JPH0778161A - Document input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain a comfortable operation environment, to improve operability and to simpify a keyboard by changing the function of a function key to a function relating to the processing of an undeter-mined character string only for the input period of the undetermined character string. CONSTITUTION:A specific function executing part 6 switching the functions of respective function keys F1 to F10 to a specific function only for the input period of an undetermined character string inputs key codes corresponding to respective keys F1 to F10 from a main control device 1 and inputs also the value of a buffer pointer 5. At the time of inputting an undetermined character string, the executing part 6 switches the functions of the keys F1 to F10 to the specific function while referring to the value of the pointer 5. Simultaneously the executing part 6 changes the reading addresses of a function display character string memory 7 for storing the function names of the keys F1 to F10 in accordance with the function switching of respective keys F1 to F10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a document input device in a word processor, personal computer or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a document input device such as a Japanese word processor, when inputting a character, the type of the character to be input is preliminarily set to "alphanumeric key", "hiragana key", "katakana key" or The input mode is switched after inputting by operating the "full-width key", "half-width key", and the like. That is, the input mode is switched every time the type of character to be input is changed.

[0003]

However, when inputting a document in which katakana or English words are mixed in a Japanese document (kanji / kana mixed sentence), the input mode must be frequently switched. It has been pointed out that there are problems such as not being able to input documents efficiently and hindering thinking. On the other hand, since the function of the mode switching key is limited to mode switching, it occupies the keyboard when not in use, and there is a problem in terms of mounting and operability. An object of the present invention is to make it possible to change the function of a function key to a function related to processing an undetermined character string only while an undetermined character string is being input.

[0004]

The means of the present invention are as follows. (1) The function display means is a liquid crystal display device, a CRT display device, or the like that displays the function name corresponding to the function key. For example, if the keyboard and the display device are facing each other in terms of mounting, then on the keyboard. If the function name is displayed as a character in the display area facing the function key of, and if the function keys are arranged on the transparent touch panel laminated on the display panel, the function key is displayed in the display area located directly below the function key. Display the function name in characters. (2), the detection means detects that an undetermined character string has been input. (3) The function switching unit switches the function of the function key to the function for the unconfirmed character string when the detection unit detects that the unconfirmed character string is input. (4) When the function switching means switches the function of the function key, the function display changing means changes the display content of the function display means to the function name of the switched function.

[0005]

The operation of the means of the present invention is as follows. Now, in the state where the fixed character string is input on the text screen, each function key has, for example, a function related to processing of the fixed character string, that is, a shaded area, an underline
It functions as a key for deleting documents. In this case, the function display means outputs the function name corresponding to each function key. Here, when the unfixed character string is input, the detection unit detects that the unfixed character string has been input, and the function switching unit switches the function of the function key based on the detection result, and the function display changing unit. Changes the display content of the function display means to the function name of the function switched by the function switching means. Therefore, the function of the function key can be changed to the function related to the processing of the undetermined character string only while the undetermined character string is being input.

[0006]

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the document input device. The main controller 1 controls the overall operation of the document input device according to various programs. To the main controller 1, a key input device 2 and a display device 3 are connected as peripheral devices thereof. Control I / O operations.

The key input device 2 is arranged in a horizontal row near the display device 3 in addition to push-type character keys, cursor keys, conversion keys, execution keys, etc. on the keyboard.
Zero types of function keys F1 to F10 are provided. The function keys F1 to F10 are capable of switching their functions, and the function of the function keys F1 to F10 is switched from the normal function to the special function while the undetermined character string is being input. Here, the display device 3 is composed of a liquid crystal display device, and at the bottom of the text screen, the function keys F1 to F
The function keys F1 to
Each display area is provided to display the function name of F10 as a character.

The key code input from the key input device 2 is taken into the main control unit 1. In this case, if the main control unit 1 is the character code, the input character string is first input to the undetermined input character buffer 4. To store. Here, the key input device 2 refers to the value of the buffer pointer 5 and writes the input character string at the address position of the undetermined input character buffer 4 indicated by this pointer value. The value of this buffer pointer 5 specifies the start address of the undetermined input character buffer 4 in the initial state, and when the value of the buffer pointer 5 is this initial value, no character has been input to the undetermined input character buffer 4. If not, it indicates that a character is input to the undetermined input character buffer 4. In other words, the main controller 1 refers to the value of the buffer pointer 5 to determine whether or not an undetermined character string has been input.

The special function executing section 6 switches the function of each function key F1 to F10 to a special function while an unfixed character string is being input, and corresponds to each function key F1 to F10 from the main control unit 1. In addition to the key code being input, the value of the buffer pointer 5 has also been input, and the special function executing unit 6 refers to the value of the buffer pointer 5 in the same manner as described above to determine whether the undetermined character string has been input. Determine whether. Based on this determination result, the special function executing unit 6 determines that the function keys F1 to F1
The function of 0 is switched to the special function (function related to processing of undetermined character string). At the same time, the special function execution unit 6 changes the read address of the function display character string memory 7 that stores the function names of the function keys F1 to F10 according to the function switching of the function keys F1 to F10.

The function display character string memory 7 stores a character string for displaying the function name corresponding to the function keys F1 to F10. A plurality of function names are assigned to one function key, A character string for displaying the corresponding function name is read according to the read address from the function executing unit 6. The document memory 8 is a text memory for storing a fixed character string, and when the character string data in the unfixed input character buffer 4 is fixed by conversion and other keys, the main controller 1 stores the fixed character string in the document memory 8. Store. The contents of the undetermined input character buffer 4, the function display character string area 7, and the document memory 8 are sent to the display control device 9 and displayed and output from the display device 3.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2A shows that a confirmed character string is input on the first line of the text screen, a cursor is displayed on the left end of the second line, and an unconfirmed character string is input from this cursor position. It is a display state figure. In this case, the function key F1 is displayed at the bottom of the text screen.
The function names are displayed in correspondence with F10 to F10, and the function keys F1 to F10 mainly have functions related to processing of the fixed character string. That is, the function key F1 is "kana reconversion", the function key F2 is "shading", the function key F3 is "underline", the function key F4 is "character size change",
The function key F5 is "ruled line", the function key F6 is "graphic", the function key F7 is "character style", the function key F8 is "equal allocation", the function key F9 is "typeface, color designation", and the function key F10 is " It functions as the key indicated by the function name of "character deletion".

When a character string is input from the key input device 2 in this state, the value of the buffer pointer 5 is updated according to the input character string, and the input character is placed at the address position of the undetermined input character buffer 4 indicated by this pointer value. The columns are written sequentially. Here, the initial value of the buffer pointer 5 designates the start address of the undetermined input character buffer 4, and when the value is updated, the special function executing unit 6 determines that the undetermined input character buffer 4 has not yet been stored in the undetermined input character buffer 4. You can see that the confirmed character string has been entered. In this way, when the special function executing unit 6 determines that the undetermined character string has been input, it switches the functions of the function keys F1 to F10 and changes the function name display.

FIG. 2B shows a display state when an undetermined character string is input to the second line of the text screen, and the function keys F1 to F10 are switched to functions related to the processing of the undetermined character string. That is, the function key F1 is "full-width uppercase letters", the function key F2 is "half-width uppercase letters", the function key F3 is "fullwidth lowercase letters", the function key F4 is "halfwidth lowercase letters", and the function key F5 is "fullwidth leading English letters". "Capital letters", function key F6 is "half leading English capital letters", function key F7 is "double-byte hiragana", function key F
8 is "half-width hiragana", function key F9 is "full-width katakana", function key F10 is "half-width katakana", and the function name corresponds to each function key F1 to F10. It is read from the memory 7 and the function name display is changed. In this state, the function keys F1 to F1
0 functions as shown in FIG. For example, if you enter Kana characters, you can enter “Moji Niryoku”, and if you enter Roman characters, you can enter “MOJINY”.
When the function key F3 is operated for the character string "UURYOKU", the contents of the unconfirmed input character buffer 4 are changed to "mojinyuuryoku", and when the function key F9 is operated, the unconfirmed input character buffer 4 The content of will be changed to "Mojinyuryuk". Here, the operator confirms this result and performs a confirmation operation or the like.

When the character string in the unconfirmed input character buffer 4 is confirmed, the contents of the buffer pointer 5 are initialized and the contents of the unconfirmed input character buffer 4 are transferred to the document memory 8. Like this, the buffer pointer 5
When the value of is initialized, the special function execution unit 6 determines that the undetermined character string does not exist in the undetermined input character buffer 4, switches the function keys F1 to F10 to the normal function, and displays the function name. Also returns to the original state. Figure 2
(C) shows the display state at this time.

As described above, in this embodiment, the function keys F1 to F1 are used only while the unfixed character string is being input.
The function of F10 can be temporarily switched to a function related to processing of an undetermined character string, and the function name display can be changed accordingly. Also, it is not necessary to change the input mode before inputting characters as in the past.
Enter the contents of the undetermined character string you entered with the function key F1.
It is possible to switch by operating F10 to F10. Further, it is possible to omit keys such as “alphanumeric characters”, “hiragana”, “katakana”, and “half-width / full-width”, which conventionally occupy one key. Further, since the special function executing unit 6 determines whether or not there is an undetermined character string by taking in the value of the buffer pointer 5, the determination circuit becomes simple, which is advantageous in terms of hardware.

[0016]

[Second Embodiment] A second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. Although the above-described embodiment is mainly focused on hardware control, this embodiment is designed to be controlled by software, and FIGS. 4 and 5 show the operation of this embodiment. It is a flowchart. FIG. 4 shows the operation of the key input process, and the main controller 1 starts this key input process at regular time intervals. First, a key buffer (not shown) is searched (step A1) to check whether a key code is input (step A2). Here, if no key code is detected, the key input process ends at this point, but if a key code is detected,
Check if it is a character code (Step A
3). When the conversion key, cursor key, function key, or the like is operated, the process moves to the process corresponding to the name function shown in FIG. 5 (step A4), but when a character code is input, it is a hiragana character. It is checked (step A5).

Here, in this embodiment, when the hiragana character is input as a character, it is determined that an unconfirmed character has been input, and the unconfirmed flag is set (step A6). Change the function name of each function key to the function name related to the processing of undetermined character strings (step A
7). It should be noted that such processing (steps A6 and A7) is skipped unless it is a hiragana input. Next, in step A8, it is checked whether or not the unconfirmed flag is set. If the unconfirmed flag is set, the input character string is stored in the unconfirmed input character buffer 4 (step A9) and must be set. For example, the entered character string is the document memory 8
(Step A10). Then, the contents of the unconfirmed input character buffer 4 and the document memory 8 are displayed and output on the text 1 screen to update the display contents (step A11). Such an operation is performed at regular intervals.

Next, each functional process (step A4) will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, as a result of searching the contents of the key buffer, main controller 1 determines the type of operated key such as whether the conversion key has been operated (step B1) or the function key has been operated (step B2). Now, when the function key is operated, it is checked whether or not the unconfirmed flag is set (step B3). If the unconfirmed flag is not set, each function key is set in the same manner as in the first embodiment. It is made to function as a key, and the processing corresponding to the function of the operated function key is executed (step B4). On the other hand, if the unconfirmed flag is set,
Each function key is switched to the function related to the processing of the undetermined character string, and the processing corresponding to the function of the operated function key is executed (step B5).

On the other hand, when the conversion key is operated, the input character string is subjected to conversion processing such as kana-kanji conversion (step B6). Here, when the unconfirmed character string is confirmed, the fact is detected in step B7, and the process proceeds to step B8 to clear the unconfirmed flag and also to step B9.
Then, the function name display changing process for returning the function name of each function key to the normal display content is performed. The present embodiment configured in this way also has the same effects as the first embodiment.

In the above embodiment, each function key is constituted by a push type key, but it may be constituted by a touch type key. In this case, the operability can be improved by stacking the liquid crystal display panels below the transparent touch panel and displaying the function names directly below the keys.

[0021]

According to the present invention, the function of the function key can be changed to the function related to the processing of the unfixed character string only while the unfixed character string is being input.
It is possible to realize a light operating environment, improve operability, and simplify the keyboard because it is not necessary to separately provide a key for changing the input mode.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a document input device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the function of a function key that switches according to the input of an unconfirmed character string, (A) before inputting an unconfirmed character string, (B) during input of an unconfirmed character string,
FIG. 6C is a diagram showing a display state after the unconfirmed character string is confirmed.

FIG. 3 is a diagram specifically showing a function content in which the function of a function key is switched only while an undetermined character string is being input.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the second embodiment.

5 is a flowchart for explaining in detail the functional process (step A4) shown in FIG.

[Description of symbols] 1 main controller 2 key input device 3 display device 4 undetermined input character buffer 5 buffer pointer 6 special function execution unit 7 function display character string memory 8 document memory 9 display control device

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location 7315-5L G06F 15/20 554 A 7315-5L 586 A

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A function display means for displaying a function name corresponding to a function key, a detection means for detecting input of an unfixed character string, and an unfixed character string input by this detecting means. When it is detected, the function switching means for switching the function of the function key to the function for the unconfirmed character string, and the display contents of the function display means when the function of the function key is switched by the function switching means. A document input device comprising: a function display changing unit that changes the function name of a switched function.