JPS6272023A - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To select key arrays freely according to an application without altering a keyboard itself by providing a key array selection part. CONSTITUTION:When key operation D is performed, the position signal E of a key which is operated actually is generated by a contact detecting function constituted integrally with the display part of a key operation part 1 and supplied to an input key code generation part 4. The input key code generation part 4 supplies an output interface part 6 with an input key code G corresponding a key operated to read a key code F out of a key code definition memory 5 on the basis of the input key position signal E and an array kind signal B supplied from the key array selection part 3. The output interface part 6 outputs the input key code G to the outside on the basis of a specific interface agreement. The input key code G is outputted repeatedly through the key operation to enable operation using the JIS array.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a keyboard device for data input used in devices such as personal computers, word processors, and other OA/Fλ workstations.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Considering recent data input/output devices such as personal computers, they have progressed from single functions to multi-functions, and their uses are extremely diverse. However, the data input operation section of these data input/output devices generally has a keyboard using mechanical keys, and has a dedicated key arrangement depending on the application or a general-purpose key arrangement such as a JIS arrangement.

For this reason, the following problems occur when limiting the use to a specific use, or when applying a compound use from a specific use to a general use.

(1) There are a large number of keys that are not actually used, and the keys that are used are scattered in the arrangement, which reduces operability.

(2) Because of the general-purpose layout, special keys are often used, making it difficult to learn how to use them.

(3) Since the arrangement is for a specific purpose, even if you try to expand the usage, there are significant restrictions on the type, number, and layout of the keys.

As mentioned in (1) to (3) above, even if data input/output devices become multifunctional, they are not always compatible with input operations and are still implemented in the same old way. This is the current situation. In order to make full use of the various functions described above, there is a need for an input operation interface that has good operability over a wide range of applications without being specific to specific applications.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard device having wide applicability and good operability.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention provides a key operation unit that detects input of key data by touching each of a plurality of keys displayed on an operation surface, a key layout display pattern of the key operation unit, and a key arrangement display pattern for the key operation unit. Corresponds with a key layout display pattern memory that stores the layout display pattern, a key layout selection section that defines the key layout to be used and selects the key layout to be used depending on the application, and key position information input from the key operation section. an input key code generation section that generates the code to be outputted from the input key code generation section; a key code definition memory that defines the code corresponding to each key on each key array of the input key code generation section; and an output interface section that outputs the input key code to the outside.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the functions of the embodiment. In Fig. 1, 1 is a key operation section, which has a structure that integrates the display surface of the key layout and the operation surface, and allows input by touching a predetermined key on the key layout displayed on the display surface (operation surface). −
Detect.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a key arrangement display pattern memory which provides a display pattern of a predetermined key arrangement to the key operation section 1, and stores display patterns corresponding to each key arrangement. Reference numeral 3 denotes a key layout selection section that determines the key layout to be used at the appropriate time depending on the purpose. 4 is an input key code generation unit that generates an input key code according to the input Φ- detected by the key operation unit, and the input key code on the currently used key arrangement is stored from the key code definition memory in 5. - to extract the key code corresponding to K. Reference numeral 6 denotes an output interface section for outputting the input key code given by the input key code generating section 4 to the outside.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the key operation section 1 shown in FIG. 1.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 is a plasma panel that constitutes the display function of the key operation section. Reference numeral 12 indicates an autocell board that detects key operations. The plasma panel 11 has an X-axis glass substrate 1 on which electrodes are added in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, respectively.
Insulating glass layer & protective layer 1 between 3 and Y-axis glass substrate 14
A gas layer 16 of neon or the like is sandwiched between the gas layers 5 and 5. Gas layer 1 existing at the intersection of the electrode 17 on the X-axis glass substrate 13 and the electrode 18 on the Y-axis glass substrate 14
The 6 cells constitute 19 light emitting cells.

The details of the light emitting principle of the plasma panel can be found in other documents, but the light emitting cell 19 emits light in the following manner.

A discharge sustaining voltage pulse is constantly applied to each electrode on the x- and y-axis glass substrates. K that starts the discharge of the light emitting cell 19 is the X-axis electrode t7 passing through the light emitting cell 19 and the Y thin electrode 18.
The button applies a voltage that does not reach the discharge starting voltage even if it is added to the discharge sustaining voltage pulse alone to the electrode of the light emitting cell 1.
Only 9 reaches the discharge starting voltage, discharge starts, and visible light is emitted. The discharge of the light emitting cell 19 is stopped by applying a pulse narrower in width than the discharge sustaining voltage pulse to reduce the amount of charge on the electrodes.

Figure 3 shows the driving waveform of the plasma panel.
l is the above-mentioned discharge sustaining pulse, P2 is X in Fig. 2,
This is a write pulse applied to the Y electrodes 17,18.

As a result, the light emitting cell 19 starts emitting light.

P3 is an erase pulse applied to the X and Y electrodes 17 and 18 in FIG. 2, and the light emitting cell 19 is erased.

The key operation unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 can display a key arrangement by using a plasma panel as described above and using light emitting cells on the plasma panel as pixels.

The plasma panel is a transparent panel as shown in FIG. 2, and a photocell substrate 12 mounted at the bottom of the plasma panel 11 in FIG. 2 can be transmitted through and reached by an external incident person. When a predetermined key is operated from the key arrangement displayed on the plasma panel, each key operation detection cell on the 7 Otocell board 12 (in FIG. 2, for example, the key operation detection cell 20
)K provides a binary signal during key contact. The operated key position signal E can be obtained by matching the center of gravity of one position obtained from these binary signals with the key arrangement display pattern C shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the terminal device according to this embodiment. 21
1 is a screen for displaying various information, and shows a generally used CRT display section. Reference numeral 22 indicates a plasma keyboard constructed from the plasma panel shown in FIG. % indicates a signal cable between the plasma keyboard 22 and the CRT display section 21. U is a display surface of the key arrangement, and indicates a key operation unit that manually operates the υ key by touching the actually displayed keys.

For example, the key layout displayed on the key operation unit U used as a production control terminal consists of a product type key, good/defective breakdown key, quantity key, etc.
Enables array-based data entry functionality.

The detailed operation of the production control terminal will be explained based on FIG. It is now assumed that the key layout of the key operation section of the terminal has been set by the key layout selection section 3 to a key layout for a production control terminal. At this time, when attempting to execute a data entry function based on the JI8 array, the JIS array (the corresponding array type is selected) and an array selection signal is given to the key array selection section 3.

The sequence selection signal person is decoded by the key sequence selection section 3, and the J
An arrangement type signal B corresponding to the IS arrangement is given to the key operation section 1. The key operation unit 1 reads the layout display pattern C for the JIS layout from the keyboard layout display pattern memory 2 based on the layout type signal B, and switches the display from the currently displayed key layout for the production control terminal to the JI8 layout. A JI8 array appears on the display section (operation section) of the key operation section 1, and key operations are performed by touching the surface of the display section on which the corresponding key is displayed. When a key operation is executed, a contact detection function integrated with the display section of the key operation section 1 generates a position signal E of the actually operated key and provides it to the input key code generation section 4.

The input key code generation section 4 reads out the key code F from the key code definition memory 5 based on the input key position signal B and the arrangement type signal BK given from the key arrangement selection section 3, and generates an input corresponding to the operated key. It is given to the output interface unit 6 as a key code G. The output interface unit 6 outputs the input key code G to the outside based on predetermined interface rules. Operation in the JI8 arrangement is possible from ilK, which repeatedly outputs the input key code G to the outside through key operation. When data entry at the JIS layout pace is finished and operations are to be returned to the normal keyboard layout for production control terminals, the operation can be performed by redoing the layout selection in the keyboard layout selection section 3. In this way, it is possible to freely select the key layout according to the purpose without changing the middle board itself, and the key layout itself can be stored in the display memory, and operability can be reviewed after actual use. It is also possible to change from K.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to have a free key arrangement corresponding to the functions of the data input device, and the operability and expandability are greatly improved.

In addition, it is possible to improve maintainability and reliability, as well as environmental resistance such as dust resistance, and the range of application of data entry equipment can be expanded.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 is a block configuration diagram of a keyboard device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a key operation section according to the embodiment of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram of a plasma panel according to the embodiment of FIG. The pulse waveform diagram in FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the terminal device according to the embodiment of FIG. 1. 1...Key operation unit 2...Key layout display pattern memory 3...Φ-array selection unit 4...Input key code generation unit 5...Key code definition memory 6...Output interface 7 Ace Part A... Array selection signal B... Array type signal C...
Arrangement display pattern D...Key operation E - Input key position signal F...Key code G - Input key code agent Patent attorney Nori Chika Ken Shu Hiroshi Mitsumata Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] A key operation unit that detects input of key data touched by touching each of a plurality of keys displayed on an operation surface, a key layout display pattern of the key operation unit, and a key layout display pattern of these keys. A key layout display pattern memory that stores the key layout, a key layout selection section that defines the key layout to be used and selects the key layout according to the purpose, and a corresponding code based on the key position information input from the key operation section. An input key code generation section to be generated, a key code definition memory that defines codes corresponding to each key on each key array of the input key code generation section, and an input key output from the input key code generation section. - A keyboard device characterized by comprising an output interface unit that outputs a code to the outside.