JPH0362216A - Portable terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operability of a portable terminal equipment by providing a means which recognizes the corresponding input character string and sends this string to a host CPU when a specific place is clicked in a displayed keyboard graphic. CONSTITUTION:When a user wants to perform an operation equivalent to a keyboard input operation, the user clicks a specific place on a tablet with a stylus pen 15 in order to open a window for input of characters. A simulation keyboard toggles the shift states the shift keys such as 'Shift', 'Ctrl2', etc., for each click of the pen 15 in order to attain various special operations. These shift states are displayed by reversing the characters and other methods. As a result, the input is possible even for such a specific character like Control-'Z', etc., by means of a single pen 15. When the input of a character string is over, a window disappears on the screen with an operation showing the input of the character string, e.g., a corresponding area 18 of the input end key is clicked. Thus the input characters work as if they were inputted via an actual keyboard.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a portable terminal device for inputting character strings using a pointing device.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a pointing device has been used as a device for inputting coordinates into a computer, and a keyboard is usually used to input a character string. Also,
In addition to this, there are two ways to enter a character string using only a pointing device: Display a menu on the screen and select one of the menus. 1 Display an icon on the screen and select it. 9 Open a window and select a submenu in it, or display a picture of the keyboard and enter characters one by one by clicking on the keys.9 Part of the screen or coordinate input using a pointing device. There was a method in which a part of the range was reserved in advance for character input and menu input, and when inputting a character string, the user clicked on that part.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) However, in the conventional method, a keyboard is required in addition to a pointing device, a menu must be prepared for each process, and a part of the 7-screen or coordinate input device cannot perform operations that are not on the menu. It takes time to input one character string, which is reserved for character input. Each had its own problems, such as poor operability.

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and is a portable terminal with an improved man-machine interface that allows users to quickly perform operations equivalent to key input without using an actual keyboard by operating a pointing device. The purpose is to provide equipment.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) A portable terminal device of the present invention is a data input/output device comprising a pointing device for inputting data and a display device, and is capable of performing specific operations from the pointing device. A means for opening a window for inputting character strings on the screen by detecting a string, a means for displaying a figure simulating a keyboard in the window, and a means for clicking on a specific place of the displayed keyboard figure. It is characterized by comprising means for recognizing an input character string and transmitting it to a host CPU.

(Function) The present invention uses only the above-mentioned pointing device and a character input window that does not normally appear on the screen, but appears on the screen when a specific operation is performed from the pointing device. This allows users to enter information and special key inputs.

The present invention makes it possible to realize a computer without a keyboard at all.It is easy to input a single character without occupying a part of the display screen for operation, and it also supports special key input.E'
There are effects such as being able to operate the J-Noh 2 Noh mask while looking at the characters and figures shown on the screen.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail using the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU, which serves as the control center of the portable terminal device and controls each device connected to the system according to programs stored in the ROM 2 and RAM 3. Reference numeral 4 denotes an input/output control section, which controls the tablet 6 and display device 5 that are connected. 7 is a stylus pen. Parts related to the man-machine interface, such as the display device 5, tablet 6, and stylus pen 7, will be described in detail from FIG. 2 onwards. The CPUI, ROM 2 , RAM 3 , and input/output control unit 4 are commonly connected to a system bus 8 .

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the operating procedure according to the present invention.

(a) shows an example of normal display, (b) calls a character input window, and (C) shows window movement. In the figure, reference numeral 11 is a transparent tablet, which is used in combination with a stylus pen 15 to detect coordinates. Code 12 is L
It is a CD display and displays characters, figures, etc. code 13
is the tablet effective range, and seats within this range can be detected. Reference numeral 14 is an LCD display range, and characters, figures, etc. are displayed at the corners of this range. A stylus pen 15 is used in combination with the transparent tablet 11 to detect coordinates. Reference numeral 16 is a window, which serves as a display location for displaying a graphic character simulating a keyboard, a menu, or the like. Note that the area of this window is
By setting the area to 1/2 or less of the area of the display range 14 and moving the position of the window, it is possible to see the characters and figures at the position where the screen was displayed until then.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a character input method according to the present invention.

In the figure, blocks labeled with the same numbers as in FIG. 2 are the same as those in FIG. 2. Here, we will explain other things. Reference numeral 7 is an input character display section, which displays characters input with the stylus pen 15. Reference numeral 18 is an input end key, and by clicking on this part after completing the input of the character string, the window 16 disappears and the character string is passed to the original program. Reference numeral 19 is an input interruption key, and by clicking this part, the window 16 disappears and the character input operation is canceled.

Hereinafter, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail. Transparent tablet 11. as a pointing device. A combination of 15 stylus pens.

An example in which an LCD is used as the display device will be described. First, when the application program is normally running, the application program:
To freely display a character string input window on a screen without being conscious of its opening size, location, etc. If the user wishes to perform an operation equivalent to keyboard input, he or she clicks a specific location on the tablet with the stylus pen 15 to open a character input window. Note that the operation of opening this window may be performed automatically when the application waits for a key input.

The size of the window opened here shall not exceed 172 times the area of the display screen at most, and it shall be possible to move to another position by clicking on a specific location within the window. To enable character input while viewing the contents at any position on a screen displayed before a window is opened, if necessary.

When performing a character input operation corresponding to a keyboard operation, the user uses the stylus pen 15 to click characters displayed on the screen (it does not matter whether they are inside or outside the window) one by one. Further, in order to further improve the operability, by tracing the character string displayed on the screen with the stylus pen 15, the same example of characters as the example of characters displayed on the screen is inputted. Note that the character string written on the simulated keyboard displayed in the window (for example, “5hif
t''), no character is input, and the operation is roughly the same as pressing the corresponding key.

The input character string is displayed in the input character display area in the window if necessary.

In addition, in order to enable various special operations, the simulated keyboard toggles the shift state each time a shift key such as "5hift" Ctr 12 is clicked with the stylus pen 15, and the shift state can be changed using methods such as reversing characters. Displayed by With this feature, one stylus pen 15
It is also possible to input special characters such as Control-“Z”.

After inputting a character string, you can perform an operation to indicate the end, for example, by clicking the input end key 18, the window disappears from the screen and the input characters behave as if they were input from a real keyboard. do.

Although the present invention has been explained by exemplifying a tablet as a portable terminal device, it is not limited to this.
In addition, the same method can be applied to computers without keyboards, CAD terminals without keyboards, and devices that cannot use mechanical key switches due to dirt, dust, vibration, etc.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a computer without a keyboard at all. In addition, it is easy to input two characters without occupying a part of the display screen for operation, and it can also handle special key input.Operations can be performed while looking at the characters and figures displayed on the screen. There are effects such as being able to do it.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, Figs. 2 and 3 are diagrams cited to explain the operation of the above embodiment, and Fig. 2 shows an example of the operating procedure. figure,
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a character input method. 1...CPU, 2...ROM, 3...RAM, 4
... input/output control unit, 5... display device, 6.
...Tablet l-17 (15)...Stylus pen.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A data input/output device consisting of a pointing device and a display device for inputting data, the device having means for opening a window for inputting a character string on the screen by detecting a specific operation from the pointing device, and a means for opening a window for inputting a character string on the screen by detecting a specific operation from the pointing device; The present invention is characterized by comprising means for displaying a figure simulating a keyboard on the computer, and means for recognizing a corresponding input character string by clicking on a specific place on the displayed keyboard figure and transmitting it to the host CPU. Portable terminal equipment.