ZA200505108B - Typing practice apparatus, typing practice method,and typing practice program - Google Patents

Description

® 205 /051709 ®

TYPING PRACTICE APPARATUS, TYPING PRACTICE METHOD, AND

TYPING PRACTICE PROGRAM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a ty ping practice apparatus, a typing practice method, and a typing practice program, suitable for practicing typing of a computer keyboard.

[0002] 2. Description of Related Art

In recent years, the freguency of using computers is increasing, and the input to the computer is generally done through a keyboard having many keys arranged thexeon. However, since it i= hard for beginners to remember the &=rrangement of the keys on the keyboard, it is not easy for beginners to smoothly do key input (hereinafter, it is called ‘typing’).

Practice i.s necessary to smoothly type to some extent, and various typing practice methods and pieces of apparatus are proposed. [000 3] : Fox example, JP-A-2002-268534disclosess a practice method swuitable for typing without seeing text prepared beforeharad while a player listening to conve rsation, for 1A

® 2078 51s instance. According to this method, a computer r eproduces music, itt has player input the lyric of the musics, and it compares tthe inputted characters with the characters of the correct l=yric to determine whether accurate input is done.

[0004]

In the meantime, in view of smooth typirag, it is recommendexd that the individual keys on a keyboard axe pressed down by proper fingers. However, in the practi ce method described in the Reference above, the correctness of the inputted c haracters is simply determined, it is not dletermined whether th e keys have been pressed down by the proper fingers, and thus t he player cannot know whether typing has been done by the proper fingers. Therefore, the practice met-hod has a problem that it is difficult to improve typing te<hniques.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005]

It is an object of the invention to provide a typing practice apparatus, a typing practice method, and a typing practice p rogram, in which typing is learned by proper fingers to efficiently improve typing techniques. (00D 6]

Accoexrding to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a typing practice apparatus including: in. put means on which a plurality of keys are arranged; finger detecting

® 20105 /05108 me ans for detecting a finger of a player used to press down a key on the input means; determining mneans for determining whether a finger associated with the pressed key is matched with the finger detected by the finger detecting means; and notifying means for notifying a determined result by the determining means.

[0007]

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a typing practice method incX¥uding the steps of: dettecting a finger of a player used to pre ss down a key on input means on which a plurality of keys are a rranged; determining whether a finger associated with the pr essed key is matched with the finger detected at the finger detecting step; and not ifying a determined result at the determining step.

[0008]

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is pro vided a typing practice program whicha cause a computer to per form the steps of: detecting a finger of a player used to pre ss down a key on input means on which a plurality of keys are arranged; determining whether a finger associated with the pre ssed key is matched with the finger de tected at the finger detecting step; and notifying a determined result at the determining step. {0009] '

According to the aspects above, sirice it is determined

® ALE RX: winether the finger beforehand associated w ith the pressed key i= matched with the detected finger, i.e., the finger actually used to press down the key, and the determimed result is told, the player can recognize whether typing is performed by proper fingers. Therefore, the player is allowed to learn to type by proper fingers, and thus typing techniques can be effficiently improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other and further objects, features and advantages of th e invention will appear more fully fxrom the following de scription taken in connection with the acc ompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a& typing practice apparatus of a first embodiment according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the typing practice apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illu strating a typing practice screen shown on a display of the typing practice apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

FIG. 4A is a table associating the numbers of a finger detector with individual fingers.

FIG. 4B is a table associating keys with proper fingers fox pressing down the keys.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a main routine of

® 2005 /05108 ® a program executed by the typing practice apparatus shown in

Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a flow chart illu strating a character string display routine in a program executed by the typing practice apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a typing practice apparatus of a second embodiment according to the invention.

Fig. 8 1s a block diagram illustrating the typing practice apparatus shown in Fig. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

0010]

First, a typing practice apparatus of a first embodiment according to the invention will be described.

[0011]

A typing practice apparatus 10 of the embodiment is an apparatus for use in practice so that a player can smoothly type without seeing a keyboard (hereinafter, it is called ‘touch typing’), which has a PC (Personal Computer) main body 2, a keyboard 3, a display 4, a finger detector 5, and a speaker 6, as shown in Fig. 1. The keyboard 3, the display 4, the finger detector 5, and the speaker 6 are connected to the PC main body 2 having an 0S (Operating System) installed therein.

® @®

On the keyboard 3, many keys 3a such as ‘A to 2’, ‘A to

N (kana)’, ‘0 to 9’, periods, commas, and enter keys are arranged. For a typical input method through the keyboard 3, there are two input methods: kana t yping that the keys 3a of ‘A to N (kana)’ are pressed down, amd romaji typing that the keys 3a of ‘A to Z' are pressed down.

[0013]

The display 4 displays a typing practice screen (see Fig. 3) based on a display control signal from the PC main body 2.

Here, the typing practice screen wil 1 be described in detail.

[0014]

The typing practice screen inc ludes a character display screen 41, a key display screen 42, ard a finger display screen 43. On the right side of the finge r display screen 43, the score of a typing practice game is displayed. Furthermore, in Fig. 3, although a broken line is depicted around the key image of the key display screen 42 armd the finger image on the finger display screen 43, these broken lines are depicted for illustration, and they are not actually displayed on the display 4.

[0015]

On the character display screen 41, two types of character strings are shown above arad below in parallel with each other. The character string to be inputted is shown on the upper side, and the character strring corresponding to the

® ® keys 3a to be actually pre ssed down by a player is shown on the lower side. The characters shown on the upper side are various types of characters such as kana and the alphabet, and the characters shown on the lower side are characters converted from the characters shown on the upper side to the character type selected by the player.

[0016]

For the character types selectable by the player, there are two types, kana and the alphabet. The player selects kana as the character type between two input methods described above when the player wants to apply kana typing, whereas the player selects the alphabet as the character type when the player wants to apply romaji typing. Accordingly, the character string corresponding to the keys 3a to be pressed down by the player is shown on the lower side of the character display screen 41, and the player can smoothly type while seeing the character string on the lower side.

[0017]

For example, the player selects the alphabet as the character type when the character string to be inputted is ‘i-ro-ha-ni-ho-he-to (kana)’. Then, ‘i-ro-ha-ni-ho-he-to (kana)’ is shown on the uppe r side and ‘IROHANIHOHETO’ is shown on the lower side (see F4dg. 3). Furthermore, the player selects kana as the character type when the character string to be inputted is ‘a-o-i—so-ra (kanji and kana)’. Then,

® _ ‘a-o-i-so-ra (kanji and kana)” is shown on the upper side of the character display screen 41, and ‘a-o-i-so-ra (kana)’ is shown on the lower side.

[0018]

Moreover, proverbs and music lyrics may be additionally displayed on the character di splay screen 41.

[0019]

On the key display screen 42, a large number of the key images are displayed as similarly to the keys 3a arranged on the keyboard 3, and the image of the key 3a to be pressed down is highlighted among a large number of the key images. For example, when the key 3a to be pressed down is ‘A’, the key image of ‘A’ is flashed or clear ly displayed more than the other key images among a large number of the key images shown on the key display screen 42 so as to bbe distinguished from the other key images. Accordingly, the player can recognize which key is the key 3a to be pressed down and the location of that key 3a.

[0020]

Besides, although ‘A to Z’ are assigned to the key images on the key display screen 42 in Fig. 3, ‘A to N (kana)’ may be assigned when kana typing is applied and ‘A to Z’' may be assigned to the key images when romaji typing is applied depending on which cne of the two input methods, i.e., kana typing and romaji typing, is applied, for example.

® ®

[0021]

On the finger display screen 43, the images of ten right and left fingers are displayed, and the finger image corresponding to the proper finger to press down the key 3a is highlighted among ten finger images. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, when the key image of ‘A’ is highlighted on the key display screen 42, the image of ‘the left little finger’ corresponding to the key 3a of ‘A’ is flashed or clearly displayed more than the other finger images so as to be distinguished from the other finger images. Accordingly, the player can recognize which finger is the proper finger to press down the key 3a.

[0022]

The speaker 6 generates a sound in accordance with the result of the typing practice game. For example, when the player presses down t he key 3a not corresponding to the key image highlighted on the key display screen 42 (that is, the player has pressed down a wrong key), and when the player presses down the key 2a by the finger not associated with the finger image highlighted on the finger display screen 43 (that is, the player has pressed down the key by an improper finger), a beep sound 1s generated. Accordingly, the player can recognize that a wrong key is pressed down and the key is pressed down by an improper f inger.

[0023]

The finger detector 5 is worn on each of ten fingers of the player, and has a pressure sensor 5a at the location corresponding to the fingertip. In detail, the finger detector 5 is worn on each finger so that the pressure serasor 5a 1s sandwiched and pressurized between the finger and the key 3a when the player presses down the key 3a. When the player presses down the key 3a, pressure is applied to the pressure sensor 5a, and a pressure detection signal by the presssure sensor 5a is sent to the PC main body 2. The numbers from one to ten are assigned to the finger detectors 5. When the PC main body 2 receives the pressure detection signal from the pressure sensor 5a of the finger detector 5, it detects the finger used to press down the key 3a based on the signal.

[0024]

Furthermore, for the pressure sensor 5a, a device us ing a piezo-electric element is named, for example, but it is not limited to this.

[0025]

As shown in Fig. 2, the PC main body 2 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21, an interface unit (hereinaft er, it is called 1/0) 22, ROM (Read Only Memory) 23, and RAM (Ran dom

Access Memory) 24. The CPU 21 is a central processing unit that conducts computations in accordance with various comma nds.

The 1/022 is electrically connected the keyboard 3, the disp lay 4, the finger detector 5, and the speaker 6 to the CPU 21.

® _

[0026]

The RAM 24 is volatile read or write memory for temporary data storage in executing a program, described later, by the

CPU 21, which stores the individual images for the typing practice screen (see Fig. 3), scores of the typing practices game and two corxespondence tables shown in Figs. 4A and 4B .

[0027]

The correspondence table shown in Fig. 4A associates the numbers of the finger detectors 5 with ten right and lefts fingers. The CPU 21 receives the pressure detection signal by the pressure sensor 5a of the finger detector 5 based om information stored in a finger detecting part 234, described later, and refer s to the correspondence table based on the signal to detect tthe finger used to press down the key 3a. For example, when the CPU 21 receives the pressure detection signal. by the pressure sensor 5a of the finger detector 5 assigned with number 3, it refers to the correspondence table to detect: a left middle fin ger as the finger used to press down the kew 3a.

[0028]

The corresp ondence table shown in Fig. 4B associates thes keys 3a on the keyboard 3 with the proper fingers to press down. the keys 3a. The CPU 21 decides a proper finger to press down. the key 3a based on data of the key 3a to be pressed down and. the correspondence table, and the finger image corresponding-

® ® to the decided proper finger is highlighted on the finger display screen 43. For example, when the key 3a t o be pressed down is ‘A’ , the CPU 21 refers to the correspondence table, and highlights the finger image corresponding to a left little finger among ten finger images shown on the firmger display screen 43. (0029 ]

The RAM 24 further stores multiple characte r strings to be displayed on the upper side of the character dissplay screen 41 and a correspondence table that associates ramdom numbers with the starting addresses of the individual character strings. The CPU 21 generates a random number whe n the player does the typing practice game, refers to the correspondence table, extracts the character string having the starting address matching the random number among multiple character strings stored in the RAM 24, and displays the character string on the uppex side of the character display screen 41.

[00301]

The ROM 23 is non-volatile read-only memory that stores a computation program for executing a flow, descr-ibed later, which has a character type selecting part 231, a character converting part 232, a display control part 233, a finger detecting part 234, a correctness determining parts 235, a time determining part 236, a notification control part. 237, and a score deciding part 238. In the individual parts 231 to 238,

® _ information foxx executing each step of the program, des cribed later, by the CPU 21 is stored.

[0031]

In accordance with information stored in the chazracter type selecting part 231, the CPU 21 displays a commaned that encourages the player to select one of the two character types (kana and the alphabet), that is, the character type selection command on the display 4.

[0032]

In accordance with information stored in the char-acter converting part. 232, the CPU 21 converts the character string that is decided based on the random number as described above and displayed ora the upper side of the character display screen 41 to the character type selected by the player in accor-dance with the commancl. For example, the player selects kana as the character type when the character string shown on the upper side of the character display screen 41 is ‘a-o-i-so-ra (kana and kanji)’, and then the CPU 21 converts ‘a-o-i-so-ra (kana and kanji)’ to ‘a-o-i-so-ra (kana)’. Moreover, wher the player selects tthe alphabet as the character type, the CPU 21 converts ‘a-o-1i -so-ra (kana and kanji)’ to ‘*AQOISORA’.

[0033]

In accordance with information stored in the display control part 233, the CPU 21 displays the typing practice screen (see Fig. 3) on the display 4. More specifically, the C PU 21

®

J displays the character string decided based on the random number as desscribed above on the upper side of the character display screesn 41, the character string after conver ted on the lower side of the character display screen 41, a large number of the key images on the key display screen 42, and the score of the typing practice game on the right side of t he finger display screen 43. When the CPU 21 further determ ines that the key to be pressed down is matched with the key actually pressed and t hat the finger associated with the pr essed key is matched wit h the finger detected through the finger: detector (the finger actually used to press down the key), i t changes the backgrounrd color of the character associated with the pressed key im the character string shown on the lower side of the charact.er display screen 41. Accordingly, the player can recognize that what characters the player input and can type smoothly. The CPU 21 also displays a large numb er of the key images on the key display screen 42, highlights tthe image of the key 3a to be pressed down, displays ten finger images on the finger display screen 43, and highlights the proper finger to press down.

[0034]

In accordance with information stored in the finger detecting part 234, the CPU 21 receives the pressure d etection signal by the pressure sensor 5a of the finger detector 5, and detects the fimger used to press down the key 3a based on the

® ® signal.

[0035]

The correctness determining part 235 includes a character correctness determining part 235a and a finger correctness determining par t 235b. In accordance with information stored in the character correctness determining part 235a, the CPU 21 determines whether the keys of characters forming the character string or the lower side of the character display screen 41 (that is, t he key to be pressed down) are matched with the keys actuall.y pressed. On the other hand, in accordance with information stored in the finger correctness determining part 235b, the CPU 21 determines whether the finger associated with the pressed key is matched with the finger detected through the finger detector 5 (that is, the finger actually used to press down the key).

[0036]

In accordance with inf®ormation stored in the time determining part 236, the «PU 21 determines whether a predetermined period in time has elapsed from when the character string was shown on t he character display screen 41.

When the CPU 21 determines that the predetermined period in time has elapsed, it determines that typing of a character string shown on the character display screen 41 at that time is failed. More specifically, when the player cannot finish typing of the character string shown on the character display

® ® screen 41 within the predetermimed period in time, the player cannot continue typing of the character string.

[0037]

In accordance with 1 nformation stored in the notification control part 237, the CPU 21 notifies the player about the determined result determined in accordance with the correctness determining part 235. More specifically, when the

CPU 21 determines that the key to be pressed down is not matched with the key actually pressed amd that the finger associated with the pressed key is not mate<hed with the finger detected through the finger detector 5 (th e finger actually used to press down the key), it generates a be ep sound by the speaker 6. In addition, the determined result determined by the correctness determining part 235 may be shown on the display 4.

[0038]

In accordance with infoxmation stored in the score deciding part 238, the CPU 21 decides the game score based on the determined result. For example, when 10,000 points are stored as a score in the RAM 24 at the beginning of the game and the key to be pressed down is not matched with the key actually pressed, and when thes finger associated with the pressed key is not matched with. the finger detected through the finger detector 5 (the finger actually used to press down the key), 100 points each may lobe deducted.

[0039]

® o

Next, a typing practice program executed by the typing practice apparatus 10 will be described with reference to Figs. and 6.

[0040]

First, as shown in Fig. 5, the memory contents of the

RAM 24 are initialized (step [hereimafter, it is denoted as

S} 1). More specifically, the fol_lowing is done: data is deleted in the writable area of the RAM 24 used in the previous game, data necessary to this game is written in the write area of the RAM 24 (for example, the score obtained in the previous game), the start address of the sequence program in this game is specified, and the typing practice screen is displayed on the display 4.

[0041]

Subsequently, a character type selecting command is shown on the display 4 (S2). When the player selects the character type in accordance with th at command, the selected character type is stored in the RAMI 24, and then character strings are shown on the character di splay screen 41 (see Fig. 3) (S83).

[0042]

Here, a character string displ.ay routine to be done at

S3 will be described in detail with. reference to Fig. 6.

[0043]

In the character string display routine, a single

® _ character string is fi rst extracted from multiple character strings stored in the RAM 24 based on a random number as described above (S201) . Then, the character number x of the extracted character string is acquired (S202), and after that, 0 is substituted for a given variable 1 (S203). Here, the beginning character of the character string is set as the zeroth.

[0044]

Subsequently, it is determined whether the first character of the character string is the character type selected by the player in accordance with the command shown at S2 (S204). When it ds determined that the first character of the character string is the character type selected by the player (S204: YES), the routine advances to S206, skipping S205.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the first character of the character string is not the character type selected by the player (S204: NO), the first character is converted to the character type selected by the player (S205).

After that, the value that 1 is added to the given variable 1 is substituted for the variable 1 (S206). Then, it is determined whether 1 = x, that is, whether the character string is converted to the character type selected by the player up to the last character of the character string (S207).

[0045]

When it is determined as 1 = x, that is, when it is

® ® determined that the character string is converted to the character type selected by the player up to the last character of the character string (S207 : YES), the character string after converting is stored in the RAM 24 (S208). Then, the character string extracted at S201 and the character string after converting stored in the RAM 24 at S208 are shown on the upper side and on the lower side, respectively, of the character display screen 41 (S209). Subsequently, the routine is finished.

[0046]

On the other hand, when it is determined as 1 # x, that is, when it 1s determined t hat the character string is not converted to the character t ype selected by the player up to the last character of the character string (S207: NO), the routine returns to S204.

[0047]

Again returning to Fig . 5, the process after S3 will be described.

[0048]

After the character st rings are shown on the character display screen 41 at S3, the character number n of the character string shown on the lower side of the character display screen 41 (that is, the character string after converting to the selected character type) is acquired (S4). The character string handled after S4 is ‘the character string after

® converting to the selected character type’. Then, 0 is substituted for a given variable m (S5). Here, the beginn ing character of the character string is set as the zeroth.

[0049]

Subsequent ly, the key 3a associated with the mth character of the character string after converting and the proper finger to press down the key 3a are highlighted on the display 4 (S6). More specifically, the image of the key 3a associated with tthe mth character of the character string on the key display screen 42 (see Fig. 3) is flashed or clearly displayed more than the other key images so as to be distinguished from the other key images as well as the fimger image associated with the proper finger to press down the key 3a on the fingex display screen 43 is flashed or clearly displayed more than the other key images so as to be distinguished from the other key images.

[0050]

Subsequent ly, it is determined whether a predetermi ned period in time has elapsed from when the character strings are shown on the character display screen 41 at S3 (S7). Wher it is determined that the predetermined period in time has not elapsed (S7: NO), it is determined whether the key 3a is pressed down (S8). When Gt is determined that the key 3a is not pressed down (S8: NO), tthe routine returns to S6, and it is again determined whether the predetermined period in time has

® ® elapsed. On the other hand, when it is determined that the key 3a is pressed down (S8: YES), it is determined wh ether the pressed key is matched with the key associated with the mth character of the character string, that is, whether th e correct key 3a is pressed down (S9).

[0051]

When it is determined that the correct key 3a i s pressed down (S9: YES), the finger used to press down the key 3a is detected based on the pressure detection signal by the pressure sensor 5a of the finger detector 5 (S10). Then, at S10, it is determined whether the detected finger is matched with the finger associate d with the pressed key 3a, that is, whether the proper finger is used to press down the key 3a (S171). When it is determined that the proper finger is use to press down the key 3a (S11: YES), the background color of the mth character of the character string after converting is changed (S12), and the game score stored in the RAM 24 is then shown on the display 4 (S13).

[0052]

On the other hand, when it is determined that the wrong key 3a is pressed down (S9: NO) and that the improper finger pressed down the key 3a (S11: NO), a beep sound is made from the speaker 6 and the player receives an alarm (S17). Then, 100 points are desducted from the score stored in the RAM 24, and the deducted score is again stored in the RAM 224 (S18).

® ®

After that, the routine returns to S6.

[0053]

After the score is shown at S13, the value t hat 1 is added to a given variable m is substituted for m (S1 4). Then, it is det ermined whether m = n, that is, whether typing is completed up to the last character of the charactemx string (S15).

When it. is determined as m # n, that is, when it Dds determined that typing is not completed up to the last character of the character string (S15: NO), the routine returns to S6. [£0054]

When it is determined as m = n, that is , when it is determi ned that typing is completed up to the last character of the character string (S15: YES), it is determined whether the typing practice game is finished (S16). For example, when a predetermined number of games is done as the typing for a single character string is considered as one game, or when games are done for a predetermined period in time, it I s determined that th e game is finished (S16: YES), the routine is ended.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the game is not finished (316: NO), the routine returns to S3. [ 0055]

A fter it is determined that the game is fi nished (S16:

YES), the key 3a pressed down by the improper fi nger and the proper finger that would have pressed down that key 3a may be shown or the display 4 in order of more frequently failed ones,

_ ® for example. Accordingly, the player can confirma key 3a that the player is not good at pressing down by the proper finger and the finger originally used to press down that key 3a, and thus the player can efficiently improve typing techniques. [O056]

As described above, according to the typing practice apparatus 10 of the embodiment, it is determined in S11 in Fig. whether the finger associated with the pressed key 3a beforehand is matched with the finger det ected through the finger detector 5, i.e., with the finger actually used to press down the key 3a, and the determined result is told (S12 and

S17 in Fig. 5). Therefore, the player can recognize whether the player has been able to type by proper fingers.

Accordingly, the apparatus allows the player to learn to type by proper fingers, and thus typing techniques can be efficiently improved. (0 057]

Fu rther in the embodiment, it is determined in S11 in

Fig. 5 whether the finger associated with t he pressed key 3a beforehand is matched with the finger detected through the finger detector 5, i.e., the finger actually used to press down the key 3a, and the decided score is told based on the determined result (S13 in Fig. 5). The score told is the indicator how much the player has typed by proper fingers . Therefore, the player can recognize his or her typing technique level, and

® ® thus typing techniques can be improved more efficiently.

[0058]

The finger detector 5 includes the pressure sensor 5a disposed on the fingertips of the player . In this manner, based on the fact that force is applied to the fingertip when the key 3a is pressed down, the pressure sens ors 5a are arranged on the fingertips, and then the finger is detected based on the pressure detection signal by the pressure sensor 5a to highly efficiently detect the finger.

[0059]

Next, a typing practice apparatus of a second embodiment according to the invention will be descrilobed. Hereinafter, the differences will be described in a typing practice apparatus 100 of the embodiment different from the typing practice apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, and therefore the same numerals and signs are assigned to th e same components, omitting the description.

[0060]

As shown in Fig. 7, in the typing pract-ice apparatus 100 of the embodiment, a finger detector 105 i s worn on each of ten fingers of a player as similarly to the finger detector of the first embodiment, but an IC tag 105a_, not the pressure sensor 5a 1s disposed at the location corresponding to the fingertip. Furthermore, a keyboard 103 has a tag reader 113 built therein, which can read information r ecorded on the IC

_ tag 1.05a so as to correspond to each of keys 103a.

[0061]

As shown in Fig. 8, the IC tag 105a of the finger detector 105 includes an antenna 131 which sends and receives data with an an tenna of a tag reader 113 (not shown ), a power control circu it 132 connected to the antenna 131, a CPU 133, memory 134 connected to the CPU 133, and a moduilator/demodulator circu it 133 which is connected to the anterana 131 and the CPU and modulates and demodulates data. The power control circuit 132 converts radio waves received by the ante nna 131 to electric power by electromagnetic induction, and the electric power is used f or the drive electric power of the ICtag l05a. Thememory 134 stores numbers corresponding to ten individual fingers (any one of one to ten), and the RAM 24 stores the correspondence table shown in Fig. 4A where these numbers are ‘the numbers of thes finger detectors 105’. The CPU 133 reads number data out of the memory 134 when the tag reader 113 reads information stored in the IC tag 1l05a. The read number data is sent from the an tenna 131 to the antenna of the tag r eader 131 through the mo dulator/demodulator circuit 135.

[0062]

When the player presses down a key 103a, the tag reader 113 budlt in the pressed key 103a sends the signal relating to pressing down that key 103a to a PC main body 2, it reads information stored in the IC tag 105 of the finger detector

® ® 105 worn on the finger used to press down the key 1 03a, that is, the number data stored in the memory 134 through tie antenna 131, and it sends the data to the PC main body 2. Tle PC main body 2 detects which key is the pressed key based on the press—-down signal which has been transmitted. The PC main body 2 furth er detects the finger used to press down the key 103a based on the transmitted number data. More specifi<cally, as similar ly to the first embodiment, a CPU 21 detects t he finger used to press down the key 103a with reference to the corresp ondence table shown in Fig. 4A stored in RAM 24.

[0063]

A typing practice programexecuted by the typing practice apparatwms 100 is almost the same as the program of tthe first embodimeant shown in Figs. 5 and 6, but it is differcent from the first embodiment in that the finger detecting step at S10 in Fig. 5 is not done based on the pressure detection signal by the pressure sensor 5a and is done pased on the tag reader 113 which reads information recorded on the IC tag 10.5a of the finger detector 105. [O064]

Ass described above, according to the typing practice apparatus 100 of the embodiment, the finger detector 105 includess the IC tag 105a disposed on the fingertip of the player, and the keyboard 103 includes the tag reader 113 which can read informat. ion recorded on the IC tag 105a and is dispossed so as

@® to correspond to the key 103a. In this manner, the IC tag 105a is used which can read and write information in radio through radio waves and electromagnetic waves, and thus the £inger used to press down the key 103a can be efficiently, highly accurately detected. Furthermore, since the IC tag 105a is generally very small, it rarely hampers the player from typing ev en when it is disposed on the fingertip and the player car smoothly practice typing.

[0065]

Moreover, since the tag reader 113 is arranged so as to correspond to each of multiple keys 103a on the keykoard 103, the finger used to press down the key 103a can be detected as well as the pressed key 103a can be detected.

[0066]

The finger detectors 5; 105 have the shape to be worn on each of ten fingers, but it is acceptable to be gloves wearable on right and left hands.

[0067]

In the embodiments described above, the finger detectors 5; 105 including the pressure sensor 5a and the IC tag 105a are used in order to detect the finger used to press down the key, but the finger may be detected through the image. For example, it is ac ceptable that the images of the entires keyboard and the fingers in typing are acquired and the finge-r used to press down the key is detected from the acquired im ages. In

® ® this case, since it is unnecessary to wear the finger detectors 5; 105 on the firmmger, it does not hamper typing, and the player can smoothly practice typing.

[0068]

In the embodiments described above, a beep sound is generated from t he speaker 6 when the improper finger presses down the keys 3a ; 103a, but the determined result may be told to the player by showing it on the display 4.

[0069]

In the embodiments described above, the key to be pressed down is highligh ted on the display 4 (see Fig. 3), but it is not limited to this. For example, an LED may be disposed on each of the keys 3a; 103a on the keyboards 3; 103 and the LED corresponding to the keys 3a; 103a to be pressed down may be lit to tell the key to be pressed down to the player.

[0070]

Furthermor €, in the embodiments described above, when the correct key 1 s pressed down and the proper finger presses down the key, the=n the routine moves to the next input of the character. Howewer, the routine may move to the next input of the character when one of them is successful or when both are failed.

[0071]

The associa tion of the key with the finger is not limited to that based on the correspondence table shown in Fig. 4B that

® ® illustrates general home positions for input through the keyboard, and the player may set the association. For example, the finger associated with the key of ‘B’ may be set to a ri ght index finger or to a left index finger. Accordingly, the player can improve typing techniques by him or her own methods. {0072)

In addition, deciding and telling the score based on the determined result of whether the proper finger is used to pr ess down the keys 3a; 103a may be omitted.

[0073]

The typing practice program according to the invention is written read-only beforehand in the ROM 23 of the PC main body 2 in the embodiments described above. However, a progmxam recorded on a removab le record medium such as a CD may be read out as required and written in the RAM 24 or a program may be sent through an electric communication line such as the

Internet and written in the RAM 24.

[0074]

The typing practice program according to the invention can be distributed by recording it on a removable record medi um such as DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, FD (flexible disk), and MO and a fix ed record medium such as a hard disk, as well as it can be distributed through communication networks such as t he

Internet. For example, the typing practice program accordimg to the invention can lve applied to home video games. In ths

_ ® case, a record medium on which the program is recorded may be

DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, FD (flexible ddsk), or a given record medium.

[0075]

Although the above description indicates a case where a player uses Japanese and there &are two input methods including kana typing and romaji typing and that character types selectable by a player are kana a nd the alphabet, the invention is not limited to this. For example, in a case where a player uses English, a character string in lower-case alphabet to be inputted may be shown in on the upper side of the character display screen 41 in Fig. 3, and a character string in upper-case alphabet corresponding to the keys 3a to be actually pressed down by a player may be sh own on the lower side. Since, in general, each of the keys 3& has an upper-case alphabet written thereon, a player can easily find a key to be pressed, an upper-case alphabet written on which is shown on the lower side of the character display screen 41. Thus, the player can smoothly type while seeing the character string on the lower side. In other words, character types selectable by a player and character strings respectivel.y shown on the upper and lower sides of the character display screen 41 in Fig. 3 may be variously changed in accordances with a language used by a player. (0076]

While this invention has been described in conjunction

® ® with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifica tions and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not- limiting.

Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims (10)

® ® Claims WHATS CEA MED—IS :

1. A typing practice apparatus comprising: input means om» which a plurality of keys are arranged; finger detecting means for detecting a finger of a player used to press down & key on the input means: determining means for determining whether a finger associated with the pressed key is matched with the finger detected by the finger detecting means; and notifying means for notifying a determined result by the determining means.

2. The typing practice apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: score deciding means for deciding a score based on the determined result bw the determining means; and score notifying means for notifying the score decided by the score deciding means.

3. The typing practice apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the finger detecting means includes a pressure sensor disposed on a fingertip of the player.

4. The typing practice apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the finger detecting means includes an IC tag disposed on a finger tip of the player, and a tag reader which can read information recorded on the IC tag and is disposed so as to correspond to a key on the input means.

® J

5. The typing practice apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the tag reader is disposed so as to correspond to each of the plurality of keys.

6. A typing practice method comprising the steps of: detecting a finger of a player used to press down a key on input means on which a plurality of keys are arranged; determining whether a finger associated with the pressed key is matched with the finger detected at the finger detecting step; and notifying a determined xesult at the determining step.

7. L typing practice program which cause a computer to perform the steps of: detecting a finger of a player used to press down a key on input means on which a plurality of keys are arranged; determining whether a finger associated with the pressed key is matched with the finger detected at the finger detecting step; and notifying a determined result at the determining step.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, substantially as herein described and illustrated.

9. A method according to claim 6, substantially as herein described and illustrated.

pi {J g 5 ¢ r ® 7705108

10. A new apparatus, or a mew typing practice method, substantially as herein descriloed. Date=d this 23 day of June 2005 Adams & Adams Applicants Patent Attorneys