JPS5822437A - Keyboard input system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To discriminate output character type numbers by the display of the number of times of successive keying, and to speed keying, by outputting codes which differ according to the combinations of successive keying of the same shift key and keying on a character and symbol input keyboard. CONSTITUTION:A keyboard 1 is provided with character input keys 10, sheet shift keys 11, and a keyboard encoder 12. A keying result encoded by the encoder 12 is inputted to a shift code detection part 20 and an output code table address generation part 40; the detecting part 20 detects a shift code and a shift frequency counter 21 counts the frequency of the generation of the shift code to display the frequency on a shift frequency display part 22 while inputting it to the generation part 40. This generation part 40 generates a different output code table address by the outputs of the encoder 12 and counter 21 to supply the address to an output code table 5. Then, uppercase alphabet, lowercase alphabet, ''katakana'' (square form of Japanese syllabary), or ''hiragana'' (cursive form of Japanese syllabary) type number codes are selected and outputted to a code output part 6 to discriminate output character type numbers, thus speeding keying operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a keyboard input method, and particularly to a keyboard input method used in word processors, personal computers, and the like.

In Japan, the characters FC# are generally used in keyboard devices.
There are approximately 155 types of characters including numbers, alphabets, kanji, hiragana, katakana, and ashi, including kanji. This tf
:If you add the 35 types of symbols according to JIf9 regulations, the number reaches about 190 types. On the other hand, there is a limit to the number of keys, and the number of keys in the so-called home position system, in which the operator can blindly hit the keys using the fingers of both hands, is only 30 with both hands, with three finger rests on each finger. It is said that there is no. Therefore, frequently used characters and symbols (
(hereinafter referred to as letters), and two or more types of letters are assigned to each keyboard and arranged. K naturally requires a shift key in order to select the characters for each of these keyboards. In addition, the types of shift keys are ``1 digit'', ``uppercase letter'', ``lowercase letter''
, 'Kanji 1. ``Plate name''.

Many types may be required, such as ``1 board name'', ``abbreviation 1'', ``proper noun'', % sign'', etc.In addition, the keyboard device has more than 10 functions such as ``space'', ``line feed'', etc. Key required. Various efforts have been made to reduce the arrangement of shift keys and function keys and the number of keyboards, taking into account ease of memorization by the operator and ease of operation.

From this point of view, the following two examples can be considered as conventional methods of operating the shift key. The first example is the operation method seen in the shift key for English letters.You can select an English capital letter by pressing the Shift key 1 capital letter while pressing the alphabet key, and select the alphabet keyboard without pressing the Shift key 1 capital letter. You can either press a key to select a lowercase letter, or instead of the shift key, use a function key that has nothing to do with English letters to specify uppercase or lowercase letters, then press the alphabet keys to select uppercase or lowercase letters. This is the way to do it. However, in this first example, the former is inconvenient for the operator to operate the keyboard, and the latter is inconvenient for the operator to memorize the function keys for the shift key and perform key stirrup operations. Next, the second example is a method of using a keyboard with a two-stage operation structure for the shift key, that is, by providing a switch corresponding to the shallow keystroke position and deep keystroke position of one shift key, for example, the shift key 1
This is a method of selecting lowercase letters and uppercase letters, respectively, by pressing keys on the alphabet keyboard after pressing the alphabet keys shallowly or deeply.However, in this second example, the structure of the shift key is complicated and the keyboard is expensive. It had the disadvantage of becoming

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, and to provide a keyboard input method using shift keys that is convenient for keyboard operations, such as making it easy for the operator to memorize the keyboard arrangement, and not disturbing the rhythm and speed of keystrokes, and which is inexpensive. Our goal is to provide the following.

The keyboard input method of the present invention is a keyboard device including a character/symbol input keyboard and a shift key, and is provided with a keystroke counter for the shift key, the keystroke counter counts the number of consecutive keystrokes of the same shift key, and its output and It is characterized by having a function of generating different codes depending on the combination with the output from the keystrokes of the character/symbol input keyboard. Further, the shift key is characterized in that it is provided with means for displaying the number of consecutive key presses.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 are logic circuit block diagrams of first and second embodiments of the keyboard input method of the present invention, respectively.

In FIG. 1, a keyboard 1 includes a character input key 10, a shift key 11, and a keyboard encoder 12.

The keyboard encoder 12 is a character manual key 10. shift key 1
10 keystroke results are encoded and the keyboard encoder output 13 is input to the shift code detection section 20 and the output code table address generation section 40.

A shift code detection unit 20 detects a shift code from the keyboard encoder output 13 and transfers it to a shift number counter 21.
Enter. The shift number counter 21 counts the number of the shift codes (the number of consecutive key presses one or more times), and inputs the shift number counter output 30 to the output code table address generator 40 exclusively for the 4-tone output, as well as to the shift number display section. 22 and display the number of shifts by, for example, lighting a lamp. The output code table address generation section 40 generates an output code table address from the keyboard encoder output 13 and the shift number counter output 30, and sends this to the output code table 5. Here, the output code table 5 contains four types of characters, such as uppercase letters,
9 lowercase English letters board name and hiragana character code 50, 51
．． 52 and 53, and the number of shifts of the shift key 11 is 0゜1.2.3, respectively.
It corresponds to ゜51.52.53. The output code table 5 includes the four character codes 50, 51.52°53.
The character code specified by the output code table address is selected from among them and outputted to the code output section 6.

Next, the shift key operation in this embodiment will be explained. Input character selection using the shift key 11 progresses as shown in the example shown in Table 1.

Table 1 In the same table, the character structure ``large'', ``9'', and ``hira'' are uppercase letters, 1 lowercase letter, 1 katakana, and the symbol of the flat name, and the shift key operation column ■, ■■, ■■■, ■■■■ Shift key 1101 times and 2 times, respectively.

3 consecutive key presses, 4 consecutive key presses, and 0.1.2.3 in the shift count display column represent the display on the shift count display section 22 after the above-mentioned shift key operation. That is, when the shift count display is Ot 1 t 2 t 3, uppercase English letters, 9 lowercase English letters, 9 katakana characters, and flat names are input, respectively. In the first line, the shift count display is 0 and an uppercase letter is input, then when ■ is performed, the shift count display is 1 and a lowercase English letter is input, and each time ■ is performed, the count display is 2.3. 0 and each katakana.

Hiragana and uppercase letters are input. Since the second and subsequent lines have similar transitions, the explanation will be omitted.

Therefore, the shift key operation when outputting ``Apple is called Apple'' is the symbol key ``Apple'' is the shift key operation for AKA/Tomorrow -@-■■-■■■-@-Shift count display 01323.

Next, in Figure 2, there are two shift keys A14 on keyboard 1.
and B15 to select from these two symbols. Components corresponding to the above-mentioned jll embodiment are given the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1. The keyboard encoder 12 is a character manual key 10. Shift key A14
．． The keystroke result of B15 is encoded and a keyboard encoder output 13 is output. The shift code A detection section 23 detects the shift code A from the keyboard encoder output 13, causes the shift person number counter 24 to count the number of shift code A, and inputs the shift B number counter clear 16 to the shift B number counter 27. Return this to 0.

The shift person number counter 24 inputs the shift person number counter output 31 to the output code table address generation section 41 and displays the shift) A number on the shift) A number display section 25.

In addition, the shift code B detection section 26 outputs the keyboard encoder output 1.
77) Detects the shift code B from 3 to 77, causes the shift B number counter 27 to count the number of shift code B, and 77) inputs the shift person number counter clear 17 to the A number counter 24 to return it to zero. The shift) B number counter 27 inputs the shift B number counter output 32 to the output code table address generation section 41 and displays the shift B number on the shift B number display section 28.

Next, the output code table address generator 41 outputs the keyboard encoder output 13 and the shift person counter output 31.
or shift) When an output code table address is generated from the B number of caranta outputs 32 and sent to the output code table 5, the output code table 5 will contain the four types of character code 50.
, 51, 52, and 53, the character code specified by the output code table address is selected and output to the code output section 6. In addition, shift keys A14 and B15
The correspondence between the number of shifts 0.1.2 of the shift key A14 and the four types of characters is that the number of shifts 0.1.2 of the shift key A14 is inactive, uppercase letters, and lowercase letters, respectively, and the number of shifts 0.1.2 of the shift key B15 is 0.1.2. 1 and 2 correspond to the inactive 2 katakana and flat names, respectively.

Next, the shift key operation in this embodiment will be explained. Input character selection using the shift keys Al 4 and Bl 5 progresses as shown in the example shown in Table 2.

Table 2 (Continued) In the same table, the large and small 9 pieces in the character column and the flat name are uppercase letters, 9 lowercase letters in katakana, and the letters of the flat name, and 0 in the shift key operation column. ■；■、■■ are respectively shift keys A1
4: Press the B15 key once, press the key twice continuously, and then shift)
A number of times display; 0.1.2 in the shift B number of times display column are respectively the above-mentioned site key 14. Shift)A number display section 25 after B15 operation; Display of shift)B number display section 2B.

The reading of this table is based on the reading of Table 1, so the explanation will be omitted. As is clear from this table, the shift key operation when outputting "App-1c is called Apple" is the letter key.Apple Fi pull shift key operation - @ - chant ■ - ■ - ■ - Shift A count display 1 2 ．． 0 0 0 shift) B count display 00 212.

This embodiment does not use a shift key with a complicated structure such as two-stage operation, which is different from the conventional method, so that an inexpensive keyboard device can be obtained.

In this embodiment, the number of shift keys is up to two types @, and the number of consecutive keystrokes of the same shift key is up to four times, but the present invention is not limited to this. In addition, the number of shifts is displayed by lighting a lamp, etc., but it may also be displayed by the type of selected character, such as large, small 9 pieces, flat, etc., and/or a circuit that emits a different audible sound depending on the number of consecutive key presses. may be provided.

Furthermore, the various functions of the shift key are realized by electrical means.
However, mechanical means may also be used.

As explained above, according to the keyboard input method of the present invention, the operator can output different codes depending on the combination of continuous keystrokes of the same shift key and keystrokes of the character/symbol input keyboard, and the operator can output different codes depending on the combination of continuous keystrokes of the same shift key and keystrokes of the character/symbol input keyboard. Since output characters can be identified by displaying the number of times, it is extremely easy to memorize the keyboard layout and operation method, and it also has the effect of improving operability by speeding up keystrokes without disturbing the rhythm of keystrokes. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are logic circuit block diagrams of a second embodiment of the keyboard input method of the present invention, respectively. l...Keyboard, 1G...Character key-1
11,14゜15...Shift key, 12-...
... Keyboard encoder, 13 ... Keyboard encoder output, 16.17 ... Shift number counter clear, 2G, 23.26 - ... Shift code detection section, 21, 24 , 27-...Shift number counter, 22, 25.28......Shift number display section, 3
0, 31.32...Shift number counter output,
40.41---Output code table address generation section, 5---Output code table %5゜...
...English uppercase letter code, 51...--English lowercase letter code, 52...Katakana letter code, 53
−−−−−・Flat name code, 6... Code output section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A keyboard device including a character/symbol input keyboard and a shift key, which is provided with a kakunta for the number of keystrokes of the shift key, and a wrinkled keystroke counter counts the number of consecutive keystrokes of the same shift key, and outputs the number of keystrokes of the same shift key. A keyboard input method characterized by having a function of generating different chords depending on the combination with output from keystrokes. (2. The keyboard input method according to claim (1), wherein the shift key is provided with means for displaying the number of consecutive keystrokes.