JPS63502306A - Keyboard with manual control keys combined with display system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Keyboard with manual control keys combined with display system The present invention relates to the design concept and structure of a keyboard, and this terminology applies to a variety of different machines. Includes all types of keyboards you may wish to use for manual control of keyboards on office machines, especially typewriters or Typical examples include, but are not limited to, computer peripheral keyboards. This is an example of a keyboard.

In this field, the present invention provides two different operating modes in one and the same device, i.e. allows the operating mode of conventional keyboard mechanical keys, and finger touch control. combined with a tactile screen operating mode, thereby making keyboard applications more The main idea is to increase the flexibility of their operation.

One of the results of the invention is that the mechanical keys of conventional keyboard users are accustomed to Actually saves the reaction, and still keys from one use to another micro to allow redefinition of the board and visual interaction with the user. It is to utilize the functions of the processor.

The keyboard according to the invention mechanically operates by downward thrust under finger pressure of the user. A row of parallel bars that can be moved and a tactile electric control screen on the surface of said bars. The luminescent display system that makes up the surface and the selection according to at least the pressed bar. Circuit for generating control orders from selected bar data and key data and a screen spaced along each bar or some of the bars. electronic means for assigning specific key functions to the zone; Visual indication of each key function in the corresponding screen zone through the stem and means for controlling said finger contact position pressing the bar on the screen zone locating means for detecting the selected key, and the selected key; and means for generating said key data as a function of a corresponding key function. Manual control combined with display system, characterized by A keyboard with keys.

Preferably, the keyboard is configured such that the positioning means and means for controlling said display system. The positioning means Advantageously, the Y coordinate of the selected key according to the pressed bar and the touched stroke comprising means for determining the X coordinate of the selected key according to the clean zone; .

In practice, a positioning means combining a tactile screen and the use of key data Regarding the design concept, it was published on December 21, 1983 under the name of Paolo and Perisotuari. French Patent Application No. 11h 8320480 and December 9, 1983 Reference may be made to the description of the same It 8319466 filed on 1996. but However, certain specific examples constituting the subject matter of these patent applications are preferable and therefore may not be used. However, they are not absolutely necessary for the practical application of the invention. screen The position of the user's finger on this screen to control the visual display above. and to control actuation as a function of the sensed position. There are other structures known and commercially available.

For this purpose, it is possible, for example, to use tactile screen systems that operate by capacitive effects. Both are possible.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, each movable bar has a plurality of keys held on the same bar. An electrical device designed to detect the specific key touched when the bar is activated from inside the bar. a transparent top plate with a positioning circuit and located below the plate; A visual display device is included in the rigid assembly.

A support for the assembly is associated on the one hand with a detection circuit of the plate, and On the other hand, multiplexing and and pre-processing circuits such as demultiplexing circuits.

A detailed description of the specific form of the invention will be provided to allow for a clear understanding of the essential features and benefits of the invention. However, this form of specific example has been chosen as an illustration; It should be understood that they are not given as limitations. This explanation is attached to the diagram shown on the surface.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the keyboard of the described embodiment, viewed from the outside.

FIG. 2 illustrates the bar removed from this keyboard.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a keyboard illustrating the mechanical parts of the features of the invention; be.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bar illustrating the top of the screen.

FIG. 5 is another cross-sectional view of the bar, particularly illustrating the electronic portions of the features of the present invention. Ru.

According to FIG. 1, the elements visible from the outside of the keyboard according to the invention For example, the frame 1 can be configured in the same W3 manner as a typewriter. , comprising a row of parallel bars 2. In the configuration used, bar 2 is horizontal. , arranged from left to right, and arranged in direction Y.

On the keyboard, bar 2 operates in the same manner as the keys on a mechanical keyboard; They move vertically downward under the user's finger pressure.

For this they connect them at both ends to a stationary support 6 inside the frame. is mounted movably through the cover 4 of the frame by a lever 5 for the Figure 3).

On the support 6, a keyboard is transmitted to the external equipment unit to be controlled. An electronic circuit 7 is provided for generating control orders containing items. The external unit is , a computer system in which the keyboard of the present invention constitutes a peripheral device unit. Printers, video monitors and magnetic data recording units operated via a central unit. It can be used to make knits, etc.

between the stands 8 and 9 fixed below each bar 2 and on the support 6, respectively; The device for establishing electrical contact detects the downward movement of the bar and the corresponding bar – allows data to be transmitted to electronic circuits. These data are specific to each bar. Represents being pressed or not pressed in a different manner, and thus Characterize the Y coordinate along the actuated bar. bar in their mechanical response If the effective movement of the A sound can be generated that requires the clicking of keys on a board.

On the other hand, these latter inertias are not present in the bars of the keyboard of the present invention; configuring a plurality of control keys spaced apart along the X-axis in each case. can. This is a tactile screen luminescent display, an example of which configuration will be described later. system, but it should be understood that it can be of any type. It is possible. However, this type of system requires only small overall dimensions. and preferably the now known capacitive effect control screen or December 2, 1983 On the 1st, an application was filed in the name of Paolo and Verifiari for ``Graph Ink Information Display''. The derivation described in the French patent IJ1m 8320480 entitled “Table of This is the case with conductive transparent plate systems.

With particular reference to Figures 4 and 5, English or alphanumeric characters, excluding the spacer bar, Each bar of the character keyboard has a transparent detection plate 11 on its top and a transparent detection plate 11 below it. A base plate 12 is provided, and these two plates are connected to two side plates 13. Therefore, they are interconnected.

The visual display device that determines the luminous display is located under top play) 11. It is formed. For example, it is a liquid crystal type.

The bar is finally in the form of a printed circuit fixed to the base plate 12 at 14. Contains part of electronic signal processing circuitry. These circuits are particularly Data regarding the position of the touched key and obtained from the sensing function of the plate 11 and the data generated by the external circuit and transmitted to the visual display device. Multiplexing circuits and demultiplexing circuits that handle display control orders Contains sing circuit.

In particular, FIG. 4 shows that plate 11 is provided with two series of conductors in parallel on its top surface. can be seen. The conductors of the first series 15 and the second series 16 are attached to the bar. close to each other at the axis of the bar at evenly spaced positions along the represents the corresponding number of detections and placement points sensitive to finger touch, which is ensure electrical conduction between the conductors of the conductor. However, in preferred embodiments of the invention , the sensing and placement points on the bar are in direct contact with the user's fingers on the top glass. Not sensitive to touch and sensitive to capacitive effects of the top tactile screen .

This tactile screen device, which operates by capacitive effects, uses the frequent contact of fingers with these conductors. This has the advantage of avoiding oxidation of the electrical conductors 15,16 caused by rough contact.

Devices of this type of design operate by capacitive effect and are placed at the top of the bar. A tactile screen 26 is provided. The user's finger 27 touches this tactile screen 26. When pressed lightly, this downward movement of the screen allows detection and positioning of the key. accompanied by a change in capacitance.

The resulting signal thus represents the X-axis position of the touched key on the actuated bar. . This information is provided by a conductive strip interposed between plates 11 and 12 along one side of the bar. 17 to the circuit 14. This piece runs vertically from one plate to the other. is selectively conductive to the conductors of plate 11 and thus the base plate. 12 is disposed on one side of the plate 110 between the conductive deposit 18 formed on the plate 12. Ensure the connection by conductive deposits formed in the recesses. placed at the end of the bar deposits 19 for the first series 15 of the conductors and others for the first series 15 of the conductors. Reserved for Series 16 of 2.

This design overall maintains the transparency of plate 11 necessary for display function. Ru.

The liquid crystal of a visual display device is meant to be transparent, at least on the top plate. It is placed between the two glass plates 21 and 22 shown in the figure. These plates are , at the coincidence point between the two series of conductors selected by the display control order. and a conductive deposit that controls the light-emitting display. visual display equipment and The electrical connection between the circuits 14 is made using the same type of strip 17 located on the other side of the bar. It is established through the intermediate conductor deposited on the plate 18 by the piece 23.

A cable or flexible conductor 24 of a known type provides a useful connection with an external electronic circuit 7. I will provide a. Design of multiplexing and demultiplexing circuit 14 As in within the force range. Among other things, specific functions can be applied to the screen zones divided along each bar. The zone must be assigned a system, but related to each key function in the corresponding screen zone. The selected visual display is controlled by the display system. Since key data is generated not only as a function of the key but also as a function of the corresponding key function, any Specified for functions whose definitions can be changed at will. For this reason, the display The relay system can be used to visualize command orders or when certain functions are Individual information regarding predetermined activation by indicating which function was activated By making the symbolic representation of the function assigned to the key appear under the finger, the keyboard Provide highly useful information to users of the code.

The invention lies in the particular features defined above or selected to illustrate the invention. The invention is of course not limited to specific specific details. thereby departing from the scope of the invention. Instead, various modifications may be made to the specific structure and its constituent elements described for illustrative purposes. can be added. For this reason, the present invention includes all the means constituting technical equivalents of the described means. It includes all means and combinations thereof.

FIG-5 international search report m″mmA6□0″PCT/FR8S100324

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. Can be moved mechanically by downward thrust under the pressure of the user's fingers a row of parallel bars with a tactile electronic control screen forming the top of said bars; Display system and selected bird date according to at least pressed bar and a circuit for generating control orders from key data, each bar or to screen zones spaced along at least some bars electronic means for assigning specific key functions and through said display system. to control the visual display associated with each key function in the same corresponding screen zone. selected according to the means and the contact position of the finger pressing the bar on said screen zone positioning means for detecting the key, and of and corresponding to the selected key; comprising means for generating said key data as a function of a key function; Has a manual control key combined with a display system featuring keyboard. 2. Display system by means of positioning as a function of the selected key The keyboard of clause 1, comprising means for controlling. 3. The positioning means determines the Y coordinate of the selected key according to the pressed bar, and means for determining the X coordinate of said selected key according to the touched screen zone; The second term keyboard provided. 4. Each movable bar consists of multiple movable bars held on the same bar within a rigid assembly. Detects the specific key touched when the bar is activated from among the keys by capacitive effect a transparent top tactile screen (26) and a tactile screen located below said plate; A keyboard according to clause 3, comprising a visual display device (25). 5. Each movable bar consists of multiple movable bars held on the same bar within a rigid assembly. Designed to detect the specific key that was touched when the bar was activated from among the keys. a transparent top plate (11) with electrical positioning circuits (15, 16); and a visual display device (25) located below said plate. Keyboard of 3 terms. 6. Each bar connects the detection circuit of said plate on the one hand and the visual Multiplexing and demultiplexing related to display equipment control circuits Clause 4 or 5, comprising a preprocessing circuit such as a kissing circuit (14). keyboard. 7. at least some of said bars define selected keys on corresponding bars; Detecting and positioning the touch of the user's finger on the screen zone on the bar to a transparent top plate carrying conductors for a spray device, and a conductor formed on the base plate; Unidirectional electrical connection between the top plate conductor and the visual display device on the one hand and a side piece for providing a physical connection.