JPS62168216A - Input device with input control function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the error checking load of a data processor and also to eliminate a malfunction due to a wrong input, by executing dynamically the designation of a key at the input device side to decide the validity or invalidity of the input. CONSTITUTION:A keyboard device contains an input subject flag 13 which stores a flag to decide the input subject ones or non-input subject ones among those keys on a keyboard unit 15, and an external interface 14 which performs the output of input keys and the input of information on the flag 13 together with a data processor, etc. When a key is pushed, a microprocessor 11 refers to the flag 13 to decide whether the relevant key is used for input or not. If so, the code corresponding to the key position is outputted to the data processor from the interface 14. If not, no code is outputted to the data processor and a buzzer 17 is driven to produce a warning tone. Thus only the key data to be supplied is sent to the data processor and therefore the program quantity is reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to input devices such as keyboards and multi-item input devices used as input means for computers.

(Prior Art) Input devices of data processing devices such as personal computers and minicomputers have keys such as alphabet keys, numeric keys, and special characters, and input numerical data according to the operation of an input program on the data processing device. It is commonly used to input text and character data. At this time, there are cases in which the input program requires only numeric data to be entered, and cases in which only certain character data must be entered, but with conventional keyboards, all keys are ready for input. Therefore, inputting the wrong key often causes the program to malfunction.

In order to avoid this, with the current technology, a program must be added to each input program on the data processing device side to check whether an incorrect key has been input.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) If an attempt is made to check input errors in an input device using a program on the data processing device side, the input program for the data processing device will become large-scale.

The present invention enables dynamic (variable depending on the situation) external designation of keys on the input device as to whether the input is valid or invalid. This aims to reduce the load for error checking of input software of a data processing device, suppress malfunctions caused by erroneous input, and provide an easy-to-use input device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In the present invention, among a plurality of keys on an input device, depending on the state of the input program of the data processing device, there are keys that do not send the information to the data processing device even if pressed. If so, set the range of keys to be sent arbitrarily, and store the latter as the input target range. If an input target key, that is, a key in the input target range, is pressed, the key input process is executed, and if a key that is not the input target key is pressed, a warning sound is generated by a warning means such as a buzzer built into the input device. By generating this, the user is notified that a key that is not the input target has been pressed.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the present invention.

2 is an input means on which a plurality of keys are arranged.

Reference numeral 4 denotes an input object storage means, which sets and stores a range of input object keys among the keys of the input bag M2 according to the job. The range of input target keys in the input target storage means 4 can be rewritten at any time. Reference numeral 6 denotes an input target determining means, which determines whether a key of the input device 2 has been pressed based on the position information of the key obtained when the key is pressed and the range of the input target key set in the input target storage means 4. Recognize whether a key is intended for input. When the pressed key is recognized as an input target by the input target determination means 6, the input processing means 8 executes a key input process based on the key position information, and the pressed key is determined to be an input target. If it is recognized by means 6 that it is not an input target, warning means 1
0 causes a warning sound to be emitted.

(Embodiment) FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a keyboard device.

11 is a microprocessor, which operates according to firmware stored in memory 12. The microprocessor 11 realizes the functions of the input object determining means 6 and the input processing means 8.

A memory 12 stores firmware for the microprocessor 11 and a correspondence table between key positions of the keyboard unit 15 and codes to be output.

Reference numeral 13 denotes an input object flag as the input object storage means 4, which stores a key position and a flag (indicating whether it is an input object or not). The input target flag 13 can be rewritten by the data processing device under the control of the microprocessor 11.

Reference numeral 14 denotes an external interface, which is connected to the data processing device and outputs the code of the input key and inputs the information of the input target flag 13.

A keyboard unit 15 serves as an input means, and sends the position of a pressed key to the microprocessor 11 via a keyboard interface 16.

A buzzer 17 serves as a warning means, and emits a warning sound according to instructions from the microprocessor 11.

Microprocessor 11, memory 12, input target flag 13, external interface 14. Keyboard interface 16 and buzzer 17 are commonly connected to bus 18 .

The operation of the present invention will be compared with a conventional keyboard device.

FIG. 3A shows the case of a conventional keyboard device, in which when a key is pressed, the position of that key is read and codes corresponding to the positions of the keys are sent out for all keys.

On the other hand, FIG. 3(B) shows the operation of the above embodiment. When a key is pressed, the microprocessor 11 refers to the input target flag 13 and determines whether the key is an input target key. If the key is determined to be an input target key, a code corresponding to the position of the key is sent from the external interface 14 to the data processing device. If it is determined that the key is not an input target key, the code corresponding to the position of the key is not sent to the data processing device, and the buzzer 17 is activated to emit a warning sound.

The present invention can be applied not only to the keyboard device of the embodiment but also to a multi-item input device. In that case, specify the input target key and input target page.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, for example, in a job that inputs numerical data, by specifying only numeric keys and decimal point keys as input keys, even if an alphabetic key is pressed by mistake, the Information about the pressing of the alphabetic key is not sent to the data processing device, and the input program of the data processing device can assume that only numeric data is input, so that the amount of programming can be reduced.

Moreover, since a warning sound is immediately emitted when a key that is not the target of input is pressed, the user can immediately recognize that he or she has made an incorrect input.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment, FIG. 3(A) is a flowchart showing the operation of a conventional keyboard device, and FIG. 3(B) is a 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the keyboard device according to the embodiment. 2... Input means, 4... Input target storage means. 6... Input target determination means. 8... Input processing means, 10... Warning means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A plurality of keys arranged on an input means, an input target storage means for arbitrarily setting and storing a range of input target keys among these keys according to a job, and the fact that the key is pressed. an input target determining means for recognizing whether a pressed key is an input target based on key position information obtained by the key position information and a range of input target keys set in the input target storage means; input processing means for performing a key input process based on key position information when the key is recognized as an input target by the input target determining means; An input device comprising a warning means that emits a warning sound when recognized, and having a variable range of input target keys.