JPH07306742A - Input device for computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an input device for a computer which is easily operated and applied to an existent personal computer and a word processor. CONSTITUTION:The existent computer, a liquid crystal display device 2, and a digitizer 3 are connected to an input control board 4. An operator selects a necessary symbol required to input a character, etc., on the liquid crystal display device 2 by indicating a necessary place in a specific area on a tablet with the stylus pen of the digitizer 3. The key signal of the symbol indicated on the basis of the coordinate signal of the indicated place is inputted to a keyboard connection terminal 104, so that the character, etc., is displayed at a display part 101. Cursor movement at the display part 101 is performed by moving the stylus pen in another area on the tablet and inputting a mouse signal based upon its coordinate signal to a mouse connection terminal 103.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer input device for inputting information and commands to various computers, and more particularly to a computer input device suitable for a personal computer or a word processor having a document editing function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A personal computer or word processor (computer) having a document editing function is provided with a main body provided with a control unit for performing required control, a display unit for performing required display, a keyboard, and a mouse for moving a cursor. It is composed of. Of these, the keyboard is used for inputting characters, numbers, symbols and the like (hereinafter, these are referred to as characters) and for performing necessary editing.
Usually, a large number of keys of 100 or more are arranged on a keyboard. By operating these keys independently or in combination with other keys, characters are input and necessary editing is performed. . In this way, since a large number of keys are arranged on the keyboard, it is extremely difficult for an unskilled person to find a desired key from among the large number of keys and operate it. It was not possible, and it took a long time to create and edit the document.

A word processor for solving this problem is proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-73185. In the word processor according to this proposal, a tablet of a coordinate detection device is arranged on the back surface of a liquid crystal display device, and a text display region and a region for displaying symbols of each key of the keyboard are separately provided on the display surface of the liquid crystal display device. The input is made by pointing the target symbol with the stylus pen of the coordinate detecting device.

[0004]

The above word processor has an excellent effect that a keyboard is not required and the operation can be performed quickly. However, the word processor which is generally used at present has a structure and an operating system. However, if the above word processor is used, the word processor already purchased will be wasted and uneconomical.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems in the prior art and to provide an input device for a computer which is easy and quick to operate and which can be applied to an existing personal computer or word processor.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a display section, a keyboard connection terminal for connecting a keyboard for inputting characters to the display section, and a cursor display on the display section. A mouse connecting terminal for connecting a mouse for moving the computer, and a computer including a keyboard connecting terminal and a main body having a control unit for performing required control according to a signal input from the mouse connecting terminal, An input display device for displaying each symbol corresponding to a symbol of each key of the keyboard, a first area for indicating an arbitrary position on the display surface of the display unit, and a display surface of the input display device. A coordinate detection device including a tablet having a second region for indicating an arbitrary position, and a detection signal of the first region of the coordinate detection device according to the detection signal. Serial the second cursor display of the mouse signal generating means calculates a movement amount and outputs a mouse signal corresponding thereto to the mouse connection terminal and the coordinate detection device
And a control device provided with a keyboard signal creating means for extracting a symbol at a position corresponding to the detection signal of the area and outputting a keyboard signal corresponding to the symbol to the keyboard connection terminal.

[0007]

The keyboard connection terminal and mouse connection terminal of the existing computer main body, the input display device, and the coordinate detection device are connected to the control device. The operator selects a symbol necessary for inputting characters from each symbol displayed on the input display device. This selection is made by the operator using the stylus pen of the coordinate detection device to make a second selection on the tablet.
This is done by designating the required part of the area.
The coordinate detection signal at the location is converted into a key signal of a symbol corresponding to the coordinate detection signal by the keyboard signal creating means of the control device and input to the keyboard connection terminal. Thereafter, based on the input key signal, the corresponding characters are displayed on the display unit. Further, when the cursor on the display unit is moved, the operator moves the stylus pen in the first area on the tablet or designates an arbitrary position. With respect to the coordinate detection signal generated by this movement or instruction, the movement amount from the current position is calculated by the mouse signal generating means of the control device, and this movement amount is input to the mouse connection terminal as a mouse signal. After that, the cursor display is moved based on the input mouse signal.

[0008]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an input device of a personal computer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, reference numeral 1 is a conventional personal computer having a document editing function, which is composed of a display unit 101 and a main body 102. The main body 102 is provided with a mouse connection terminal 103 and a keyboard connection terminal 104. When a mouse and a keyboard are used, they are connected to the mouse connection terminal 103 and the keyboard connection terminal 104, respectively. Reference numeral 2 denotes an input display device, which is a liquid crystal display device having a regular arrangement of a large number of dots, and the symbols attached to the respective keys of the keyboard are displayed at predetermined positions. Reference numeral 3 is a coordinate detection device (digitizer), which is composed of a tablet on which a large number of detection lines are laid out, an electromagnetic pen (stylus pen) for indicating an arbitrary position on the tablet, and a control unit for detecting the indicated position. Has been done.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a control device (input control board) to which the mouse connection terminal 103, keyboard connection terminal 104, liquid crystal display device 2, and digitizer 3 of the personal computer 1 are connected. The input control board 4 is provided with a CPU 401, which performs necessary calculations and controls.
A ROM 402 for storing the processing procedure of the CPU 401 and a correspondence table described later, a RAM 403 for storing results of calculation and control, a mouse interface (mouse I / F) 404 connected to the mouse connection terminal 103, and a keyboard connection terminal 104. A keyboard interface (keyboard I / F) 405 connected, a liquid crystal display output interface (liquid crystal display output I / F) 406 connected to the liquid crystal display device 2, and a digitizer interface (digitizer I / F) connected to the digitizer 3. ) 40
7, power supply 408 of input control board 4, and R
It is composed of a backup power source 409 of the AM 403.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in FIG. In this figure, the same parts as those shown in FIG. FIG. 2 illustrates the arrangement of the personal computer 1, the liquid crystal display device 2, and the digitizer 3 when the device of this embodiment is actually used. That is, the digitizer 3 is arranged in front of the operator, the liquid crystal display device 2 is arranged beyond the digitizer 3, and the personal computer 1 is arranged further behind. If the input control board 4 can be connected as shown in FIG. 1,
It may be stored in any of the personal computer 1, the liquid crystal display device 2, and the digitizer 3.

Reference numeral 301 denotes a tablet of the digitizer 3, and each position on the surface of the tablet 3 is defined by one coordinate system. The surface of the tablet 3 includes a surface (display unit corresponding area) 3011 corresponding to the display surface of the display unit 101 of the personal computer 1 and an area (liquid crystal display device corresponding area) 3012 corresponding to the display surface of the liquid crystal display device 2. It is divided into. Reference numeral 302 denotes a stylus pen of the digitizer 3, which has a switch 3021 that is click-operated. The stylus pen 302 is connected to the controller of the digitizer 3 by a lead wire as shown in the figure. In recent years, a cordless digitizer that does not require a lead wire has been provided, and in this embodiment, any type of digitizer can be used.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the display surface of the display section of the personal computer shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this figure, 1011 indicates the display surface. On the display surface 1011, ordinary display such as sentences and figures as shown is performed. 1
Reference numeral 012 indicates a cursor displayed on the display surface 1011. In order to move the cursor 1012, each coordinate position of the display unit corresponding area 3011 of the tablet 301 shown in FIG. 2 is made to correspond to each position on the display surface 1011.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the display surface of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this figure, 201 indicates the display surface. On the display surface 201, various symbols attached to the key surface of the keyboard are displayed. 2011 indicates one of the symbols, "y". In the illustrated example, four frames are provided, and in order from the left frame, "small hiragana (
Yo) ”,“ normal hiragana (A-n) ”are displayed in alphabetical order,“ Alphabet capital letters (A–Z) ”are displayed in ABCD order, and“ Alphabet small letters (a–z) ”are displayed in abcd order as symbols. .

Reference numeral 2012 denotes a switching display unit for switching and displaying a symbol group different from the currently displayed symbol group. That is, as will be described later, a plurality of screens of symbol groups are stored in the ROM 402 of the input control board 4, and each screen of these symbol groups is sequentially displayed on the display surface 201 for each instruction of the switching display unit 2012. It
2013 shows a cursor displayed on the display surface 201.

Reference numeral 2014 denotes a list display switching display unit, 2015
Is a custom setting switching display section. Hereinafter, the outline of these functions will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a view showing the display surface of the liquid crystal display device as in FIG. 2 in the figure
015a is a custom setting switching display unit 2015 shown in FIG.
Is a custom setting switching display unit, 2016 is a next page switching display unit for instructing the next page, and 2017 is an end switching display unit for instructing to return the display to the previous screen. 2021-2
Reference numerals 025 denote symbol groups for one screen shown in FIG. 4, respectively. When the number of symbol groups is large, it takes time to search for a target symbol group using the switching display unit 2012 shown in FIG. In such a case, the list display switching display unit 201
When 4 is instructed, a list for each screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on one screen, and a desired symbol group or symbols can be instructed. When the next page switching display unit 2016 is instructed, the symbol groups of other several screens are displayed. When a desired symbol group is designated in this state, the screen of the symbol group is displayed.
Further, in the state shown in FIG. 5, when the custom setting switching display portion 2015a is instructed, the symbol group or symbols 2021a in the symbol group 2021 is instructed, and then the symbol group 2023 is instructed, the symbol group or symbol 2 is displayed.
021a moves as a symbol group or a symbol 2023a in the symbol group 2023. Furthermore, after instructing the custom setting switching display unit 2015a, successively instructing a desired series of symbols, then instructing the symbol group 2025, and finally instructing the custom setting switching display unit 2015a again, the desired word / phrase is displayed. Symbol 20 to represent symbols
25a.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the CPU 401 of the input control board 4, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of the contents of the correspondence table of each symbol and coordinate value stored in the storage area of the ROM 402 of the input control board 4. In the present embodiment, first, the liquid crystal display device 2 and the digitizer 3 are arranged as shown in FIG. 2 with respect to the conventional personal computer 1, and the connections shown in FIG. 1 are made.

In this state, for example, in order to create a sentence, the operator first selects a required symbol from the symbols displayed on the display surface 201 of the liquid crystal display device 2. If the required symbol is not displayed,
As will be described later, the switching display unit 2012 is instructed to display the symbol. The symbol is selected by the operator moving the stylus pen 302 on the liquid crystal display device corresponding region 3012 of the tablet 301. That is, when the stylus pen 3021 moves, the digitizer 3 sequentially detects the coordinates of the position of the stylus pen 302 and outputs the coordinates to the digitizer I / F 407.
The CPU 401 checks whether or not there is an input to the digitizer I / F 407 (procedure S ₁ shown in FIG. 6), and if there is an input, it is input whether or not the input is from the liquid crystal display device corresponding area 3012. Judgment is made based on the coordinate values (step S ₂ ).

When the input is from the liquid crystal display device corresponding area 3012, the moving amount of the cursor 2013 of the liquid crystal display device 2 is calculated from the input coordinate value. The display position of the cursor 2013 when the liquid crystal display device 2 is activated is predetermined (the display position of the cursor 1012 is the same when the personal computer 1 is activated), and the calculation of the movement amount is obtained as the distance from the display position. . The calculation result is output to the liquid crystal display device output I / F 406, and the liquid crystal display device 2 moves the cursor 2013 accordingly.
This movement is performed for each predetermined movement unit distance (minimum symbol interval) of the cursor 2013. Therefore, the CPU 401 matches the calculated distance with an integral multiple of the movement unit distance by appropriate processing such as rounding.

Next, the CPU 401 uses the stylus pen 3
No. 02 switch 3021 is turned on (clicked) (step S ₄ ). It should be noted that when the switch 302 is clicked, the signal is output from the digitizer 3 and taken into the CPU 401 via the digitizer I / F 407. If not clicked, so the stylus pen 302 is moving, the process returns to step S _1, the process is repeated in steps S ₁ ~ Step S ₄ again. Through such processing, the cursor 2013 moves along the stylus pen 302 on the display surface 201 of the liquid crystal display device 2.

When the operator moves the cursor 2013 to a desired symbol position with the stylus pen 302, the operator clicks the switch 3021. CPU 401
Determines whether or not the coordinate value at that time is the coordinate value corresponding to the switching display unit 2012 (step S ₅ ), and if not, the symbol code corresponding to the coordinate value from the correspondence table of the ROM 402 shown in FIG. Is taken out (step S ₆ ). As shown in FIG. 7, this correspondence table includes screen numbers of each symbol group, each symbol code, and the corresponding X coordinate value and Y coordinate value for each symbol code. CPU4
The extraction of the symbol by 01 is performed by searching the correspondence table of the ROM 402 for the X and Y coordinate values when the switch 3021 is clicked, and finding the symbol code corresponding to this.

The extracted symbol code is output to the keyboard I / F 405 (step S ₇ ), and from this keyboard I / F 405, the key of the symbol code in the keyboard determined according to the specifications of each manufacturer is displayed. The same signal as the output signal when operated is output to the keyboard connection terminal 104 of the personal computer 1. As a result, characters corresponding to the symbol are displayed on the display unit 101. When the process of step S ₇ is completed, the CPU 401 returns to the process of step S ₁ .

When it is determined in step S ₅ that the switching display portion 2012 of the liquid crystal display device 2 has been instructed, the CPU 4
01 replaces the screen of the symbol group currently displayed on the display surface 201 with the symbol group of the next-order screen number in the ROM 4
02 (procedure S ₈ ), output it to the liquid crystal display output I / F 406 (procedure S ₉ ), and perform processing in procedure S 8.
Return to ₁ . Accordingly, the display surface 201 of the liquid crystal display device 2 is
Displays a symbol group of the next-order screen number taken out, and the operator selects the symbol again.

When it is determined in the process of step S ₂ that the input coordinate value is not the input from the liquid crystal display device corresponding region 3012, the CPU 401 determines whether the coordinate value is the coordinate value of the display unit corresponding region 3011. it is determined (Step S _10). If so, it is the case where the operator moves the cursor 1012 of the personal computer 1. Therefore, as in the case of the cursor 2013 described above, the movement distance is calculated and output to the mouse I / F 404 (step S).
₁₁ ). The mouse I / F 404 outputs the same signal as the output signal of the mouse when the mouse is operated by the calculated distance, and the cursor 1012 is accordingly output.
Can be moved.

In step S ₁₀ , the display area 3011 corresponding to the display unit is displayed.
If not, the keyboard I / F 405
An error signal is output to (step S ₁₂ ), an error occurrence is displayed on the display surface 1011 of the display unit 101, or an alarm sound is generated to end the processing.

As described above, in this embodiment, the liquid crystal display device 2, the digitizer 3, and the input control board 4 are provided separately from the personal computer 1, and the same symbols as those of the keyboard are displayed on the liquid crystal display device 2. Digitizer 3 under the control of input control board 4
The selected symbol in the liquid crystal display device corresponding region 3012 is output by the input control board 4 with the same signal as the key of the keyboard, and the display unit corresponding region 3011 of the digitizer 3 and the input control board 4 are used to output the mouse. Since the same movement as that of the mouse is performed by the same signal as the mouse, the conventional personal computer 1 can be used as it is, which is economical.

Further, since the character symbols are arranged in the order of alphabet and the alphabet symbols are arranged in the order of ABCD and abcd, the heading and selection of the characters are extremely easy and quick, and in combination with the use of the stylus pen 302, it is an unskilled person. However, you can create sentences easily and quickly.

Furthermore, since the arrangement of symbols and the display positions and combinations of symbols are configured by software, they can be freely changed according to the convenience of the user, and only the frequently used symbols can be displayed on the same screen. If it is placed on top, the operation can be performed efficiently. Also, the series of operations themselves can be used as new symbols.

Furthermore, at present, the key arrangement of the keyboard is considerably different for each manufacturer and is not compatible, but in this embodiment, since it is possible to match the keyboard specifications of all manufacturers, the model can be changed. The input device can be used as it is.

In the above description of the embodiment, a personal computer is shown as an example, but it is naturally applicable to a word processor. The present invention can be applied to a keyboard-integrated model such as a notebook personal computer as long as it has a connection terminal for an external keyboard.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, each symbol corresponding to the symbol of each key of the keyboard is displayed on the input display device, and the tablet is instructed to move the cursor on the display unit of the computer. A second area for designating an arbitrary position on the display area of the input display device
Area, the amount of movement of the cursor display is calculated according to the detection signal of the first area, and the mouse signal corresponding to this is output, and the symbol at the position corresponding to the detection signal of the second area is displayed. Since it is extracted and a keyboard signal corresponding to this is created, the conventional personal computer or word processor can be used as it is, it is economical and the operation is easy because the stylus pen of the coordinate detection device is used. , Will be quick. Since the keyboard specifications of all manufacturers can be met, the input device can be used as it is even if the model is changed.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

2 is a perspective view of the device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display surface of a display unit shown in FIG.

4 is a diagram showing a display surface of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG.

5 is a diagram showing a display surface of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the input control board shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a part of the contents of the ROM shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Personal Computer 2 Liquid Crystal Display Device 3 Digitizer 4 Input Control Board 101 Display Unit 102 Main Body 103 Mouse Connection Terminal 104 Keyboard Connection Terminal 401 CPU 402 ROM 403 RAM 404 Mouse I / F 405 Keyboard I / F 406 Liquid Crystal Display Device Output I / F 407 Digitizer I / F

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location G06F 13/10 310 A 7368-5B

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A display section, a keyboard connection terminal for connecting a keyboard for inputting characters to the display section, a mouse connection terminal for connecting a mouse for moving a cursor display of the display section, and the keyboard. An input for displaying each symbol corresponding to the symbol of each key of the keyboard in a computer including a connection terminal and a main body having a control unit that performs a required control according to a signal input from the mouse connection terminal And a tablet having a first area for indicating an arbitrary position on the display surface of the display unit and a second area for indicating an arbitrary position on the display surface of the input display apparatus. A coordinate detecting device provided, and a moving amount of the cursor display calculated according to a detection signal of the first area of the coordinate detecting device, and a mouse signal corresponding to the calculated amount. Signal generating means for outputting a signal to the mouse connection terminal and the second of the coordinate detecting device.
The input of the computer, which is provided with a control device equipped with a keyboard signal creating means for extracting a symbol at a position corresponding to the detection signal of the area and outputting the corresponding keyboard signal to the keyboard connection terminal. apparatus. 2. The switching display unit for switching the screen display of a symbol group to the screen display of another different symbol group on the display surface of the input display device according to claim 1. And a computer input device. 3. The storage unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the keyboard signal creating means stores a correspondence table between each detection signal in the second area and each symbol corresponding to each detection signal. An input device for a computer, comprising: 4. The character symbols of the symbols displayed on the input display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the symbols for characters are arranged in an arbitrary order in a set of symbols of the same kind. Computer input device.