JPS6213685B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a key input method for characters, for example, characters, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a key input method for characters, such as characters, and more specifically, a method for displaying characters at a predetermined display position by operating a key for inputting a desired character. Regarding the key input method of the character.

Conventionally, a plurality of character input keys individually corresponding to characters as characters are arranged, and by operating the character input keys, a desired character is displayed at a predetermined display position. However, since a large number of character input keys are required, there is a drawback that the operation surface of the character input keys becomes large. Particularly, although it is desired that devices such as electronic translators be made smaller, they cannot be made much smaller due to operability issues. Furthermore, although a method has been proposed in which a large number of characters can be input in sequence by changing the key operations of a small number of character input keys, it takes time to input a desired character when the number of characters is large.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned technical problems,
To provide a character key input method capable of reducing the operation surface of character input keys and inputting a desired character relatively quickly.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electronic translator according to an embodiment of the present invention. On the top surface of the main body 1 of the electronic translator, there are a single character input key 2 for inputting English characters arranged in a predetermined order and some kana characters, and a single character input key 2 for inputting English characters arranged in a predetermined order and some kana characters arranged in a predetermined order. Another single character input key 3 for inputting other kana characters and special symbols, a display 5 for displaying input characters at predetermined display positions, and a function key 4 are provided. The function key 4 includes a reverse search key 6 for searching in the reverse direction, a forward search key 7 for searching in the forward direction, and a clear key 8 for clearing the text. Translation key 9 for translating into English, power off, power on and English-Japanese mode for inputting English characters, or power on and enter kana characters,
A mode switching key 10 for selecting a Japanese/English mode for inputting special symbols is included. Each key 2,
3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 form a keyboard 19.

When the mode switching key 10 is set to the English-Japanese mode, English characters are input in response to pressing operations on the character input keys 2 and 3. When the mode switching key 10 is set to the Japanese-English mode, kana characters and special symbols are input in response to pressing operations on the character input keys 2 and 3. After sequentially inputting desired characters, by pressing the forward or reverse search keys 6, 7, a word starting from the character string that has already been input is searched.

Assume that the mode switching key 10 is in the English-Japanese mode and the character input key 2 is operated. When the character input key 2 near where "p" is printed is pressed with the finger 11 as the operating body as shown in FIG. 2, "p" is input and the display 5 shows ""p" is displayed. When the character input key is pressed,
If you roll or slide your finger 11 a little to the right near where "q" is printed on the right side of "p" as shown in FIG. “q” is displayed instead of “p”. While pressing the character input key 2, move your finger 11 to the left side of the letter "p" near where "o" is printed.
As shown in FIG. 3, by rolling or sliding a little to the left, "o" is input and "o" is displayed on the display 5 instead of "q". If the finger 11 is separated from the character input key 2 while "o" is displayed, the character input of "o" is latched to the first digit and becomes a valid character input. Next, when the character input key 2 near where "v" is printed is pressed with the finger 11 as shown in FIG. 2, "v" is input and the first digit "o" is displayed on the display 5. " and the second digit "v" are displayed. If the finger 11 is removed from the character input key while "o" and "v" are displayed, the character input of "v" is latched to the second digit and becomes a valid character input. In this way, desired characters are input. Note that the same applies to kana characters and special symbols.

FIG. 3 is a simplified cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the character input keys 2 and 3. The character input keys 2 and 3 are integrally formed with a flexible and electrically insulating rubber sheet 31, and project upward from the sheet 31 in a convex shape. Further, the character input keys 2 and 3 extend in a bar shape in the left-right direction as shown in the first diagram.
A common contact 32 made of flexible and conductive rubber is integrally provided at the bottom of the character input keys 2 and 3. A large number of short protrusions 33 are provided on the lower surface of the sheet-like body 31. On the substrate 34 corresponding to the lower surface of the sheet-like body 31, a plurality of individual contacts 35 are provided in a row in correspondence with the common contacts 32.
The distance between the individual contacts 35 is a small distance shorter than the width of the finger 11. The common contact 32 and each individual contact 35 constitute a plurality of switches.
In this embodiment, each individual contact 35 corresponds to each character.

When the character input keys 2 and 3 are pressed with the finger 11, the common contact 32 and the individual contact 35 below the finger 11 are electrically connected. In other words, the switch below the finger 11 is turned on. The pressed area is detected by this switched on switch. When the finger 11 is separated from the character input keys 2 and 3, all the switches are shut off by the protrusion 33.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the main structure of the electronic translator. The microprocessor 18 is
Outputs the key strobe signal KS to the keyboard 19, and outputs the key return signal KI from the keyboard 19.
The operated key is determined by reading the . Also, a microprocessor 18, a memory 20 in which English and Japanese dictionary information is stored in advance.
An address is given to the (ROM) via the address bus 22, and the stored contents are read via the data bus 23. Inside the microprocessor 18,
A ROM 24 for storing control programs, a RAM 25 used as registers A, B, C, (not shown) is provided. The display control unit 21 controls each dot (segment) of the display 5.
It has a built-in memory that stores lighting/non-lighting in response to the display pattern, and once information corresponding to the display pattern from the microprocessor 18 is written to the memory, the above information will remain until the next information is written. It continues to output a display signal to the display 5 to make a predetermined display corresponding to the contents of the memory.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the procedure of character input processing. In the first step l1, a key strobe signal is sent to all keys of the keyboard 19.
KS is output, and in a second step 12 it is determined whether there is an input from any key on the keyboard 19. If not, the process returns to the first step 11, and if there is, the process proceeds to the third step 13. In the third step 13, it is determined whether the key input is from the character input keys 2 and 3.

For character input keys 2 and 3, the fourth step l
4, a key strobe signal KS is sequentially output to the character input keys 2 and 3. Fifth step l
In step 5, it is determined which switch of the character input keys 2 and 3 is turned on. That is, it is determined which part of the character input keys 2 and 3 has been operated. That is, the pressed area is determined. If there is no return signal KI from the switch, the fourth
Returning to step l4, if there is a return signal KI from the switch, the process proceeds to sixth step l6, where the character codes corresponding to the conductive switches are stored in registers B and C, respectively. Furthermore, in the seventh step l7, the key strobe signal is
KI is output, and it is determined whether the switch adjacent to the above switch is conductive.

If the adjacent switch is conductive, the process proceeds to the ninth step 19, where the stored contents of the register C are cleared, and the character code corresponding to the adjacent switch is re-stored in the register C, and the process returns to the seventh step 17. If it is determined that the adjacent switch is blocking, the process starts from the eighth step l8.
10 Proceed to step l10. That is, both ends of the pressed area are detected.

In the tenth step l10, the stored contents of register B and the stored contents of register C are added and stored in register A. In other words, the character code stored in register B and register C
The character code stored in the arithmetic control unit 2
6, and the added character code is stored in register A. Next, the process proceeds to the 11th step l11, where the stored contents of register A are shifted to the right by 1 bit. Furthermore, the 12th step l12
The contents of register A shifted to the right by one bit are stored in the nth digit of register X.
This value of n represents the digit position to be input and is input to pointer P.

For example, assume that a region near the letter "P" is pressed and switches corresponding to the letters "o", "p", and "q" are turned on. In register B,
A character code such as "00000011" is stored. A character code such as "00000101" is stored in register C. Therefore, the character code "00001000" is stored in register A. In the arithmetic processing unit 26, the stored contents of register A are halved, and the character code "00000100" corresponding to the character "p" is stored in register X. That is, shifting the stored contents of register A to the right by 1 bit is equivalent to dividing the stored contents of register A by half. In addition,
The fraction is predetermined to be either rounded up or rounded down.

The character code thus stored in the register X at the twelfth step l12 is decoded by the display control section 21 at the thirteenth step l13, and the character "p" is displayed on the display 5 at the fourteenth step l14. From the 14th step l14, the process proceeds to the 15th step l15.

In the fifteenth step l15, it is determined whether the character input keys 2 and 3 have been separated. If the separation operation has not been performed, the process returns to the fourth step l4. In other words, the displayed character is not the desired character, so
The finger 11 is rolled or slid in the direction of the desired character. When the separation operation is performed, that is, when the desired character is displayed, the separation operation is performed and the
16 At step l16, the desired character is latched and displayed, and the pointer P is incremented by "1" to move to the next digit, and the process returns to the first step l1.

In the third step l3, character input keys 2,
If it is not 3, the routine for function key 4 is entered as shown in FIG. Forward search key 7
is pressed, the 17th step l17
A forward search is performed at . When the backward search key 6 is pressed, a backward search is performed in an 18th step l18. When the translation key 9 is pressed, the translated word is read out in a 19th step l19. In addition, when the clear key 8 is pressed, the
In the 20th step 120, an invalid (NULL) code is input to the nth digit of the register X, and in the 21st step 121, the pointer P is decremented by "1". In other words, it is possible to input characters again from the previous position. Each step l17, l1
When steps 8, l19, and l21 are completed, the first
Return to step l1. Characters are input in this way.

FIG. 7 shows each individual contact 3 of another embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram showing the correspondence between 5 and characters. FIG. Each individual contact 3
5 are individually matched at intervals of every other character, such as letters "a", "c", "e", . . . . For example, when the character input key 2 near the letter "b" is pressed, the individual contacts 35 individually correspond to the letter "a" and the individual contacts 3 individually correspond to the letter "c".
5 is electrically connected to the common contact 32, the letter "b"
is determined to have been input.

In another embodiment of the invention, the mutual spacing of the individual contacts may not correspond to the mutual spacing of the letters. That is, the pressed area is detected by the position and number of individual contacts that are electrically connected. Further, the individual contacts 35 do not need to be arranged in rows, but may be arranged in a matrix,
It may also be in the shape of a circle. This individual contact 3
The shape of the common contact point may be determined according to the shape of 5.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a character input operation in another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the operation. When character input keys 2 and 3 are operated apart, the screen shown in Fig. 8 1
The cursor is displayed at the column where the character should be displayed, as shown in the figure below. When the character input key 2 near the letter "p" is pressed with the finger 11, as shown in FIG. The 5-digit character string "nopqr" will be displayed, and the cursor will be displayed at the "p" character string. This character string visually clearly indicates the character position to be input. When the finger 11 is rolled slightly to the right, a cursor is displayed on the character "q", the character string "opqrs", and the character string "q", as shown in FIG. 8 and 3. finger 11
When the character is rolled slightly to the left, the cursor is displayed on the character "o", the character string "mnopq", and the character string "o", as shown in FIG. 84. When the character input key 2 is released, the character "o" is latched and displayed, and a cursor is displayed at the next digit where the character should be displayed, as shown in FIG. Next, when the character input key 2 near the character "v" is pressed with the finger 11, the cursor is displayed on the character "ov", the character string "tuvwx", and the character string "v", as shown in FIG. . In this way, desired characters are input.

In the flowchart shown in FIG. 9, a 30th step 130 is used in place of the 12th step 112 in the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and a 31st step is used downstream of the 16th step 116. will be added. The display 5 can display, for example, 12 digit characters. At the 30th step l30, the codes of the four characters before and after the character string of the character code that is the content of register A are input into the 8th to 12th digits of the X register, and Character strings are displayed as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 6, respectively. Furthermore, when character input keys 2 and 3 are separated, a NULL code is input in the 8th to 12th digits of the X register in the 31st step n31, and the character string is will be deleted.

As another embodiment of the present invention, the displayed character string may be moved. Alternatively, the cursor attached to the character string may be moved.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a character input operation in another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a partially simplified flowchart for explaining the operation. As shown in FIG. 10, the display 5 displays characters in two rows, upper and lower. The upper row shows the character "ov" that has already been input and the character "e" that is currently input.
is displayed. In the lower row, the character string "abcdefghi" near the currently input character string is displayed, and the character string "e" is displayed blinking.

The memory 20 includes a flag F indicating that the character input keys 2 and 3 are being pressed continuously, a pointer CP that indicates the blinking position, and a character input key 2 and 3.
A register S for saving the first input character code by pressing , and a corresponding register Y at the bottom of the display 5 are provided.

When the finger 11 presses the character input key 2 near the character "e", it is determined whether the flag F is present or not at the 40th step 140 downstream of the 11th step 111. If there is no flag F, flag F is set in the 41st step l41, and the process proceeds to the 42nd step l42. At the 42nd step 142, "5" is set to the pointer CP as the fifth display position. Next, the 43rd step l4
At step 3, the contents of register A are set in register S, and the process proceeds to the twelfth step l12. At the 44th step l44 downstream of the 12th step l12, "-4", "-3", etc. are input from register A.
The contents of "0" . . . "+4" are input to the 1st to 9th digits of register Y, respectively. Next, the
45 At step l45, the contents of each register
Displayed in . Therefore, the nine characters of the character string "abcdefghi" are displayed and the character "e" is displayed blinking.

If the flag F is present at the 40th step 140, the process proceeds to the 46th step 146, where the value of the display position is set in the pointer CP. Next step 47
The process proceeds to step 47, where the contents of register A are stored in register X, and the process further proceeds to step 145. That is, when the finger 11 is rolled while pressing the character input keys 2 and 3, the value of the display position corresponding to the moved character is set in the pointer CP, and the moved character blinks.

When character input keys 2 and 3 are separated, the 15th
Proceeding from step l15 to the 48th step l48,
Flag F is reset. Also, the 16th step
At the 49th step l49 downstream of 16, a NULL code is given to register Y. Therefore, the lower display is erased.

In addition, in the description of the present invention, characters as characters are explained using English letters, kana characters, and special symbols, but other characters such as numbers, figures, etc. may be used. It goes without saying that other devices may also be used.

As described above, according to the present invention, the operation surface of the character input key can be made small, and a desired character can be input relatively quickly. Also,
Unlike the prior art, there is no need to check the character input keys while operating the keys, and a desired character can be input with fewer key operations, improving operability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an electronic translator according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining the character input operation, and Fig. 3 is a simplified view of the vicinity of character input keys 2 and 3. 4 is a block diagram showing the main structure of the electronic translator, FIGS. 5 and 6 are flowcharts showing the procedure for character input processing, and FIG.
The figure is a diagram showing the correspondence between each individual contact 35 and characters in another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a character input operation in another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. Flowchart for explaining operation, No. 10
The figure is a diagram for explaining a character input operation in another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the operation. 2, 3... Character input key, 5... Display, 11
...Finger, 32...Common contact, 35...Individual contact.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A character key input method in which the character is displayed at a predetermined display position by operating a key for inputting a desired character, comprising: a plurality of characters arranged in a predetermined order; Place a single character input key across the characters,
A pressed area along the arrangement direction by the pressing operation of the character input key is detected, a single character within the pressed area is displayed, and the displayed character is displayed by moving the pressed area along the arrangement direction. A key input method for a character, characterized in that a character is erased and a different character adjacent to the displayed character is displayed in correspondence with the moving direction.