JPH06332593A - Input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the number of keys, to make the equipment small, to improve the operability by a user, and to relieve the fatigue of a user by providing a means identifying the main body of the key input. CONSTITUTION:The key input is performed from a key input section 101. An input main body identification section 102 identifies the main body which performs the key input. An output signal decision part 104 decides the signal to be outputted by using both the key inputted by the key input part 101 and the information regarding the main body of the input identified by the input main body identification part 102. The decided signal is outputted from a signal output part 103.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an input device for inputting data using keys, buttons, etc., which are widely used in various home electric appliances and information equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A keyboard is widely used as an input device for inputting data in information equipment or the like. Generally, a keyboard used for a personal computer, a word processor, etc. is basically configured to input all alphabets, numbers, kana, etc. by using one key. In order to input different characters such as kana using the same key, keys such as "shift key" and "kana key" are further provided, and by pressing these keys, the meaning of one key Are configured to switch between. Therefore, a keyboard having such a configuration generally has several tens or hundreds of keys, and a user needs a great deal of effort to memorize the position of the desired key or search for the desired key. The keyboard itself is quite large because it has to be paid and has more keys.

With the recent increase in demand for miniaturization of information equipment and the like, miniaturization of a keyboard is also required, which is also demanded from the viewpoint of improving operability for users. . The same can be said for problems such as an increase in the number of buttons on the operation remote controller and an increase in operation complexity as the functions of home electric appliances such as video tape recorders are improved. In order to overcome such a problem, the number of keys is reduced to downsize the keyboard, and as a technique for improving the operability of the user accordingly, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-86437 “Adjacent”. There is a keyboard that allows you to press the keys simultaneously. Actual Kaihei 3-8643
No. 7 publication, "Keyboard that allows simultaneous keying of adjacent keys," configures the keyboard so that adjacent keys can be simultaneously keyed with one finger to input specified numerical values, characters, and functions. The purpose is to reduce the number of keys, reduce the size of the keyboard accordingly, and improve the operation efficiency.

[0004]

However, in the case of inputting using the keyboard shown in the above-mentioned conventional example, when it is necessary to simultaneously press a plurality of keys, the user can press the desired plurality of keys correctly and surely. In order to do so, it is necessary to pay considerable attention to the position to be pressed and how to apply pressure at the time of pressing, which causes a problem that operability is deteriorated. In view of such a point, the present invention enables input by a simple and reliable method of pressing a single key by a single subject such as one finger using a small number of keys, downsizing of a device, and An object of the present invention is to provide an input device that improves operability and reduces user fatigue.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a key input section comprising one or more keys and the key input section when the key included in the key input section is pressed. An input subject identification unit that identifies the pressed subject, a signal output unit that outputs a corresponding signal in response to the depression of a key included in the key input unit, and a key that is depressed when the key included in the key input unit is depressed. An input device, comprising: an output signal determination unit that determines a signal to be output by the signal output unit by using the key and the subject of pressing the key identified by the input subject identification unit. .

[0006]

With the above-described structure, the key input unit performs key input, the input subject identification unit identifies the subject who has performed the key input, and the output signal determination unit causes the key input unit and the input subject to be input. The signal to be output is determined using the information about the input subject identified by the identification unit, and the determined signal is output by the signal output unit.

[0007]

1 is a block diagram of a character input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 101
Is a key input unit, 102 is an input subject identification unit, 103 is a signal output unit, and 104 is an output signal determination unit. The character input device according to the present embodiment is for inputting a hiragana, and a key included in the key input unit 101 is pressed with one of the fingers of both hands to input a hiragana desired by the user. It is configured to be able to.

The key input unit 101 has an appearance as shown in FIG. 2, and has "a", "ka", "sa", and
"Ta", "na", "ha", "ma", "ya", "ra",
It has 15 keys labeled "wa,""aa,""ya,""tsu,""pa," and "n." When the key is pressed,
The key input unit 101 notifies the output signal determination unit 104 which key is pressed. Also, the input subject identification unit
A pair of gloves for the right hand and the left hand, each having a minute switch at each fingertip as shown in FIG. When the 101 key is pressed, the corresponding switch is closed, and it is possible to identify which finger has pressed the switch. When the user wearing these gloves presses the key of the key input unit 101, the input subject identification unit 102 notifies the output signal determination unit 104 of which finger is pressed.

The output signal determining unit 104 responds to the key depression in the key input unit 101 by informing the information of the depressed key notified from the key input unit 101 and the subject of the depression notified from the input subject identifying unit 102. The signal to be output by the signal output unit 103 is determined using the information of the finger that is. Output signal determination unit 1
04 holds the output signal table shown in the conceptual diagram of FIG. 4,
Use this table when determining which signal to output. The output signal table shown in FIG. 4 is a table for determining the signal to be output from the finger pressing the key and the pressed key,
For example, when the key labeled “sa” in the key input unit 101 is pressed by the middle finger of the right hand,
The output signal is the character code of the character "su" (see 401 in FIG. 4). Further, when the key labeled “n” in the key input unit 101 is pressed by either finger of the right hand, the output signal in each case is the character code of the character “n”. Is shown (see 402 in FIG. 4). further,
When the key labeled “n” in the key input unit 101 is pressed by the middle finger of the left hand, no signal is output (see 403 in FIG. 4). Output signal table is 80 in total
It represents the relationship between the character code of each hiragana, the key to be pressed and the finger to be pressed to output it.

The output signal determining unit 104 determines that, for most characters in the Japanese syllabary of hiragana, a key with a label corresponding to each line (A line, or line) included in the key input unit 101 is displayed. , The right thumb, the right index finger, the right middle finger, the right ring finger, and the right little finger, the vowels of that line (A line, or line, etc.) A, I, U, E, O corresponding to the hiragana (for example, , Line, "ka",
The character codes of "ki", "ku", "ke", and "ko") are output, and for lines with dakuon (or lines, sa lines, ta lines, etc.), the key is similarly pressed with the left hand. Thus, the output signal is determined so as to output the desired hiragana character code. The signal output unit 103 is the key input unit 1
In response to the key press at 01, the output signal determination unit 104
The signal determined by, that is, the character code of Hiragana is output.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
By using the key input unit with 15 keys and pressing any of the keys contained therein with one finger alone, as many as 80 Hiragana can be distinguished and input.
In keyboards that are currently widely used in word processors and the like, the character code corresponding to one key is switched using a shift key or the like. In this case,
At least 40 to distinguish 80 hiragana characters
Keys are needed and a significant reduction in the number of keys has been achieved. In the case of this embodiment, a maximum of 10 for one key
It is possible to assign different signals. Further, when the shift key or the like is used, it is necessary to press two keys at the same time, but this embodiment is configured to perform key input by pressing only one key with one finger alone. Therefore, the efficiency of input is achieved.

In particular, when inputting hiragana as in this embodiment, since the number of vowels in hiragana (Japanese) and the number of fingers of one hand are both 5, Since each vowel can be associated with each vowel, it is possible to perform efficient hiragana input. Furthermore, when the input device shown in this embodiment is applied to a device that requires hiragana input, such as a Japanese word processor, the keyboard can be made smaller and the device itself can be made smaller. If the keyboard is downsized, the movement of the user's hand during key input can be reduced, which also contributes to reducing user fatigue.

In this embodiment, a glove with a switch attached to the fingertip is connected to the input subject identification section, and the user wears it and operates the key to identify the input finger. However, the input subject identification unit may be configured by providing a means for identifying the finger on the key top or the like, for example, a means for identifying the finger based on the size of the finger, the shape of the finger, or the fingerprint. Good. Further, in this embodiment, the input device for distinguishing and inputting only 80 characters of hiragana is shown, but katakana, alphabet,
It goes without saying that it can be configured to input any characters such as numbers or control signals.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The signal to be output by the output signal determination unit is determined from the information on the key pressed in the key input unit and the pressed subject identified by the input subject identification unit, and the signal output unit outputs the signal. By doing so, it is possible to assign multiple output signals to one key under the condition that a single subject presses a single key, and as a result, a keyboard and a device equipped with it can be assigned. This has the effect of achieving downsizing, efficiency of user operation, and reduction of user fatigue.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an appearance of a key input unit of the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a glove connected to an input subject identification unit of the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of an output signal table held by an output signal determining unit of the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of Codes] 101 ... Key input unit, 102 ... Input subject identification unit, 103 ... Signal output unit, 104 ... Output signal determination unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A key input section comprising one or more keys,
An input subject identifying unit that identifies a subject who has pressed the key included in the key input unit, and a signal output that outputs a corresponding signal in response to the depression of the key included in the key input unit Section and an output that determines a signal to be output by the signal output section using the key included in the key input section and the subject of the key depression identified by the input subject identification unit when the key is depressed. An input device comprising a signal determination unit.