JPH07110727A - Portable information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operability and the quickness of the operation at the time of carrying by operating a portable information processor in any place of the use. CONSTITUTION:A device main body, a display device, and a keyboard are constituted as one body, and not only thumb keys 2 and 3 are arranged on the front face but also keys 4a to 4d and 5a to 5d are arranged on the rear face to perform the key operation. Thumb keys 2 and 3 are operated with only right and left thumbs, and eight right and left keys arranged on the rear face are operated with eight other fingers. Positions of keys on the rear face can be arbitrarily moved and fixed in accordance with lengths of operator's fingers. Key input is changed corresponding to the variation of the stroke due to extension of the stroke of a push button of each key on the rear face. The curve shape having the axis of revolution, which is supposed to be the second joint of an operator's finger, as the center of curvature is given to each key on the rear face.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable information processing device, and more particularly to a lightweight, compact and highly operable portable information processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are several types of portable information processing devices of this type, such as a notebook personal computer, a pen personal computer and a handy terminal.

The notebook type personal computer is used for the purpose of carrying the function of the desktop type personal computer even if it is portable. Pen personal computers have been used for the purpose of operating with a pen to make the personal computer more compact and to eliminate key input. Further, the handy terminal is used for the purpose of holding the apparatus main body with one hand and inputting data with the other hand.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional notebook type personal computer, it is always necessary to put both hands on the upper part of the keyboard to operate, so that the place is limited and the use place cannot be arbitrarily selected. There is a point. Further, when a pen personal computer is used, there is a problem that it is not suitable for processing a large amount of data because of lack of speed and operability because the data is input by the pen. Furthermore, when using a handy terminal, the device is held by one hand and the key is operated by the other hand, so there is a problem that it is not suitable for operation with both hands to further increase the speed. .

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems,
An object of the present invention is to provide a portable information processing device that eliminates restrictions on the place of use and increases the speed of operation.

[0006]

A device of the present invention is a portable information processing device in which a device main body including a file, a display device, and a keyboard are integrated, and the front and back surfaces of the device main body. Key arrangement means for arranging the keys so that the front side keys are operated only by the left and right thumbs, and the rear side key operations are operated by fingers other than the left and right thumbs, and the back side by the key arrangement means. Random positioning means for moving and fixing eight keys corresponding to the four left and right fingers other than the left and right thumbs arranged according to the length of the operator's fingers, and a push button for pressing the eight keys. And a push button strok stretching means for stretching the stroke to change the key input.

Also, in the device of the present invention, the radius of curvature around the second joint of the finger of the operator other than the thumb is the center of rotation on the side surface of the push button that presses the eight keys arranged on the back surface of the device body. Has a configuration in which a curved shape is provided.

Further, the device of the present invention has a structure in which the keys corresponding to the left and right thumbs arranged on the surface of the device body are push buttons which can be operated forward and backward and left and right, respectively.

[0009]

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention,
Shown on the surface of the body 1 is a pair of left and right thumb keys 2 and 3
Is shown, and a menu display screen 15, a display screen 16, and a holder band 18 that can be attached to the left and right for grasping are shown. 2 is a front view (a), a side view (b) and a rear view (c) of one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, the keys are arranged on the front and back sides so that the keys can be operated not only on the front side but also on the back side. The front side keys are thumb keys 2 and 3 operated only by the thumb, and push-button type can be operated forward, backward, left and right. (Joystick, thumb mouse, trackball, etc.). Further, as shown in FIG. 2C, the key group on the back side is made up of eight keys, and these keys are operated from the side of the device by placing the palm on the back side to prevent the device from falling. It is installed in. Referring to FIG. 2 below, the left-hand index finger-only long stroke push button 4a of FIG. 2 (c) is arranged to be operated only by the left-hand index finger, the left-hand middle finger-only long stroke push button 4b is arranged to be operated only by the left-hand middle finger, and the left-hand The long stroke push button for exclusive use of the ring finger 4c is arranged to operate only with the left ring finger, the long stroke push button for left little finger 4d is not arranged to operate only with the left little finger, and the long stroke push buttons 5a to 5d are It is arranged to operate with each finger of the right hand excluding the thumb. These eight rear surface key groups can be arbitrarily moved and fixed by the slide portion 6 in accordance with the length of the operator's finger. In addition, a protrusion 7 is provided between each of the eight back-side keys to prevent erroneous operation. Further, the eight back-side keys are long stroke push buttons that extend the button stroke of the key to change the input according to the stroke amount. The structure of the long stroke push button 5a for exclusive use of the index finger of the left hand in consideration of the conditions of the back side keys is shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b).
Shown in. The side surface of the rear key hole 8 of the body 1 and the long stroke push button 4a for the left index finger are shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), a curved shape is provided with the rotation axis 9 assuming the second joint of the operator's finger as the center of curvature.
Also, long stroke push button 4a for the left index finger
The metal parts 10 and 11 for conduction are provided in the lower part of the side surface of the front and back, and the metal part for conduction is also provided in the front and rear of the hole side surface of the rear surface key 8 as well. One of the metal parts is a single plate metal part 12 so that one is always in conduction, and the other part is divided into split plate metal parts 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d and 13e for giving a change to the input. The long-stroke push button 4 a for exclusive use of the index finger of the left hand has a spring and a cushion portion 14.

The display of FIG. 2 includes a menu screen 15 for displaying letters, numbers and symbols on the screen and a menu screen 1
5, the thumb keys 2 and 3 and the display screen 16 for outputting the information input by the combination of the operation of the rear surface key group. The file 17 shown in FIG. 3 is arranged behind the display device of the main body. Further, in order to prevent the device from falling, a holder band 18 and a band mounting hole 19 which can be replaced on either side are arranged.

Next, the key input operation of the portable information processing apparatus configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. By pressing the long stroke push button 4a for exclusive use of the left index finger, the metal parts 10 and 11 of the long stroke push button 4a for exclusive use of the left index finger and the single plate metal part 12 and the split plate metal part 13b of the rear key hole 8 side are respectively formed. It is pressed into conduction and the cursor on the first line on the right side of the menu screen moves. This behavior is the same for any other long stroke push button. Further, by pressing the thumb key 1, the character in the row where the cursor is stopped is input, and the thumb key 1 is moved to any one of up, down, left and right (a total of 8 patterns with the left and right thumb keys) to perform Kanji conversion input. The number of thumb key 1 inputs can be increased to 16 patterns by simultaneously operating the left and right two keys. After pressing the thumb key 1 for input, the cursor once returns to the flat position. Further, the input order by the thumb key 1 is in accordance with the cursor start order by the long stroke push button 4a for exclusive use of the left index finger, and the right and left inputs on the menu screen are independent from each other. Further, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the display contents of the menu screen 15 are divided into letters, numbers and symbols, and the display contents can be converted by pressing the thumb key 1.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, the front and back keys are arranged so that the keys can be operated not only on the front surface but also on the back surface of the keyboard integrated with the main body of the apparatus. The number of keys can be reduced and the space required for the keyboard can be saved by arranging eight keys corresponding to eight fingers other than the thumb so that the device can be operated by holding it against the palm and preventing the device from falling. There is an effect that the restriction of the place of use can be greatly improved while improving the property. Further, by limiting the thumb to the front surface operation only and the other fingers to the back surface operation only, the front and back surfaces can be simultaneously operated by both hands, which has an effect that the device can be operated quickly. Furthermore, since the strokes are extended in the pressing direction of the eight backside keys to change the key input, the operability of entering letters, numbers and symbols with a small number of keys and a single key on the menu screen There is an effect that the promptness of the input operation for selecting a plurality of characters can be significantly improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view (a), a side view (b) and a rear view (c) of a portable information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3A is an enlarged sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2B, showing a cross-sectional view when the push button is not pressed and a cross-sectional view when the push button is pressed (b).

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an English character menu screen when the portable information processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention is operating.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a numeric menu screen during operation of the portable information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a symbol menu screen during operation of the portable information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Device main body 2, 3 Thumb key 4a Long stroke push button dedicated to the left index finger 4b Long stroke push button dedicated to the left middle finger 4c Long stroke push button dedicated to the left hand ring finger 4d Long stroke push button dedicated to the left index finger 5b Long stroke push button dedicated to the right index finger 5b Right hand Long stroke push button for middle finger 5c Long stroke push button for right ring finger 5d Long stroke push button for right little finger 6 Slide part 7 Projection part 8 Back key hole 9 Rotating shaft 10, 11 Metal part 12 Single plate metal part 13a-13e Dividing plate Metal part 14 Spring and cushion part 15 Menu screen 16 Display screen 17 File 18 Holder band 19 Band mounting hole

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor ▲ Takahashi Hiroshi Hashi 1-chome 1-chome Shinrashima-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 25, NEC Electric Robot Engineering Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A portable information processing device in which a device main body including a file, a display device, and a keyboard are integrated, and a key operation is performed on a front surface and a back surface of the device main body and a key operation on the front surface is performed. Is the left and right thumbs only, and the key operation on the back side is key arrangement means for arranging the keys so that the fingers other than the left and right thumbs are operated, and the left and right thumbs other than the left and right thumbs arranged on the back surface by the key arrangement means Random positioning means for moving and fixing eight keys corresponding to four fingers according to the length of the operator's fingers, and a stroke of a push button for pressing the eight keys are extended to change the key input. A portable information processing device comprising: a push button stroking means for giving. 2. A curved shape having a radius of curvature with a second joint of a finger other than the operator's thumb as a rotation center is provided on a side surface of the push button which presses the eight keys arranged on the back surface of the apparatus body. The portable information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by being provided. 3. The portable type according to claim 1, wherein the keys corresponding to the left and right thumbs arranged on the surface of the main body of the apparatus are configured as push buttons that can be operated forward and backward and left and right, respectively. Information processing equipment.