JPH04329419A - Character input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily recognize that input limit is reached before executing an input by a user by displaying a prescribed mark in a display character frame when the input of handwritten characters to the display character frame is inhibited. CONSTITUTION:Write is cyclically executed in four display characters 23. For example, assuming that the characters of 'a', 'i', 'u', 'e', 'o', 'ka', 'ki' and 'ku' (Japanese syllabary-KANA-) are inputted and displayed in a logic character frame 24, when characters 'ke' and 'ko' (KANA) and further a character 'sa' (KANA) are inputted next, totally 11 characters are inputted and no more characters can inputted in the logic character frame 24. Then, a mark (the mark of a hand in this case) 31 is displayed in the adjacent fourth display character frame 23 next to the frame inputting the character of 'sa' so as to no more input can be executed. Therefore, before inputting the 12th character next, the user can recognize no more characters can be inputted, and any useless operation is not executed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a character input device suitable for use in a portable computer such as an electronic notebook device.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In a word processor, for example, when a predetermined character is input from a keyboard, the character is displayed in a small window within a predetermined range, and when the character is confirmed, the character is moved from the window to the original input position. There are some things that are displayed on the screen. Since this window is prepared for conversion operations, normally only about 10 to 20 characters can be entered there. If you try to enter more characters after reaching the input limit of this window, a beep will sound or the entered characters will be ignored. This prevents the program from running out of control.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, since the method of making a beep sound is generated only when a character is entered beyond the input limit, it results in unnecessary input and causes inconvenience to the operator. There was a flaw that gave me pleasure.

Furthermore, the method in which inputs after the input limit are ignored requires the operator to constantly be concerned about whether or not the input limit has been reached, resulting in poor operability.

The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and it is possible to notify the operator that the input limit has been reached without making the operator feel uncomfortable or making him make unnecessary inputs. It is something that makes it possible.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A character input device of the present invention includes an input display means having a plurality of display character frames for inputting and displaying handwritten characters, and a control system that allows input of handwritten characters by circulating through the display character frames. In addition, the present invention is characterized by comprising a control means for displaying a predetermined mark in the display character frame when inputting handwritten characters is prohibited.

[0007]

[Operation] In the character input device configured as described above, when inputting handwritten characters into a display character frame is prohibited, a predetermined mark is displayed in the display character frame. Therefore, the user can easily know that the input limit has been reached before inputting.

[0008]

Embodiment FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the structure of an embodiment of the character input device of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes an input unit including a power switch and other switches, the input of which is supplied to the CPU 4 via an interface 2. The power supply circuit 3 has a built-in battery 3b and an emergency backup capacitor 3a, and supplies necessary power to each part. The ROM 5 stores programs necessary for the operation of the CPU 4 and various preset data. The RAM 6 stores data necessary for operation as needed. Further, the RAM 7 is a memory backed up by the power supply circuit 3.

[0009] The LCD 9 and the tablet 8 are integrated so that the image displayed on the LCD 9 can be viewed through the tablet 8. The tablet 8 constitutes a pressure-sensitive or capacitance type coordinate detection device, and is capable of inputting data input using a pen or the like (not shown) to the CPU 4 via the interface 2. Further, the speaker 10 is configured to output a predetermined audio signal as necessary.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a screen displayed on the LCD 9. As shown in the figure, a type plate 22 for inputting handwritten characters is displayed as a window. This type plate 22 has four display character frames 23.
, a logical character frame 24 for displaying characters before finalization, a button 25 that is operated when performing kana-kanji conversion, and a write button 26 that is operated when writing the confirmed characters in the writing field 21. There is. When this write button 26 is operated, the characters displayed in the logical character frame 24 are written at the position of the cursor 27 in the write field 21.

[0011] In the figure, buttons with unclear characters are those that are set to be inoperable at that time.

When characters are handwritten into the display character frame 23 with a pen (not shown), the handwriting is detected by the tablet 8, and the data is sent to the CPU 4 via the interface 2.
is supplied to The CPU 4 stores the data in advance in the ROM 5.
The characters are compared with the data stored in the system and recognized. When the recognition result is obtained, the recognized character is output to the LCD 9 and displayed. Therefore, when handwritten characters are input into the display character frame 23, the handwriting will be displayed at that position, and then the handwriting will be pattern recognized and the recognized character will be displayed in place of the handwriting before recognition. .

The user inputs characters one by one by hand from the left side to the right side of the four display character frames 23. At this time, the CPU 4 executes the process shown in the flowchart of FIG.

That is, in step S1, the number Rn of the logical character frame 24 to be displayed in the n-th (n is 1 to 4) display character frame 23 is obtained. Next, in step S2, the number Rn and the number of logical character frames 24 are compared. In this embodiment, the logical character frame 24 can display 11 characters. Therefore, when the logical character frame number Rn is 11 or less, the process advances to step S3, and the contents of the logical character frame number Rn are displayed in the nth display character frame 23.

On the other hand, when the logical character frame number Rn becomes larger than the logical character frame number 11, the process advances to step S4;
An icon (mark) indicating that no further writing is possible is displayed in the display character frame 23.

The above operation will be further explained with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8. The user sequentially inputs predetermined characters into the display character frame 23 from left to right. When four characters have been input, the next fifth character will be written again in the leftmost display character frame 23. In this way, writing is 4
This is performed cyclically in the two display character frames 23. FIG. 4 shows a state in which hiragana up to "Aiu" have been input.

Further, in FIG. 5, characters up to ``AIUEOKAKIKU'' have been input, and these characters are displayed in the logical character frame 24. Then, the next character “ke” is the first
A handwritten input has been made into the th display character frame 23, and the handwriting has not yet been recognized.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, if you input the character "sa" after "ke" and "ko", the total number of characters is 1.
This means that one character has been input. As a result, no more characters can be input into the logical character frame 24. Therefore, in the fourth display character frame 23 next to the third display character frame 23 in which the character "sa" has been input, there is a mark 3 indicating that no more characters can be input.
1 (a hand mark in the embodiment) is displayed. Therefore, the user can know that no more characters can be input before performing the next operation for inputting the 12th character. Therefore, the user does not have to perform unnecessary character input operations.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the handwritten input of the 11th character "sa" is completed, this character is recognized and the character obtained as a result of recognition is displayed as shown in FIG. If the write button 26 is operated in this state, the characters in the logical character frame 24 will be written into the write field 21.

If the number of display character frames 23 can be increased, it is not necessary to perform the above-mentioned cyclical input. However, if this is done, the input display surface must be enlarged, resulting in an increase in the size of the device. Therefore, in order to ensure portability, such as in an electronic notebook device, it is preferable to reduce the number of display character frames 23 to a certain extent and downsize the device. Therefore, in such a case, by using the display character frame 23 cyclically, it becomes possible to input characters without stopping the user's thinking.

[0021]

As described above, according to the character input device of the present invention, when inputting handwritten characters cyclically into the displayed character frame, when inputting handwritten characters is prohibited, a predetermined mark is placed on the displayed character frame. Since this is displayed, it is possible to inform the user of the input limit and temporarily interrupt the input operation without making the user feel uncomfortable or making him perform unnecessary operations.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the character input device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

6 is a diagram showing a display example of the embodiment of FIG. 2; FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display example of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

8 is a diagram showing a display example of the embodiment of FIG. 2; FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

4 CPU 5 ROM 6 RAM 8 Tablet 9 LCD 21 Writing section 22 Type plate 23 Display character frame 24 Logical character frame

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An input display means having a plurality of display character frames for inputting and displaying handwritten characters, and controlling the display character frames so that the handwritten characters can be input by circulating,
A character input device comprising: control means for displaying a predetermined mark in the display character frame when inputting handwritten characters is prohibited.