JPH10254624A - Keyboard touch pad - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to input characters by key input and to use the keyboard touch pad as a pointing device by providing a signal analysis part which analyzes an acquired coordinate signal and transmits data corresponding to it to a computer main body, and arranging the touch pad at a different position from an image display part. SOLUTION: The position that a keyboard occupies is entirely the touch pad 1 and is arranged at the different position from the screen display part 2, and key input and cursor movement are both done on this touch pad 1. A signal line which transmits a key code, IRQ, etc., to a computer main body 6 extends from the signal analysis part 5. In this case, an input operator touches one arbitrary point on the touch pad 1 and a coordinate signal is sent. This signal is inputted to a key input decision part 7 as the signal analysis part 5. The key input decision part 7 judges which key input decision area stored in the signal analysis part 5 the coordinates of a point determined by the received coordinate signal are in.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a keyboard pad and a computer using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a manual input device of a computer, a keyboard is used for inputting characters such as alphabets, and a mouse is often used as a pointing device for pointing an arbitrary point on a screen. 2. Description of the Related Art In a portable computer, a touchpad that can be attached to a computer main body and work there is often employed instead of a mouse that requires a certain area for use. Further, as a pointing device which is more portable and eliminates the keyboard and directly gives an instruction to the display unit, there is an integrated display unit / input unit (such as a pen personal computer) using a liquid crystal touch panel. .

As a keyboard, a touch screen,
A pressing point detecting unit that detects a pressed position of the touch screen, a key area storing unit that stores key information corresponding to a position on the touch screen, and a key based on outputs from the pressing point detecting unit and the key area storing unit. An apparatus having a key matrix control section for controlling a key matrix section having a signal output section is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-23014. However, this cannot function as a pointing device,
They are required separately and are problematic for use with portable computers.

[0004]

One of the problems in miniaturizing a portable computer is that a keyboard, which is particularly difficult to handle, must secure a certain size and a thickness for key strokes. is there. In the end, this has to be eliminated like a pen personal computer.However, in a conventional pen personal computer using a liquid crystal touch panel and integrated with a display unit and input unit, when a character is input, a pseudo-display displayed on the screen is used. All you have to do is click a traditional keyboard or type handwritten characters. When a pseudo keyboard is used, there is a problem that a key cannot be hit with fingers of both hands. In addition, since it is necessary to simultaneously display the input characters on the screen together with the display part, the pseudo keyboard part is always smaller than the entire screen display part, and the area allocated to each key that is actually clicked is There is also a problem that is subject to restrictions. In the case of handwritten character input, there are problems in character recognition speed and recognition accuracy, and input is also time-consuming. There are some that provide multiple parts for handwritten character input and recognize handwritten characters that are continuously input, thereby improving the character input speed.However, characters that were input earlier cannot be recognized. In such a case, it is necessary to move the cursor indicating the input position to correct the character, which does not necessarily improve the usability.

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable computer using a touch pad, which provides input means similar to a keyboard.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to reduce the thickness of a keystroke, a keyboard is not used as information input means, but a touched position is detected, and coordinates corresponding to the touched point are removed. Use only a touchpad that emits a signal. This touchpad does not require an input pen in order to solve the problem that the operator can perform key input using his / her finger. Further, in order to eliminate the problem of limiting the key input area caused by displaying the pseudo keyboard on the screen, which occurs in the case of a pen personal computer, the touch pad is arranged at a position different from the screen display unit.

An operator touches the touch pad, analyzes the acquired coordinate signal, and has a signal analysis unit for transmitting corresponding data to the computer main body, whereby the touch pad operates as a keyboard or a pointing device. I do.

[0008]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention.
The keyboard occupied by the conventional portable computer has a touch pad 1 on the entire surface, and key input,
The movement of the cursor is also performed by the touch pad 1.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the embodiment. Key code, IRQ from signal analysis unit 5 to computer body 6
There is a signal line for transmitting (key signal data, cursor movement data to the bus of the computer main body, an interrupt request signal) and the like, and is used from the computer main body in a signal analysis algorithm using a register in the analysis unit. Some variables can be changed.

[0010] In the following, a main touchpad in which the touchpad section is in charge of an alphabet key and a control keypad in which a control key that may be pressed at the same time,
An operation of the embodiment in the case where the touch pad is constituted by two one-point measurement type touch pads will be described.

FIG. 4 shows a state transition diagram of a key input determination algorithm of the signal analyzer. Whether the touch pad is used as a keyboard or for moving a cursor is determined by a mode shift button, and otherwise the same mode algorithm is executed.

The operation in the keyboard mode will be described below. First, when an input operator touches an arbitrary point on the touch pad section, a coordinate signal is generated. This signal is input to the key input determination unit of the signal analysis unit. The key input determination unit determines the point determined by the received coordinate signal as (x,
As y), it is determined which key input determination area is stored in the signal analyzer. FIG. 3 is a coordinate system in which the lower left of the touchpad is regarded as the origin. The point (x, y) touched by the input operator is in the k-th key input determination area because the center coordinates of the k-th key area are (xk, yk) The case where the radius is r is within the lower circle in FIG. This sets the input point to F = (x,
y), if the key area center coordinates are set to K = (xk, yk), it can be expressed as in Equation 1. Key input determination is realized by making this determination for all keys.

[0013]

| F−Kk | <r (Equation 1) FIG. 5 shows an operation algorithm in the keyboard mode.
ST1 is for initializing variables, and ST2 is for determining transition to the pointing device mode. If not shifted, the coordinate point currently touched by the operator is acquired from the main touchpad in ST3, and key input determination processing is performed in ST5 from the coordinate points x and y.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the key input determination. First, a key determination number k indicating which key is touched in ST1 is initialized. In ST2, coordinate points x and y immediately before entering this processing are set as input points. Next, in ST3 to ST6, it is determined whether or not this point is within the key input determination area having the center coordinate (xk (k), yk (k)) of the k-th key on the main touchpad side and the radius r. Repeat n times for the number of areas. An irregular key area such as a space key that is long horizontally is covered by arranging a plurality of determination areas 9 as shown in FIG. (Therefore, the key judgment area 9
Does not always match the number of keys, and the same key code may be assigned to a plurality of key determination numbers. ) The key determination areas may be adjacent to each other or may be separated from each other. If any one of the determinations has been made, the process ends in ST4 while holding the key determination number k at that time.

Returning to the description of FIG. If nothing has been pressed, or if none of the keys have been judged, the result of the key input processing in ST5 is k = n, and ST6
To jump to before ST2. If any key is determined, the value of k is saved in the temporary storage buffer kt in ST7. The reason why a time weight is set in ST8, the coordinate point is obtained again in ST9, and the key input determination process is performed in ST10 is to prevent rapid auto-repeat of the key. In addition, even if a signal from the touch pad causes chattering, it is removed here. If the auto-repeat flag (selected by the operator) is not set, if the key judgment number k obtained as a result of ST10 is the same as the key judgment number kt saved before the time wait, the condition branch of ST12 is executed. Jump to just after ST1. If the key repeat number obtained in ST10 is different from the key decision number before the time wait, such as when the auto-repeat flag is set or the finger is released from the touch pad, the process proceeds to the control key pad side. .

In ST13, coordinate information from the control keypad is obtained. In ST14 to ST19, the center coordinates (xc (c), yc
(c)), the determination as to whether or not the key input determination area has a radius rc is repeated nc times as many as the number of control key determination areas. If any of the judgments are made, the control key judgment number at that point in ST16
End this loop while holding c.

In step ST20, an appropriate key code is output to the computer from the key determination number kt (reduced to kt in step ST7) and the control key determination number c obtained in the first key input determination process ST5.

ST21 to ST23 are portions for performing auto-repeat. If ST = yes, that is, k = kt, and if the auto-repeat flag is set in ST12, if the operator touches the same portion continuously, ST22 to ST23 are performed. Resulting key decision number k
Becomes the same as kt, so that the same key number is continuously transmitted to the key code output interface while touching by the conditional branch of ST23.

Table 1 is a variable table used in the algorithm described above.

[0020]

[Table 1]

[0021]

[Table 2]

Among them, the key determination area radius r, the control key determination area radius rc, and the auto-repeat flag ar are variables whose settings can be changed from the computer main body side. The operator changes the specific register used for this variable by I / O access from the computer main body side. If the key determination area radius is changed, it can be determined whether or not the key has been pressed, or vice versa. Judgment calculation using the vectors of F, K, G, and C appearing in the algorithm is introduced to make it easier to understand the operation of the algorithm and the region judgment calculation.
In practice, for example, | FK | <r can be transformed as shown in Equation 2, and the operation of Equation 2 can be performed using real variables x, y, xk, yk, and r in the variable table. , Not a big load.

[0023]

| F−K | <r, | F−K | ² <r ² (x−xk (k)) ² + (y−yk (k)) ² <r ² (Equation 2) 9 is for the case where the determination area is a circle, the shape of the area is not limited to this.
It may have a square shape as shown in (13). For example, in the case of a square area having a side length of r, the determination | FK | <r in ST4 of the flowchart in FIG. 6 is replaced by xk (k) <x <xk (k) + r
If yk (k) <y <yk (k) + r, the algorithm can be used as it is. If you have four independent input judgment coordinate points as constants for one key input judgment area,
A rectangle of any shape can be set as the area. In this case, more constant storage areas are required than in the case of a circle or a square, but it is not necessary to provide a plurality of determination areas for an elongated key such as a space key.

If the mode shift button has been pressed in ST2, the mode shifts to the pointing device mode. FIG.
Is an operation algorithm in the pointing device mode. In ST1, the transition to the keyboard mode is determined. If the transition is not to be made, the coordinate point currently touched by the operator is acquired from the main touch pad in ST2, and is saved to the temporary storage buffers xt and yt in ST4. In ST5, the coordinate point currently touched by the operator is acquired again from the main touchpad. In ST6, appropriate signals (moving direction and moving distance) as a pointing device are obtained from the coordinate points x and y and the temporary storage buffers xt and yt. Is output to the computer itself. next
Scan the click button in ST7, and if pressed,
The information is output to the computer in ST8. If the mode shift button is pressed in ST1, the mode immediately shifts to the keyboard mode. In this mode, no information is obtained from the control keypad, and only the main touchpad functions for inputting information of the pointing device.

FIG. 10 is a more detailed block diagram of the touch pad section and the signal analysis section when the signal analysis section for executing the algorithm is manufactured by a one-chip microcomputer. Both the main touch pad 15 and the control keypad 14 use a resistive film, and the x-coordinate and the y-coordinate can be obtained from the x-coordinate signal line and the y-coordinate signal line separately as voltage changes. A sheet indicating the position of the key is placed under or on the resistive film, and the key arrangement is visible as shown in FIG. J key, F on the main touchpad 15
A small protrusion 32 indicating the home position at the position of the key (to the extent that it does not interfere with use as a pointing device) may be added. One-chip microcomputer 20
Is a type having two built-in A / D conversion circuits, and can obtain a coordinate signal from a touch pad by quantizing it. The accuracy of coordinate identification of the touchpad is A / D
It is determined by how many bits the conversion circuit performs quantization. While the number of coordinate signal lines from the touch pad is 16 to 19, the A / D conversion circuit of the one-chip microcomputer is 2
Since the channel is a channel, a control signal for selecting from which of the touchpads the coordinate signal is transmitted is drawn from the one-chip microcomputer, and is used for switching the analog switch 26. In the actual program that executes the algorithm, in the keyboard mode of FIG. 5, ST3, ST9, ST13,
In ST21, in the pointing device mode of FIG.
2. In the process of ST5, a step of operating a control signal line for switching the analog switch 26 before acquiring data through the A / D conversion circuit is inserted. (However, if there are four or more channels of A / D conversion circuits built into the one-chip microcomputer, it is only necessary to connect the coordinate signal lines to each of them, so there is no need for analog switches and the processing procedures related to them.) The main unit is connected to the main unit via a data bus 21, an address bus 22, and a control signal line 23. Address decoding for outputting a chip select is performed on the computer main unit side. One-chip microcomputer 2
The ROM in 0 stores programs as well as the center coordinates of each key, key code data corresponding to the key number, and constant values used by default. The data bus, address lines, etc. are not limited to the format shown in this block diagram.When connecting to a serial port, the data bus may be a simple data line, and in this case, a control signal line for interrupting IRQ etc. Is unnecessary.

An indicator LED for discriminating between the keyboard mode and the pointing device mode (FIG. 1)
When 33) is added, a control signal line for operating this is drawn from the one-chip microcomputer. The operation to this signal line is inserted before ST1 in FIGS. 5 and 8 and immediately after execution of the program in each mode.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a keyboard pad according to an embodiment of the present invention. The signal analyzer is composed of the following three parts. An analog switch 26 serving as a selector for selecting which coordinate signal of the main touchpad 15 and the control keypad 14 is to be connected to the input terminal of the A / D conversion circuit. An A / D conversion circuit unit 28 for converting the x-coordinate signal and the y-coordinate signal from the touch pad into signals to be applied to the data bus 21 connected to the computer main body. The address decoder 27 that decodes a predetermined I / O address to determine which pad is the x or y coordinate of the data to be obtained. The analog switch 26 is switched by the signal from the address decoder 27, and as a result, the signal of the touch pad input to the A / D conversion circuit 28 is determined. Further, the data bus 21
Three-state gate 2 between the output of the A / D conversion circuit 28
9 is opened. In this case, it is the device driver incorporated in the computer that executes the algorithm described above, and the one-chip microcomputer becomes unnecessary. When an indicator LED is added, an I / O address for operating the indicator LED is set, and a control signal line is drawn from the address decoder. The insertion point of the operation step may be the same as when using the one-chip microcomputer.

FIG. 13 is an example of a screen image of a tool that provides a change means that is more understandable to the operator when changing the size of the key input determination area. On the screen, check the value of the current key input judgment area of the main touchpad and control keypad, the size of the judgment area that the operator is going to change, the state of the auto repeat flag, and whether to change Items are displayed. FIG. 13 shows an example of a display that makes it easy to visually grasp the size of a region, and an example of a user interface that allows the user to specify the size of the region with a pointing device. The numerical value may be changed by key input. The tool itself is a method of setting numerical values when the computer main unit accesses the one-chip microcomputer with I / O. A program for this is placed in the computer main unit and executed.

In the above, the position and area of the key input determination area are determined. FIG. 14 shows an algorithm for automatically changing the position and area of the key input determination area of the main touchpad according to the habit of the operator so as to make it easier to use. This is a method in which the position and area of the key input determination are changed each time the operator touches the touch panel once in the key input determination process used in the algorithm in FIG.

First, in ST1, it is determined whether or not the operator is touching the touch panel. The maximum value is determined by the number of quantization bits of the A / D conversion circuit. If you did n’t touch it,
In ST2, this process is immediately terminated by setting k = n. If touched, the center coordinates (xk (k), yk (k)) and radius rk (k) of the k-th key on the main touchpad side in ST4 to ST10 as in FIG.
It is determined whether the key input is within the key input determination area.
Here, it is assumed that the radius of the key input determination area is not a constant, but is assigned to each key input determination area as an array of n pieces. ST6 and ST7 are steps for examining which center coordinates the input point was close to. If it does not fall into any of the areas, if it does not protrude out of the key area in ST11, the radius of the input determination area of the closest key number Sk in ST16 is increased by one dot. If any of the key areas is determined, the central coordinates of the input determination area of the key are moved by one dot in the x and y directions in the direction of the input point in ST12 to ST15. For the determination of ST11 and ST12, the coordinates of each key area are required as constants, and must be provided. If the input determination area exceeds the side of the key area and cannot be moved, and if the radius of the input determination area is larger than 4 dots, the radius is reduced by 1 dot and the center is shifted in ST14. When the radius becomes 4 dots or less, the process ends without performing anything further from the conditional branch of ST13. However, the minimum value of the radius is an example and is not limited to this. With the above algorithm, the key input determination area attempts to move to the one where the input dot density is high, which is easy to touch. The moving range is within the key area, and the minimum value of the radius is 4 dots.

[0031]

According to the present invention, characters can be input by key input using a touch pad as in a conventional keyboard, and can also be used as a pointing device. When performing key input, unlike the pseudo keyboard using a pen personal computer with the same arrangement of the display surface and the touch surface, the entire area of the touchpad that is arranged separately from the display surface can be used as the key input surface, so compared to the pseudo keyboard The area for hitting each single key can be increased. When used as a pointing device, the touch surface is also considerably large, so that cursor movement can be controlled with higher accuracy than a conventional small touch pad.

Further, the algorithm described above allows the key input determination area to be set smaller than the actual key input area, thereby reducing inadvertent typos inadvertently touching the adjacent key determination area. it can. If the operator does not like the tightness or looseness of the determination, the operator sets it. When an algorithm that changes automatically is used, the key input determination area gradually approaches a point that is easy for the operator to touch. If the auto-repeat flag is turned off, it is possible to place a finger on the touch pad when not typing, as in a real keyboard. By providing multiple key input determination areas for one key,
It can handle irregularly shaped keys.

When the present invention is manufactured, it can be used as it is by implementing the described algorithm, such as rewriting software such as a one-chip microcomputer, and the touchpad may be of a conventional principle. Does not require new devices.

Also, a portable computer using the same can be made thinner than a keyboard that requires a stroke because there is no mechanical operation switch part, and the degree of freedom in designing the size is increased. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a coordinate system in which the lower left of the touchpad is regarded as an origin.

FIG. 4 is a state transition diagram of a key input determination algorithm of the signal analysis unit.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an operation algorithm in a keyboard mode.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an operation algorithm of a key input determination process in a keyboard mode.

FIG. 7 is a key determination area diagram for an irregular key.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an operation algorithm in a pointing device mode.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a square key input determination area.

FIG. 10 is a more detailed block diagram of a touch pad unit and a signal analysis unit.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention described in claim 4.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of an arrangement of a sheet for displaying a key position and addition of a protrusion indicating a home position.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a screen image of a tool for changing the size of a key input determination area.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of key input determination processing including key input determination area change processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Touch pad part, 2 ... Screen display part, 3 ... Click button, 4 ... Keyboard / pointing device mode switching button, 5 ... Signal analysis part, 6 ... Computer body, 7 ... Key input judgment and key code / pointing device data Output control unit.

Claims (6)

[Claims] A keyboard touchpad for performing input operation of a portable computer, a touchpad section having a function of outputting a touched point as an electric signal, a key code based on a signal from the touchpad section, Alternatively, a keyboard touchpad comprising a signal analysis unit for outputting coordinate points as a pointing device, and being arranged differently from the computer body and its screen display unit. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein an area for determining that a certain key is actually pressed is variable when the signal analysis unit determines the key input, and is smaller than an actual area of the key.
Keyboard touchpad as described in. 3. When a key input is determined, one key is
2. The keyboard touchpad according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of input determination portions for determining that a key is actually pressed are assigned. 4. The keyboard touchpad according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of touchpads for performing key input are used. 5. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the signal analysis section has only a function of converting a signal from the touch pad into a digital signal that can be transmitted to the computer main body, and analyzes the key code and the pointing device data on the computer main body. Keyboard touchpad. 6. The keyboard touchpad according to claim 2, wherein at the time of key input determination, an area and a position where it is determined that a certain key is actually pressed are automatically changed.