KR20070010395A - Apparatus for recognizing to be pushed a key - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for recognizing a key is provided to perform diverse additional functions like volume control, pointing, and function keys even if only one key is used, as the key is differently recognized according to a position pushed by a user. A 3-terminal varistor type touch sensor(110) outputs a different resistance value according to the position touched by the user. An ADC(Analog Digital Converter)(140) converts analog voltage output from the touch sensor into a digital value. A controller(150) detects a key touch position according to a signal inputted from the ADC. A voltage distributor(120) is connected between the sensor and a voltage input terminal, and distributes external voltage. A down-transformer(130) is connected between an output terminal of the sensor and an input terminal of the ADC, and downwardly transforms a voltage level of the ADC into a low level in case that the sensor is not operated.

Description

Key Recognition Device {Apparatus for recognizing to be pushed a key}

1 is a block diagram of a conventional key recognition device,

2 is an internal substrate diagram of a conventional key recognition device;

3 is a block diagram of a key recognition device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a circuit diagram of a key recognition device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a configuration diagram of a sensor unit of a key recognition device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Brief Description of Drawings>

100: key recognition device

110: sensor unit

111: semiconductor

112: conductor

120: voltage distribution

130: decompression unit

140: analog to digital converter

150: control unit

The present invention relates to a key recognition technology, and more particularly, to a key recognition device for recognizing a user's touch.

In general, in a field in which a microcontroller is used, such as a computer or a mobile communication terminal, the microcontroller recognizes key data generated by a user's key press and performs a specific function corresponding thereto. As such, a key recognition device is used to recognize a user's key press.

) 제어신호와 PA∼PE포트를 통해 키 스캔 데이터가 입력되면 이를 래치 출력하는 래치부(20)와, 키패드(30)와, 버퍼부(40)를 포함한다. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a configuration of a conventional key recognition device, and FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an internal substrate of a conventional cellular phone. As shown in the drawing, a conventional key recognition device is implemented by a microprocessor in which ROM, RAM, and a plurality of input / output ports P0 to P5 and PA to PE are integrated. 10) and the light in the enabled state from the key recognition unit 10 (

) Includes a latch unit 20, a keypad 30, and a buffer unit 40 for latching and outputting the key scan data through the control signal and the PA to PE ports.

The keypad 30 includes a plurality of keys connected to two different ports among the PA to PE ports and the P0 to P5 ports of the key recognition unit 10 and arranged in a matrix manner. As shown in FIG. 2, each key is connected to an electrode pattern 31 to which any one of PA to PE ports and a port to P0 to P5 are connected, and a metal dome (not shown) is installed. The electrode pattern 32 is implemented in a structure. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1, in this embodiment, each key of the keypad 30 is arranged in a 5 by 6 matrix manner.

The buffer unit 40 receives response data for key scan data from the keypad 30 through the input ports D0 to D5 and temporarily stores the response data. In general, if no key of the keypad 30 is pressed, the buffer unit 40 receives and stores key scan data, for example, 11111, output from the key recognition unit 10 through each of the ports D0 to D5. On the other hand, the buffer unit 40 receives and stores the response data of 10111 through the D0 port when any key of the keypad 30, for example, '1' is pressed in FIG.

) 제어신호가 입력되면, 저장된 응답 데이터를 A0∼A5 포트를 통해 출력한다. 이때, 키 인식부(10)는 P0∼P5 포트들을 통해 응답 데이터가 입력되면, 버퍼부(40)로 클리어(

)제어신호를 출력함과 동시에 PA∼PE 포트를 통해 출력한 키 스캔 데이터와 P0∼P5 포트 각각을 통해 입력된 응답 데이터를 비교하여 키 누름을 인식한다.In addition, the buffer unit 40 may enable reads of the enable state from the key recognition unit 10 (

) When the control signal is input, the stored response data is output through the A0 to A5 ports. At this time, when the response data is input through the P0 to P5 ports, the key recognition unit 10 clears the buffer unit 40 (

At the same time, it outputs a control signal and compares key scan data output through the PA to PE ports with response data input through the P0 to P5 ports to recognize key presses.

Meanwhile, in the case of a mobile communication terminal, various functions, for example, an additional function such as a camera, an MP3, a radio, and a TV are mounted. However, in the conventional key recognizing apparatus, since key data corresponding to one key is determined, in order to enable a user to perform an increasing number of additional functions, the terminal manufacturer eliminates the problem of installing a larger number of keys in the terminal. You can do it.

The present invention has been proposed in the background as described above, and an object thereof is to provide a key recognition apparatus capable of inputting more information with a simple input device.

According to an aspect of a key recognition device according to the present invention for achieving the above object, the key recognition device is a three-terminal variable resistance type touch sensor unit for outputting a different resistance value according to the position of the touch by the user, the sensor unit and A voltage divider connected between the external voltage input terminals and distributing an external voltage, an analog / digital converter for converting and outputting an analog voltage output from the sensor unit into a digital value, and an output terminal of the sensor unit and an input of an analog / digital converter It is connected between the terminals and when the sensor unit is not operated includes a decompression unit for reducing the voltage level of the analog / digital converter to a low level, and a control unit for detecting the key touch position in accordance with the signal output from the analog / digital converter Key recognition.

According to this aspect of the present invention, since the input data varies depending on the position at which the key button is pressed, it is possible to input more information with a simple key input device.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily understand and reproduce the present invention.

3 is a block diagram of a key recognition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the key recognition apparatus 100 according to the present exemplary embodiment largely includes the sensor unit 110, the voltage distribution unit 120, the pressure reduction unit 130, the analog / digital converter 140, and the controller 150. Include.

The sensor unit 110 outputs different resistance values according to the position of the touch by the user. In one embodiment, the sensor unit 110 may be implemented as a three-terminal variable resistance type touch sensor that outputs a different resistance value according to the touch position by the user. Hereinafter, a detailed configuration and operation of a Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) sensor will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

The voltage divider 120 is connected between the sensor 110 and the external voltage input terminal and distributes the external input voltage. In one embodiment, the voltage divider 120 may be implemented with a plurality of resistors. In one embodiment, the external input voltage is a voltage of 3.0V, can be supplied from a mobile phone battery.

The pressure reduction unit 130 is connected between the sensor unit 110 and the analog-to-digital converter 140, and when the sensor unit 110 is not operated, the pressure-reducing unit 130 is floated on the input terminal of the analog-to-digital converter 140. The low voltage is reduced to a low level to accurately transmit the signal voltage coming from the sensor unit 110 to the analog-to-digital converter 140.

The analog-to-digital converter 140 is connected between the sensor unit 110 and the controller 150 and converts the voltage generated by the user's touch output from the sensor unit 110 into a corresponding digital value to the controller 150. send.

The controller 150 detects a key touch position according to a signal input from the analog / digital converter 140 and performs a function. In one embodiment, the controller 150 may execute various functions set according to the detected key touch position information, for example, increasing or decreasing the volume of the ring tone output to the speaker.

4 is a circuit diagram of a key recognition apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The key recognition apparatus 100 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a sensor unit 110, a voltage distribution unit 120, a pressure reduction unit 130, an analog / digital converter 140, and a controller 150.

The sensor unit 110 may be implemented by including an FSR sensor in one embodiment. Specifically, the lower end (b) of the sensor unit 110 is formed between the first resistor R2 connected between the external voltage input terminal and the ground and the second resistor R3 connected between the first resistor R2 and the ground. It is connected to the contact point, the upper end of the sensor unit 110 is connected to the GPO terminal of the control unit 150, the detection terminal (b) of the sensor unit 110 is connected to the input terminal of the analog / digital converter 140, The output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter 140 is connected to the control unit 150, and pull-down between the contact point and ground between the detection terminal (c) of the sensor unit 110 and the input terminal of the analog-to-digital converter 140. pull-dowm) resistor R1 is connected.

In an exemplary embodiment, when the user presses a key, the GPO terminal of the controller 150 is set to 2.6V to be input to the upper end (a) of the sensor unit 110, and the voltage divider 120 receives a constant voltage. 0.5V is output to the lower end b of the sensor unit 110 to generate a voltage of 0.5V or more and 2.6V or less from the sensor unit 110 to be output to the detection terminal c. The output voltage is input to the analog-to-digital converter 140 and output as a digital value. The controller 150 recognizes the output digital value to implement various functions.

In the exemplary embodiment, when the user presses a key, in the power saving mode, the GPO terminal of the controller 150 is set to 0V and is inputted to the upper end (a) of the sensor unit 110, and a constant voltage is supplied from the voltage divider 120. Output is input to the lower end (b) of the sensor unit 110, a voltage of 0V or more constant voltage (0.5V) or less is generated in the sensor unit 110 and output to the detection stage (c). The output voltage is input to the analog / digital converter 140 and output as a digital value. The controller 150 may recognize the output digital value to implement various functions.

In one embodiment, when the user does not press a key, the pressure reducing unit reduces the voltage floating on the input terminal of the analog / digital converter 140 to a low level regardless of the operation mode or the power saving mode. The voltage output from the sensor unit 110 is correctly transmitted to the analog-to-digital converter 140.

5 is a block diagram of an FSR sensor 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, the FSR sensor 110 according to the present embodiment includes an upper end a and a lower end b, a detection end c, a resistive semiconductor 111, and a conductor 112.

The resistive semiconductor 111 of the sensor unit 110 and its extension electrode (upper comb form) are composed of an upper plate, and the conductor 112 and its extension electrodes (lower comb form) are composed of a lower plate. The resistive semiconductor 111 is a long and thin resistive material, and the conductor 112 is a conductive material having an upper end (a), a lower end (b), and a detection end (c). The upper plate on which the resistive semiconductors 111 are placed and the lower plate on which the conductors 112 are installed are separated mechanically and electrically by a separator (not shown).

When the FSR sensor 110 is not pressed by the user, the barrier between the resistive semiconductor 111 and the conductor 112 is separated by a partition wall, and when the user presses the extension part of the resistive semiconductor 111 and the extension part of the conductor 112 are pressed. In contact with the position, different resistance values are output according to the contacted positions, and a voltage corresponding to the different resistance values is output to the detection stage (c).

Meanwhile, the key recognition apparatus according to the present invention may be mounted and used in a terminal including a microprocessor such as a mobile communication terminal or a personal digital assistant.

As described above, according to the present invention, the key recognition apparatus of the present invention uses one key but is recognized differently according to the pressing position, and thus can perform various additional functions such as volume control, pointing, and function key. have.

Furthermore, the key recognition apparatus according to the present invention has an additional effect of reducing the size of the terminal by reducing the space occupied by the key button because a single key input means enables the input of various function keys.

The key recognition device according to the present invention can be applied not only to a mobile communication terminal but also to an MP3, a radio, and a TV.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many various obvious modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention from this description. For example, a plurality of key input means according to the present invention can be configured in a plurality to enable more and more various key recognition. Therefore, it should be interpreted by the claims described to include many such variations.

Claims (4)

A three-terminal variable resistance type touch sensor unit for outputting different resistance values according to the touch position by the user; An analog / digital converter for converting and outputting an analog voltage output from the sensor unit into a digital value; A controller detecting a key touch position according to a signal input from the analog / digital converter; Key recognition apparatus comprising a. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the key recognition device is: A voltage distribution unit connected between the sensor unit and an external voltage input terminal and distributing an external voltage; A pressure reducing unit connected between an output terminal of the sensor unit and an input terminal of the analog / digital converter and decompressing a voltage level of the analog / digital converter to a low level when the sensor unit is not operated; Key recognition device further comprises. The method of claim 2, wherein the voltage divider is: A first resistor connected between an external voltage input terminal and a ground, and a second resistor connected between the first resistor and a ground, And the sensor unit is electrically connected to a contact between the first resistor and the second resistor. The method of claim 2, wherein the decompression unit: A pull-down resistor connected between an output terminal of the sensor unit and an input terminal of the analog / digital converter and depressurizing the voltage level of the analog / digital converter to a low level when the sensor unit is not operated. Key recognition device, characterized in that implemented.

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