JPS5821289B2 - key input device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a keystroke device, and more particularly to a keystroke device that can automatically permit or prohibit keystrokes based on the usability of each page in a page-type keyboard, for example.

Generally, on the top surface of the control panel, which includes a plurality of key switches and each key switch is arranged, a through hole corresponding to the arrangement of the key switches is bored, and the function of each key switch is indicated in correspondence with each key switch. 2. Description of the Related Art A key-powered device having a so-called page-type keyboard is in practical use, in which a plurality of key switches are provided with different functions for each page by covering the page with information or codes.

Such page-type keyboards are advantageously used, for example, in electronic cash registers (hereinafter referred to as ECRs), reserved ticket vending devices at stations, and various other key-powered devices.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an ECR 10, which forms the background of the present invention and is an example of a key manpower device to which the present invention is applied.

In the figure, the operation surface of ECRI O includes keyboard 1.
1 is arranged.

This keyboard 11 includes numeric keys 12 for inputting numbers 0, 1 to 9, and a page type keyboard 13 for inputting various other functional information such as a department code.

The page-type keyboard 13 includes a plurality of key switches 131 for inputting departmental codes, and in order to provide each key switch 131 with a different function, each key switch is provided with information representing a different function. A plurality of pages 132 are bound together by a support shaft 133 and arranged so as to cover one side of each key switch.

For each page 132, page 0 is when all of the multiple pages are turned to the right, page 1 is when the first page is turned to the left, and page 1 is when the second page is turned to the left. It is assumed that the number of pages is 2, and the number of pages increases by 1 each time a page is moved to the left.

The ECR 10 also includes a display 14 for displaying numbers entered by operating the numeric keys 12 and department information entered by operating the page-type keyboard 13, and a display device 14 for displaying numbers entered by operating the numeric keys 12 and department information entered by operating the page-type keyboard 13; A printer 15 for printing and recording registration information input by operating the printer 13 is provided.

FIG. 2 is an illustrative view of a page detection mechanism 20 used to detect each page of the page type keyboard 13.

In the figure, the page detection mechanism 20 includes the support shaft 133
A cam 21 that interlocks with the rotation of each page is provided for each page 132 rotatably supported by the page 132, and a switch 22 is provided opposite the protrusion of the cam 21.

Although the illustration shows a case in which a page detection mechanism is provided in relation to one page 132, in reality, the support shaft 13
The cams 21 and the switches 22 corresponding to the cams 21 are provided stepwise so as to be different in the length direction of the page 3, so that each page can be detected.

By the way, the above-mentioned page type keyboard 13 has different functions depending on the page placed on the top surface of a plurality of key switches, so it has the function of inputting many types of information with a small number of key switches. ECR installed in stores that sell a wide variety of products such as
10 can be advantageously used.

However, ECRs including traditional page-style keyboards
IO is simply a signal for identifying the function input with the key switch 131 by detecting which page is opened to cover the top surface of the key switch based on the output of the page detection mechanism 20. was used only.

However, in a store that sells food and beverages, for example, it operates as a coffee shop that only sells drinks during certain hours, operates as a restaurant that only sells food during other hours, and does not sell food at other times during the night. It may be operated as a snack bar that also sells alcoholic beverages.

In such cases, you can prevent incorrect input by disabling unnecessary pages on each page of the page keyboard according to the type of business according to time of day, such as coffee department, meal department, alcoholic beverage department, etc. It is desirable to do so.

Therefore, the present invention was made to satisfy the above-mentioned needs, and is a key-powered device including a page-type keyboard that can prohibit manual registration processing when an unusable page type is opened. The goal is to provide the following.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and particularly shows the case of an ECR as an example of a key-powered device.

In the figure, the keyboard 11, display 14, printer 15, and page detection mechanism 20 are connected to an arithmetic processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 30 as an arithmetic means.

This CPU 30 is connected to a program storage memory (for example, ROM) 31 which stores in advance a program for achieving the operations shown in FIG. , a memory (for example, RAM) 32 for storing processing data, and a timer 33.
are connected.

This RAM 32 includes a flag F for storing information indicating whether each page 131 of the page type keyboard 13 can be used.
1, and if the usable pages differ depending on the time zone, the flag F2.1 for each time zone is included. ···including.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing flags included in the RAM 32 for storing data indicating whether each page of the page type keyboard can be used.

In the figure, for example, if the maximum number of pages 132 of the page type keyboard 13 is 8, the flag F1 is information indicating whether each of the 8 bits DO-D7 can be used (i.e., information indicating prohibition of use). Logic "1"
Information indicating that the device can be used and can be used is set and stored in advance as a logic "0".

Note that if the number of pages in page 132 is less than 8 pages, the bits greater than or equal to the number of pages should be set as empty bits or the number of bits should be reduced; conversely, if the number of pages is 8 or more, multiple addresses should be used as flags to at least All you have to do is secure the number of bits equivalent to the number of pages 132 (G).

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart for explaining the operation of an embodiment of the present invention, in particular, FIG. 5a shows a preset mode, and FIG. 5 shows a registration mode.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

For example, when one of the pages of the page type keyboard 13 may or may not be usable depending on a certain time period, and information indicating whether each page can be used is set and input at the initial time of the time period. This is done as follows.

That is, by operating the numeric keys 12, a page code indicating availability is entered manually.

At this time, the number of pages on the page type keyboard 13 is 4.
page, and if only pages 0 and 1 are unusable,
Operate the numeric key 12 and press l-0011j.

The information (page code "0011") indicating whether or not the keys can be used manually from the keyboard 11 in this way is
given to PU30.

In response, the CPU 30 reads the flag F1 included in the RAM 32.
The page code "0011" indicating whether the page can be used is stored.

When the ECR 10 is operated in the registration mode (for example, set to the registration mode by a key switch), open the desired page of page 132 included in the page keyboard 13 and enter the amount by operating the numerical keys 12. Then, a desired key switch (ie, department key) 131 included in the page type keyboard 13 is pressed to input desired department information.

When this registration information is given to the CPU 30, the CPU 30
reads the page number selected on the page type keyboard 13 given from the page detection mechanism 20, and sets the flag F1.
It is determined whether or not the page is prohibited from use as set and stored in advance.

If the page is not prohibited from use (for example, pages 2 and 3 in the case of flag F1 shown in FIG. 4), the page number detected by the page detection mechanism 20 and the pressed key switch (department key) are displayed. 131, it is determined which department information has been input, and the department registration information is processed.

On the other hand, the CPU 30 is prohibited from using the open page of the page type keyboard 13, which is stored as a flag F1.

If it is determined that the page is a registered page, an error indicator included in the display 14 is displayed to display an error without performing department registration processing.

Note that the page code indicates whether or not each page included in the page keyboard 13 can be used for each of the following time periods.

- If you want to change and set the mode, you can update it again using the preset mode shown in FIG. 5a. FIG. 6 shows a flowchart for explaining the operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, when each page 132 of the page keyboard 13 is usable or unusable depending on the time period, a page code indicating whether or not it can be used for each time period is set in advance. This is a flowchart for changing the settings of the page code that automatically indicates whether or not it can be used.
FIG. 6 shows the interrupt mode.

The operation of the preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-4 and 6.

For example, if pages 0 and 1 of the page keyboard 13 are to be prohibited from being used and pages 2 and 3 are to be available for use in a first time period from the present time to a certain time, the operator is included in the keyboard 11. - Operate the numeric keys 12 to input the page code "0011" representing the first usability.

Depending on the key input of the first page code "0011", the CPU 30 stores the first page code in the flag F1.

Next, the operator enters a page code indicating availability in the second time period, for example, if pages 0 and 1 are to be enabled and pages 2 and 3 are prohibited, the operator enters the page code "1100" as a key. Manpower.

In response to the key input of the second page code "1100", the CPU 30 stores the second page code in the flag F2.

After that, the operator operates the numeric keys 12 and presses the function key representing time to determine the time (or time) from the current time until the setting is changed to the second page code.
The key is human power.

In response, the CPU 30 sets the timer 33 to derive the time-up output after a set time from the current time, and then ends the preset mode.

Then, before the timer 33 times up, that is, the first
During the time period, each time the key switch (department key) 131 is operated in accordance with the operation shown in FIG. Based on the page code indicating availability, it is determined whether the page is usable or not, and if the page is usable, department registration processing is performed based on the page number and the operated key switch (department key). Do the following.

When the timer 33 derives a time-up output in the operating state as described above, the program proceeds to the interrupt mode shown in FIG.

That is, when the timer 33 times up, the CPU 30 transfers the page code, which is preset and stored in the flag F2 and represents the usability in the second time period, to the flag F1 and stores it in an updated manner.

After that, the operation of the registration mode shown in Fig. 5 is performed.
At this time, it is determined whether or not the currently opened page 132 of the page type keyboard 13 can be used based on the page number detection output and the page code indicating the usability stored in the flag F1. Since the page code stored in F1 is updated in the preset mode shown in FIG. After determining whether or not the code can be used, department registration processing is performed.

In addition, in the above explanation, as an example of a case where the usable pages differ depending on the time zone, the case where the usable pages differ depending on two time zones, the first time zone and the second time zone, was explained.
It is also possible to perform the same procedure in the above time periods by repeating the number of page codes and time settings.

Furthermore, in the above explanation, a case has been described in which it is always determined whether or not a usable page is based on the contents of the flag F1. A register with the same number of bits as the flag is provided in RAM3 for each time period.
The content of the flag stored in the CPU 30 may be read into a register included in the CPU 30, and whether or not the 4 can be used may be determined based on the content of the register included in the CPU 30.

By the way, since the type of industry and department in which a store operates is usually fixed depending on the time of day, as another example, it is possible to store pages without setting page codes that indicate whether each page can be used or not depending on the time of day. , a program is preset and stored in a fixed memory such as a ROM to constantly monitor the current time and switch the page code when the next time zone arrives, and automatically determines whether or not it can be used. You may also do so.

In the above embodiments, the case of ECR was explained, but it goes without saying that the present invention can also be used in various key-powered devices including page-type keyboards (for example, reserved ticket vending devices at stations, etc.). According to the present invention, a code indicating whether each page can be used is set in advance for each time period; and when the set time period comes, the currently opened page is displayed based on the code indicating whether it can be used in that time period. Therefore, even if a key switch is operated while a page that cannot be used at that time is open, the registration process based on manual key power will be prohibited, and this will prevent erroneous operation. This has the effect of preventing

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an ECRIO, which forms the background of this invention and is an example of a key human power device to which this invention is applied. FIG. 2 is an illustrative diagram of the page detection mechanism 20. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an illustrative diagram of flags Fl and F2 included in the RAM 32. 5 and 6 show flowcharts for explaining the operation of one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 10 is an ECR 111, which is an example of a key human power device.
is a keyboard, 12 is a numerical key, 13 is a page type keyboard, 14 is a display, 15 is a printer, 20 is a page detection mechanism, 30 is an arithmetic processing unit, 31 is a ROM, 32 is a RAM (storage means), 33 indicates a timer.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A page-type keyboard including a plurality of key switches and a plurality of pages, in which each page is placed over the key switch so that each key switch is used for inputting different types of information for each page. In the manual key device, a detection means for detecting the type of page covered by the key switch, including a plurality of storage areas, and transmits information indicating whether or not manual key power is available for each page according to a predetermined time period to each storage area. a storage means for storing preset settings, and when a key of the plurality of key switches is operated during a time period;
computing means for comparing the type of page detected by the detection means with information stored in the storage means indicating whether input is possible for each page in the time period, and determining whether key input is possible for the page; Key input device equipped with.