JPH0419566B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a keyboard device having an adapter.

Generally, this type of keyboard device is used for various purposes such as graphic displays and electronic games. This keyboard device includes a keyboard on which a plurality of keys are arranged, and a signal generation circuit that generates electrical signals corresponding to each key of the keyboard. Further, an electric signal from the signal generating circuit is sent as an address signal to a ROM, and in this ROM, information corresponding to the position of an operated key is input to a display device or the like.

In conventional keyboard devices, the position of each key on the keyboard and the information sent from the ROM in response to the operation of each key are fixedly determined on a one-to-one basis. Therefore, it is difficult to use the same keyboard device to perform operations other than those specified by the program stored in the ROM (ie, games, graphic display, etc.). Therefore, if the operator desires various operations, it is necessary to purchase various keyboard devices and ROMs depending on the purpose. This means placing a large economic burden on the operator.

An object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard device that can be used for multiple purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adapter for a keyboard device whose operation can be changed easily and economically.

According to the present invention, in a keyboard device having a keyboard in which a plurality of keys are arranged, the keyboard device is used in conjunction with each keyboard device, leaving only a part of the keys on the keyboard and shielding other parts;
A plurality of types of covers having different shielding portions are provided, and each cover is configured to press a portion of the shielded keys corresponding to the keys left unshielded on the keyboard. and a storage area for storing a program corresponding to each cover,
A ROM is provided that sends an output signal from the storage area in response to the operation of a usable key, and further, the state is set according to each cover, and the signal from the keyboard is sent to the storage area of the ROM corresponding to the cover. There is provided a keyboard device characterized in that a distributing means is provided for distributing the keys, and an identification signal for each cover determined by a combination of the pressed keys is sent to the distributing means through the pressed keys.

Hereinafter, the principle of the keyboard device according to the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a keyboard unit 10 according to the present invention is used in conjunction with an adapter. The keyboard section 10 includes a keyboard 12 on which a plurality of keys are arranged, and a signal generation circuit 14 that generates electrical signals corresponding to each key.

On the other hand, the adapter includes a cover 15 that shields keys other than the predetermined keys on the keyboard 12 so that only the predetermined keys can be operated, and
It has a ROM 16 that stores programs for performing targeted operations. This ROM16
is a signal generation circuit 14 and a connection circuit 17 such as a connector.
are connected via. In this case, cover 1
5 has a structure on the keyboard 12 that can be replaced with another cover, and when this cover 15 is replaced with another cover, the ROM 16
The program is also read from the area of the ROM 16 corresponding to the other cover, making it possible to perform an operation different from that specified by the cover 15 in the replacement row.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a row of keyboard covers 15 for use with the adapter of FIG. 1 is shown. This keyboard cover 15 is made of plastic or the like, and is
An opening 22 is provided at a position corresponding to a predetermined key 21A of 0.
It has a face plate 20 having a. In other words, the plate 20 of the cover 15 is arranged so that keys 21B other than the predetermined keys 21A cannot be operated.
is shielded by. Therefore, the operator can input various information into the display device etc. by using only the predetermined key 21A provided with the opening 22. In this case, it goes without saying that the ROM corresponding to the predetermined key 21A is connected to the keyboard device. In addition, each key 21A, 21B
Do not directly engrave characters or symbols on the plate 2.
0 and the blank space of the keyboard 12. This configuration allows each key to be used for multiple purposes without misleading the user.

Furthermore, the cover 1 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3
5 has a protrusion 25 on the lower surface of the face plate 20, and this protrusion 25 allows a specific key 21C to be pressed.
(Here, the rightmost three) are kept pressed at all times. By pressing these specific keys 21C,
A cover instruction signal similar to the cover identification code shown in FIG. 1 is sent from the specific key 21C. In this case, corresponding to the pressed specific key 21C,
An AND circuit can be provided and the output of this AND circuit can be used as an identification code.

The signal generating circuit 14 determines the type of the attached cover from this instruction signal and accesses the ROM area corresponding to the cover.

Referring to FIG. 4, the keyboard device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of covers 15A, 15B, .
A signal distribution circuit 3 is provided between the keyboard section 10 and the ROM 16.
0 is set. The illustrated keyboard device is further connected to the keyboard section 10 and the ROM 16, and performs processing operations according to input signals from the keyboard section 10 and the ROM 16.
It has a CPU 35 that controls the read operation of the ROM 16. Since the CPU 35 itself can be a known one, its explanation will be omitted here.

This signal distribution circuit 30 has covers 15A and 15B.
according to the cover identification code ID that identifies the signal given from the keyboard section.
The storage area A of the ROM 16 corresponding to the signal from
Send to B. Note that the cover identification code ID can be generated, as described above, by providing an AND circuit corresponding to the pressed key.
With this configuration, simply replacing the cover 15
Since there is no need to replace the ROM 16, the operator's effort and the like required for replacement can be saved.

When the cover identification signal ID is input from the keyboard unit 10, the signal distribution circuit 30 described above outputs an initial address signal in the ROM 16 corresponding to the cover, and outputs an initial address signal in the ROM 16 determined by the cover.
Access area 6. Thereafter, a program is read out from the designated ROM 16 and executed under the control of the CPU 35. The results are displayed on a display (not shown). Since such a signal distribution circuit 30 is well known, it will not be described in detail here.

In the embodiment of the present invention described above, it is necessary to provide a cover recognition circuit etc. in the keyboard section 10, but such an identification circuit itself can be constructed using a normal circuit. It will not be explained in detail here.

In addition, in FIGS. 2 and 3, the necessary key 21A
Although the cover has been described in which a hole is opened in the part shown in FIG. 2, a push button or the like may be provided on the necessary key 21A, and by pressing the push button, the lower key 21A may be operated.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining an adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a cover that can be used as the adapter in FIG. 1,
3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining an adapter according to another embodiment of the present invention. Explanation of symbols, 10... Keyboard section, 12...
Keyboard, 14...Signal generation circuit, 15...Cover, 16...ROM, 17...Connection circuit, 19
... Code plate, 20 ... Face plate, 2
1, 21, 21B...Key, 22...Opening hole, 25
...Protrusion, 26...flange, 30...signal distribution circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a keyboard device having a keyboard with a plurality of keys arranged, the keyboard device is used in conjunction with the keyboard device, leaves only a part of the keys on the keyboard, and shields the other parts, and the part to be shielded is A plurality of different types of covers are provided, and each cover is provided with a portion that presses a portion of the covered keys corresponding to the keys left uncovered on the keyboard. and has a storage area for storing a program corresponding to each cover, and a ROM that sends an output signal in response to an operation of a key available from the storage area, and further includes a ROM that stores a program corresponding to each cover. to set the status and load the ROM according to the cover.
Distributing means for distributing signals from the keyboard is provided in the storage area of the keyboard, and an identification signal for each cover determined by a combination of the pressed keys is sent to the distributing means through the pressed keys. keyboard device.