JPH113160A - Keyboard - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a keyboard in a hand side with functions, which are not inferior to a conventional keyboard even when the number of respective keys is a little, by using a miniaturized keyboard having 15 to 20 keys while attaching it on the palm. SOLUTION: An acceleration sensor such as a gyro mechanism 1 is built in a keyboard 10, and this keyboard is used while being attached on the hand. When a target consonant is not assigned, the keyboard 10 is moved, a vector is detected and corresponding to this action, respective key functions are dynamically assigned and changed to 15 to 20 keys 101 and 121 or the like. Thus, the keyboard is provided while having the input function which is not inferior to the conventional keyboard even in the case of a little keys within 20 pieces.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a palm-sized keyboard to be attached to a hand or used in a hand. Although the size of CPUs, recording media, and display devices is small and mobile computers are widespread, it is convenient if the keyboard, which is an input device, is small and can be attached to a palm or can be used in a hand.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Since a conventional keyboard has more than 100 keys, it is impossible to reduce the size to a palm, which has been a bottleneck for downsizing a mobile computer or the like.

Although there is a small numeric input keyboard dedicated to numeric keys with a total number of keys of about 20, there is no consideration for input of kana and alphabets.

[0004]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the present invention, the keyboard is made to be a palm size and can be attached to a hand so as to be optimal as an input device such as a mobile computer.
So that it can be used by holding it in your hand.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems The total number of keys is reduced to about 15 to 20, and a key arrangement suitable for being attached to a hand and used is provided. By dynamically assigning a group including a desired key function to these 15 to 20 keys from among the key functions divided into several groups according to usage frequency,
Even with such a small number of keys, an input function equivalent to that of a conventional full keyboard can be obtained.

[0006] Incidentally, the assignment of key functions is also changed in a conventional keyboard. For example, if you press any key of the alphabet together with the shift key, what was previously entered in uppercase will be entered in lowercase, but this will change the key assignment as soon as the shift key is pressed, Allows two types of input, uppercase and lowercase.

In the present invention, a conventional SHIFT
Instead of pressing a specific key such as a key or a CTRL key to change the assignment of the key function, the assignment of the key function is changed when the keyboard is moved.

The assignment of key functions is dynamically changed according to the amount, direction and speed of the movement vector of the keyboard detected by an acceleration sensor such as a gyro mechanism built in the keyboard.

For example, when the keyboard body is not moved (initial value), a group of frequently used key functions (hereinafter referred to as a frequently used group) is moved to the left, and when the keyboard body is moved to the left side, a key function of medium use frequency is used. A key function group that is rarely used when the group is moved to the right (hereinafter referred to as a medium use frequency group) (hereinafter referred to as a low use frequency group) is assigned to these 15 to 20 keys in group units. .

[0010]

As described above, the gyro mechanism incorporated in the keyboard detects the movement vector of the palm to which the keyboard is attached, and changes the assignment of the key functions corresponding to the movement vector. However, as with the conventional full keyboard, more than 100 types of key inputs can be obtained.

[0011]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is a key arrangement suitable for use by attaching the keyboard body 10 to the palm 30 and comprises 17 keys.
This is attached to the palm 30 with the fixing belt 20 and used.

The gyro mechanism 1 is built in the keyboard body 10, and the movement of the hand to which the keyboard body 10 is attached is detected by the gyro mechanism 1. Then, the assignment of key functions to 17 keys is dynamically changed according to the movement vector. The detection mechanism for detecting hand movement may be an acceleration sensor using a moment of inertia.

The key 101 is a key for changing the Japanese input mode. Each time this key is pressed, the Japanese Roman character input mode and the Kana Japanese input change alternately.

Now, an example in which Japanese is input in the Japanese Roman character input mode will be described in detail. Immediately after the Japanese romaji input mode is entered, nine consonant keys and five vowels, which are high-use frequency groups, are assigned keys (hereinafter, this state is referred to as initial assignment). In this key assignment state, as shown in FIG.
, G of “Ga row” is key 113, S of “Sa row” is key 112, T of “Ta row” is key 121, and D of “Da row” is D.
Is the key 114, N of the “line” is the key 123, H of the “line” is the key 122, and R of the “line” is the key 111.
In addition, Y of “Ya row” is on the key 124, A of “A”, which is a vowel, is on the key 131, and I of “I” is on the key 13.
2, U of "U" is key 133, E of "E" is key 1
The key “41” is assigned to the key 142 and the key “0” is assigned to the key 142.

The input mode conversion key is a key
The IFT key is key 102 and the ENTER key is key 14.
3, the three keys are always fixedly assigned irrespective of the frequency of use.

These keys are keys 101 to 10
2 is a thumb, keys 111 to 114 are index fingers, and key 1
21 to 125 are middle fingers, keys 131 to 133 are medicine fingers, and keys 141 to 143 are child fingers, which are arranged at positions suitable for pressing. This key arrangement is such that the finger is easy to move, that is, an arrangement in which ergonomics are taken into consideration, so that the key input operation is easy to perform.

This initial assignment covers most of the consonant input in Japanese Roman alphabet input. If the target consonant key is not assigned to this,
By moving the keyboard body 10, the key assignment is changed.

For example, if you want to enter “ba line”,
By moving the keyboard body 10 to the right side, the assignment is changed to nine consonant keys, which are medium use frequency groups.
As shown in FIG. 4, the allocation state of the consonant keys of this low use frequency group is as follows:
Is the key 114, Z in the row is the key 112, W in the row is the key 121, and P in the row is the key 124.
In addition, F of “Fu row” is assigned to key 113, J of “Ja row” is assigned to key 122, “U「 row ”is assigned to key 111, and L for inputting“ small characters ”is assigned to key 125, respectively. Can be

To perform key functions such as ESC, delete, insert, and tab, which are key functions other than these character input keys, and key assignment such as numeric input, the keyboard body 10 is moved to the left. FIG. 5 shows this allocation state. Further, by moving in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction, special function keys such as function keys and GRPH keys and key functions of many other low-frequency groups are allocated.

In this way, by dynamically changing the assignment of more than 100 key functions to the 17 keys in group units, it is possible to obtain a key input function equivalent to that of a conventional keyboard.

By the way, vectors when the keyboard is moved are accumulated. For example, when the keyboard body 10 is largely moved to the left in a state where the special keys are assigned, consonant keys of a low use frequency group are assigned. That is, larger (or faster)
One rotation is equivalent to two normal rotations.

Further, in order to inform the keyboard operator of the current state of key assignment, if the assignment state is displayed at one corner on the display or a sound wave corresponding to the assignment state is emitted, it becomes easier to use.

FIG. 6 shows an example in which the present invention is used as a keyboard instrument. The keyboard body 40 has one octave key 4
01 to 407. The keyboard body 40 is attached to the palm 30 with the fixing belt 20 for use.

Gyro mechanism 1 built in keyboard body 40
Then, the movement of the keyboard body 40 is detected, and the key assignment is changed in octave units in the same manner as described above.

When moving to the right, 1
Assigns an octave higher scale, and moves it to the left by 1
Assign an octave lower scale.

Thus, a multi-tone scale can be expressed in spite of a keyboard having only six keys. Practically, by having a key of about two octaves, it is possible to obtain a performance comparable to that of a conventional keyboard instrument.

The third and fourth aspects of the present invention will be described. The gyro mechanisms 5 to 9 and the keyboards 15 to 19, which are independent for each finger, are fixed to each finger with ring-shaped fixing tools 25 to 29, and the key assignment according to the movement of each finger is the same as described above. Do with.

Each finger is connected by an inter-finger bridge 60, which is made of a flexible material.
The loose connection allows each finger to move freely. As a result, an ultra-light input device that can be attached to each finger can be realized.

FIG. 10 shows an example in which the present invention is used in a hand. The thumb is fixed with the thumb fixing ring 70, and the keyboard body 10 is gripped and used.

[0030]

By using the present invention as a computer keyboard, a mobile computer with a palm-sized keyboard can be realized. Also, when the operation keys of the keyboard are used, key input can be performed more quickly than before.

If the present invention is used as a musical instrument keyboard,
It is possible to realize a keyboard instrument that is small and can be enjoyed by simple keyboard operations.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 attached to the palm

FIG. 3 is a diagram in which frequently used consonant keys are assigned.

FIG. 4 is a diagram in which consonant keys of low use frequency are assigned.

FIG. 5 is a diagram in which keys other than character input keys are assigned.

FIG. 6 is a diagram in which the present invention is applied to a keyboard instrument.

FIG. 7 shows a keyboard instrument of the present invention attached to a palm.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of claims 3 and 4;

FIG. 9 is a view in which claims 3 and 4 are attached to each finger.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of an example of using the present invention in a hand.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Gyro mechanism 10 Keyboard body 101-143 Keys used in the present invention 20 Fixed belt 30 Palm 35-39 Each finger 40 Instrument body of the present invention 401-413 Keyboard of musical instrument 5-9 Gyro mechanism for each finger 15-19 Keyboard for each finger 25-29 Blitch between fingers 60 Bridge between fingers 70 Thumb fixing ring

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A keyboard having an acceleration sensor, wherein a movement vector when the keyboard is moved is detected by the acceleration sensor, and a key assignment corresponding thereto is dynamically changed. 2. The keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising a gyro mechanism. 3. The keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising a keyboard and an acceleration sensor for each finger. 4. The keyboard according to claim 3, further comprising a gyro mechanism.