JPH05298284A - Japanese word input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To readily realize a code input without software correspondence of a host device without providing a code input key group. CONSTITUTION:The Japanese input unit uses a system separating consonants from vowels having a consonant input key group K1 located to be operated with a right or left hand, vowel input key groups L1, L2 and L3 located to be operated with the other hand. Codes are allocated overlapped with vowels to vowel input key groups L1, L2, and L3. Without depressing a code shift key K2, the vowel input key groups L1, L2, and L3 are inputted. When depressed, they are switched to code input.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a Japanese input device,
In particular, it relates to a Japanese input device used for a Japanese word processor, a Japanese electronic typewriter, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method for easily inputting Japanese sentences containing kanji and kana without special training, a kana-kanji conversion method is widely used, in which pronunciation is input and the kanji part is converted into kanji later. In addition, the kana-kanji conversion method includes a kana input method in which pronunciation is input in kana characters and a romaji input method in which pronunciation is input in roman alphabets.
The latter is the one that has a small number of characters and is easy to remember and is suitable for input by touch method.

Further, as a Roman character input method, an English typewriter type (QWERTY type) keyboard is used, and a consonant input key group is arranged in one of the left and right hands, and a vowel input key group is arranged in the other hand. The consonant vowel separation method (eg,
Japanese Patent Publication No. 26255/1990)).

In the consonant vowel separation method, a group of vowel input keys is arranged in multiple stages corresponding to a plurality of types of kanji vowels (short vowel type, compound vowel type, internal vowel type kanji input vowels) and different types. The Kanji vowels are assigned to the same key, and different kinds of Kanji vowels assigned to the same key are selected by operating the thumb shift key.

In such a consonant vowel separation method, a consonant input key group and a vowel input key group can be input to the left and right hands at a speed that is 2 to 2.5 times faster than the Roman character input method using an English typewriter keyboard. Since and are placed separately, they have the advantage of being easier to remember than the English typewriter method.

[0006]

The Japanese input device employing the conventional consonant vowel separation system described above is excellent in speed and memorability when a Japanese character string is input in Roman letters. , In Japanese sentences, symbols such as punctuation marks were frequently input, so it was necessary to add a group of keys for symbol input. Therefore, the space was taken up and the keyboard became large, and the increase in keys diminished the advantage of being easy to remember. There was a point.

There is also a method of displaying a symbol input key group on the screen for selection, but there is a problem in that the operation is complicated and it is necessary to deal with the software of the host device.

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a Japanese input device which adopts the consonant vowel separation method without specially providing a symbol input key group and by using software of a host device. An object of the present invention is to provide a Japanese input device capable of easily realizing symbol input without performing the input.

[0009]

A Japanese input device of the present invention is arranged in a consonant input key group arranged at a position where one of the left and right hands can operate, and at a position where the other hand can operate. In a Japanese input device having a vowel input key group, a vowel input key group to which a symbol is assigned overlapping with a vowel and this vowel input key group are used for vowel input or symbol input. It is characterized by comprising a symbol shift key for switching between.

[0010]

In the Japanese input device of the present invention, a symbol is assigned to the vowel input key group in duplicate with the vowel, and the symbol shift key determines whether the vowel input key group is used for vowel input or symbol input. Switch.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a keyboard layout of a Japanese input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the Japanese input device of this embodiment, a consonant input key group K1, a vowel input key group L1 for inputting internal kanji characters, and a vowel input for inputting kana and short vowel kanji characters. Key group L2, vowel input key group L3 for inputting complex vowel Kanji, and symbol shift key for switching vowel input key groups L1, L2 and L3 for vowel input or symbol input K2 and are arranged.

In the Japanese input device of this embodiment, as apparent from FIG. 1, the consonant input key group K1 is arranged on the right hand side, and the vowel input key groups L1, L2 and L3 are arranged on the left hand side separately. It realizes alternate keystrokes and easy-to-remember character arrangement. In the Japanese input device of this embodiment, the keyboard layout is different from the QWERTY type keyboard, but the character code data to be output is QWE.
It is controlled by firmware (see FIG. 5) so that it is the same as the RTY type keyboard. The symbol shift key K2 is in a vowel input mode for inputting a vowel when the vowel input key group L1, L2, and L3 is in a normal state where it is not pressed, and in a symbol input mode for inputting a symbol only when pressed. Therefore, since the symbols are input only by simultaneously pressing the symbol shift key K2 and any one of the vowel input key groups L1, L2, and L3, this method is hereinafter referred to as a simultaneous pressing method.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware code generated by the key matrix corresponding to the vowel input key groups L1, L2 and L3.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents of the vowel input table T1 corresponding to the vowel input key groups L1, L2 and L3. The vowel input table T1 is configured such that a plurality of entries having hardware codes as addresses (pointers) store data (maximum two characters) to be output to a higher-level device (software).

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the contents of the symbol input table T2 corresponding to the vowel input key groups L1, L2 and L3. The symbol input table T2 is configured such that a plurality of entries having hardware codes as addresses (pointers) store data (up to three characters) to be output to a higher-level device (software).

Referring to FIG. 5, the processing of the firmware in the Japanese input device of this embodiment is performed by a hardware code acquisition step 51, a symbol shift key press determination step 52, a vowel input table output data acquisition step 53, and a head. Character sending step 54, second character blank determination step 55, and second character sending step 56
And a symbol input table output data acquisition step 57
A first character shift signal determination step 58, a shift signal added second character transmission step 59, a first character or kana signal transmission step 60, a second character blank determination step 61, and a shift signal added third character transmission step 62.
And a second character sending step 63.

Next, the operation of the Japanese input device of the present embodiment thus constructed will be described.

(1) When the symbol shift key K2 is not pressed, the vowel input key groups L1, L2 and L3 are in the vowel input mode.

In the vowel input mode, a vowel input key group L1,
When any one of the keys L2 and L3 is pressed, the hardware code of the pressed key is acquired (step 51), and since the symbol shift key K2 is not pressed (off at step 52), the value of the hardware code Output data is obtained from the entry of the vowel input table T1 whose address is (step 53), and the first character is sent to the host device (step 54). Next, it is judged whether or not the second character is a blank "" (a blank is indicated by "△" in FIG. 5) (step 55), and if the second character is not blank, the second character is higher. Sent to the device (step 56).

In the vowel input mode, short vowel types (corresponding to the vowel input key group L2), composite types (corresponding to the vowel input key group L3) and internal vowel types (vowels) capable of inputting vowels according to the normal Roman alphabet input rules Three types of vowels (corresponding to the input key group L1) can be input. In this state, the data output from the Japanese input device to the host device is, for example, if the pressed key is “S” in the consonant input key group K1 and “ai” in the vowel input key group L3, the output data is Becomes "S", "A" and "I". That is, the Japanese input device outputs the same data as that of the QWERTY type keyboard to the host device (software) even if the number of keystrokes is omitted and the software of the host device is input. No special response is required at.

(2) When the symbol shift key K2 is pressed, the vowel input key groups L1, L2 and L3 are in the symbol input mode.

Vowel input key group L1, in the symbol input mode
When any one of the keys L2 and L3 is pressed, the hardware code of the pressed key is acquired (step 51) and the symbol shift key K2 is pressed (turned on in step 52). Output data is obtained from the entry of the symbol input table T2 having the address of (step 57). Next, it is determined whether the first character of the output data is a shift signal (step 58), and if the first character is a shift signal, the second character is sent to the host device with a shift signal (step 5).
9). If the first character is not a shift signal, the first character or kana signal is sent to the host device (step 60), then it is determined what the second character is (step 61), and if the second character is a shift signal. , The third character with a shift signal is sent to the host device (step 62), and if the second character is a character other than the shift signal and blank "", the second character is sent to the host device (step 63).

For example, when the symbol shift key K2 and the punctuation key "." Of the vowel input key group L3 are pressed at the same time, the Japanese input device, like the QWERTY type keyboard, displays the kana signal, the shift signal and "." The data is sent to the upper device in the sequence of. Therefore, it is possible to input the symbol with one touch without changing the software of the host device.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, a symbol is assigned to a vowel input key group that can be operated with either one of the left and right hands in duplicate with a vowel, and the vowel input key group is used as a vowel input. By providing a symbol shift key for switching between symbol input and symbol input, it is possible to input symbols without increasing the size of the keyboard and without loosing the advantage of being easy to remember without providing a special key group for symbol input. It can be easily realized, and has an effect that it is easy for the operator to understand because it becomes the symbol input mode only by pressing the symbol shift key.

Further, since the symbol shift key and the vowel input key group are simultaneously pressed, the switching to the vowel input mode is smooth, and the rhythmical input which is a feature of the consonant vowel separation method is not disturbed. effective.

Further, since the data output to the software of the host device is the same as that of the QWERTY type keyboard, there is an advantage that it can be realized without any special correspondence in the software of the host device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a keyboard layout of a Japanese input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware code generated by a key matrix corresponding to a vowel input key group in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents of a vowel input table corresponding to a vowel input key group in FIG.

4 is a diagram showing the contents of a symbol input table corresponding to a vowel input key group in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a process of firmware for controlling code generation in the Japanese input device of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 K1 consonant input key group K2 symbol shift key L1, L2, L3 vowel input key group T1 vowel input table T2 consonant input table

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A Japanese input device comprising a consonant input key group arranged at a position where one of the left and right hands can operate, and a vowel input key group arranged at a position where the other hand can operate. In the above, a vowel input key group to which a symbol is assigned overlapping with a vowel, and a symbol shift key for switching the vowel input key group between vowel input and symbol input are provided. Japanese input device to do.