JPH0782410B2 - Data input device by keyboard - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a data input device for inputting data to a computer or various information devices, and more specifically, operating a key switch to input data. The present invention relates to a keyboard-based data input device.

[Conventional technology]

A keyboard in which a plurality of keys are arranged on the board can easily input data and is widely used.

The key arranged on the keyboard is pressed by pressing the key, and the key input is performed once every time (i) key operation is performed.
(Ii) When a key is continuously pressed, it may be processed as if the key was input a plurality of times according to the duration.

In the keyboard, the key input is detected at the change point when the key is turned on, so normally one key input is performed by one key operation. Therefore, when it is necessary to perform key input a plurality of times using the same key switch, the key operation is repeated that number of times. However, with regard to a special key such as a cursor or other continuous input, if it is held down for a certain period of time, it is more convenient to process it as if the key input was performed continuously.

Therefore, some keyboards are set with some keys that enable continuous input, and when these keys are held down, data is sent out as if the keys were pressed for a short time. There is.

FIG. 3 is for explaining a data transmission situation in such a keyboard. As shown in FIG. 6A, the key is pressed at time t1 and time t2 after a predetermined time has passed
It is assumed that this pressed state is held until. At this time, in the repeat target key, that is, the key set so that the key input can be continuously repeated, the make code M for the key switch is generated at time t1 as shown in FIG. If the key switch is still pressed after the elapse, the make code M is generated every time the time T2 elapses. Time T1 is time T2
Is usually set longer than. This is to prevent a situation where key input is continuously performed by an operator's careless operation.

By the way, in such a conventionally used keyboard, it is a principle that key input is performed every time a key is pressed once. Therefore, the break code B generated when the key switch is released is generated immediately after the pseudo-generated make code (the second and third make codes in the figure) M (1 in FIG. 1C). Second and second break code). Then, when the key is released at time t2, the original break code B is generated (the third break code in FIG. 7C). The generated make code M and break code B are sent to the upper device as sending data as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, in the case of an ordinary key that is not a repeat target, a make code M is generated at time t1 as shown in FIG. 6E, and a break code B is generated at time t2 as shown in FIG. Is generated. No other make code or break code is generated during these intermediate times, no matter how long the same key is pressed. Therefore, the transmission data in this case is a set of make code M and break code B as shown in FIG.

The above description has been given of the keyboard in which each key is fixedly assigned to the repeat target key and the other keys, but there are other keyboards in which other keys called repeat keys are prepared. In this latter keyboard, when the target key is pressed while the repeat key is being pressed, the data is transmitted as if the key was pressed repeatedly for the length of time the key was pressed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

As described above, in the two types of conventional keyboards, the keys that can be repeatedly input by one key operation have already been determined by the specifications of the keyboard itself. Therefore, it is not possible to increase or decrease the number of keys with such a repeat function or change the type of keys, and in order to enable this, it is necessary to find a keyboard that meets such conditions and replace it. was there. However, this is difficult to realize, and it is actually impossible to freely change the range of keys with a repeat function according to the form of input data because of the problem of keyboard replacement. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a data input device capable of freely setting keys for repeat input in a keyboard on a keyboard.

[Means for solving problems]

The data input device of the present invention comprises a keyboard and a host device. A keyboard consists of a key matrix, a detection circuit that sequentially detects the on / off state of each key switch in this key matrix, a code that indicates the make-up that occurs when the detection circuit detects the start of the on state, and the type of key. And a code indicating the break and a code indicating the type of the key, which occurs at a fixed time interval after a predetermined time has elapsed from the time when the first code occurred when the key was in the ON state. It has an encoder for generating a second code and an interface for transmitting the first and second codes from the encoder. Also, the above device is connected to a keyboard interface, analyzes a code indicating the type of the key of the first and second codes, determines whether the key is a repeat target key, and in the case of a repeat target key First, the first and second codes are processed as if there was a key input, and if the key is not a repeat target key, the first code is processed as if there was a key input.

〔Example〕

 The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention. The pressing state of various keys on the key matrix 1 of the keyboard is detected by the sense circuit. The encoder 3 generates two types of codes for the pressed key based on the detection information 4 supplied from the sense circuit 2. Of these, the first code is a make code. The make code is a code created when a key is pressed. The second code is the break code. Break code is generated when the operator releases the appropriate key. When the make code is generated and the key is continuously pressed, the encoder 3 generates the break code at predetermined intervals during that time.

The encoder encodes these together with the information indicating the type of the pressed key, and outputs the code information 5 to the interface 6. If the code information has, for example, an 8-bit structure, the process is simplified if the most significant bit is "0" and the make code is "1". The code information sent from the interface 6 is sent to the information processing device as a host device. The control circuit 7 controls each part described above.

The manner in which the send data is shaped for the keyboard having the above-described configuration will be described below.

FIG. 2 corresponds to FIG. As shown in Fig. 2a, the operator starts pressing the key at time t1,
This is continued until t2. Also in this embodiment, the encoder 3 makes the make code M at time t1 as shown in FIG.
To generate. For example, if the operator presses the numeric key "1" and this code is represented by a hexadecimal number "31", this code "31" (the highest bit in 8-bit configuration is "0" The bit string "00110001" is generated.

The keyboard activates a clock mechanism (not shown) from this time t1, and if the key is still pressed when the time T1 elapses, the first break code is generated at that time (FIG. 11C). This break code B is a code "B1" (8-bit configuration "101" with the most significant bit "1").
After that, as long as the key is pressed, the break code "B1" is generated every time the time T2 elapses, as shown in the figure.
When the operator releases the key at time t2, the original break code is generated as shown in FIG. The code of U is also the code "B1" as the break code of the numeric key "1".

The make code M and the break code B generated as described above are supplied as transmission data (d in the figure) via the interface 6 to the host device. The sending code for the numeric key "1" at this time is as shown in FIG.

That is, in the case of this embodiment, the key information is transmitted in a form in which the most significant bit of the transmission code is changed without specifying the key to be repeated.

Now, in the host device that receives the supply of the sending code, it decodes each code with the most significant bit set to "0", and determines whether the pressed key is the key to be repeated from the host device's own viewpoint. Determine. When it is determined that the key is a repeat target key, both the code having the bit configuration with the most significant bit being “0” and the code having the bit configuration having the most significant bit are processed as if there was a key input. That is, in the case of this example, it is processed as if the numeric key "1" was pressed three times (FIG. 2f).

On the other hand, when the host device determines that the key is not the repeat target key, the input of the code with the most significant bit being "1" is ignored, and only the key having "0" is keyed. Processing is performed as if there was. In this case, the numeric key "1" is processed as if it was pressed once (FIG. 2g). It is assumed that the host device ignores the second code of the break at time t2 by key-in (Fig. 2a).

In this way, the host device that received the transmission code uniquely determines whether or not the key is a repeat target key, and the processing suitable for it is performed.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the repeat key can be selected on the application side, so that there is an effect that the key can be used according to the application.

Further, according to the present invention, when the key is pressed down, the push-down code is transmitted from the encoder, and when the key is released, the release code is transmitted from the encoder, and serial data transmission can be performed, so that the number of data lines can be reduced. can do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a timing diagram for explaining the operation of this keyboard and a host device, and FIG. 3 is for explaining the operation of a conventional keyboard. FIG. 1 ... key matrix, 2 ... sense circuit, 3 ... encoder, 6 ... interface, B ... break code, M ... make code.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A key matrix, a detection circuit for sequentially detecting the on / off state of each key switch in the key matrix, a code and a key indicating a make generated when the detection circuit detects the start of the on state. And a code indicating a break that occurs at a fixed time interval after a predetermined time has elapsed from the time when the first code occurs when the key is in the ON state, and indicates the type of the key. A keyboard having an encoder for generating a second code consisting of a code, an interface for transmitting the first and second codes from the encoder, and the first and second codes connected to the interface If the key is a repeat target key, it is determined whether the key is a repeat target key by analyzing the code indicating the type of the key A data input device that processes the first and second codes as if there was a key input, and if the key is not a repeat target key, processes the first code as if there was a key input.