RU84658U1 - MATRIX KEYBOARD INPUT SYSTEM (OPTIONS) - Google Patents

Abstract

1. An input system for a matrix keyboard arranged in a matrix using a character input interface, comprising a keyboard including a plurality of keys, parts or each of which are assigned more than one character; comprising a processor for input keys for processing a character input operation using a keyboard and outputting corresponding characters, characterized in that each key to which more than one character is assigned, or a key block, or an integral part of the keyboard comprises a character recognition device depending on the direction application of external force to a key, or a block of keys, or a component of a keyboard that uniquely interprets a keystroke, or a block of keys, or a component of a keyboard simultaneous application of forces to the left or to the right or down or up as a unique event, and generates output signals unique for each applied force, which are compared additional assigned symbols. ! 2. An input system for a matrix keyboard arranged in a matrix using a character input interface, comprising a keyboard including a plurality of keys, parts or each of which are assigned more than one character; comprising a processor for the input keys, designed to process the character input operation using the keyboard and output the corresponding characters, characterized in that each key contains a recognition device for the entered character depending on the direction of the finger or stylus on the surface of the key, which uniquely interprets any direction of finger movement or stylus over

Description

Application area

The utility model relates to the field of electronic technology, and more specifically to a system for inputting information from a keyboard and can be used as a keyboard of a single-tangent character input in matrix keyboards of PDAs, cell phones, calculators, remote controls, electronic theodolites, electronic tacheometers and other devices with dot matrix keyboard.

State of the art

Until recently, many ways of inputting and character layouts were proposed to support “character input” on portable devices such as a cell phone, handheld computer, remote control (hereinafter portable devices), which have a limited number of buttons, which is due to the original purpose of the buttons only for entering digital data and requiring minimizing sizes. The character input function was added later, which increased the operational qualities of portable devices, but it turned out to be much less convenient than its implementation on a personal computer keyboard. Typically, a portable device contains a layout of 3 × 4 buttons or fields of alphanumeric keys as an input tool. The field of alphanumeric keys has a limited number of buttons, several times smaller than the keyboard of a personal computer. Typically, in order to overcome this limitation, more than one character is assigned to one button, so the user has to press at least two buttons or at least two times on one button to select the additionally assigned character to be entered.

Currently, to improve the efficiency of character input using the field of alphanumeric keys, various character layouts, input methods and input devices have been developed. And although some of the developed methods can increase the input speed and user convenience, there is a difficulty in that the user is forced to learn a new character layout. Namely, all the developed methods bring a new layout of characters or an increase in the number of buttons. Thus, in order to learn a new input method, the user must be familiar with the input method and character layout at the same time, and the manufacturer must make some changes to the structure of the portable device, especially the number of buttons. Since the user is not sure whether to buy a portable device with an unusual input method, the complexity will be less if you change only the input method or just the layout of characters. In particular, from the point of view of the user, it takes more time to study the layout of characters than the input method. This means that the manufacturer can apply various input methods to the portable device without changing the usual character layout, and the user can choose the input method that suits him.

The prior art solution is known [patent RU 2344564].

The buttons are assigned characters in such a way that the letters that are on adjacent buttons in the standard QWERTY keyboard are located on one or adjacent buttons on the keyboard of the portable device. In this case, the alphabetic characters are divided into a group for entering with the left hand and a group for entering with the right hand on the standard QWERTY keyboard, as well as into the first set of characters, the second set of characters and the third set of characters in accordance with the frequency of their use.

This invention is taken as a prototype.

The disadvantage of this solution is that, despite providing a user who is familiar with the method of entering characters on any layout, for example, QWERTY, the ability to quickly and efficiently enter characters using the character layout on the keyboard of a portable device, learning this input method is still pretty hard. The need to always know which key should be pressed as a function key will often cause confusion in pressing the desired key. The division into groups is carried out in accordance with the frequency of use of the keys, which complicates the input of rarely entered characters and signs. The method does not significantly speed up data entry from the matrix keyboard compared to the traditional one, when more than two characters are assigned to one button, so the user has to press at least two buttons to select the character to be entered.

EFFECT: simplified data input from the matrix keyboard without the need for complex training; One-touch input speed increases, regardless of how often they are used.

Utility Model Implementation

The claimed technical result is achieved due to the fact that the input system of the matrix keyboard, located in the form of a matrix, using the character input interface, comprising a keyboard including a plurality of keys, parts or each of which are assigned more than one character; comprising a processor for input keys for processing a character input operation using a keyboard and outputting corresponding characters, characterized in that each key that is assigned more than one character or a block of keys or an integral part of the keyboard comprises a character recognition device depending on the direction of the application external effort to a key or block of keys or a component of the keyboard that unambiguously interprets a keystroke of a key or block of keys or a component of the keyboard neous application of force to the left or right, up or down, or up as a unique event, and generates output signals unique for each applied force, which are compared additional assigned symbols.

Another embodiment of the system provides that an input system for a matrix keyboard arranged in a matrix using a character input interface, comprising a keyboard including a plurality of keys, parts or each of which are assigned more than one character; comprising a processor for input keys, designed to process the operation of entering characters using the keyboard and outputting the corresponding characters, characterized in that each key contains a recognition device for the entered character depending on the direction of the finger or stylus on the surface of the key, which uniquely interprets any direction of the finger or stylus on the surface of the key left and / or right, or down, or up, or at an angle to the indicated directions, as a unique event and generates on Exit unique signals for each further assigned symbol.

The input system of the matrix keyboard input system can be performed using the example of the key device shown in Fig. 1, where 1 is a board with membrane buttons, 2 is a frame element, 3 is a flexible polymer material.

The principle of the system is based on the fact that (see the diagram in Figure 2) when you press the center of the key (in the example in Figure 1 it is the number "2") or the center with the key biased in one of four directions or in place remote from the center in the direction of the slope of the key in one of the four sides that symbolize other characters (in the example, these are characters: “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”), one or two membrane buttons (4) are activated on keyboard board (1). The frame elements (2) and flexible polymer material (3) provide the possibility of such activation of the membrane keys (4). The signals are sent to a processor (5), designed to process the operation of entering characters using the keyboard and outputting the corresponding characters. From it, signals for triggering certain symbols or combinations of triggering buttons interpreted as the selection of one of the symbols are transmitted to the microprocessor of a device (6) using a matrix keyboard (PDA, cell phone, calculator, etc. devices).

Consider the example of the operation of one of the keys of the matrix keyboard 3 × 4 cell phone (see Figure 1). On the “2” key, the letter designations are applied in accordance with the declared input system of the matrix keyboard. With a single vertical press / touch, the number "2" is selected, when pressed / touch with the application of force, the letter "A" is selected to the left, up - "B", to the right - "C", down - "G", for the possible simultaneous operation of several buttons additional processing rules are introduced into the processor (5), for example, the operation of the center and the side key is interpreted as the input of the corresponding side character, and the operation of more than two keys is ignored.

The keypad device matrix keys can be implemented, for example, in the form of a joystick. Each key (see Figure 3) may contain five or more microswitches (MP), four of which (A, B, C, D) are located around the perimeter, and the fifth (digit) in the center of the key. MP can be placed at different points in relation to the center and plane of the key, however, their properties allow you to fix the pressure on the center, top, bottom, right and left keys. Four MFs can be replaced by two dual or three-position, one universal, as well as one or more force or bias sensors (strain gauge, capacitive, optical, and other sensors). Each event (unique signal) has its own electric key in the MP. In this example, it is possible to replace the central MP with a sensor element. When a key is pressed, the sensor always triggers. Five unique events for one key are determined by one touch on the sensor and four sensor combinations plus one of the four MP key perimeters.

The implementation of the key in the form of a touch joystick is shown in Figure 4. Four sensors are located around the central sensor (B, D, A and C), which forms a system that is sensitive to the shift of the finger from the center of the key to the directions up, down, left and right, respectively. Five events are implemented by one central sensor (digit) and its four combinations with side sensors.

The implementation, for example, of a 3 × 4 keyboard from 12 joysticks with separate mechanical MPs or with a sensor element in the center surrounded on four sides of the MP, or in the form of a touch joystick of 5 sensitive elements, allows each MP to map its own symbol. Thus, it is possible to place 60 MP on 12 keys, which is equivalent to 60 electrical signals for 60 different events.

The input system of the matrix keyboard can be implemented, for example, from mechanical or touch keys in the form of a monoblock (see Figure 4) placed in a frame of sensors that record the force (for example, strain gauges) or in an elastic frame that allows the keyboard block to move, what is recorded by the corresponding magnetic field sensors or sensors (capacitive, inductive, optical, etc. sensors) or other methods of detecting bias, for example, an optical mouse sensor. As a result, for a 3 × 4 matrix of 16 unique signals with at least 13 electrical devices, 12 keys, and 1 or more sensors that can unambiguously interpret the 4 directions of the applied force to the keyboard all-in-one or its component, for example, covering the all-in-one keyboard from elastic material with built-in sensors on bending, etc. In this example, the same 60 events are generated by combinations of 13 MP signals / sensors, 5 signals for 12 keys (see Figure 5).

The implementation of the touch matrix keyboard sensitive to the offset of the finger from the center of the key, for example, 3 × 4 in size, can be performed by the methods presented in FIG. 6 (a, b). In the first case (a) the displacement-sensitive system is formed by the key sensors (7) and the sensor elements (8) surrounding them on four sides, in the second case (b) the system is formed by the central key (7) highlighted by the primary touch or the maximum response signal, and neighboring keys (7) and perimeter sensors (9) play the role of sensors surrounding on four sides. 60 events, similar to the previous keyboards, are formed by 12 unique events of the central sensors and their 48 combinations with the nearest side sensors.

As a touch keyboard, for example, 3 × 4 in size, a touch board (screen) or its (his) area of sufficient size and sensitivity can be used to highlight areas of the touch keys in the form of a matrix, the keys of which allow you to fix the direction of movement of the finger or stylus within the outlined area keys, as well as implement any options of touch keys / keyboards from the above or combinations thereof.

Claims (2)

1. An input system for a matrix keyboard arranged in a matrix using a character input interface, comprising a keyboard including a plurality of keys, parts or each of which are assigned more than one character; comprising a processor for input keys for processing a character input operation using a keyboard and outputting corresponding characters, characterized in that each key to which more than one character is assigned, or a key block, or an integral part of the keyboard comprises a character recognition device depending on the direction application of external force to a key, or a block of keys, or a component of a keyboard that uniquely interprets a keystroke, or a block of keys, or a component of a keyboard simultaneous application of forces to the left or to the right or down or up as a unique event, and generates output signals unique for each applied force, which are compared additional assigned symbols. 2. An input system for a matrix keyboard arranged in a matrix using a character input interface, comprising a keyboard including a plurality of keys, parts or each of which are assigned more than one character; comprising a processor for input keys for processing character input operations using the keyboard and outputting corresponding characters, characterized in that each key comprises a character recognition device depending on the direction of movement of the finger or stylus on the surface of the key, which uniquely interprets any direction of movement of the finger or stylus on the surface of the left, and / or right, or down, or up, or at an angle to the indicated directions as a unique event and generates on Exit unique signals for each further assigned symbol.