JPS61150023A - Key inputting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize many kinds of keyboards by one keyboard by providing a RAM storing a character pattern data displayed on a key top and a RAM storing code corresponding to the said character. CONSTITUTION:The user stores a character pattern, e.g., a character A in an item corresponding to the key 1 of a table 4 and stores the code of the character A to an item corresponding to the key 1 of a table 3. Thus, the character A is displayed on the key top 2 of the key 1 and when the user depresses the key 1, a switch 6 is conductive, the code of character A is selected from the table 3 and outputted to a computer 9. Further, in storing a KANJI (Chinese character) in the item corresponding to the key 1 of the table 4 and storing the code of the KANJI in the item of the table 3 corresponding to the key 1, the KANJI is displayed to the key top 2 of the key 1 and the corresponding code is outputted to the computer 9 by depressing the key 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a key input device such as a keyboard used as an input device for a computer, a graphic display, etc.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 2, the key top 2 of the key 1 has a
Two or more fixed characters or special characters are printed, and the user uses the shift key 6 etc. to select the characters on the key top and recognize which key is currently valid. I needed to enter it. When key 1 is pressed by the user, switch 5 becomes conductive and detection circuit 4
1 is pressed. Based on that information,
The code generation circuit 8 sends the fixed code to the computer °l,
Friends who display the code on C'RT etc.

In addition, in the keyboard shown in Fig. 8, there are keys such as function key 1 that the user can use freely to a certain extent, but the code itself is fixed for each key, and the code content is ORT. displayed at the bottom of n
It is common that

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention 9) As described above, in the conventional keyboard or key input device, the user can input the code corresponding to any character, figure, etc. key, the arrangement of the keys in the keyboard, etc. It is not possible to set it freely. Also, it is impossible to share alphanumeric characters, katakana keyboard, function keyboard, etc. on one keyboard.
This has the disadvantage that the user cannot visually determine which key is currently valid among the lowercase and katakana keys.

(Rounding Means to Solve the Problem) In view of the above points, the present invention has a display part attached to the key top of the n keys used in a keyboard etc. to form one key, and a figure to be displayed. It is equipped with a random access memory (hereinafter referred to as RAM) used for a ninth key display table that stores character patterns, and a RAM used for a code table that stores graphics and character codes.

(Function) In the n7t keyboard, etc. configured as described above, pattern data of figures or characters to be displayed on the key tops is stored in the RAM of the key display table when the computer is started or at any other time. By storing the code corresponding to the figure or character in the RAM of the code table, the display pattern data can be displayed. When the user presses the key that is pressed, the code data in the code table corresponding to the hole key is output from the device.
It is something.

(Example> The present invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

According to the configuration of the present invention, when the system t-starts,
The rL nine capital letter figure code stored in the external computer is set in advance via the control circuit 8, and the rL tacode is input into the key display table 4. Furthermore, the display drive circuit 5 inputs the n7 code provided on the key top. Set the key arrangement to be displayed on the display section and used in normal conditions.

Next, a case will be described in which the key top 2 in the keyboard is changed to, for example, the English letter rAJt minus the kanji character "A", and "A" is displayed on the fc display section provided at the key top.

At any time set by the user, the code for the character "A" is stored from the calculator 9 in the item corresponding to the key l in the code table 3, and the character pattern for the character "1 person" is stored in the key display table 4. Store in the item corresponding to key 1. The items corresponding to key 1 in both tables are in one-to-one correspondence as shown in FIG. In the case of Fig. 4, the hexadecimal number 41 is stored in the code table item (of the letter "A") corresponding to key 1 if ASCII code is used as an example. The table items store the dot patterns of the letter "A" and "Tomo" and "A". In this example, the kanji code is also supported, and the code table is composed of 2 bytes. This is because the kanji code is defined as 2 bytes in the J Engineering S standard. It is. If it only has a 1-byte code, such as the character "mu", 0041
(Hexadecimal number), the control circuit 8 ignores 0Ot-, and outputs only 41 to the computer 9. In this way, when the 9 codes corresponding to all the keys have been stored in the key display table, the display section The drive circuit 5 refers to the key display table 4 and, to explain only the key IK, displays the letter rAl on the key top 2. When the user presses the key 1t- in this state, the switch 6 becomes conductive and the detection circuit 7, it is recognized that key 1 is pressed n9.From this recognition result, the code corresponding to key 1, in this case the ASCII code 0041 (hexadecimal number n) of the letter "A" is selected from the code table 8 and the n1 control It is outputted to the computer 9 via the circuit 8t- except for 0O1-.

In addition, the kanji character "A" is displayed on key top 2, and key 1
The setting method for outputting the code for the kanji character "A" to the computer 9 when is pressed is the same as the setting method for the character "A". The kanji code for the kanji "A" is stored from the computer 9 in the item corresponding to key 1 of the code table 3, and the pattern of the kanji "A" is stored in the item corresponding to key 1 of the key display table 4. This is a series of procedures to be stored inside.

As a result of these operations, last time, key top 2 was set to “
Key 1, which was outputting the code for the character ``A'', displayed the kanji ``A'', and when key 1 was pressed and n7 was pressed, the code for the kanji ``A'' was output to the computer 9. Output. It goes without saying that other keys can be changed to other character codes through the above steps.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above explanation, the present invention makes it possible to realize many types of keyboards with one keyboard or key input device. It can have the same function as t1.
By displaying only the currently valid keys, it is possible to prevent the user from erroneous operation. Any shape, character, or
Character strings, etc. can also be input using this input device, and the code can be freely set.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a variable display key input device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional keyboard, FIG. 8 is an overview diagram of a conventional keyboard, and FIG.
It is a block diagram of the table in this invention. 1. Key 200 display section 80. Code table 40. Key display table 560 Display drive circuit 61. Switch 71. Detection circuit 81. Control circuit 90. More than a calculator

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a key input device consisting of a key input detection circuit, a code generation circuit, a switch, and a key, in order to enable the code generation circuit to be rewritten, a random access memory for a code table is provided, and a key display table is provided. A key input device characterized in that a random access memory is provided in the key display table, and patterns of characters, character strings, and figures corresponding to the code table can be arbitrarily displayed by the random access memory of the key display table. (2) Display data in the key display table can be displayed on a key provided with a display section in a key input device by using a display drive circuit. Key input device as described.