JP2000155640A - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the workability of key input and to improve the versatility of a keyboard by discriminating an intended key when two or more adjacent keys are simultaneously and erroneously depressed, not on a host-side but on a keyboard-side. SOLUTION: A pressure switch 5 detecting the depression pressure of respective keys is installed in a key matrix 1. The key matrix 1 and a keyboard controller 2 are connected by the interface 4Z of a line Z, which takes out the output of the pressure sensor 5 in addition to the interfaces 4X and 4Y of lines X and Y. When the keyboard controller 2 detects the simultaneous depression of plural keys from the interfaces of the lines X and Y, it compares the size of pressure taken out from the interface of the line Z with respect to the keys which are simultaneously depressed and discriminates one key whose pressure is the largest as the intended key and informs a host 3 of the result.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard device, and more particularly, to a keyboard device that can discriminate an intended key when two or more adjacent keys are simultaneously pressed by mistake.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, portable personal computers have been further miniaturized in consideration of portability, and keyboards have also become smaller. This allows the key puncher to erroneously
Increasingly, the intended key and adjacent keys are pressed simultaneously.

Conventionally, when not only an intended key but also an adjacent key is simultaneously pressed on a keyboard, the personal computer recognizes and processes the key as it is. For this reason, the work efficiency of the key puncher is poor, and particularly, a person with large hands and fingers cannot smoothly input a key of a small personal computer.

To cope with such a problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No.
The keyboard device described in Japanese Patent No. 40557 discloses a sensor unit that identifies which key is pressed or touched and outputs sensor data proportional to the pressed pressure, and outputs a key pressed on the keyboard. After temporarily storing key codes, a buffer unit that sequentially outputs, a discriminating unit that discriminates a key pressed with the strongest pressure when a plurality of keys are pressed or touched almost simultaneously, and a key code identified by the discriminating unit And a key unit output by the buffer unit, and a comparison unit that outputs the key code only when the two match each other.When a plurality of keys are pressed almost simultaneously, the key is pressed with the strongest pressure. The key code of the key is output from the comparison unit.

[0005]

However, according to this, the key pressed by the strongest pressure cannot be discriminated on the keyboard side, and a buffer for temporarily storing key codes and a key code output from the buffer are provided. The information processing device (host) such as a personal computer provides a comparison unit that compares the key code identified by the discrimination unit with the key code identified by the discrimination unit. The host needs to be changed, which makes the keyboard less versatile and uneconomical.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to improve the operability of key input by making it possible to discriminate an intended key on the keyboard side instead of the host side when two or more adjacent keys are simultaneously erroneously pressed. And to increase the versatility of the keyboard.

[0007]

In order to achieve this object, a keyboard device of the present invention uses an X-line and Y-line interface to detect the position of a pressed key in the X and Y directions by a switch. A keyboard sensor having a pressure sensor for detecting the pressing pressure of each key, a Z-line interface for extracting the output, and a simultaneous pressing key when detecting simultaneous pressing of a plurality of keys from an X-line and Y-line interface. , Key pressure comparing means for comparing the magnitude of the pressure taken out from the interface of the Z line and discriminating one key having the largest pressure as an intended key.

The detection pressure of the pressure sensor is divided into a plurality of stages,
If the detection signal for each stage can be taken out from the Z-line interface, one intended key can be accurately distinguished from a plurality of keys pressed at the same time.

[0009]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, a keyboard device according to the present invention comprises a key matrix 1 in which a number of keys are arranged on a keyboard main body and a keyboard controller 2,
In the key matrix 1, when two or more adjacent keys are simultaneously erroneously pressed, only one intended key is discriminated by the keyboard controller 2 as described later, and the key input by the one key is performed by a personal computer or the like. The host 3 is notified.

The key matrix 1 and the keyboard controller 2 are connected by X and Y line interfaces 4x and 4y in order to detect the position of the pressed key in the X and Y directions by a switch.
In addition to this, the key matrix 1 is provided with a pressure switch 5 for detecting the pressing pressure of each key, and between the key matrix 1 and the keyboard controller 2,
It is also connected by a Z-line interface 4z for extracting the output of the pressure sensor 5.

According to such a configuration, the X line and the Y line are determined by the key input, and at the same time, the pressure sensor 5 detects the pressure by the key input, and the key matrix 1 is transmitted to the keyboard through the Z line interface 4z. Notify the controller 2. If the adjacent keys are pressed by mistake, the same number of keys are notified to the keyboard controller 2. The keyboard controller 2 compares the magnitude of the pressure applied to each key input, and regards the key having the highest pressure as a correct input and notifies the host 3 of the key. Thus, even if the key puncher erroneously presses an adjacent key, the host 3 can validate only one intended key.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the key matrix 1. For example, when the key number “1” is pressed, X
The line is determined to be "X1", the Y line is determined to be "Y0", and the Z line is determined by the pressure applied to the key input at that time. If the detection pressure of the pressure sensor 5 is divided into several stages and there are three Z lines Z0, Z1, and Z2, (Z0,
If (Z1, Z2) = (0, 0, 1), it means that the key number “1” has been pressed with the pressure “1”. If there are three Z lines, Z0, Z1, and Z2, the pressure is 2 to 3.
It can detect up to eight powers.

For example, the key numbers "14" and "35"
Are adjacent to each other, and the key puncher has the key number “1”.
4 was intended to be pressed, but the key number "1"
It is assumed that “4” and “35” are simultaneously pressed. When key number “14” is pressed, X line becomes “X2”
And the Y line is determined to be "Y1". At that time,
If the pressure on the key input is "5", the Z line is
(Z0, Z1, Z2) = (1, 0, 1). Similarly, for the key number “35”, the X line is “X11” and the Y line is “Y11”.
The line is fixed to “Y2”. At that time, the pressure applied to the key is generally weaker than the intended key, that is, less than "5". For example, (Z0,
Z1, Z2) = (1, 0, 0).

FIG. 3 shows a flow of processing of the keyboard controller 2. If the adjacent keys are pressed at the same time and not a combination key (for example, simultaneously pressing the Ctrl key and the S key for stop), the key with the highest Z-line pressure, in this example, the key number “14” is used as the host. 3 and discard the other keys, in this example, the key number “35”.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention,
If an adjacent key is mistakenly pressed in addition to the intended key, only the intended key is discriminated and notified to the host, so that key input can be performed smoothly, and the key puncher needs to press the approximate position of the intended key. It will be better,
Key operability is improved.

Further, when two or more adjacent keys are pressed by mistake at the same time, the intended key can be discriminated on the keyboard side instead of the host side, so that the versatility of the keyboard can be improved.

The detection pressure of the pressure sensor is divided into a plurality of stages,
If the detection signal for each stage can be taken out from the Z-line interface, one intended key can be accurately distinguished from a plurality of keys pressed at the same time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a key matrix in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an operation example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 key matrix 2 keyboard controller 3 host 4x X-line interface 4y Y-line interface 4z Z-line interface 5 Pressure sensor

Claims (2)

[Claims] In a keyboard device having an interface of X-line and Y-line for detecting a position of a pressed key in an X direction and a Y direction by a switch, a pressure sensor for detecting a pressing pressure of each key is provided. When simultaneous pressing of a plurality of keys is detected from the interface of the Z line for extracting the output and the interface of the X line and the Y line, the magnitude of the pressure extracted from the interface of the Z line is compared for the simultaneously pressed key. A key pressure comparing means for discriminating one of the largest keys as an intended key. 2. The pressure detected by the pressure sensor is divided into a plurality of stages,
2. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein a detection signal for each stage can be extracted from the Z-line interface.