JPS6361316A - Kana input system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To rapidly execute the input with the small number of times of key operation by providing a key group in which an alphabetic character is displayed and an input character species designating key to designate that the character to be inputted with these operations is either of the alphabetic character and KANA (Japanese syllabary). CONSTITUTION:A processing device equipped with a keyboard 11 is composed of a keyboard 11 having a key group to display an alphabetic character, an input mode selecting means 12, a control code passing means 13, an address generating means 14, a function character detecting means 15, a KANA character code storage means 16, etc. In order to input the KANA character from the keyboard 11, first, a KANA input mode is selected by a function key. Next, by pressing down the alphabetic character keys of A, K, S, T, N, H, M, Y, R and W, the KANA character equivalent to the vowel and consonant of the A step of A, KA...LA, WA (Japanese syllabary) is inputted in the same sequence. Further, with the number of times of pressing down the searching key of 4-7 of figures, the level difference from the A step is designated and the prescribed KANA character can be inputted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a kana input method from a keyboard used in the technical field of information processing.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a common method for inputting kana characters into an information processing device is to use a keyboard having a group of keys for displaying kana characters in a JIS layout.

Also, small keyboards with fewer keys are being used.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Among the above-mentioned conventional kana character input methods, those that use a JIS layout keyboard have a key layout for kana characters determined based on their frequency of use.

For this reason, it is not in the so-called "aiweo" order,
The problem is that it takes a considerable amount of time for a user to memorize a key layout without such regularity, and it takes a long time to search for keys, especially for characters that are used in small numbers.

In addition, small keyboards have a small number of keys and cannot be arranged in JIS or 50-syllabary layouts, so each model often has an even more irregular key layout, and it takes a considerable amount of time for users to memorize the key layout. I need. Another problem is that even if you memorize the key layout for one model, that knowledge is hardly applicable to other models.

Means for Solving the Problem The kana character input method of the present invention includes a group of keys on which alphanumeric characters are displayed, and a designation of whether the character to be input by operating these key groups is alphanumeric or kana. The keyboard is equipped with an input character type specification key.

Furthermore, in the kana character input method of the present invention, A, ni, S, and T are specified under the input character type of kana.

Based on the operation of the keys on which the alphanumeric characters N, H, M, Y, R, and W are displayed, A, Power, Su, Yu, Su in the same order.

One of the vowels or consonants in the A column of each line such as ha, ma, ya, u, and wa is specified, and the step difference from the vowel or consonant in the A column in each line is specified based on the number of subsequent operations of a predetermined key.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention will be explained in detail together with examples.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a keyboard, a keyboard interface circuit, and a processing device to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

In FIG. 1, 11 is a keyboard having a group of keys displaying alphanumeric characters, and 12 is an input mode for selecting an input mode of receiving an input signal 110 from this keyboard 11 as an alphanumeric code or as a kana character code. It is a means of selection. The input signal 110 from the keyboard 11 is output as an alphanumeric code to the output line 120 if the input mode selection means 12 is selecting the alphanumeric input mode, and if the input mode is the kana character mode, it is output to the output line 120. It is output onto the output line 121 as a target for conversion into a kana character code.

3. Control code passing means for passing the control code; 1
Reference numeral 4 denotes a read address generating means for generating a corresponding kana character code from the alphanumeric code outputted on the output line 121, and 15 operates upon detecting that a functional character of a predetermined search key appears on the output line 121. 16 is a kana character code storage means, and 17 is a kana character code holding means for holding the output signal 160 of the kana character code storage means 16.

Furthermore, 18 is an output signal 170 and an output signal 150 (r+IJ search signal) of the functional character detection means 15, 1
51 (r+2J search signal), 153 (r+3J
Kana character search means searches for the final input kana character based on the search signal or 154 (r+4J search signal), and 19 is a cursor left movement generation means that generates a cursor left movement code based on the output signal 180. 20 is alphanumeric code output 120 when alphanumeric mode is selected;
This is a logical sum means for creating a logical sum of the kana character code output 160, the search kana character code output 181, the cursor left movement code output 1'90, and the control code output 130 in the case of the kana character mode.

The output 200 of the OR means 20 is supplied via the bus control section 34 to a host processor comprising a central processing section 31, a main storage section 32, and a display section 33.

The host processor processes this to display the corresponding alphanumeric characters and kana characters on the display section 33.

As shown in the plan view of FIG. 2, the keyboard 11 shown in FIG. 1 is composed of a group of keys on which alphanumeric characters are displayed and an arrangement of various function keys.

To input kana characters from this keyboard 11, first select the kana input mode by pressing the function key "kana". Next, as shown in the correspondence table in Figure 3, A, S,
, T, N, H, M, Y, R.

By pressing the key marked with the letter W, the kana characters that correspond to one of the vowels or consonants in the A row, such as A, Power, Su, Yu, Su, Ha, Ma, Ya, U, and Wa, are selected in the same order. input. Next, numbers r4J and r5J.

A desired kana character is input by specifying a level difference of 0 to 4 from the 7th level in each line by the number of times the search key displaying ``6'' or ``'' is pressed.

In other words, the search key contains the following information, as shown in Figure 3.
There are four types: r+IJ, r+2J, r+3J, and "+4", and the contents of the search counter that specifies the step from the next step based on the number of times these are pressed are 1, 1, and 2, respectively.
By incrementing by 2.3 and 4, any kana character can be specified.

Figure 4 shows kana characters and kana character code (JIS code)
Figure 5 shows the correspondence between alphanumeric characters and alphanumeric codes (
The correspondence relationship with JIS code) and the correspondence relationship between the stored contents of the kana character code storage means 16 and addresses are shown.

In Figure 6, the kana character "Ha" is entered by pressing the alphanumeric key on which rHJ is displayed, and then the final character is entered by pressing the search key "+1" or "-1". The table shows the correspondence between the number of times each search key is pressed and the characters that are finally entered manually.

Taking the case of FIG. 6 as an example, the operation of the circuit of FIG. 1 will be explained.

When the key on which "I" is displayed is pressed while the input mode selection means 12 selects the kana character mode, the input signal force lines 110 and 12 from the keyboard 11 are pressed.
rHJ is input to the address generation means 14 via 1.

The JIS code of this rHJ is "72", and based on this, in order to read the kana character "ha" stored at address "40" in the kana character code storage means 16, the read address generation means 14 uses "72". ”Accesses the built-in ROM in which data “40” is stored at address.

As a result, the content "202" (kana character "ha") is successively outputted from the address "40" of the kana character code storage means 16, and the content "202" (kana character "ha") is sent to the host via the kana character code storage means 20 and the bus controller 34. The signal is sent to the processor, and "c" is displayed on the display section 33 of the processor. At the same time, the kana character code "202" read from the kana character code storage means 16 is held in the kana character code holding means 17.

Next, when the number key (4) on the keyboard 1 is pressed down, the function character detection means 15 detects that it is the search key for "+1" via the input lines 110 and 121, and the function character detection means 15 outputs Line 150 is turned on. As a result, the kana character search means 18 increments the search counter by 1 and creates a kana character code "203" (kana character "hi") by adding it to the content "202" of the kana character code holding means 17. do.

The kana character search means 18 determines whether the newly created kana character code is valid or not, and if it is valid, turns on the search valid signal 180.

The cursor left movement code generation means 19 creates a cursor left movement code when the search enable signal 180 is turned on, and sends it to the host processor via the OR means 20 and the bus control section 34.

As a result, the cursor on the display section 33 of the host processor moves to the left by one position, and returns to the position where the kana character "HaJ" is displayed through the aforementioned procedure.

In parallel with this, the kana character search means 18 outputs a signal '! The kana character code "203" is output on the IA 181, which is sent to the host processor via the logical sum means 20 and the bus control section 34, and "hi" is replaced with "ha" at the cursor position on the display section 33. Is displayed.

Similarly, each time the number key (4) is pressed, the search counter of the kana character search means 18 changes to 2'', '3'',
The cursor position is cyclically incremented as "4", "0", '1', etc., and the cursor position returns to the original position, so that the cursor position on the display unit 33 is changed to "F", "Go", etc. “Ho”, “
Kana characters are input and displayed while changing cyclically such as "ha", "hi", and so on.

On the other hand, when the numerical key (5) is pressed following the pressing of the alphabetic key on which rHJ is displayed, this is detected as "+2" by the function character detection means 15 via the input signal lines 110 and 121. is detected as the search key, and its output signal line 151 is turned on. Accordingly, the content of the search counter in the kana character search means 18 changes from "0" to "2", and the display block 33 of the host processor displays "F" instead of "C". Similarly, the number keys (5) on the keyboard 11 are
) is pressed down, the search counter of the kana character search means 18 changes to "4", "1lt11゜3", "0", "2".
``...'' and the character at the cursor position on the display section 33 changes cyclically as ``ho'', ``hi'', ``he'', ``ha'', ``fu'', etc. will be entered and displayed.

Similarly, when the numerical key (6) is pressed following the pressing of the alphabetical key on which rHJ is displayed, the character detection means 15 detects that it is a search key for "+3", and the output signal line 152 turns on. Accordingly, the content of the search counter in the kana character search means 18 changes from 0'' to "3", and the display block 33 of the host processor displays "he" instead of "ha". Furthermore, each time this number key (6) is pressed, the search counter of the kana character search means 18 changes to "1" and "4".
, "2", "10", "3", etc., and the characters at the cursor position on the display section 33 are cyclically increased by 3 such as "hi", "ho", etc.
, "fu", "ha", "he", etc. are entered and displayed in a cyclical manner.

Similarly, when the key () is pressed following the pressing of the alphabetic key on which rHJ is displayed, the character detection means 1
5, the search key "+4" is detected, and its output signal line 153 is turned on. Accordingly, the content of the search counter in the kana character search means 18 changes from 0'' to "4", and the display block 33 of the host processor displays "ho" instead of "ha".

Furthermore, each time this number key (6) is pressed, the search counter of the kana character search means 18 changes to "3", "2", etc.
"1"IIQ","4", etc. are cyclically increased by 4, and the character at the cursor position on the display section 33 is "to", "fu".
, ``hi'', ``ha'', ``ho'', etc. are changed cyclically and displayed manually.

In this way, the operator of the keyboard 11 can quickly manually enter the desired kana character by pressing one of the four search keys while checking the kana character displayed at the cursor position on the display section 33. You can go there.

In this embodiment, a case where a numeric key (4) or the like is assigned to "+1" or the like is exemplified as a search key, but any other suitable key may be used.

Effects of the Invention As explained in detail above, the kana input method of the present invention has the following effects:
Keys A, S, where alphanumeric characters are displayed.

Based on the pressing of T, N..., A, Force, and S are applied in the same order.

A configuration in which a desired kana character is input by specifying one of the A consonants, etc. in each line such as Yu, Su, etc., and specifying the step from the A consonant, etc. by the number of subsequent operations of a predetermined key. Therefore, it is possible to have regularity in the correspondence between kana characters and the alphabetic keys used to input them, making key operations easier and easier to remember, and as long as alphanumeric keys are used, it can be used on any model. It also has the advantage that it can be applied to

Furthermore, since the kana input method of the present invention has a plurality of types of search keys that specify different steps from the consonant of the A stage in each line, it is possible to quickly input a desired kana character with a small number of key operations. The effect is produced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a keyboard, a keyboard interface circuit, and a host processor to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the keyboard 11 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 shows kana characters and their A conceptual diagram to explain the correspondence between alphanumeric keys and search keys used for input,
Figure 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the correspondence between kana characters and their JIS codes, Figure 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the correspondence between alphanumeric characters and their JIS codes, and Figure 6 is a conceptual diagram to explain the function of the search key. It is a diagram. 11...Keyboard, 12...Input mode selection means, 1
4. Read address generation means, 15. Functional character detection means, 16. Kana character code storage means, 17.
- Kana character code holding means, 18... Kana character search means, 19... Cursor left movement code generation means, 20...
OR means, 31...Central processing unit, 33...Display unit, 3
4...Bus control section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A keyboard comprising a group of keys displaying alphanumeric characters and an input character type designation key for specifying whether characters input by operating these key groups are alphanumeric characters or kana characters, Under the input character type specification of A, K, S, T,
Based on the operation of the keys displaying the alphanumeric characters N, H, M, Y, R, and W, the letters of each line are changed in the same order as A, Ka, Sa, Yu, Na, Ha, Ma, Ya, La, and Wa. A kana input method in which one of the vowels or consonants of is specified, and the difference in level from the vowel or consonant of A in each specified line is specified based on the number of subsequent operations of a predetermined key, wherein the predetermined key is: A kana input method is characterized in that there are multiple types of different steps specified based on the number of operations performed at one time.