JPH04295916A - Keyboard and electronic information equipment using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer the keyboard which facilitates the operation of an input device group including input keys and a track ball without sacrificing size reduction and the electronic information equipment which uses the keyboard. CONSTITUTION:On the keyboard 2 where plural input keys 8 are arranged divisionally in two left and right groups 9a and 9b on the surface, an indication input means 10 is arranged between the left input key group 9a and right input key group 9b.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard provided with a plurality of input keys, and electronic information equipment such as a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a "personal computer") and a word processor using this keyboard.

0002

[Prior Art] Taking into consideration that the human hand tends to be oriented towards the right side with the left hand and towards the left side due to the structure of the shoulders and elbows, from an ergonomic point of view, the input keys are shaped like a ``C''. A computer has been proposed that is divided into two groups, left and right. On the other hand, personal computers equipped with a mouse or trackball on a keyboard as an instruction input device have also been proposed. Such a mouse or trackball is usually placed on the right side of the keyboard, that is, on the right side of the input key group, so that the operator can operate it with his or her right hand. In some cases, a mouse or trackball is also provided as an option.

0003

[Problem to be solved by the invention] In recent years, there has been a trend toward smaller desktop computers, etc.
Effective use of space on the surface of the keyboard is also desired. On the other hand, mice and trackballs have advantages over input keys as input devices. Actual input operations by the operator may include operating input keys in parallel with these mouse and trackball operations, and input operations may also be performed in parallel to increase the operation speed. In such a case, if the operation of the mouse or trackball is limited to the right or left hand operation specified by the structure of the device, the operation of the input keys will be hindered, resulting in simultaneous operation of the mouse or trackball and input keys. There was a problem in which input operations could not be performed efficiently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard that facilitates the operation of an input device group including input keys and a trackball without sacrificing size, and an electronic information device using the same. .

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 provides a keyboard in which a plurality of input keys are divided into two groups, left and right, on the surface of the keyboard. It is characterized in that an instruction input means is disposed between the key group and the key group.

In this case, an armrest for the instruction input means is further provided in front of the instruction input means, a voice input device is further provided in front of both the left and right input key groups, and It is preferable that a radio wave transmitting/receiving device is further provided ahead of both the left and right input key groups. Also,
It is also preferable that the instruction input means is a trackball input device, and the trackball input device includes a detachably configured trackball and a detector that detects the security state by detachment of the trackball.

[0007]An electronic information device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that it is equipped with the keyboard according to the first aspect, and has input keys of the keyboard and instruction input means as input means.

[0008]An electronic information device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that it is equipped with the keyboard according to the third aspect, and has input keys of the keyboard, instruction input means, and a voice input device as input means.

[0009] An electronic information device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that it is equipped with the keyboard according to the fourth aspect, and has a radio wave transmitting/receiving device for the keyboard as a communication means.

[0010] In these cases, the printer is built-in, and paper feed/output ports for the printer are further provided ahead of both the left and right input key groups, and the display and output means are provided on both sides of the display. Preferably, the device further includes a pair of speakers.

[0011]

[Operation] The input key group on the left side and the input key group on the right side are divided into two groups, and the instruction input device is arranged in the empty space between the two input key groups. That is, the instruction input device is arranged at the center of both input key groups. Therefore, the instruction input device can be operated with both the right and left hands.
The instruction input device can be operated with the right hand in the case of key operations of the left input key group, and the instruction input device can be operated with the left hand in the case of key operations of the right input key group. Therefore, the input operation of the instruction input device and the input operation of the input keys can be performed in parallel. Furthermore, by enabling this parallel input, it becomes possible to replace the function of the input keys with an instruction input device, so that the total number of input keys can be reduced.

[0012] In this case, by arranging a palm rest on the keyboard, it is possible to perform input operations using part of the palm as a fulcrum, thereby preventing operations such as inadvertently touching the input keys, resulting in stable operation. becomes possible. Further, by disposing a voice input device and a radio wave receiving device on the keyboard, multifunctional input/output operations become possible.

Furthermore, as an electronic information device, if a printer is built in, and the paper feed/outlet of the printer is arranged ahead of both left and right input key groups, speakers may also be arranged on both sides of the display. If you do, the range of functions will expand,
This enables even more useful use.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A laptop personal computer (information processing device) equipped with a keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] In FIGS. 1 to 3, the personal computer 1 is
It consists of a personal computer main body 3 with a keyboard 2 on the top surface and a display 4 which also serves as a lid of the personal computer main body 3, and is formed into a substantially rectangular and thin shape. The display 4 is connected to the computer main body 3 via a hinge 5 at the front edge of the keyboard 2 so as to be openable and closable, and is used in an upright position during work.

The display 4 includes a display main body 6 composed of a liquid crystal display, a pair of speakers 7 for audio output disposed on the left and right sides of the display main body 6,
7. These speakers 7, 7 enable stereo audio output. Further, the display main body 6 is configured to be detachable from the display 4 (see FIG. 1).

[0017] Inside the personal computer body 3, there are a CPU, an RA
The computer has built-in devices such as M, ROM, and input/output interfaces, and these are interconnected by a bus, that is, a control line, to form a computer. Input devices are arranged on the surface of the keyboard 2 in the manner described below.

That is, a plurality of input keys 8 are divided into two left and right input key groups 9a and 9b, and are arranged along the center line They are arranged symmetrically and at a predetermined distance from the center line X. The input key group 9a on the left side of the center line X is tilted upward to the left with respect to the front edge of the keyboard 2, and the key group 9b on the right side of the center line It is placed in a tilted position. Due to the structure of the shoulders and arms, the human hand tends to face the left hand toward the right front and the right hand toward the left front. There is no need to fold it inside, and the input work can be done functionally.

A trackball input device 10, which is an instruction input device, is disposed on the center line X of the keyboard 2 between the left and right input key groups 9a and 9b. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in this part, a circular mounting groove 41 is recessed into the surface of the keyboard 2, and a spherical trackball 42 is removably accommodated in this mounting groove 41. The lower half of the trackball 42 is in contact with two mutually orthogonal slip rollers 43, 43 assembled inside the personal computer body 3. A slit disk 44 is coaxially fixed to each slip roller 43, and a sensor 45 for detecting the rotation of the slit disk 44 faces the periphery of the slit disk 44. In the slit disk 44, two rows of slits are formed concentrically with the phase shifted (not shown), and in this phase shifted state, the rotation of the two slip rollers 43, 43 which are perpendicular to each other. , and the direction of rotation can be detected. Therefore, the rotation of the trackball 42 within the mounting groove 41 is caused by the slip roller 43,
43 to the slit disks 44, 44, and detected by the sensor 45. The rotation signals from the sensors 44, 44 are integrated by counters 46, 46, and are outputted to the bus 11 of the computer circuit via the trackball interface 47 as rotation amounts in two mutually orthogonal directions, XY, to move the cursor within the display 4. is instructed. In operating such a trackball input device 10, the trackball 42, which is used together with the input key 8 during input work, is arranged between the left and right key groups 9a, 9b, so that the trackball 42 can be used with either the left or right hand. can be operated,
Moreover, this allows simultaneous operation of the trackball 42 and the input key 8.

The trackball input device 10 also has a function as a security device for the personal computer 1, as explained below. As shown in FIG. 4, a security switch 48 serving as a detector for detecting the security state is disposed at the bottom of the mounting groove 41 of the trackball 42. The contacts of this security switch 48 open and close depending on the presence or absence of the trackball 42. When the trackball 42 is attached, a sphere 49 provided at the tip thereof is pressed and turned on, and when the trackball 42 is detached, the sphere 49 is turned on.
9 is energized and turns off. Of course in this case,
An optical sensor may be used instead of the security switch 48. The output signal from the security switch 48 is then output to the bus 11 of the computer circuit via the input/output interface 12. Based on this output signal, the security of the personal computer 1 is ensured by controlling the flow shown in FIG. In the following explanation, the symbol S
indicates a control step.

When a power switch (not shown) of the personal computer 1 is turned on, control for the security of the personal computer 1 is started. First, it is determined whether or not the trackball 42 is present in the mounting groove 41 based on the output signal from the security switch 48 mentioned above (S1). When the trackball 42 is not present in the mounting groove 41, the input key group 9a,
The connection between the input key 9b and the computer circuit bus 11 is cut off, and input using the input key groups 9a and 9b, that is, keyboard input is prohibited (S2). Further, at the same time that keyboard input is prohibited, the display 4 displays a message saying "keyboard input is prohibited because there is no key."

When the trackball 42 is present in the mounting groove 41, the input key groups 9a and 9b are connected to the bus 11 of the computer circuit, and keyboard input becomes possible (S3).

Next, based on the output signal from the security switch 48 again, the trackball 42 is inserted into the mounting groove 41.
It is determined whether or not it exists within (S4). When the trackball 42 is present in the mounting groove 41, a state in which keyboard input is possible is maintained, and at the same time, a timer (not shown) built in the computer circuit is activated (S5), and the trackball 42 is inserted again after a predetermined period of time. It is determined whether or not there exists in the mounting groove 41 (S4). trackball 42
As long as exists in the mounting groove 41, steps S4 and S5 are repeated, and the state in which keyboard input is possible is maintained. If the trackball 42 does not exist in the mounting groove 41, keyboard input is prohibited (S6), then the timer is activated (S7), and after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the track is re-tracked based on the output signal from the security switch 48. It is determined whether the ball 42 is present in the mounting groove 41 (S8). Steps S4 and S5 are repeated until the presence of the trackball 42 is confirmed. When it is confirmed that the trackball 42 is present in the mounting groove 41, the input key groups 9a and 9b are connected to the bus 11 of the computer circuit, and keyboard input becomes possible (S9).

Next, based on the output signal from the security switch 48 again, the trackball 42 is inserted into the mounting groove 41.
(S4), and based on the determination result, control of steps S4 to S5 or steps S4 to
One of the controls in S9 is repeated.

As can be seen from the above description, in the personal computer 1 according to this embodiment, keyboard input is not possible unless the trackball 42 is present in the mounting groove 41. Therefore, if the operator stores the trackball 42, it is possible to prevent outsiders from using the personal computer 1.
Furthermore, leakage of work contents can be prevented. Note that although a trackball is used as the instruction input device in this embodiment, a small mouse may also be used.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a palm rest 13 consisting of a rectangular parallelepiped projection is disposed on the center line X of the upper surface of the keyboard 2 in a direction perpendicular thereto in front of the trackball 42. has been done. Palm rest 1
3, operation of the trackball 42 becomes stable and reliable operation becomes possible.

Similarly, on the center line X in front of the palm rest 13, a microphone 14, which is an audio input device, is arranged. The internal device of the microphone 14 is housed in the personal computer body 3, which is a space below the keyboard 2, and a slit 15 portion of the microphone head is formed on the surface of the keyboard 2. The operator can input voice to the personal computer 1 through the microphone 14.

Furthermore, on the center line X of the keyboard 2, a parabolic antenna 16, which is a radio wave transmitting/receiving device, is arranged in front of both input key groups 9a and 9b. The parabolic antenna 16 is connected to the computer circuit bus 11 via a communication interface (not shown). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the personal computer 1 is connected to a large-sized, large-capacity computer system 18 equipped with a large-sized computer and a large-capacity memory, using a parabolic antenna 16 and, for example, via an artificial satellite 17. can be done. As a result, the personal computer 1 can exhibit the same ability as the computer system 18, although its own computing power and memory capacity are small. Also, unlike when connecting to a large computer system using a modem, etc.,
can be connected to large computer systems even in remote areas without telephone lines. Furthermore, it becomes possible to capture television/video broadcasts into the display 4.

On the surface of the keyboard 2, there is a hinge 5 of the display 4 further ahead of the parabolic antenna 16.
A paper feed port 51 and a paper discharge port 52 of the printer 19 are disposed between the printer 19 and the printer 19, and the components of the printer 19 are housed in this portion of the computer body 3. As shown in Figure 8,
The printer 19 includes a "U"-shaped paper path 53 that communicates between a paper feed port 51 on the hinge 5 side and a paper discharge port 52 on the parabolic antenna 16 side, and a platen roller at the center of the paper path 53. It is equipped with 54. The platen roller 54 is connected to a drive motor 56 via a belt 55 stretched around it, and is rotated by the drive of the drive motor 56 to appropriately feed the recording paper 57 during printing. Also, the recording paper 57
The feeding is facilitated by the free rotation of an auxiliary roller 55 provided on the side of the platen roller 54. On the other hand, recording paper 5
Printing on the recording paper 5 is performed by a print head 58 provided below and facing the platen roller 54.
7 is discharged from the paper discharge port 52 to the display 4 side. The paper ejection port 52 is slightly bent toward the display 4 side,
The recording paper 57 can be discharged along with the surface of the display 4 which is standing up in a slightly tilted position. Therefore, by viewing the display body 6 and the print result being printed at the same time, the operator can see the output recognized through the screen of the display body 6,
The output on the actual recording paper 57 can be quickly compared during the printing process. This increases the efficiency of output editing work.

[0030] Furthermore, on the right side of the personal computer body 3, there is an IC
A slot 21 for accommodating a card 20 is formed.

[0031]

[Effect] As described above, in the present invention, since the instruction input device is disposed between the input key groups divided into two groups, left and right,
The instruction input device and the input keys can be operated in parallel, enabling rational and easy operation, and has the effect of improving input operability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a personal computer equipped with a keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a keyboard portion of a personal computer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a display portion of a personal computer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the trackball portion.

FIG. 5 is an internal structural diagram of the trackball input device.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart on the control side for security of a personal computer using a trackball.

FIG. 7 is a system diagram of a computer system using an artificial satellite.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the structure of the printer portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

1...PC 2...Keyboard 3...PC body 4...Display 7...Speaker 8...Input key 9a...Left input key group 9b...Right input key group 10...Trackball input device 13...Armrest 14...Microphone 15...parabolic antenna 19...Printer 42...Trackball 48...Security switch 51...Paper feed slot 52... Paper ejection port

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A keyboard in which a plurality of input keys are divided into two groups on the left and right, and an instruction input means is disposed between the input key group on the left side and the input key group on the right side. A keyboard characterized by: 2. The keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising a palm rest for the instruction input means in front of the instruction input means. 3. The keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising a voice input device disposed in front of the left and right input key groups. 4. The keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising a radio wave transmitting/receiving device disposed ahead of the left and right input key groups. 5. The instruction input means is a trackball input device, and the trackball input device includes a detachably configured trackball and a detector that detects a security state when the trackball is removed. The keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that: 6. The keyboard according to claim 1,
An electronic information device comprising, as input means, the input keys of the keyboard and the instruction input means. 7. The keyboard according to claim 3,
An electronic information device comprising, as input means, the input keys of the keyboard, the instruction input means, and the voice input device. 8. The keyboard according to claim 4,
An electronic information device comprising the radio wave transmitting/receiving device of the keyboard as a communication means. 9. Any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein a printer is built-in, and a paper feed/discharge port for the printer is further provided ahead of the left and right input key groups. The electronic information device described in item 1. 10. The electronic information device according to claim 6, further comprising a display and a pair of speakers serving as output means on both sides of the display.