KR20080097563A

KR20080097563A - Keyboard system and operating method thereof

Info

Publication number: KR20080097563A
Application number: KR1020070042581A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 오종구
Original assignee: 오종구
Priority date: 2007-05-02
Filing date: 2007-05-02
Publication date: 2008-11-06

Abstract

A key input system and a method for operating the system are provided to sense input by push and touch methods, thereby improving the input efficiency, and reducing the size. A display unit(300) displays has a plurality of cells containing virtual key input buttons, and a display region. A first input part(110) includes a first input region which is matched with the plurality of the first region, and senses a first movement at the first input region. A second input part(120) includes a second input region having the first input region, and senses the user's press information for selecting cell corresponding to the cell region. A control part(200) generates a virtual key input button by the changing a virtual key input range based on the first movement data, and outputs information allotted at the selection region by the input from the second input part.

Description

Keyboard system and its operation method {KEYBOARD SYSTEM AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF}

1 is a block diagram illustrating a keyboard system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a view showing a keyboard change of the keyboard system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a keyboard system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a keyboard system, and more particularly, to a keyboard system for efficiently providing various inputs by manipulating a virtual keyboard through a user's motion detection and press detection based on a touch sensor in a small device. It relates to a method of operation.

At present, portable information communication terminals such as mobile phones are rapidly expanding their use by inputting various information and exchanging text messages among users beyond the basic voice call.

However, the input means for such small devices have many limitations that ideally meet the new needs of users.

Representative conventional input means include a keypad for a mobile phone, a thumb keyboard and an on-screen keyboard based on a touch screen.

A keypad is an input device applied to a general mobile phone. It uses a method called multi-tap to determine which symbol to select according to the number of key presses by assigning several symbols to each key for character input. do. This device has a problem in that the convenience of input and the speed of character input are considerably reduced because of the trouble of pressing one key several times to input one character.

Such a keypad is quite difficult to provide convenience and fast text entry speed if users want more various inputs in addition to numbers or simple characters.

Thumb keyboard is a device equipped with a portable device by reducing the number of keys (key) of the conventional keyboard and miniaturized. This device is used as an input means of a portable e-mail terminal because it can input by using two thumbs, and thus has an advantage of a faster character input speed than a keypad.

However, the Thumb Keyboard has a disadvantage in that it increases the portability of the device by increasing the volume and weight of the mobile device. In addition, since one or two input information is fixed to a physical keyboard key, there is a problem that it is difficult to easily handle an input request of numbers or letters.

A virtual keyboard based on a touch screen is a device that allows a user to manipulate the virtual keyboard with a finger touch using the touch screen. Since the user's finger directly touches the keyboard, the device often hides the virtual keyboard or part of the screen during use, so that the user cannot easily input keys, and the virtual keyboard for ease of use. There is a problem that must be larger than a certain size.

In particular, at the time of key input, since the touch recognition speed of the touch screen is slow, the speed according to key input is slow, and at the same time, it is quite difficult to input a plurality of keys.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and stably manipulates the virtual keyboard through the user's motion detection and press detection to efficiently provide various inputs and the keyboard system and its operation method are much smaller in size than before. It is to provide.

According to a feature of the present invention for solving the above technical problem, the keyboard system,

A display unit having a plurality of cells, each of which is provided with inputtable information, and including a virtual keyboard including a plurality of first areas including the predetermined number of cells and a selection area selected by a user among the first areas; A first input unit including a first input area divided into zones matching the plurality of first areas, the first input unit sensing first motion information of the user generated in the first input area; A first input region including a first input region divided into cell regions matching cells included in the selection region, the first input of a user for selecting a cell in the selection region corresponding to the cell region; A second input unit for detecting press information; And a first press provided to the display unit, wherein the selection area on the virtual keyboard is changed based on first motion information received from the first input unit, and the first press is received from the second input unit. Press) includes a control unit for outputting the information given to the cells included in the selection area matching the information.

The apparatus may further include a memory in which a library including a plurality of keyboard contents of the virtual keyboard is stored, and wherein the second input unit inputs second press information of a user to change the keyboard of the virtual keyboard in the second input area. And a second input zone for sensing, wherein the control unit switches the state of the keyboard change mode to the opposite of the current state upon receiving the second press information, and if the keyboard change mode is in progress after the change, the controller controls the first motion information. And visit the library contents on the basis of the display and display the keyboard being visited on the virtual keyboard.

According to a feature of the invention, the operating method of the keyboard system,

Displaying a virtual keyboard to a user, wherein the virtual keyboard includes a plurality of cells each to which inputtable information has been assigned and a plurality of first regions comprising a predetermined number of cells; Detecting a movement of the user and a button press; Receiving first movement information and first press information for selecting a cell in a selection area selected by the user among the first areas based on the detection; Moving the selection area based on the motion information; And outputting the information given to the matching first cell in the moved selection area based on the first press information.

Here, after the step of detecting the button press (Press), receiving a second press information for changing the keyboard from the user; Providing a user with a state for changing a keyboard based on the second press information; And changing the keyboard by receiving motion information from the user based on the state provision.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention, and like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification, when a part is said to "include" a certain component, it means that it can further include other components, without excluding other components unless specifically stated otherwise. In addition, the terms "... unit", "... unit", "module", "block", etc. described in the specification mean a unit for processing at least one function or operation, which means hardware, software, or hardware. And software.

Now, a keyboard system and an operation method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, a keyboard system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

1 is a block diagram illustrating in detail a keyboard system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a keyboard system 400 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes an input unit 100, a control unit 200, and a display unit 300.

The input unit 100 includes a first input module 110 having a touch pad function and a second input module 120 having a touch button function.

The first input module 110 performs a touch pad function, and provides the controller 200 with movement information received according to a movement of a user's finger on the touch pad. The motion information includes a time sequence of contact point position information of the user on the touch pad.

Here, the input area of the first input module 110 is divided into a plurality of virtual zones 112 in a lattice manner, each of which can be taken by the selection area 312 on the virtual keyboard 310. Matches the position. For example, if the virtual keyboard 310 has a plurality of 6 * 10 grid cells and the selection area 312 is 2 * 2 size, the first input module 110 is a 3 * 5 size area. Has 112. At this time, the selection area 312 moves in correspondence with the contact point position of the user's finger received from the first input module 110, and inputs using the second input module 120 among the cells 311 of the virtual keyboard. Indicates the current selection range. In addition, the selection area is provided to the user as a separate display process so that the user can distinguish it from the rest of the virtual keyboard.

The second input module 120 is a touch button combined with a touch pad function and a button, and includes a first input region 122, a second input region 124, and a third input region 126.

The first input area 122 is an area for inputting a virtual keyboard button, and has a grid structure having the same size as that of the selection area 312 of the virtual keyboard 310. For example, when the selection area of the virtual keyboard 310 includes 2 * 2 grid cells 311, the first input area 122 will include 2 * 2 grid areas.

Here, when the user presses the touch button while the user's finger is in contact with the grid area of (R, C) (column R, column C) of the first input area 122, the key of the (R, C) cell of the selected area is pressed. Is entered.

The second input zone 124 is a zone for changing the keyboard. When the user presses a touch button in this zone, the controller 200 processes the keyboard change of the virtual keyboard.

The third input zone 126 is a zone for changing the mouse mode, and when the user presses a touch button in this zone, the controller 200 processes the change of the mouse mode.

The input unit 100 separates the pointing function and the button function into the first input module (or first input unit) 110 and the second input module (or second input unit) 120, thereby making a very small size (eg, For example, even if the system is implemented with a touch pad and a touch button having a height of 1 cm and a width of 1.5 cm, there is a big advantage that the user can stably input keys.

In addition, by introducing a moving selection area in the virtual keyboard to reduce the over-density of the grid cells on the touch pad, there is an advantage that can improve the stability for the user pointing.

In addition, the actual input in the virtual keyboard system of the present invention is made through a touch button of a larger size than the grid cell of the touch pad, so that the negative accuracy and the surrounding cell area of the button press that can occur when pressing the touch pad directly There is an advantage that can avoid interference with the noise, such as noise.

In particular, by changing the size of the selection area 312 on the virtual keyboard 310 to efficiently increase or decrease the number of zones 112 included in the first input module 110, so that the user can correct the key input. Allows pointing, and effectively increases or decreases the number of button cells in the first input area 122 included by the second input module 120 by changing the number of grid cells included in the selection area on the virtual keyboard. By doing so, it is possible to simultaneously input a plurality of keys and minimize interference with peripheral keys.

The controller 200 includes a control module 210 and a memory 220, controls the virtual keyboard based on user input information (motion information and press information) received from the input unit 100, and outputs the control. Provide information to the upper level (omitted).

The memory 220 is controlled by the control module 210 and stores a plurality of pre-stored virtual keyboard keyboard contents as a library for searching. In addition, the memory 220 sorts the information on the keyboard recently used by the user on a time basis and stores the information as a list.

The control module 210 controls and manages the memory 220, the input unit 100, and the display unit 300, and specifically, the virtual keyboard 310 based on the user's movement information received from the first input module 110. ) Moves the selection area 312 on () or changes the keyboards 310-1, 310-2, 310-3, and 310-n of the virtual keyboard 310.

In addition, the control module 210 receives the user's press information from the first input area 122 of the second input module 120 to input the first input in the current selection area 312 of the virtual keyboard 310. Provides a letter or symbol of the grid cell 311 that matches the user contact point of the area 122 to the upper level, and provides a keyboard change mode based on the second press information from the second input area 124. do.

When the second press information for changing the keyboard is generated, the control module 210 reverses the current keyboard mode changing state. When the switched state is active and subsequent user movement occurs in the first input module, a keyboard change is performed from the keyboard library of the memory 220 based on that, and the user movement occurs in the first input region of the second input module. Based on this, a keyboard change is performed from the recent keyboard list of the memory 220.

In addition, the control module 210 sets (activates or deactivates) the mouse function based on the user's press information received from the third input area 126.

Here, when the mouse mode is activated, the control module 210 performs a mouse pointing function based on the first movement information of the user received from the first input module 110, and the first input of the second input module 120. The first press information of the user received from the zone 122 is used as the mouse click information.

The display unit 300 displays the virtual keyboard 310 in some screen areas, and the keyboards 310-1, 310-2, 310-3, 310-n selected by the user based on the control of the controller 200 are displayed. Display the virtual keyboard 310 and the selection area 312 on the virtual keyboard 310 to the user.

Here, the virtual keyboard 310 is a virtual keyboard provided through the display unit 300 and includes a plurality of keyboards 310-1, 310-2, 310-3, and 310-n having different character strings. A plurality of grid cells 311 divided into grids are provided to the user through the display unit 300. At this time, each grid cell 311 is matched with a letter or symbol corresponding to the character string of the virtual keyboard 310.

In addition, the virtual keyboard 310 includes a plurality of first areas including the grid cells 311 by a preset number, and includes a selection area 312 selected by a user among the plurality of first areas.

For example, the virtual keyboard 310 may include a keyboard 310-1 having a first string (eg, an English character string), a keyboard 310-2 having a second string (eg, a Korean character string), and a third string ( For example, a plurality of keyboards 310-1, 310-2, 310-3, 310 having different character strings such as a keyboard 310-3 having a special symbol string) and a keyboard 310-n having an n-th string. -n).

On the other hand, in the embodiment of the present invention, the grid cell 311 of the virtual keyboard 310 is matched to a character or symbol corresponding to the character string, but in addition to the character or symbol to match a variety of media media that can be provided to the user, such as sound, pictures, etc. It can also be implemented.

Next, the keyboard change of the keyboard system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 200 of the keyboard system 400 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may use the virtual keyboard 310 based on press information received from the input unit 100 and user movement information. The keyboards 310-1, 310-2, 310-3, 310-n of the image are changed.

In detail, when the controller 200 receives the second press information for changing the keyboard from the second input area 124 of the second input module 120 shown in FIG. Is reversed and the switched state is the active state, the keyboard 310-1, 310-2, 310-3, 310 on the virtual keyboard 310 based on the user's movement information received from the first input module 110 -n) is changed based on the keyboard library of the memory 220.

In this case, when the user moves up and down based on the user's motion information, the control unit 200 uses a keyboard (eg, English, Korean, symbols, etc.) 310-1 and 310- based on the movement. 2, 310-n), and when the user moves left and right, the category of the keyboard based on the movement (for example, in the case of a Korean keyboard, a category such as a background, a roll, and a gothic font) (310-n). 1, 310-1a).

For example, when the current keyboard 310-1 is an English keyboard, the controller 200 based on the current keyboard 310-1 when the user moves downward based on the user's movement information. The keyboard 310-2 directly below is provided to the user through the display unit 300. If the user has a rightward movement, the user is provided with the category 310-1a moved to the right based on the current category 310-1.

By changing the keyboard system of the keyboard system, the user can quickly change and use various keyboards and keyboard categories.

Next, a method of operating a keyboard system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the method of operating the keyboard system 400 according to an exemplary embodiment, the keyboard system 400 is driven by a user.

The keyboard system 400 is driven by the user to activate the virtual keyboard 310 for text or symbol input, and provides the virtual keyboard 310 to the user through the display 300 (S100).

In addition, the keyboard system 400 detects a user's movement and a button press (S102), and the first movement information generated by the user's movement through the first input module 110 shown in FIG. Receive (S104).

The keyboard system 400 changes the selection area 312 on the virtual keyboard 310 based on the position information (time sequence) included in the received movement information (S104), and the second input module (shown in FIG. 1). In operation S110, press information corresponding to a button input of a user is received through the control unit 120.

In this case, the keyboard system 400 may first receive the press information without the movement information, and if only the press information is received, the keyboard system 400 performs the step S110.

The keyboard system 400 receives press information from a user, and the received press information is used to select the grid cell of the first press information (ie, the selection area 312 on the virtual keyboard 310). Information) to determine whether it is (S120).

As a result of the determination in step S120, if the press information is the first press information, the keyboard system 400 may select a grid cell matched in the selection area 312 based on the position information included in the second movement information. The given character or symbol is provided to the upper stage (omitted) (S112).

As a result of the determination in step S120, if the press information is not the first press information, the keyboard system 400 determines whether the press information is the second press information (ie, information for changing the keyboard). (S130).

As a result of the determination in step S130, when the press information is the second press information, the keyboard system 400 switches the keyboard change mode to the current opposite state (S132). If the keyboard change mode is activated after the switching (S134), the keyboard is changed based on the keyboard library of the memory 220 in response to the first motion information, and from the list of recently used keyboards in response to the second motion information. Change the keyboard (S136, S138).

As a result of the determination in step S134, if the keyboard change mode is inactive, the keyboard system 400 repeats after step S102.

As a result of the determination in step S130, if the press information is not the second press information, the keyboard system 400 determines whether the press information is the third press information (ie, information for the mouse mode). (S140).

As a result of the determination in step S140, when the press information is the third press information, the keyboard system 400 switches the mouse mode to the current opposite state (S142). If the mouse mode is active after switching (S144), the mouse function is performed (S146).

In this case, the keyboard system 400 performing the mouse function performs a mouse pointing function based on the first motion information of the user received from the first input module 110 shown in FIG. 1, and is shown in FIG. 1. The first press information of the user received from the first input area 122 of the second input module 120 is used as a mouse click.

As a result of the determination in step S144, if the mouse mode is inactive, the keyboard system 400 repeats the step after S102.

Here, the three operation modes (virtual keyboard input mode, keyboard change mode, mouse mode) of the keyboard system 400 are mutually exclusive. That is, only one mode can be active at a time.

The embodiments of the present invention described above are not implemented only through the apparatus and the method, but may be implemented through a program for realizing a function corresponding to the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention or a recording medium on which the program is recorded. Implementation can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art from the description of the above-described embodiment.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements of those skilled in the art using the basic concepts of the present invention defined in the following claims are also provided. It belongs to the scope of rights.

By the above-described configuration, the keyboard system may include different input devices having a touch pad function and an input button function, and thus, an effect of minimizing interference with the surrounding touch input area during input may be expected. Therefore, when a character or symbol is input through a virtual keyboard based on a small touch sensor on a small device, the user can expect an effect of stably accurate pointing and input.

In particular, a touch input area includes a touch input area that matches a selection area of a virtual keyboard, and the touch input area includes cell areas corresponding to grid cells of the selection area, thereby enabling a plurality of key inputs with a single pointing. As a result, the user can expect an effect that allows the user to perform text or symbol input quickly and comfortably.

In addition, since the keyboard can be converted quickly and easily when using the virtual keyboard, an effect of efficiently performing various types of input can be expected.

In addition, the mode change can be expected to be used as a mouse.

Claims

In the keyboard system,

A display unit having a plurality of cells, each of which is provided with inputtable information, and including a virtual keyboard including a plurality of first areas including the predetermined number of cells and a selection area selected by a user among the first areas;

A first input unit including a first input area divided into zones matching the plurality of first areas, the first input unit sensing first motion information of the user generated in the first input area;

A first press of a user for selecting a cell in the selection area corresponding to the cell zone, the second input area having a second input area divided into cell zones matching the cells included in the selection area A second input unit for sensing press information; And

A first press provided to the display unit to change the selection area on the virtual keyboard based on first motion information received from the first input unit, and received from the second input unit; A control unit for outputting information given to a cell included in the selection area matching the information;

Keyboard system comprising a.

The method of claim 1,

The apparatus may further include a memory in which a library including a plurality of keyboard contents of the virtual keyboard is stored.

The second input unit further includes a second input area configured to detect second press information of a user for changing the keyboard of the virtual keyboard in the second input area.

The control unit switches the keyboard change mode state to the opposite of the current state when the second press information is received, and if the keyboard change mode is in progress after the switching, visits the library contents based on the first motion information, and visits the library contents. Keyboard system characterized by displaying the keyboard as a virtual keyboard.

The method of claim 2,

The second input unit detects the second motion information of the user occurring in the first input area,

The controller stores information on the keyboard used by the user in the memory as a list, and visits the list of the list based on the second motion information and displays the keyboard being visited on the virtual keyboard when the keyboard change mode is performed. Having a keyboard system.

The method of claim 2,

The second input unit may further include a third input area configured to detect third press information of the user for setting activation or deactivation of a mouse function in the second input area.

The controller may be configured to reverse the mouse mode state upon receiving the third press information and perform a mouse pointing function based on the first movement information when the mouse mode is in progress after the switching. .

In the operation method of the keyboard system,

Displaying a virtual keyboard to a user, wherein the virtual keyboard includes a plurality of cells each to which inputtable information has been assigned and a plurality of first regions comprising a predetermined number of cells;

Detecting a movement of the user and a button press;

Receiving movement information of the user and first press information for selecting a cell in a selection area selected by the user among the first areas based on the sensing;

Moving the selection area based on the motion information; And

Outputting information given to a matching first cell in the moved selection area based on the first press information

Method of operation of the keyboard system comprising a.

The method of claim 5,

After detecting the button press (Press),

Receiving second press information for changing a keyboard from the user;

Providing a user with a state for changing a keyboard based on the second press information; And

Changing the keyboard by receiving motion information from the user based on the state provision;

Method of operation of the keyboard system further comprising.

The method of claim 6,

The state for changing the keyboard,

A first state of providing keyboard contents preset for the keyboard change; And

A second state for providing keyboard contents arranged on a time basis based on the keyboard usage information corresponding to the user's keyboard usage for changing the keyboard;

The providing of the state for changing the keyboard may include providing the first state or the second state to a user.

The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7,

After detecting the button press (Press),

Receiving third press information for a mouse operation from the user; And

Activating or deactivating a mouse operation based on the third press information.

Keyboard operation method further comprising.