JPH05224803A - Symbol free setting keyboard device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To assign free symbols to keys of a keyboard and display them on the key tops so as to optimize the assignment to the keys by an application program. CONSTITUTION:Each of the key tops has a display part 2 as a display device and a display information-acquisition part 6 obtains key identifiers and information assigned to the key out of a storage device 5 and displays them on the display parts 2 of the individual keys. When one key is pressed, a key depression judging part 7 takes the information assigned to the identifier of the depressed key out of the storage part 5 and sends it to a computer main body. Consequently, the keyboard device 3 is optimized by the application program on the connected computer so that a user can easily use it.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a symbol freely setting keyboard device, and more particularly to a keyboard for a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a keyboard device prints a plurality of symbols on a key top in order to associate a plurality of symbols with one key and controls their use by pressing a special key. There is.

There is also a method of covering a keyboard device with a sheet on which symbols assigned to keys are printed.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional keyboard device, there is a limit to the number of symbols assigned to one key for associating a plurality of symbols with one key. Also, because multiple symbols are printed on the same key,
When a key is pressed, there is a drawback that it is difficult for the user to use because he / she does not know which symbol mode.

An object of the present invention is to obtain the information from a key top having a display unit 2 which is a display device and a storage unit 5 which stores a key identifier and information assigned to the key, and obtains the information. When the key is pressed, the key press determination unit 7 outputs the information assigned to the identifier of the pressed key from the storage unit 5 when the key is pressed. An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks by taking out and sending to a computer main body, and to provide a symbol free setting keyboard device which is optimized by the application of the connected computer to be most convenient for the user.

[0006]

A symbol freely setting keyboard device according to the present invention has a key body having a display unit on a key top, a storage unit for storing a key identifier and information to be assigned to the key body, and a key body for assigning the key body. The display information acquisition unit that retrieves the stored information from the storage unit and displays it on the display unit of the key body, and the information assigned to the key body from the storage unit based on the identifier of the pressed key is acquired from the storage unit and the information is stored in the computer body. And a key press determination unit for returning.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a symbol free setting keyboard device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a key body of a symbol free setting keyboard device of this embodiment, and FIG.
2 is a configuration diagram for explaining the operation of the symbol free setting keyboard device of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows the stored contents of the storage unit 5 and the stored contents for explaining the operation of the symbol free setting keyboard device of the present embodiment. FIG. 2A is a diagram showing the key arrangement of the corresponding keyboard device 3, FIG. 2A is a diagram showing the stored contents of the storage unit 5 for explaining the operation of the symbol free setting keyboard device of this embodiment, and FIG. It is a figure which shows the key arrangement of the keyboard device 3 corresponding to the memory content for demonstrating operation | movement of the symbol free setting keyboard device of a present Example.

In FIG. 1 (a), in the key body of this embodiment, a display portion 2 is attached to a key 1.

In FIG. 1B, a keyboard device 3 of the present embodiment has a key body 4 having a key 1 and a display section 2,
The storage unit 5, the display information acquisition unit 6, and the key press determination unit 7 are connected to the computer main body.

The storage unit 5 stores a key identifier and information assigned to the key determined on the application side of the computer main body. The display information acquisition unit 6 includes a storage unit 5
Information such as characters, symbols or pictures assigned to each key body 4 is taken out from and displayed on the display unit 2 of the key body 4. When the key 1 is pressed, the key press determination unit 7 acquires the information assigned to the key body 4 from the identifier of the pressed key 1 from the storage unit 5 and returns the information to the computer body.

The display unit 2 on the upper portion of the key body 4 is a display such as a liquid crystal display and receives information to be displayed from the display information acquisition unit 6 and displays it.

The information displayed on the display unit 2 is determined by the application of the computer main body.

Next, the operation of the symbol free setting keyboard device of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the storage unit 5 stores a key identifier 8 and allocation information 9 for the key body 4.

The key identifier 8 is a number that is associated with each key body 4 of the keyboard device 3 in advance, and the key pressed down is determined using this number. Information to be assigned to the key identifier 8 is stored in the storage unit 5 in advance on the application side of the computer main body.
In FIG. 2, two pieces of information are assigned to one key. The application can control which information is used for the key identifier 8 of the pressed key.

The display information acquisition unit 6 sequentially takes out the key identifier 8 and the allocation information 9 stored in the storage unit 5.
In the example of FIG. 2, if "A" assigned to "1" of the key identifier 8 is taken out, the information "A" is displayed on the display unit 2 of the key body 4 of "1" of the key identifier 8. The display information acquisition unit 6 displays it.

Here, if "a" is designated on the application side, "a" is displayed on the display unit 2.

In the following, all the allocation information 9 to the key body 4 stored in the storage unit 5 by such a method is displayed on the display unit 2.
To display.

As described above, a symbol is displayed on the upper portion of the key body 4 for the user, and the user can use the keyboard like a general keyboard.

Next, the processing when the key is pressed will be described.

When the key 1 is pressed, the key pressing determination unit 7
Acquires the key identifier 8 associated with the key body 4. The information stored in the storage unit 5 is searched using the acquired key identifier 8 as a search key. Key identifier 8
Send the information to the computer itself when the two match.

In the example of FIG. 2, when the information "A" is assigned to the key identifier 8 "1" on the application side, that is, "A" is displayed on the display unit 2 of the key body 4. At this time, when this key is pressed, the information of the key press determination unit 7 is sent to the computer main body. here,
If "a" is specified on the application side, "a" is displayed on the display unit 2 and the information "a" is sent to the computer main body.

[0024]

As described above, the symbol free setting keyboard device of the present invention is a keyboard optimized by assigning a free symbol to a key so that it can be used most easily by the application of the connected computer. There is an effect that a device can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a symbol freely setting keyboard device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a block diagram of the key body of the symbol freely setting keyboard device of this embodiment. Figure 1
(B) is a block diagram for explaining the operation of the symbol freely setting keyboard device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing stored contents of a storage unit 5 and a key arrangement of the keyboard device 3 corresponding to the stored contents for explaining the operation of the symbol free setting keyboard device of the present embodiment.
FIG. 2A is a diagram showing the stored contents of the storage unit 5 for explaining the operation of the symbol free setting keyboard device of the present embodiment. FIG. 2B is a diagram showing the key arrangement of the keyboard device 3 corresponding to the stored contents for explaining the operation of the symbol free setting keyboard device of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 key 2 display unit 3 keyboard device 4 key body 5 storage unit 6 display information acquisition unit 7 key press determination unit 8 key identifier 9 allocation information

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A key body having a display portion on the key top,
A storage unit that stores a key identifier and information assigned to the key body, a display information acquisition unit that retrieves the information assigned to the key body from the storage unit and displays the information on the display unit of the key body, and a pressed key A symbol freely setting keyboard device, comprising: a key press determining unit that acquires information assigned to the key body from the identifier from the storage unit and returns the information to the computer body.