step 10. In step 12, if the memories (X) and (Y) belong to the mode switching area in which the contents of the memory (MOD) are to be changed, the process proceeds to step 32; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 13. In step E3, memories (X) and (Y) are stored in memories (Xi) and (Yl), respectively. Then, in step 14, the tablet is opened and the input pen is brought into contact with the desired position of the position information input canister on the menu sheet of the tablet, and it is determined whether position information has been generated according to the procedure described above. If the information has been generated, proceed to step 15 and store the information in the memory (X).

(Y) and proceed to step 16. If there is no signal from the input pen and no position information is generated, the process returns to step E4. In step 16, memory (X), (
If Y) belongs to the mode switching area in which the contents of the memory (MOD) are changed, the process proceeds to step 32; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 17. In step 17, the data in memories (X) and (Y) are transferred to the memory (
X2), (Y2) 1 is stored. And memory (X2
) and (Xi), (Y2) and (Yl), and store this difference data in the output buffer BUF.Step 18) Press the left button of the mouse placed on the input pen. The data indicating whether the button switch corresponding to the right button switch is pressed or not is stored in the output buffer BUF (step 19).

Then, read data from the output buffer BUF (step 20), and output this data to the host computer from the mouse-dedicated interface (step 21).
. In step 22, if there is data in the output buffer BUF, the process proceeds to step 20; if there is no data, the data in the memory (X2) is stored in (Xi) and the data in the memory (Y2) is stored in (Yl). ), return to Step E4. Next, step 24, which uses the R5-232C interface, will be explained. Open the tablet and touch the input pen to the desired position of the position information input canister on the menu sheet of the tablet to determine whether position information has been generated according to the procedure described above.Step 24) If so, store the location information data in (X) and (Y) (Step 25)
, proceed to step 26. Furthermore, if there is no signal from the input pen and position information has not been generated, the process returns to step 24. In step 26, memory (X), (Y) is changed to memory (
If it belongs to the mode switching area in which the contents of MOD) are to be changed, the process proceeds to step 32; if it does not belong, the process proceeds to step 27. Then, each of the memories (X) and (Y) is converted into coordinates for output from the R8-232C interface, and the data at these coordinates is transferred to the output buffer 7B.
Store it in the UF (step 27), and further store data on whether the left button switch and right button switch placed on the input pen are pressed or not in the output buffer BUF (step 28). . After that, read the data from the output buffer BUF (Step 29)
, and outputs this data to the host computer from the R3-232C interface (step 30). In step 31, if there is data in the output buffer BUF, the process proceeds to step 29; if there is no data, the process returns to step 24. Next, in steps 5, 12, 16, and 26, they are stored in the memory as 1 position information, and (X) and (Y) are stored in the memory (
A description will be given of the case where the mode belongs to the mode switching area where the contents of MOD) are changed. Step 32): Determine whether the position information is an area where the keyboard interface in the mode switching area is used. If the area is used, store 0 in the memory (MOD) and convert it to the mode where the keyboard interface is used. Step 33). Return to 2. If it is not an area in step 32, it is determined whether the position information is an area that uses a mouse dedicated interface in the mode switching area (step 34), and if it is an area that is used, 1 is stored in the memory (MOD), and
Step 35) Return to step 2 to change the mode to use the mouse-only interface. If it is not the area in step 34, it is determined whether the location information is an area that uses the R8-232C interface in the mode switching area (step 36); if it is an area that uses the memory (MO
Step 37) Store step 2 in D) and change the mode to use the mouse-only interface.
Return to

If it is not the area in step 36, the process returns to step 2.

(Effects of the invention) By providing multiple functions to a device powered by the user and using an interface corresponding to the functions.

Even when multiple devices are used, they can be connected to a host computer interface without using much space. Although this embodiment has been described using a keyboard interface, a mouse dedicated interface, and an R8-232C interface, it is of course applicable to other interfaces.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of the self-powered device, FIG. 2 is a menu sheet, and FIGS. 3 to 7 are flowcharts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An input device connected to a host computer equipped with an input interface such as a keyboard, a mouse, a digitizer, etc., and selecting a means for connecting to a plurality of interfaces of the host computer and a means for connecting to the interface. An input device characterized by: