JPS63177217A - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decrease the wrong input operations by applying the transmissive illumination to the characters with which the inputs are possible with pushes of a shift key to display these characters with emphasis on key tops so that the characters that can presently have input states can be confirmed. CONSTITUTION:One of plural character types is selected with push of a shift key. In the case of input of a KANA (Japanese syllabary) character 'E', for example, a KANA shift key is pushed for selection of the relevant KANA character. Thus an LED 5 is turned on to illuminate the character 'E' shown on a key to 1 set on the LED 5 is illuminated from the rear side of the key top 1. Thus the character 'E' is discriminated from the characters '5' and '%' which are no illuminated by LED 3 and 4. Then a user recognizes the illuminated character 'E' and confirms that the input is presently is possible with the character 'E'. Thus the user can have input of 'E' with push of the relevant character key.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a keyboard device, and more particularly to a method of displaying characters on a keyboard suitable for inputting a plurality of types of characters and symbols such as alphabets and kana.

[Conventional technology]

Conventional devices are used for information processing, VoQ, 23. As shown in Nα6 [Multi-stage shift type input method], all characters that can be entered are displayed on a single character key, and the character on the single character key to be input is selected using the foot pedal or shift key, and then the character key is pressed. You can input the desired characters by operating it. To explain this using FIG. 3, there is a “
Up".

The four characters "rfiJ", "rei", and "hei" are displayed.
For example, to input the character ``normal'', the user depresses the left pedal and operates the character key 30.

In addition, the 1-character key 31 represents one character key on a commonly used JIS keyboard.
After operating the alphanumeric shift key, the \null key 31 can be pressed down.

However, with these keyboards, no consideration has been given to the fact that the user can immediately understand which characters can be inputted among the plurality of characters displayed on the character keys.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

The above-mentioned conventional technology does not give consideration to the point where the user immediately understands which characters can be inputted among the plurality of characters displayed on the character keys. I don't know if I can input the desired character by pressing , so I press the shift key and then the single character key,
There has been a problem in that it is impossible to confirm whether or not the desired characters have been inputted until after viewing the input characters displayed on a display or the like. In other words, even if the user presses the wrong shift key and presses a character key, the user does not know the mistake, but only after the character has been entered and the character appears on the display does the user realize that he or she has pressed the wrong shift key. Ta.

The purpose of this invention is to avoid pressing the shift key by mistake.

The purpose is to enable the user to detect whether the shift key has been pressed incorrectly before pressing the character key.

[Means for solving problems]

The above purpose is to select one of the characters displayed on the character key.
When the corresponding shift key is pressed, only the currently inputtable characters are highlighted using LED transmitted illumination, etc., and the contrast with other characters is changed, or a liquid crystal display is placed over the character key to make input possible. This is achieved by displaying only the characters on the character keys.

[Effect]

The built-in LED in the character key corresponding to each character that can be input lights up in response to the shift key, and the LED that is built in corresponds to the character that can be inputted one by one among the multiple characters displayed on the character key. This allows the user to visually see the characters that are currently available for input, and select the desired character by pressing the shift key. It is possible to know whether or not a character can be entered before pressing the key, thereby preventing erroneous input.Also, by displaying only characters that can be entered on the character keys using the liquid crystal display, erroneous input can also be avoided. do not have.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 shows one character key of the keyboard device according to the present invention. The keyboard has one character key for alphanumeric characters, alphanumeric characters, and kana characters.

It is possible to input four types of characters, kana symbols,
It has a function to specify which character type to input by pressing the shift key corresponding to each alphanumeric character, alphanumeric character, kana, or kana symbol, and then input the desired character by pressing a character key.

Since the overall structure of the keyboard, the method of inputting characters, and the details of the shift key are well known, the 0 character key is omitted here.
It consists of a key top 1 engraved with inputtable characters and a key switch 2, and the key switch 2 further consists of LEDs 3-6 and contacts 10-19. As shown in Figure 1, these character keys are r5J, r%'', and ``engine'' depending on the shift key.
You can enter three types of characters: Furthermore, Fig. 2 shows the internal circuit of the key switch 2, and when the key switch 2 is pressed, contacts 10.15 and 14.19
conducts, and the character code corresponding to key switch 2 is sent to the host device. The mechanism for sending this character code is well known and will not be described in particular.First, for example, when the kana shift key is pressed, the switch 20 closes;
A current flows between the contacts 12 and 11 due to the current limiting resistor R25, and the LED 5 lights up. As a result, the character "ENG" on the key top 1 placed on the LEDS is illuminated and distinguished from other characters.When entering a character using the 6-key keyboard, first press the shift key.

Select one of multiple character types. For example, when entering the kana character ``工'', press the kana shift key and select the kana character. When the kana shift key is pressed, the second
The circuit shown in the figure lights up the LED 5. LED5
When lit, the character "ENG" on the key top 1 placed on the LEDs is illuminated from the back of the key top 1,
Characters r5J, r% not illuminated by LEDs 3 and 4
” and is visually differentiated. The user recognizes the character ``工'' illuminated by this transmitted illumination.

It can be confirmed that the character "ENG" can now be input, after which the user can input one character "ENG" by pressing this character key 0 character [5] and the character r% ”, by pressing the alphanumeric shift key and alphanumeric shift key, the LED3
．． 4 lights up.

As with the character ``工'', you can enter after checking the illuminated character.

According to this embodiment, the characters that can be entered by pressing the shift key are highlighted on the key tops using transmitted illumination, so it is possible to check which characters can be entered at the moment, and there is no possibility of erroneous input. be.

In addition, in this embodiment, by arranging the letters on the back side of the key top 1 and making the upper surface of the key top 1 a semi-transparent synthetic resin, only the letters lit by the LED placed below one letter can be displayed. can be displayed on the character keys. Thereby, the same effect as above can be obtained.

In this embodiment, the display is performed by disposing LEDs on the letter keys, but instead of providing LEDs on all the letter keys, it is also possible to dispose optical fibers on the letter keys to guide light. In addition, a liquid crystal character display device and multiple LEDs are installed.
This can also be achieved by displaying the characters themselves that can be input in the current shift mode on the character keys by placing them on the character keys.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, characters that can be input can be confirmed before pressing a single character key, and then the character key is pressed, thereby reducing erroneous input.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of character keys representing an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an internal circuit diagram of the character keys shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a top view of a conventional character key. 1...Key top, 2...Key switch, 3-6.
...LED, 10-19...Contact, 20-23...
Shift agent Patent attorney Katsuo Koyo'-□/ Figure 1 Kuzu 20 (a)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Multiple types of characters and icons such as alphabets and kana to be input can be stored in one character key at the same time, and which one of the multiple types of characters and icons to select and input can be selected using the shift key. In a keyboard device that makes a selection and then inputs the desired character or symbol using the character keys, among the multiple types of characters or symbols on the character key, the currently input character is A keyboard device characterized by having means for emphatically displaying only possible characters and symbols.