JPH06149404A - Keyboard unit for personal computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To disable the use of a software without this keyboard unit although a user legally purchasing the system of a personal computer enables backup by providing the specified external keyboard unit and to easily use it as a keyboard dedicated to the system. CONSTITUTION:Only the keys such as ten key required for operating the dedicated system are arranged on the surface of a keyboard unit 1. Inside this unit, a CPU part 4 composed of a command judge part 5 for receiving and judging a command from a personal computer 2 and a data generation part 6 for generating data corresponding to that command and transmitting them to the personal computer 2 is incorporated in addition to a keyboard signal output part 3 for transmitting signals from the keyboard to the personal computer 2. Then, the system is operated only when the decided data are returned to the connected personal computer 2. Therefore, the system can not be operated without the dedicated 4 keyboard unit 1 even when any copy proof function is not added to the software itself.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard for operating a personal computer system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Computer program software that is commercially available can be copied and used free of charge if it can be copied. Also, there are some people who make a large number of copies and do business. Such a situation is a great loss and unforgivable for a person who develops program software.

[0003]

Therefore, some floppy disks that store a program have a copy protection function added. However, such non-copyable software will not allow the user who purchased the system to make a backup at a regular fee, and in the unlikely event of a malfunction, it will cause the user to feel inconvenient. In addition, the full keyboard installed on the computer body has many keys that are not used depending on the system, and is very difficult for an unfamiliar user to use. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent a user who has purchased a personal computer system legally to make a backup, but to prevent the copied software from being freely used anywhere. It is also to make the system easier to use by a keyboard device dedicated to a particular system.

[0004]

The keyboard device of the present invention has only the keys used in a dedicated system arranged, and has a keyboard signal output section for generating and outputting the keyboard signal thereof, as well as receiving and judging a command from a personal computer. , Which has a built-in CPU unit for generating and returning data corresponding to the command. Then, the system operates only when the specified data is returned to the connected personal computer.

[0005]

When the keyboard device of the present invention is connected to a personal computer and the personal computer is powered on, a command is automatically transmitted from the personal computer to the external keyboard device. The keyboard device judges whether the command corresponds to the system corresponding to this device and transmits the data corresponding to the command to the personal computer. The personal computer operates the system after confirming that it is the promised data. While the system is operating, send a command from the personal computer as appropriate to confirm that the specified data is returned from the keyboard device. If the above data is not returned, the computer system will be interrupted at that point.
In other words, the system cannot be used unless this keyboard device dedicated to the system is connected.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, on the surface of the keyboard device 1, only keys necessary for operating the system, such as a numeric keypad, are arranged. Then, in addition to the keyboard signal output unit 3 that transmits a signal from the keyboard to the personal computer 2, a command determination unit 5 that determines a command from the personal computer 2 and data that corresponds to the command is generated. It has a built-in data generator 6 that sends the data to a personal computer (Fig. 2).

A case where the system is operated by using the keyboard device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.
Here, a flowchart of the exchange with the CPU unit 4 in the keyboard device 1 as a subprogram is shown in FIG.
Figure 4 shows the flow of the system main program.
Shown in. In the subprogram of FIG. 3, steps 2-5
The steps are performed by the keyboard device 1, and other steps are performed by the personal computer 2.

First, the keyboard device 1 is connected to the personal computer 2 and the personal computer 2 is turned on (step 1 in FIG. 3).
01), the personal computer 2 automatically starts communication with the CPU section 4 (proceeding to A in FIG. 4). The command for PC 1 is C
It is output to the PU unit 4 (step 1), and the command determination unit 5 in the CPU unit 4 determines whether the received command (step 2) is for a system promised in advance (step 3), and the command is incorrect. If so, the process proceeds to step 8 to display that fact and the system does not operate. If it is running, stop it.

On the other hand, if the commands match, the command corresponding to the command is output (step 4). Then, the data generator 6 that has received the command generates and outputs data according to the command (step 5). The personal computer 2, which has received the data from the data generation unit 6, judges whether the data matches the promised data (step 6). If they do not match, the process proceeds to step 8, and if they match, the process proceeds to step 7. . From step 7, return to B of the main program in FIG. 4, proceed to step 102,
The system starts.

Thus, the system does not operate unless the keyboard device 1 is connected. Then, even while the system is operating, from time to time, A to B is performed to confirm that the keyboard device 1 is correctly connected to the personal computer 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, after some processing (step 103) is performed, the result is displayed (step 10).
4) If the subprogram is always executed before, the processing result can never be seen unless the keyboard device 1 is used. It should be noted that the confirmation of the connection of the keyboard device 1 can be performed not only before the display but also at a constant time or at a constant step. In this way, even if the software itself does not have a copy protection function, the system cannot operate without the dedicated keyboard device 1. Even if there is software, only the number of dedicated keyboard devices 1 can be used, so it is meaningless to make a large number of copies without permission.

[0011]

[Effect] According to the keyboard device of the present invention, a user who purchases a personal computer system can take a backup, but without the keyboard device of the present invention,
You cannot use the software. It is also easy to use due to the keyboard dedicated to the specific system.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an appearance of a keyboard device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of a keyboard device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a subprogram of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a main program of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 keyboard device 2 personal computer 3 keyboard signal output unit 4 CPU unit 5 command determination unit 6 data generation unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An external keyboard device for operating a system of a personal computer, which is connected to a personal computer, and includes a command determination unit for determining a command received from the personal computer.
It has a built-in CPU section consisting of a data generation section that generates data to be returned to a personal computer, and a keyboard signal output section.
A keyboard device used only for a specific system of the above personal computer, which operates only when predetermined data is returned in advance.