JP3148324B2 - Character input device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a character input device in which a plurality of character symbols are associated with the same key.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an input device, such as a keyboard, currently employed in word processors and personal computers, a plurality of different character symbols are associated with the same character key from the viewpoint of miniaturization.

Specifically, character symbols that can be input with the input device are classified according to a plurality of input modes, and when a desired character symbol is input, an input mode to which the character symbol belongs is selected. This is done by inputting a character key associated with the character symbol.

As an example, a JIS layout keyboard will be described. In this JIS layout, character symbols are classified into the following four input modes.

A. Alphanumeric mode b. Alphanumeric shift mode c. Kana mode d. Kana shift mode The characters and symbols belonging to each of the above modes are respectively classified into the alphanumeric shift mode, the kana mode, the alphanumeric mode and the kana shift mode on the upper, lower, left and right sides of the key as shown in FIG. Is described. Therefore, J
With an IS layout keyboard, it is possible to input four times the number of character symbols as the number of character keys.

In this JIS layout keyboard, punctuation marks "." And "," indicating a break in Japanese sentences are classified in kana shift mode, and a period "." Indicating a break in English sentences and a comma "," in alphanumeric mode. Classified.

For this reason, when a Japanese sentence is input using an alphabet (Roman character) classified into the alphanumeric mode, such as the Roman-kana conversion or the Roman-kanji conversion, which is currently becoming mainstream, the delimiter is used. Each time you enter a punctuation mark, you must change between alphanumeric mode and kana shift mode.

As a method of solving such a problem, there is a method of providing a character key for enabling input of punctuation even in an alphanumeric mode. However, this method has a problem in that the number of character keys increases, and it is not possible to cope with miniaturization.

Therefore, the Japanese word processor SWP-NS5 manufactured by Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. adopted a method called "kana symbol conversion" (refer to the operation manual "Introduction to Sanword NS5" attached to SWP-NS5). ).

[0010] Such a method uses, for example, a JI as shown in FIG.
In the input device provided with the S array key, when "Kana symbol conversion" is instructed, a first character key (1) and a second character key (2) associated with a comma and a period in the alphanumeric mode Is pressed, the comma and the period are not output, but the reading point and the period corresponding to the kana shift mode of each key are output. Therefore, even in the alphanumeric mode, punctuation can be input simply by pressing the first and second character keys (1) and (2).

[0011]

According to the kana symbol conversion method, punctuation can be easily input as described above when kana symbol conversion is instructed, but kana symbol conversion is not instructed. In this case, commas and periods that can be input in the alphanumeric mode cannot be input in the above-mentioned instruction state. FIG. 5 shows the first and second character keys (1).
(2) A list of output character symbols corresponding to each input mode at the time of input and the presence or absence of a kana symbol conversion instruction is shown.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its structural feature is to classify inputtable characters and symbols into at least one of first and second input modes in advance. , And each character symbol belonging to each of the above modes is 1
A character key group corresponding to each character key, a means for selecting one of the input modes, and a specific character symbol associated with the character key and classified in advance in the first input mode Means for instructing a mode change so as to also belong to the second input mode, and when there is an instruction from the mode change instructing means when a character key associated with the specific character symbol is input. Means for outputting the specific character symbol even when the selection in the input mode selection means is the second input mode, further comprising: a special key; Even if there is an instruction from the mode change instructing means and the second input mode is selected by the input mode selecting means, the specific character and symbol are associated with each other. When together with character keys has the special key input associated with the character keys is to output the character symbols are classified in advance second input mode.

Still another feature is that the output means does not receive an instruction from the mode change instructing means and, when the first input mode is selected by the input mode selecting means, associates the specific character symbol with the specific character symbol. When the special key is input together with the input character key, a character symbol associated with the character key and classified in advance in the second input mode is output.

[0014]

According to such a configuration, a special key is input even when an instruction for kana symbol conversion described as a conventional technique is given,
You can easily enter commas and periods.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral (3) denotes an input section comprising, for example, a keyboard. A character key group (3a) arranged in JIS, a mode change instruction key (3b) corresponding to a means for instructing kana symbol conversion explained in the related art, and a mode switching key for instructing switching between alphanumeric mode and kana mode (3c), a shift key (3d) for further switching the alphanumeric mode or kana mode switched by the switching key (3c) to the alphanumeric shift mode or kana shift mode, and a special key (3
e).

(4) a key control unit, which sequentially scans each key of the input unit (3) to determine which key is being pressed, When (3b) is pressed an odd number of times, the mode change flag MCF (5) is set to "1" indicating that a mode change instruction is present, and when the key (3b) is pressed an even number of times, the mode is changed to MCF (5). "0" indicating no instruction is set. While the shift key (3d) or the special key (3e) is pressed, the shift flag SFF
(6) Alternatively, "1" is set in the special flag TSF (7), and when a character key is pressed, key position information for specifying the pressed key is stored in the position information buffer IJB (8). I do. Furthermore, a mode switching key (3
When c) is pressed an odd number of times, "1" indicating the alphanumeric mode is set in the mode flag MF (9), and the key (3c) is set.
Is pressed an even number of times, "0" indicating Kana mode is set. Therefore, every time the mode switching key (3c) is pressed, the input mode is alternately switched between the alphanumeric mode and the kana mode.

(10) is an input judging section, which outputs a code corresponding to the character symbol based on the contents of the flags and the buffer. The specific operation is as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2, and the operation will be described below based on this chart. For convenience of explanation, the character symbols to be changed in the present embodiment are the reading points and the punctuation marks of the first and second character keys (1) and (2) shown in FIG. Even if the mode is a number mode, if there is a mode change instruction, it can be input simply by pressing the first and second character keys (1) and (2).

In FIG. 2, first, at step S1, it is determined whether or not any of the character keys in the input section (3) has been pressed. Specifically, the position information buffer IJB
The determination is made based on whether or not the key position information is stored in (8). If the key position information has been stored, the information is read and held internally, and the position information buffer IJB (8) is cleared. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S2.

In step S2, it is determined whether the input mode is an alphanumeric mode. Specifically, it is determined whether or not “1” indicating the alphanumeric mode is set in the mode flag MF (9). If “1” is set, the process proceeds to step S3. If "0" is set in the MF (9), the process proceeds to step S5.

In steps S3 and S4, it is determined whether the character key pressed in step S1 is the first or second character key (1) or (2) based on the key position information read in step S1. If it is determined that the key is the first character key (1), the process proceeds to step S6. If it is determined that the key is the second character key (2), the process proceeds to step S13. If it is determined that none of the above keys is used, the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, the key position information read in step S1, the input mode corresponding to the set contents of the mode flag MF (9), and the contents of the shift flag SFF (6) are used as in the conventional input device. Based on the indicated pressed state of the shift key (3d), a code indicating a predetermined character symbol is selected, and in step S20, the code is output to a storage device, a display device, or the like (not shown).

Returning to step S3, if it is determined in this step that the first character key (1) has been input, the process proceeds to step S6, where the contents of the shift flag SFF (6) are first checked. Accordingly, it is determined whether or not the shift key (3d) is pressed together with the first character key (1), and if it is determined that the shift key (3d) is pressed, the process proceeds to step S12. In step S12, it is determined that the character symbol "<" belonging to the alphanumeric shift mode of the first character key (1) should be output, and a code corresponding to this symbol is selected, and this is output in the subsequent step S20. .

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S6 that the shift key (3d) has not been pressed, a comma "," which has been classified in the alphanumeric mode in advance is once selected as a character symbol to be output in step S7. And
In the subsequent S8 step, it is determined whether or not the special key (3e) is pressed together with the first character key (1) by checking the contents of the special flag TSF (7). The process proceeds to the step, and if it is determined that the button has not been pressed, the process proceeds to the step S10.

In step S9, a reading mark "," is selected as a character code to be output instead of the comma "," selected in step S7 as a character code to be output, and the process proceeds to step S10.

In step S10, the mode change flag M
By checking the contents of CF (5), it is determined whether or not there is a mode change instruction. If there is no such instruction, the process proceeds to step S20, and the character symbol (comma or reading mark) finally selected in the process up to step S10. ) Is output.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S10 that there is a mode change instruction, step S11 is processed.
In step S11, when a comma "," is selected as a character symbol to be output in the processing up to step S10, the character symbol to be output is changed to a reading point ",", and the reading point "," is selected. If there is, the code is changed to a comma "," and a code indicating the changed character symbol is output in the subsequent S20 step.

Returning to step S4, if it is determined in this step that the second character key (2) has been input, the process proceeds to step S13. In this step, it is determined whether or not the shift key (3d) has been pressed, as in step S6. If it is determined that the shift key (3d) has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S19.
Proceed to step. In step S19, it is determined that the character symbol ">" belonging to the alphanumeric shift mode of the second character key (2) should be output, and a code corresponding to this symbol is selected, and this is output in the subsequent step S20. .

On the other hand, the shift key (3
If it is determined that d) is not pressed, a period "." which is classified in the alphanumeric mode in advance is once selected as a character symbol to be output in step S14. And
In the subsequent S15 step, similarly to S8 step, it is determined whether the special key (3e) is pressed. If it is determined that the special key (3e) is pressed, the process proceeds to S16 step. If it is determined that the special key (3e) is not pressed, the process proceeds to S17 step.

In step S16, a period "." Is selected as a character / symbol code to be output, instead of the period "." Selected in step S14, and the process proceeds to step S17.

In step S17, similarly to step S10, it is determined whether or not there is a mode change instruction. If there is no instruction, the process proceeds to step S20, and the character symbol (period) finally selected in the processing up to step S17 is performed. Or a code indicating the period).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S17 that there is a mode change instruction, step S18 is processed.
In this step, when a period "." Is selected as a character symbol to be output in the processing up to step S17, the character symbol to be output is changed to a period "."
When the period "." Is selected, a period "."
, And outputs a code indicating the character symbol after the change in the subsequent S20 step. When the process in step S20 ends, the process returns to step S1.

FIG. 3 briefly summarizes the results of the above-described operation. As is clear from this, even when a mode change instruction is issued in the alphanumeric mode, the special key (3e) and the first or second key are not displayed. By inputting the character keys (1) and (2), commas or periods can be output instead of punctuation. Even when the mode change instruction is not issued in the alphanumeric mode, the punctuation can be output instead of a comma or a period by inputting the special key (3e) and the first or second character keys (1) and (2).

[0033]

According to the present invention, with respect to a specific character / symbol, even in an input mode different from the input mode in which the character / symbol is classified in advance, only the character key associated with the specific character / symbol is pressed. Even if it is possible to input this character symbol, the character symbol associated with the character key by inputting the character key and the special key, and the character symbol previously classified into the different input mode can be easily changed. Can be entered.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operation result of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a JIS array key.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st character key 2 2nd character key 3 Input part 3a Character key group 3b Mode change instruction key 3c Mode switching key (mode selection means) 3e Special key 10 Input determination part

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 3/023 G06F 17/22

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] At least a first character that can be input is
A character key group that is classified in advance into any one of the second input modes, and a character symbol belonging to each mode corresponds to a character key one by one, and a unit that selects one of the input modes; Associated with the character key and the first
Means for instructing a mode change so that a specific character symbol classified in advance in the input mode also belongs to the second input mode; and means for inputting a character key associated with the specific character symbol. Means for outputting the specific character symbol even when the input mode selection means selects the second input mode when there is an instruction from the mode change instruction means. Further, a special key is provided, and even if the output means receives an instruction from the mode change instruction means and the second input mode is selected by the input mode selection means , the specific character Character to which the symbol is mapped
A character input device, wherein when the special key input is performed together with a key, the character key is associated with the character key, and outputs a character symbol previously classified in the second input mode. 2. The character input device according to claim 1, wherein
The output means is associated with the specific character symbol when there is no instruction from the mode change instruction means and when the first input mode is selected by the input mode selection means.
When the special key is input together with the character key , the character input device outputs a character symbol which is associated with the character key and is classified in the second input mode in advance.