KR20020084331A - Keyboard With Multifunction - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A general purpose keyboard is provided to input a wanted signal at a predetermined position on a keyboard by enabling a user to change a scan code of a key top in hardware easily. CONSTITUTION: In a terminal keyboard including an external connector for being connected to a computer main body and various kinds of key tops(14,15,16), an input mode selection unit(1) is provided for selecting an input mode having a wanted scan code value. A code conversion mode(2) is provided for activating a control device(3) for converting a scan code. The control device(3) converts a scan code, stores converted scan code value, and loads a converted scan code in a code connector in accordance with an input signal. A memory unit(4) stores converted scan code value in a predetermined area according to input modes. One of the key tops(14,15,16) is a joystick(16), which is attached to a predetermined space on the keyboard for a game.

Description

Keyboard With Multifunction}

The present invention relates to a multipurpose keyboard that can be used as an input device for various computers and portable terminals, and more particularly, to a terminal keyboard including an external connector for connecting to a computer main body, a keyboard enclosure, and various key tops. Input mode selection means for selecting an input mode having a scan code value, a code conversion mode for activating a control unit for conversion of scan codes, and converting scan codes and storing the converted scan code values in a storage device A control apparatus for loading a changed scan code value at a signal into a code connector, and a storage device for storing the converted scan code value in a predetermined area for each input mode.

Since the conventional keyboard supports only simple key storage by software supported by the weaving press body, it is inconvenient to input only a predetermined key when executing a specific application. In particular, in the case of a game program that is in charge of a large part of the current software market, for example, in order to perform an action or a specific function while playing a game, only a specific key is input. Each time you press the key top (Key top), you have to enter it at that time, which has the disadvantage of increasing physical and physical (finger, etc.) fatigue.

Depending on the user, there is a case that the user needs to change the keytop. However, according to the conventional computer keyboard, there is no way to change the user arbitrarily without modifying the internal program. It is currently the only way to use it.

In addition, IMT2000 is expected to increase the number of people using the Internet using a portable terminal in the future. However, the input of the conventional terminal is not easy to input characters, etc., it is expected that the inconvenience caused by the actual Internet use is enormous.

The present invention is intended to overcome the inconvenience in use of the prior art as described above is very significant in that it is intended to simply solve this problem in hardware.

The present inventors have the object of the present invention to enable anyone to input a desired signal at any position on the keyboard by easily changing the scan code of the key top as described above.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a multi-use keyboard that can be used as an input device in conjunction with a portable terminal, and also to transmit and receive data.

1 is a first configuration diagram of a multipurpose keyboard of the present invention

Figure 2 is a second configuration of the multipurpose keyboard of the present invention

3 is an actual implementation of the multi-use keyboard of the present invention

4 is a circuit diagram of an actual implementation of the multipurpose keyboard of the present invention.

5 is a flow chart of the procedure of the first embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a flow chart of the procedure of the second embodiment of the present invention.

<Code Description of Main Parts of Drawing>

1: input mode selection means 2: code conversion mode

3: controller 4: memory

5: keyboard power supply 6: computer base

7: main unit power supply 8: interface means

9: portable terminal 10: keyboard body

11, 12, 19: Indicator lamp 13: On-screen display

14: general key group 15: numeric keys

16: joystick 17, 18: connector

The present invention provides a terminal keyboard including an external connector for connection with a computer main body, various key tops, an input mode selecting means for selecting an input mode having a desired scan code value, and a control device for converting a scan code. A code conversion mode for activating, a control device for converting scan codes and storing the converted scan code values in a storage device and loading the changed scan code values into a code connector upon input signal, and the converted scan code values for each input mode. It includes a versatile keyboard including storage for storage in the area.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to change the hardware to have a specific scan code value at any position of the keyboard, and when a specific sentence is required when using a specific application, it is possible to store and use it as a scan code of a specific key. Done.

Hereinafter, the content of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a main configuration diagram of a multi-use keyboard having various key tops 14, 15, and 16 of the present invention (a known component, that is, a keyboard enclosure, a memory buffer, a connector, etc. will be omitted since it will be apparent to those skilled in the art). Input mode selection means 1, code conversion mode 2, control device 3, and storage device 4 are included.

In the above, the input mode is defined as a table of specific scancode values required for executing a specific application. Therefore, in the predetermined input mode, the scan code value of the individual key top for executing the application is stored in the predetermined area of the storage device 4. The input mode selecting means 1 defines a predetermined area of the memory device 4 in which the respective input modes are stored or to be stored.

The code conversion mode 2 is defined as a function of setting or releasing the state of the control device 3 so that the scan code value corresponding to a specific keytop can be changed. Therefore, through the code conversion mode 2, the control device 4 has a key top having a scan code value for changing a code value of a key top (hereinafter, abbreviated as a first key top) requiring a change of a scan code value (hereinafter, referred to as a first key top). A predetermined program for converting to a code value of a second key top) is executed internally and terminated.

In this case, the first keytop may be equally applied to all keytops installed in the keyboard. In extreme cases, it is possible to change the code values of all keytops and operate with a completely new key combination.

The control device 3 converts the scan code, stores the converted scan code value in the storage device 4, and then codes the changed scan code value when the user applies an input signal to the first keytop having the converted scan code value. Includes the ability to load into a connector.

The storage device 4 divides and stores the scan code value table of each input mode into predetermined areas. As the memory device, a commercially available general-purpose memory device may be used, but preferably, the device is not erased even if the power supply is interrupted for long-term storage of the input mode (for example, EEPROM, etc.).

Such a configuration is useful in that the user can freely change the scan code value so that the user can select a more convenient key combination when the existing key combination for performing a specific application is considered inconvenient.

In another aspect, the present invention may further include a power supply capable of self-charging by receiving power from the computer main body and capable of charging an external terminal. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram including the power supply 5 as described above. When power is applied from the power supply 7 of the computer main body 6, the power is supplied to the computer by itself and has a function to charge itself. Even if the power supply of the main body 6 is cut off due to a predetermined accident, it provides the advantage of being able to continue to use.

The invention may also comprise a separate interface means 8 which enables communication with portable terminals, including mobile telephones, PDAs and the like. Since mobile phones and PDAs include a separate operating system in themselves, an interface means for communicating with them is essential. The interface means 8 enables communication with each other in a manner of generating a predetermined conversion signal that can be accepted by the operating system of the terminal itself via a signal applied from the control device 3 of the keyboard.

In the case of using the portable terminal 9 for character input or internet communication, the type of input keys is not various and its size is small, which is very inconvenient when used. However, according to the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to read information stored in the portable terminal through the interface means 8, and also to input in reverse. To this end, the control device 3 receives an electrical signal generated from a specific keytop of the keyboard 10 (by default, the character displayed on the keytop of the keyboard and that of the terminal are mapped to the same). A predetermined signal is generated to generate a scan code for the key, and the interface means 8 processes the signal received from the control device into a signal available to the terminal and applies it to the control device in the terminal 9. .

The above process can enable the control of the control device 3 by configuring a separate external device connection mode (2 'of FIG. 3) on the keyboard. The external device connection mode 1 ′ may be implemented in the form of a predetermined button on a keyboard, and when a button is pressed, a predetermined signal is applied to the control device 3 so that the control device 3 controls the data with the terminal. Control the keyboard to allow input and output.

The specific implementation of the interface means 8 is obvious to those skilled in the art by a given protocol, and more detailed description will be avoided here.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples. However, the following examples are only one possible example of implementing the technical idea of the present invention, those skilled in the art can be modified in various forms (keyboard arrangement, etc.), but their basic technical idea is the same as that of the present invention The scope of the present invention also covers these equivalents.

Figure 3 shows one embodiment for the implementation of the multi-use keyboard of the present invention (however, a configuration that is functionally overlapping with Figures 1 and 2 of the code will be used as it is).

Reference numeral 1 denotes an example of the configuration of the input mode selection means, which shows the input mode under the name [page], and is implemented as a button for selecting a page for applying an electrical signal to the control device (a specific circuit is shown in FIG. 4).

Reference numeral 2 is a code conversion mode, which is implemented as a single button labeled "PROG", and the control device applies a code conversion function by applying a predetermined electrical signal to the control device as in the page button (1). Set to the state required to run.

Reference numeral 11 is an example in which a display lamp is implemented so that the setting state and release state of the code conversion mode 2 can be easily recognized from the outside, and reference numeral 12 indicates externally when the first keytop is selected. Indicates a display lamp to give.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a screen display unit, which is typically implemented as an LCD. The screen display unit 13 externally shows the contents of the specific input mode selected by the page button 1 so that the user can easily confirm what the current input mode of the keyboard is set to.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a general key group consisting of general key tops used in the related art. Thus, the general key group 14 includes a character key, a numeric key, a function key, and various toggle keys, all of which can be used as the first key top described above.

Reference numeral 15 is a circular numeric key instead of the right keypad of the existing keyboard is installed for use as a specific function key. When a computer user executes an entertainment game program (for example, StarCraft, Lineage, Diablo, etc.), there is an advantage in that the efficiency of the game can be improved by setting various combination keys for performing various functions at one button.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a joystick. The direction key of the joystick may be set as the first keytop. Therefore, the scan code value assigned to a specific keytop by an internal program may be stored in the direction key of the joystick when executing a game program including an existing arcade game. It made it possible to improve further.

Other reference numeral 17 denotes a connector connectable with the computer main body, and reference numeral 18 denotes a connector required for communication with the portable terminal as shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, an operation example of the multipurpose keyboard according to the embodiment (scan code conversion example of the first keytop) will be described in detail with reference to the circuit diagram of FIG. 4 and the procedure flow of FIG. 5.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the input mode 0 is set as a default, and the key top of the keyboard and the scan code mapped thereto are configured in the same manner as before.

If the user wants to set a new input mode as necessary, first press a page button 1 on a predetermined area on the storage device 4 to store the new input mode, and apply a predetermined signal to the control device (S501) . (3) recognizes this and outputs the contents of the selected input mode to the screen display unit 13 (S502) . In this case, the content of the page may be simply displayed as [input mode 1] in the case of a new input, and the user may input a title and a brief content of an application to be used as needed on the page.

Next, the code conversion mode (2) is pressed to set the controller 3 to a state where code conversion is possible (S503) . At this time, the display lamp 11 for notifying that the setting state is activated (S504) . At this time, the control device 3 waits for the input signal of the first keytop, and then the display lamp 12 is operated to notify that the first keytop is selected and the input signal of the first keytop is applied through step S505 (S506). .

In addition, when the input signal of the first keytop is applied, the control device 3 receives the input signal of the second keytop that is applied next through step S507 and recalls the default value of the scan code applied to the second keytop. The scan code value of the first keytop is set (specifically, after pressing the A key and pressing the B key, the scan code value mapped to the B key is reset to the scan code value for the A key) (S508) .

If the signal of the second keytop applied in step S507 constitutes a sentence (for example, a frequently used greeting, ID, password, game command, etc.) consisting of a plurality of series of keytops, the first keytop After the input signal is applied, a series of scan code strings mapped to a series of second, third, etc. keytops may be sequentially mapped to the first keytop.

For example, when the first keytop is set to the number key 15 on the right and [show me the money] is entered as a sentence, the scan code of each key constituting the sentence is mated to the first keytop. By pressing the first key once, sentence input can be easily performed.

When the scan code for the first keytop is converted as described above, the control device 3 stores these result values in a predetermined area of the storage device 4 (S509) , and then executes the input mode by the user. The stored value at time S520 is loaded into the code connector 17 and transmitted to the main body 6 at step S521 .

As described above, when the input process for the first keytop and the second keytop is completed, the signal is applied again through the code conversion mode 2 to indicate that the input process is terminated. The display lamps 11 and 12 are turned off (S510) .

In addition, the present invention also provides an interface means 8 for enabling communication with the portable terminal 9 as already mentioned in FIG. 2, from the keyboard 10 to the portable terminal via the connector 18, from the portable terminal. Data transmission and reception by keyboard becomes possible.

As an embodiment of implementing the above process, as shown in FIG. 6, first, the page button 1 is selected to select a page storing an electrical signal value corresponding to a terminal key (S601) . When a predetermined signal is applied to the control device 3 via the external device connection mode 2 'installed in the keyboard 10 (S602), the control device is activated in a state where information input to the portable terminal 9 can be performed (S603). ) . Thereafter, when a user presses a specific key on the keyboard to apply a predetermined signal to the control device 3 (S604), the control device generates a signal identical to the signal generated from the key on the terminal corresponding thereto from the storage device 4 (S605). ), The signal is applied to the interface means 8 (S606) . Thereafter, the interface means 8 processes the signal in a form recognizable by a control device (not shown) of the terminal 9 (S607) , and transmits the signal to the terminal (S608) .

Since the signal applied to the control device of the terminal is the same signal as that applied from the same key on the terminal, this enables information input to the terminal through the keyboard 10. Thereafter, in order to switch back to the communication mode with the computer, it is possible to switch the control device to the initial default state by pressing the external device connection mode 2 'again (S609) . The display lamp 19 is turned on at the same time as pressing the external device connection mode 2 'for the first time, and is flickered by pressing it again at the end of the operation so that the present state of the control device can be known.

In addition, since the information stored in the portable terminal can be stored in a predetermined storage space of the storage device 4 of the keyboard, the contents can be edited through the main body 6 as necessary. It is obvious that the data modified through this process can be input to the portable terminal as many times as necessary. Such a process can actually be realized by inputting a predetermined program to the control device 3 of the keyboard to perform it.

In addition, even when a terminal is to be replaced with a new one, the previously stored information can be stored in the storage device 4 of the keyboard and copied (editable to copy) to a new terminal using the program in the control device as described above. It is very convenient because it can not only prevent data loss but also move data easily.

According to the present invention, (1) it is possible to change the hardware to have a specific scan code value at any position of the keyboard, and if a predetermined sentence is required when using a specific application, it is stored and used as a scan code of a specific key. There is an advantage to doing this.

(2) In the case of entertainment games, it is possible to simply replace the existing program with a specific key combination as a function key with a joystick without changing the software.

(3) It is also possible to connect the portable terminal to the keyboard of the present invention to utilize them as input / output devices. In addition, by having a power supply that can be charged inside, it is possible to continue using even when the power is cut off from the main body, and there is an advantage of enabling the charging of the portable terminal.

Claims (7)

In the keyboard for a terminal including an external connector for connecting to the computer main body, a keyboard enclosure and various key tops, Input mode selection means for selecting an input mode having a desired scan code value, a code conversion mode for activating a control unit for conversion of scan codes, converting scan codes and storing the converted scan code values in a storage device A multipurpose keyboard, comprising: a control device for loading a scan code value changed in an input signal into a code connector, and a storage device for storing the converted scan code value in a predetermined area for each input mode. The multipurpose keyboard according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined display lamp is additionally included to enable an external confirmation of the current state of the code conversion mode. The multipurpose keyboard according to claim 1, wherein a joystick for a game is additionally attached to a predetermined space on the keyboard. The multipurpose keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the specific key among the key tops is separately provided on the keyboard as numeric keys. The multipurpose keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply capable of receiving power from a computer main body and allowing self-charging and charging an external terminal. The multipurpose keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising an external device connection mode for connection with a portable terminal, and further comprising interface means for transmitting and receiving data. 2. The multipurpose keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising a screen display for displaying a current input mode.