KR20020054652A - Method and Apparatus of Multiple Key Input Management for Mobile Telephone - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method and apparatus for processing multiple key input in a mobile terminal is provided to achieve the multiple key input of a mobile terminal by adding a key scan buffer to store a return line input value for each scan line and a key input buffer to execute processing for a key-pushed state and a key-pushed release. CONSTITUTION: A control part drives all scan lines so that a key-pushed state for a return line can be detected(601). The control part checks whether a return line input value is null(602). In case that a return line input value exists, the control part stores the value corresponding to the first scan line(603). Then the control part drives the first scan line(604) and checks whether a return line input value is null(605). If a return line input value exists, the control part stores it in a place corresponding to the present scan line of a key scan buffer(606). Then the control part checks whether the present scan is the last scan line(607).

Description

Method and apparatus for processing multiple key input of mobile communication terminal {Method and Apparatus of Multiple Key Input Management for Mobile Telephone}

The present invention relates to an input method and apparatus of a mobile communication terminal, and more particularly, to a multiple key input processing method and apparatus having a function of processing two or more key inputs at the same time.

In general, a conventional mobile communication terminal has a limited number of keys of a keypad due to its size and hardware complexity.

The keys on the keypad are functionally divided into numeric keys and special key bundles. The numeric keys are used to enter a phone number, and the special keys are used to select or cancel the menu when turning the terminal on or off, making or ending a call. It is usually used for such purposes.

In addition, to make the functions of the terminal easier to use, pressing and holding a key for 1 to 2 seconds, special features are configured to activate.

For example, if the '#' key is kept pressed, the function of restricting the use of the terminal is activated, or if the '*' key is kept pressed, the function of converting the reception notification mode of the terminal to vibration is activated.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a microprocessor for key input processing of a mobile communication terminal.

As shown therein, a scan line driver 10 applying a positive voltage and a negative voltage to each scan line; A return line input unit 20 reading a voltage value input to a return line corresponding to each scan line when the scan line is driven; A key input processing unit 30 for processing a key input as a value input to the return line; A timer unit 40 for operating the key input processing unit 30 at a predetermined time interval; A key function performing unit 50 for performing a function on a corresponding key press; And it consists of a control part 60 which controls each said part.

The principle of the circuit operation to process the key input is to apply a positive voltage to each scan line in normal cases so that the positive voltage is always detected on the return line because there is no potential difference even when the key of the keypad is pressed and the key contact is conducted.

On the contrary, when the key input is activated, a negative voltage is applied to each scan line so that the key of the keypad connected to the corresponding scan line is pressed so that a potential difference is generated when the key contact is conducted so that the negative voltage is detected by the return line.

When the terminal starts to operate, the controller 60 performs a key input initialization routine to process the key input.

2 is a flowchart showing a key input initialization routine for conventional key input processing.

First, global variables required for key input processing are initialized (steps 201 and 202).

That is, the last keycode variable is NULL and the key processing state variable is the first key pressed.

Here, the last keycode variable is for storing the changed keycode from key press, debounce, and key press release when the key input processing routine is repeatedly executed for reference in the key processing state.

The key processing state variable is for storing a current key processing state such as key pressing processing, debounce processing, and key pressing release processing when the key input processing routine is repeatedly performed.

In addition, a timer 40 for setting a key input control routine at a designated time interval is set (step 203).

The time interval of the timer 40 is usually suitable for 10 milliseconds to 40 milliseconds.

The timer 40 continuously sends a signal to the controller 60 at a set time interval.

The control unit 60 receiving the signal from the timer 40 causes the key input processing unit 30 to perform a key input processing routine.

The conventional key input processing routine performs functions in the same order as in FIGS. 3 and 4.

3 and 4 are flowcharts of a conventional key input processing method.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the key input processing routine includes a key detection routine (steps 301 to 310) for largely detecting key presses and key press releases, and a key processing routine for key presses and key press releases ( Step 401 to step 415).

The key processing routine may be classified into a keypress processing routine (steps 402 to 404), a debounce routine (steps 405 to 411), and a keypress release processing routine (steps 412 to 415).

3 is a flowchart showing a key detection routine in the conventional key input processing method.

As shown therein, the key detection routine is performed in the following order.

First, all scan lines are driven to detect key presses on the return line (step 301).

Then check that there is no return line input (step 302).

At this time, if there is an input value in the return line, the last keycode variable value is stored in the keycode variable (step 303).

It is then checked if the keycode value is NULL and there is a return line input value (step 304).

This is to allow the key detection routine of steps 305 to 309 to be executed only once after detecting the key press until the key press is released.

If the result of step 304 is true, a check is started to determine which key is pressed.

The method of starting the inspection is to drive the first scan line to the last scan line one by one and check whether there is a value inputted to the return line. The return line connected to the undriven scan line is not detected even if a key is pressed. Do not.

That is, a value corresponding to the first scan line is stored in the scan line (step 305).

The scan line is then driven (step 306) to check for a return line input value (step 307).

If the result of step 307 is true, it is checked whether the scan line is the last scan line (step 308). If the scan line is not driven until the last scan line, the scan line is increased by one (step 309), and the process is performed again from the step 306.

If the result of step 307 is false, the keycode value of the current scanline and return line input values is stored in a keycode variable in a keytable array in which keycodes corresponding to the respective scanline and return lines are allocated. After that (step 310), the key processing routine of Fig. 4 is performed.

4 is a flowchart showing a key processing routine in the conventional key input processing method.

As shown therein, the key processing routines are performed in the following order.

First, the key processing state is determined (step 401).

If the key processing state value is the first key pressed state, the key press processing routine is performed. If the key processing state is the debounced state, the debounce routine is performed.

In addition, if the key processing state is the keypress release state, the keypress release processing routine is performed.

When the key processing state is the first key pressed state in step 401, the key press processing routine is performed in the following order.

First, the keycode variable value is stored in the last keycode variable (step 402).

Then, it is checked whether the keycode value is NULL (step 403).

If the result of step 403 is false, the key processing state value is changed to the debounce state and then terminates (step 404).

In addition, if the result of step 403 is true, the process is immediately terminated without performing step 403, in order to prevent an invalid key code from being transmitted to the key processing unit if there is no key assigned to the corresponding scan line and the return line.

In step 401, the debounce routine is started when the key processing state is debounced. The debounce routine switches for a few milliseconds to tens of milliseconds when the key is pressed or released. This is to prevent false key detection that may occur due to the electrical phenomenon of numerous ON and OFF cycles.

The start of the debounce routine checks whether the keycode variable value and the last keycode variable value are equal (step 405).

Thus, if the result of the check is false, the current keycode variable value is stored in the last keycode variable (step 406).

Then, it is checked whether the keycode variable value is NULL (step 407), in order to know whether the key detection routine is performed in the state where bouncing occurs when the key is pressed.

If the result of step 407 is true, that is, the key detection routine is performed in the process of bouncing, the key processing state variable value is changed to the first key pressed state (step 408), and NULL is stored in the last key code variable (step 409).

This is to allow the key detection to be performed again from the beginning at the end of the bouncing.

In addition, if the key detection routine is performed at a time when the result of step 405 is false, that is, no bouncing occurs, the key processing state variable value is changed to the keypress release state (step 410).

Then, the current keycode variable value is transmitted to the key processing unit so that the key press function for the corresponding keycode is performed (step 411).

If the key processing state is the keypress release state in step 401, the keypress release processing routine is performed in the following order.

First, it is checked whether the keycode variable value is NULL (step 412).

If the check result is true, NULL is stored in the last keycode variable (step 413), and the key processing state variable value is changed to the first key pressed state (step 414).

This is to ensure that the next keystroke processing routine is executed correctly.

The keypress release keycode is transmitted to the key processing unit to perform a function for keypress release, and then ends (step 415).

Nowadays, more and more functions are provided by mobile communication terminals.

However, it is not easy to use the functions sufficiently compared to the functions of various conventionally provided mobile communication terminals.

In order for a user to use a specific function provided by a mobile communication terminal, there are many things that need to go through several steps, which makes the user uncomfortable to use the terminal and reduces the frequency of using such a function.

In addition, in the case of a large number of key input operations such as typing a text message or modifying an address book, only one key input is processed at a time, and thus two characters cannot be input quickly using two hands.

For example, if you press a specific A key to perform the corresponding key function and then press a specific B key while pressing the A key, you cannot process the B key.

Therefore, since only one key function can be processed for two or more key inputs, various key combinations are impossible, and thus the application is limited, and when the user performs a quick key input, the processing thereof may not be performed properly.

Accordingly, the present invention was created to solve the above problems, and adds a key scan buffer for storing a return line input value for each scan line in order to process a plurality of key inputs in the conventional configuration, and furthermore, An object of the present invention is to enable a multi-key input processing of a mobile communication terminal by adding a key input buffer in order to check a change of an input state and to process a key press and a key release.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a microprocessor for key input processing of a mobile communication terminal.

2 is a flowchart showing a key input initialization routine for conventional key input processing.

3 is a flowchart showing a key detection routine in a conventional key input processing method.

4 is a flowchart showing a key processing routine in the conventional key input processing method.

5 is a flowchart showing a key input initialization routine for multiple key input processing according to the present invention.

6 is a flowchart showing a key detection routine in the key input processing method according to the present invention.

7 is a flowchart showing a key processing routine in the key input processing method according to the present invention.

8 is a flowchart showing a key input change processing routine in the key input processing method according to the present invention.

The present invention relates to an input method and apparatus of a mobile communication terminal, and more particularly, to a multiple key input processing method and apparatus having a function of processing two or more key inputs at the same time.

The present invention provides a kisscan buffer for storing a return line input value for each scan line for a plurality of key input processes; And at least a key input buffer which checks for changes in the key input state and processes the key press and the key press release.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a key detection step of detecting a key press or key release; A key processing step of performing an operation corresponding to the detected key processing state; And a key change processing step of detecting a changed key and processing a corresponding key press or key release.

When the mobile communication terminal starts to operate, the controller performs a key input initialization routine for processing key input.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a key input initialization routine for multiple key input processing according to the present invention.

First, we initialize the global variables needed for handling keystrokes.

That is, the last key scan buffer is filled with NULL, and the key input buffer and the previous key input buffer are also filled with NULL (steps 501 and 502).

The key processing state is set to the first key press (step 503).

Then, a timer is set to execute the key input processing routine at a designated time interval (step 504).

Here, the last kisscan buffer is used to store the changed keycode from key press, debounce, and key press release when the key input processing routine is repeatedly executed for reference in the key processing state.

The key processing state variable is for storing the current key processing state, such as key press processing, debounce processing, and key press release processing, when the key input processing routine is repeatedly executed.

In addition, the key input buffer and the previous key input buffer are required to perform key press or depress key processing for each changed key in the key processing routine.

The timer continuously sends a signal to the controller at a set time interval.

The time interval of the timer is usually 10 milliseconds to 40 milliseconds.

The control unit receiving the signal from the timer causes the key input processing unit to perform a key input processing routine.

The key input processing routine according to the present invention performs functions in the same order as in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8.

6, 7 and 8 are flowcharts of a key input processing method according to the present invention.

As shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the key input processing routine according to the present invention is a key detection routine (step 601 to step 608) for detecting key presses and key releases, key presses and key press releases. And a key change processing routine (steps 801 to 815) for detecting a changed key and processing a corresponding key press or release.

The key processing routine may be classified into a keypress processing routine (steps 702 to 703), a debounce routine (steps 704 to 705), and a keypress release processing routine (steps 706 to 708).

6 is a flowchart showing a key detection routine in the key input processing method according to the present invention.

As shown therein, the key detection routine is performed in the following order.

First, all scan lines are driven to detect key presses on the return line (step 601).

Then check that there is no return line input (step 602).

At this point, if there is an input value in the return line, it checks which key is pressed.

The method of starting the inspection is to drive the first scan line to the last scan line one by one and check whether there is a value inputted to the return line. However, the return line connected to the non-driven scan line is not detected even if the key is pressed. .

That is, a value corresponding to the first scan line is stored in the scan line (step 603).

The scan line is then driven (step 604) and a check is made to see if there is a return line input value (step 605).

In step 605, if there is a return line input value, it is stored in a place corresponding to the current scan line of the kisscan buffer (step 606).

Then, it is checked whether the scan line is the last scan line (step 607).

As a result of the inspection, if the driving is not performed until the last scan line, the scan line is increased by one (step 608), and the process is performed again from step 604.

In addition, if the result is true in step 607, that is, all the first to last scan lines are examined, a key processing routine is performed as shown in FIG.

7 is a flowchart showing a key processing routine in the key input processing method according to the present invention.

As shown therein, the key processing routines are performed in the following order.

First, the key processing state is determined (step 701).

Thus, if the key processing state is the first key pressed state, the key press processing routine is executed. If the key processing state is the debounced state, the debounce routine is performed.

In addition, if the key processing state is the keypress release state, the keypress release processing routine is performed.

The keypress processing routine is performed in the following order.

The current kisscan buffer value is stored in the last kisscan buffer (step 702).

The key processing state is changed to the debounced state and then terminated (step 703).

In addition, the debounce routine is performed in the following order.

The kisscan buffer and the last kisscan buffer are checked for equality (step 704).

This is to find out if the key detection routine is executed when bounce occurs when the key is pressed or released.

If the result of step 704 is false, that is, the key detection routine is performed in the process of bouncing, the current kisscan buffer value is stored in the last kisscan buffer and then terminated (step 705).

This is to allow the key detection to be performed again from the beginning when the bouncing ends.

If the result of step 704 is true, that is, when the bouncing is completed, the key detection routine is changed to the first key pressed state (step 706).

This is so that changes can be detected and handled for both keypress and keypress release.

Then, the key input buffer and the last kisscan buffer are checked for the same value (step 707), and if the result is true, the process ends immediately.

This is because subsequent key processing is not performed if the input state of the keypad is the same when the key input processing routine is repeatedly performed.

In addition, if the result of the check step 707 is false, that is, if a change occurs in the key input of the keypad, the key input change processing routine is executed as shown in FIG. 8 after storing the value of the last kisscan buffer in the key input buffer. .

8 is a flowchart showing a key input change processing routine in the key input processing method according to the present invention.

The key input change processing routine detects keys that have changed when a change is made in the key input, and performs a process of pressing or releasing a key for each key.

In the method of detecting changed keys, the return line input values for the scan line of the key input buffer and the previous key input buffer are exclusively performed with each other.

First, a value corresponding to the first scan line is stored in the scan line (step 801).

In addition, an exclusive OR operation is performed on the value corresponding to the current scan line of the key input buffer and the value corresponding to the current scan line of the previous key input buffer, and stored in the key input change variable (step 802).

Then, it is checked whether the key input change value is non-zero (step 803).

If the result is false, i.e., no change in the keystroke, go to step 814. If the result is true, i.

First set the return line to the first return line (step 804).

In operation 805, the key input change value is converted to a return line change value by performing a right logical-shift operation with a value corresponding to the return line.

This is to make it easier to find the changed return line for the scanline.

It then checks for a return line change value (step 806).

So if the result of step 806 is false, then step 813 is performed.

In addition, if the result of step 806 is true, the key input buffer value for the current scan line is performed to the right logic-shift operation with a value corresponding to the return line, and the result value is stored in the return line state variable (step 807).

Then, it is checked whether the return line state variable value is key pressed or released.

Thus, if the key is pressed, the key press is stored in the key state variable (step 809), and if the key is released, the key press is stored (step 810).

The keycodes of the key tables for the current scan line and the return line are stored in the keycode variable (step 811).

Then, the key code variable value and the key state variable value are transmitted to the key processing unit so as to perform a function processing for key press or key release for the corresponding key (step 812).

Then it is checked whether the return line is the last return line (step 813).

If the check result is false, the return line is incremented by one (step 817), and the process is performed again from step 805 to check for changes to all the return lines and process the change.

In addition, if the test result of step 813 is true, it is checked whether the scan line is the last scan line (step 814).

If the result is false, the scan line is incremented by one (step 816), and the process is performed again from step 802 to process the change if there is a key input change for all scan lines.

In addition, if the result of step 814 is true, the current key input buffer value is stored in the previous key input buffer and the process ends (step 815).

This is to check for keystroke changes in the next keystroke routine.

As described above, the method and apparatus for processing multiple key inputs of a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention can process two or more key inputs at the same time so that a user can process a fast key input.

In addition, two or three key combinations can be used to configure shortcut keys for specific functions, allowing the user to select and use specific functions at once without going through multiple levels of menus.

Claims (8)

A kisscan buffer for storing a return line input value for each scan line for a plurality of key input processes; And a key input buffer for inspecting a change in the key input state and processing key presses and key releases. A key detection step of detecting a keypress or a keypress release; A key processing step of performing an operation corresponding to the detected key processing state; And a key change processing step of detecting a changed key and processing a corresponding key press or release of the key press. The method of claim 2, wherein the detecting of the key comprises driving all of the first scan line to the last scan line and checking whether there is a value input to the return line. The method of claim 2, wherein the key processing step comprises: a keypress processing step performed when the key processing state is the first key press; A debounce step of performing when the key processing state is debounce; And a keypress release process step performed when the key processing state is a keypress release. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the keypress processing step comprises: storing a value of a current kisscan buffer in a last kisscan buffer; And changing the key processing state to a debounced state. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the debounce step comprises: checking whether the values of the kisscan buffer and the last kisscan buffer are the same, and if not, storing the current kisscan buffer value in the last kisscan buffer; And changing a key processing state to a first key pressed state when the values of the kisscan buffer and the last kisscan buffer are the same. The method of claim 4, wherein the keypress release processing step comprises: changing a key processing state to a first keypress state; Comparing the key input buffer with the last kisscan value and ending the key input state if it is the same, and if not, storing the value of the last kisscan buffer in the key input buffer. Input processing method. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the key change processing step comprises: detecting exclusively changed keys by performing an exclusive OR operation on the return line input values for each scan line of the key input buffer and the previous key input buffer; And processing for pressing or releasing the pressing of the detected key.