JPH0460823A - Keyboard input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operability by building a display part for character display in a function key and receiving character information for display from a main body to directly display it on the key. CONSTITUTION:When a word processor program of a personal computer is started, a pertinent function is extracted, and thereafter, LCD display character information corresponding to 10 pertinent function keys 10 is sent through a communication interface part 103 and is simultaneously transmitted to function keys 330 and 340 to 420. A communication interface part 336 discriminates whether coming character information is destined for its own station 330 or not; and if it is destined for the station 330, this character information is taken into a memory 334, and a CPU 332 uses a character font memory 335 in accordance with read-in character information to generate output data for an LCD display device 331 and supplies it to an LCD control part 333. This part 333 outputs characters indicating pertinent functions to the LCD display device 331 based on given output data. Thus, find-out of a function and selection of the pertinent function key are simultaneously performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a keyboard input device used in a man-machine interface device such as a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer).

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a display device and a keyboard input device in a conventional word processor using a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as word processor). In the figure, 1 is a display device such as a CRT, and 1a is its display. screen, 2 to 11 are ten function display frames displayed on the display screen 1a, 12 is a keyboard input device, 13 to 22 are ten function keys for selecting functions provided on the keyboard input device 12, and 23 is a keyboard This is a part of the human-powered characters such as alphanumeric characters and kana provided on the input device 12.

Next, the operation will be explained.

For example, when a word processing program on a personal computer is started, it operates as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11 as 10 word processing functions. The user sees this and selects the desired function display frame 2 to 110.
Know the numbers (generally numbered from 1 to 100 from the left). Since the function keys 13 to 22 for selecting functions in the keyboard input device 12 are also numbered sequentially from the left, the user selects the function key that corresponds to the desired function display frame number known on the display screen 1a. When pressed, the word processing program performs the corresponding function.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The conventional keyboard input device 12 and display device 1 are configured as described above, and the function display frames 2 to 11 and the function keys 13 to 22 for selecting functions are arranged separately, so that the user can First, find the required function on the display screen 1a, know the number of that function, and then press the function keys 13 to 13 corresponding to that number on the keyboard input device 12.
22 number was required. Also, because the sizes of function display frames 2 to 11 and function keys 13 to 22 are different, you have to move your mouth every time to confirm the number, and if you press the function key next to it by mistake, you have to perform a number of operations to recover. There were issues such as the need for

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a keyboard input device that can simultaneously index a function and select a corresponding function key.

[Means to solve the problem]

The keyboard input device according to the present invention is provided with a display section such as an LCD on each function key constituting the device, and also includes a display control section, a communication interface section, and a CPU for controlling each display section.

It incorporates a memory section, etc.

[For production]

The keyboard input device of this invention receives function selection information of a word processor, etc. displayed on a conventional display screen from a personal computer via a communication interface section, processes this data in a CPU and a memory section, and controls the display. The corresponding function is displayed in text on the display section provided on each function key itself.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 2, 1 is a display device, 1a is its display screen,
12 is a keyboard input device, 23 is a part of characters such as alphanumeric characters and kana characters, and 330 to 420 are function keys with function display LCD (liquid crystal).

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 100 is a personal computer, and 101 is a personal computer 100.
CPU (central processing unit), 102 is memory, 103
104 is a communication interface section, 104 is a floppy disk control section, 105 is a display device control section that controls the display device 1, 106 is a keyboard input interface section that communicates with the keyboard input device 12, and 107 is a floppy disk device.

331.341.421 is an LCD display as a display unit, 332, 342, 422 is a CPU for controlling the LCD display.
(Central processing unit), 333.343.423 is LCD control unit, 334, 344.424 is memory, 335, 34
5,425 is a ROM for character fonts, 336,346,
426 indicates a communication interface section. In addition, LCD
There are 10 function keys with indicators in Fig. 2, but in Fig. 1, three of them are 330, 340° 42
0 is shown as a representative example.

In addition, CPU332.342.422, LCD control unit 3
33,343,423, memory 334°344.424
, a character font ROM 335.345.425, a communication interface section 336.346.426, etc. constitute a display information creation section.

Next, the operation will be explained.

For example, when you start a word processing program on your computer,
As part of this, the program shown in the flowchart of FIG. Character information for each LCD display is sent.

The sent character information is sent to 10 function keys 33.
0.340 to 420 at the same time.

Since the operations on the function key side are all the same, the function key 330 will be explained as an example.

The sent character information is notified to the communication interface section 336. The communication interface unit 336 determines whether the received character information is intended for the local station 330 and sends it to the local station 330.
If it is for
Notify the CPU 332. cptr332 is memory 33
From the character information read in 4 to character font memory 3
35 to create output data for the LCD display 331 and provide it to the LCD control section 333. The LCD control unit 333 outputs characters indicating the corresponding function to the LCD display 331 based on the supplied output data.

With the above operations, the functions that were conventionally displayed on a part of the display screen 1a can be changed to the function key 33.
Characters can be displayed using an LCD built into the surface of the 0 itself.

In the above embodiment, the display section incorporated in the function key is of a liquid crystal (LCD) type, but it may be of a light emitting diode (LED) type.

Although we have shown an example in which a communication interface section, a data processing section, a memory, a character font section, etc. are incorporated inside a function key, these are common to all 10 function keys, and the inside of the keyboard input device 12 is It is also possible to provide one set of keys and incorporate only the LCD control unit into the 10 function keys.

Furthermore, although the number of function keys is 10, it is possible to provide as many as necessary. Furthermore, although the example of a word processor has been explained as a program, it can be used in any program where the role of a function key is not fixed.

Furthermore, although we have shown an example in which an LCD display is incorporated into a function key, LCD displays are also incorporated into the key tops of alphanumeric, kana, and other full keys to display the currently selected mode (lowercase/uppercase/katakana). /Other...) can also be displayed.

Note that a keyboard with a full-screen LCD display and a touch panel cannot be used for this function because the key touch sensation is different from that of a conventional keyboard, resulting in lower efficiency.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a display section such as an LCD for displaying characters is incorporated into the function keys, and character information for display from the main body of a personal computer or the like is received and displayed directly on the keys. The system is easy to operate, there are fewer errors, and the user's operability is improved, so even beginners can use it easily and efficiently.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a keyboard input device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a keyboard input device and display device according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional keyboard input device and a display device, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation. 12 is a keyboard input device, 330 to 420 are function keys with function display LCD, 331341.421 is an LCD display, 332, 342° 422 is a CPU for controlling the LCD display, 333, 343.423 is an LCD control unit, 334, 344゜424 is memory, 335, 345,
425 is a ROM for character fonts, 336, 346, 42
6 is a communication interface section. In the figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a plurality of function keys; a display section provided on each of the function keys to display the function of the function key; and a display information creation section that creates display information to be given to the display section based on function information from an external source. A keyboard input device with