JPH04333122A - Word processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain key input operations by switching modes without storing the mode switching method by providing a mode display means which shows the display characters on the keys in different colors and at the same time displaying the input modes in selection with different colors. CONSTITUTION:The characters displayed on each input key 20 are switched by an input mode switching means and the inputted. These characters are shown with different colors by mode classifications and at the same time the modes which are selected at present on a keyboard 3 are also shown by color classifications with the mode display means 30a-30e. That is, a mode switching key 21 is depressed by the proper number of times for the display of the same colors as the desired characters to be inputted through the mode display means 30a-30e. Thus the desired characters are inputted. Therefore it is possible to perform the key input operations by switching easily the modes in relation to the colors.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to word processors and, more particularly, to improvements in keyboard input mechanisms for word processors.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the structure of a conventional word processor, and FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the structure of the keyboard shown in FIG. 8. In the figure, 1 is a main body, 2 is a display,
Reference numeral 3 indicates a keyboard, and 10 to 15 each indicate a key provided on the keyboard.

[0003] Key 10 is a character input key that allows you to switch modes and input five types of characters (letters here include symbols, etc.), 11 is a "kana" mode input key, and 12 is an "alphanumeric" key. ” mode input key, 13 is a shift input key, and 14 and 15 are “function” input keys.

Next, the operation of inputting five types of characters by operating the keys 10 while switching modes will be described. For example, if you want to input ";", first press key 12 to change the input mode to alphanumeric mode, then press key 1.
Press 0 and enter ";". Similarly, when inputting "+", press key 12 to enter alphanumeric mode, press key 10 while pressing shift key 13, and input "+". Similarly, to enter "*", press key 1.
2 is pressed to enter the alphanumeric mode, and while pressing the key 15, the key 12 is pressed again, and when in this mode, the key 10 is pressed to input "*". Similarly, when inputting ``'', the user presses the key 11 to set the input mode to kana mode, and presses the key 10 while holding down the shift key 13 to input ``''. Furthermore, when inputting "re", press key 11 to change the input mode to kana mode,
After this, by pressing the key 10, "re" is input.

[0005]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] The problem to be solved is that because conventional word processors are configured and operate as described above, there is no correlation between mode switching and characters displayed on the character input keys. , the mode switching is complicated and cannot be easily memorized. Therefore, when switching modes as described above and trying to input multiple characters etc. using the same key, you must have an instruction manual that describes the input method nearby and operate while referring to the instruction manual. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a word processor that allows easy key input by switching modes without having to remember how to switch modes.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A word processor according to the present invention is provided with a mode display means for color-coding the characters displayed on the keys according to the mode and displaying the currently selected mode on the keyboard according to the color. This is the most important feature.

[0008]

[Operation] In the present invention, by pressing the mode switching key an appropriate number of times and displaying on the mode display means the same color as the character you want to input among the displayed characters on the key, it is possible to input that character, and the mode can be switched. and the display on the character input keys are related by color, making it possible to easily switch modes and input desired characters without having to memorize them.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of the keyboard shown in FIG. 1. In the figure, 1 is a main body, 2 is a display, 3 is a keyboard,
-22 are keys provided on the keyboard 3, 3
0a to 30e are LED indicator lights, and these LEDs
The D indicator lights 30a to 30e constitute mode display means that displays the currently selected mode by color.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of the character input key 20 shown in FIG.
” 20a is yellow, “+” 20b is blue, “*” 2
0c is colored green, 20d of ``'' is colored orange, and 20e of ``re'' is colored red. Further, the key 21 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a function change input key, the key 22 is a shift input key, and the LEDs 30a to 30e are lit in yellow, blue, green, orange, and red, respectively, in this embodiment. It is configured as follows, and corresponds to the displays 20a to 20e of the key 20.

FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of this embodiment. In the diagram, the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate the same parts, and 31a to 31e represent the LEDs 30a to 30, respectively.
A transistor 40 serves as a driver for lighting the light e, and 40 is a control circuit that controls the entire device, and in this embodiment, an IC constituting a microcomputer is used.

Next, the operation will be explained. For example, when the power supply B is input to the control circuit 40, the terminal ■ becomes "H", the transistor 31a becomes "ON" state, and the yellow L
ED30a lights up. In this state, by pressing the key 20 shown in FIG. 3, ";" shown in yellow at 20a is pressed.
” has been selected.

When the function change input key 21 is pressed in this state, the terminal ■ of the control circuit 40 reads the HLH pulse, changes the terminal ■ from H to L, changes the terminal ■ from L to H, and turns the transistor 31a OFF. ” state, the transistor 31b is in the “
ON” state, the LED 30b lights up in blue and the input mode switches, and by pressing the key 20,
The "+" shown in blue in 20b can now be input. In this way, each time the function change key 21 is pressed, the yellow LED 30a to the red LED 30e lights up in sequence, and the input mode by the key 20 changes in synchronization with this, "; ” to “re” can be input using the keys 20 while looking at the color of the mode display means.

In the above embodiment, the input mode is switched in the + direction using one of the function change input keys 21, for example, mode 1→2→3, etc.; As shown in 5, press the function change key 2.
If there are two, 1a and 21b, and the mode switching of the key 21a is in the + direction of 1→2→3... and the mode switching of the key 21b is in the - direction of 3→2→1..., the mode can be further switched. becomes easier.

Further, in the above embodiment, the input pulse signal of the key 21 to the control circuit 40 is HLH, but as shown in FIG.
It is also possible to adopt a circuit configuration as shown in , and use LHL as the input pulse signal.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the LEDs 30a to 3
In order to light up 0e, the control circuit 40 is configured so that one of the five pins (■ to ■) becomes "H", but the circuit configuration as shown in FIG. 7 is used. ,AND
It is also possible to sequentially light up the LEDs 30a to 30e using a logic circuit such as a circuit using the three pins 1 to 2.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an IC constituting a microcomputer is used in the control circuit 40, and the selected mode is displayed using LEDs of different colors.
Although it is assumed that D30a to 30e are turned on, they can be replaced with other ones having similar functions.

[0018]

As explained above, the word processor of the present invention is provided with a mode display means that colors the displayed characters on the keys according to the mode and also displays the currently selected input mode on the keyboard according to the color. , you can enter characters by simply displaying the same color as the character you want to input on the mode display means, and you can easily switch modes and enter keys without having to memorize mode switching operations or look them up in the instruction manual each time. There are advantages to doing so.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of a keyboard in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the key shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a wiring diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a wiring diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a wiring diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a conventional device.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the configuration of a keyboard in a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Main body 2 Display 3 Keyboard 20 Character input keys 20a to 20e Color-coded display characters 21
Function change input key

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A word processor having an input mode switching means, and having a keyboard input mechanism for inputting a plurality of characters displayed on each input key by switching the input mode with the input mode switching means to input each character. , means for color-coding the plurality of characters displayed on each of the keys according to each input mode, and mode display means for displaying the currently selected mode on the device according to color.