JPH09265341A - Information input device and information processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: An information input device comprising a keyboard device and a coordinate input device, which is a user-friendly information input device for a tablet of the coordinate input device. SOLUTION: A tablet storage portion 4b for storing a tablet 5 of a coordinate input device in a removable manner is provided at the bottom of a casing 1 of a keyboard device. The tablet 5 is connected to the information processing device together with the keyboard device.
When not in use, it can be stored in the tablet storage section 4b, and when in use, it can be taken out and used. It takes time to clean up, prepare, and connect like a conventional independent coordinate input device tablet. No, it is very easy to use.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information input device for inputting information, particularly an information input device including a keyboard device and a coordinate input device, and information such as a computer having the information input device as an information input unit. The present invention relates to a processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, so-called personal computers (personal computers) have become available as computers have become more sophisticated and smaller.
Is being used everywhere, whether at work or at home.

A keyboard device is generally used as a means for inputting information to a personal computer. Character information is converted into code data according to the key operation of the keyboard device and input to the personal computer. In order to further improve the efficiency of inputting this character information, in the US and Europe, handwritten or printed manuscripts are OCR (optical character information reader).
It is also read by and converted into code data.

On the other hand, the image information is directly input using a pointing device such as a mouse, but there is a problem in operability. As means for improving this, there are known coordinate input devices of various types, which are composed of an input pen and a dedicated tablet, and detect and input the coordinates of a position designated by the input pen on the tablet.

[0005]

However, conventionally, the coordinate input device is configured as an independent single device and takes up space. Therefore, when the tablet is not in use, the tablet should be put away in another place that does not disturb the user. At the time of use, it must be placed side by side with the keyboard device and connected to the personal computer body for use, and its usability is not necessarily good.

Further, when the coordinate input device is used in a portable information processing device such as a notebook personal computer, the information processing device and the coordinate input device are separate bodies, and it is very inconvenient to carry both. There was a problem.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an information input device comprising a keyboard device and a coordinate input device, which is a user-friendly information input device for a tablet of the coordinate input device, and the information input device It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus that is provided as an input unit and is easy to use and can improve portability when it is a portable type.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, according to the present invention, there is provided an information input device comprising a keyboard device and a coordinate input device, wherein the tablet device is a tablet constituting the coordinate input device. We adopted a configuration in which it can be taken out.

In addition, in an information processing apparatus having an information input section and performing information processing in response to input of information from the information input section, the information input section according to the present invention is provided as the information input section. It was adopted.

According to the configuration of the information input device of the present invention, the tablet of the coordinate input device is connected to the information processing device together with the keyboard device, stored in the keyboard device when not in use, and when used. It can be taken out and used, and it is easy to use as it does not require the work of clearing, preparing, and connecting like a tablet of a conventional independent coordinate input device.

Further, according to the configuration of the information processing apparatus of the present invention, the usability of the tablet is very good, and particularly when the apparatus is portable, the tablet is housed in the keyboard device of the information input unit when carrying the tablet. Since it can be carried around, the portability is improved.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Before the description of each embodiment, the structure of a coordinate input device commonly used in each embodiment will be described. To do.

The system of the coordinate input device used in the embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited, but among the various systems, the three systems shown in FIGS. 9 to 11 are suitable.

FIG. 9 shows the principle configuration of an ultrasonic vibration type coordinate input device (digitizer).

Reference numeral 101 is a vibration transmission plate (tablet) made of acrylic, glass plate, or the like. Silicon rubber is used to prevent ultrasonic vibration transmitted from the vibration pen (input pen) 102 from being reflected at the peripheral portion. It is supported by an antireflection material 107 composed of, for example. Vibration transmission plate 10
Three vibration sensors 103 are attached to the three corners of No. 1 and are generated from the ultrasonic transducer 102a of the vibrating pen 102 driven by the ultrasonic transducer drive circuit 104 and transmitted through the vibration transmission plate 101. The elastic wave of the ultrasonic vibration to be detected is detected.

The elastic wave propagating in the vibration transmission plate 101 is transmitted to each vibration sensor 103 with a delay time corresponding to the distance between the vibration sensor 103 and the position where the vibration pen 102 contacts the vibration transmission plate 101. To reach. Therefore, the signal from each vibration sensor 103 is detected by the signal waveform detection circuit 105, the delay time in each vibration sensor 103 is measured, and the calculation control circuit 106 performs the calculation based on each delay time to vibrate on the vibration transmission plate 101. The coordinates of the contact position of the pen 102 can be obtained.

FIG. 10 shows the basic construction of an electromagnetic induction type coordinate input device. In FIG. 10, the tablet 2
On the surface of 01, a large number of loop antennas (rectangular coils) 202 and 203 are arranged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, one end of each antenna is grounded, and the other end is connected to the X-axis receiving circuit 205 or. It is connected to the changeover switches 205b to 206b of the Y-axis receiving circuit 206. The receiving circuits 205 and 206 include the changeover switch and the amplifier 20.
It consists of 5a and 206a. A resonance circuit 204 including a coil and a capacitor is embedded in the tip of an electronic pen (input pen) not shown. The electronic pen does not have a built-in battery.

Changeover switches 205b to 206b
High-frequency currents matching the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit 204 of the electronic pen are sequentially applied from the high-frequency signal sources 207 to 208 to the loop antennas 202 to 203 through the loop so as to scan the arrangement order. As a result, electromagnetic waves having the resonance frequency are sequentially emitted from each loop antenna, the resonance circuit 204 resonates, and electromagnetic energy is accumulated.

Each loop antenna is connected to the amplifiers 205a to 206a and switched to a receiving state by switching the changeover switches 205b to 206b at the next moment of electromagnetic wave emission, and receives the electromagnetic wave emitted from the resonance circuit 204 of the electronic pen. And detect.

Among the loop antennas, the antenna closest to the electronic pen has the highest intensity of the detection signal, so that the X-axis receiving circuit 2 sequentially obtained by the above switching scans.
05 and the Y-axis receiving circuit 206, the coordinates of the pointing position of the electronic pen on the tablet 201 can be detected from the intensity distributions of the detection signals.

FIG. 11 shows the basic construction of a capacitance type coordinate input device. With this method, the tablet 30
A touch panel 301 is provided on the upper surface of 0. Here, the surface of the quadrangular touch panel 301 is coated with a conductive film having a uniform resistivity as a whole, and four electrodes 302, 303, 304, and 305 are provided along the four sides of the conductive film. A voltage is applied from the power source shown by.

The input pen 306 is made of a conductive material.
When 07 is touched, current flows from the electrodes 302 to 305 to the input pen 306 due to the capacitance of the input pen 306 or the operator holding the input pen 306.

The position of the touched point 307 on the touch panel 301 in the X and Y directions is the input pen 3
06 or the impedance Z of the operator,
It is represented only by the values of the currents ia, ib, ic, id flowing from the electrodes 302 to 305 at both ends in the X and Y directions, and can be obtained by the following equation. That is, the distance between the electrodes 302 and 303 in the X direction is Rx, the distance between the electrode 302 and the point 307 is ra, and the electrodes 304 and 305 in the Y direction.
If the distance between them is Ry and the distance between the electrode 305 and the point 307 is rd, the detection position of the point 307 in the X direction is ra / RX = ib / (ia + i
b) The detection position in the Y direction is rd / RY = id / (ic + i
d). As a result, the coordinates of the touched point 307 can be obtained.

[First Embodiment] Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment,
An information input device including a keyboard device (hereinafter, simply referred to as a keyboard) and a coordinate input device, which is an embodiment of the information input device in which a tablet constituting the coordinate input device is removably housed in the keyboard. FIG. 1 shows the appearance of the entire device when the tablet is in use, FIG. 2 shows the details of the storage structure of the tablet, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are vertical side views of the device when the tablet is in the storage and use states.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a housing of a keyboard device main body, on which an input key group 2 of the keyboard is arranged, and an input pen which is a recess for accommodating an input pen 3 of a coordinate input device. A storage section 4a is provided.

Reference numeral 5 is a tablet of the coordinate input device, which is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape. Tablet 5
Are removably stored in a tablet storage portion 4b which is a recess formed on the bottom of the keyboard casing 1 facing the front side. The coordinate input device including the tablet 5 and the input pen 3 may be any one of the above-described three methods shown in FIGS. 9 to 10, and may be another method. Depending on the method of the coordinate input device, the input pen 3 is connected to the housing 1 by a signal cable or a simple string 30.

Reference numerals 21 and 22 respectively denote a keyboard cable and a tablet cable for connecting the keyboard and the tablet of the coordinate input device to an information processing device such as a computer (not shown), which is pulled out from the rear portion of the housing 1. Has been.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, straight rails 6a and 6b are fixed to both left and right edges of the tablet 5 (not shown in FIG. 1). Stoppers 7a and 7b that are diagonally raised at the upper rear ends of the rails 6a and 6b
Are formed. Further, a knob 26 is provided on the front edge of the upper surface of the tablet 5 so that the user can put his / her finger on the tablet 5 when the user pulls out the tablet 5. Further, a flexible (flexible cable) 10 for deriving an output signal of the coordinate detection result of the tablet 5 is drawn out from the rear end surface of the tablet 5, and a connector 12a is fixed to the tip thereof.

On the other hand, a straight rail guide 8 having a U-shaped cross section is formed on the left and right walls of the tablet storage portion 4b of the housing 1.
a and 8b are fixed horizontally, that is, parallel to the bottom surface of the housing 1, and straight grooves 9a and
9b is formed. Further, a connector 12b to which the connector 12a of the flexible cable 10 is connected is provided on the ceiling surface of the tablet storage portion 4b.

When the tablet 5 is incorporated in the apparatus main body,
First, after connecting the connector 12a on the tablet 5 side to the connector 12b on the main body side, the rails 6a, 6 of the tablet 5 are connected.
Push b into the U-shaped recesses of the rail guides 8a and 8b in the direction of arrow A. At this time, the stoppers 7a and 7b are bent downward and enter the concave portions of the rail guides 8a and 8b, so that the grooves 9
When it reaches a, 9b, it returns to its original shape and the groove 9a,
Go inside 9b.

In this way, the tablet 5 has rails 6a, 6
b and the rail guides 8a and 8b are engaged with each other so as to be slidable along a straight line in the front-rear direction in a horizontal plane with respect to the housing 1. As shown in FIGS. It can be slid between a storage position in which it is stored horizontally in 4b and a take-out position in use that is pulled out from the tablet storage portion 4b. As shown in FIG. 4, when the tablet 5 is pulled out, the stoppers 7a and 7b come into contact with the front edges of the grooves 9a and 9b of the rail guides 8a and 8b to prevent the tablet 5 from coming off.

In FIG. 3, the tablet 5 includes a flexible board 10, connectors 12a and 12b, and a keyboard board 2.
4 is connected to an information processing device such as a computer (not shown) through wiring (not shown) on the bottom surface, a flexible cable 25, a tablet cable 22 and a connector 23 at the tip thereof. Although the configuration for connecting the keyboard is not shown, similarly, the keyboard 24 is connected to the information processing apparatus through wiring (not shown) and flexure on the board 24, and the above-mentioned keyboard cable 21 and a connector (not shown) at its tip.

According to the above-described embodiment, the tablet 5 is connected to the information processing apparatus together with the keyboard, stored in the tablet storage section 4b when not in use, and pulled out from the storage section 4b when in use. You can use it. It does not take time to clean up, prepare, and connect like the conventional independent coordinate input device tablet,
The usability becomes very good.

Although the tablet 5 can be pulled out to the front side of the keyboard in this embodiment, the tablet storage section 4b is provided at the bottom of the housing 1 facing the right or left side, and the tablet 5 is placed on the side. You may be able to withdraw.

Next, another embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8. In FIGS. 5 to 8, FIGS.
Common or corresponding parts to those in FIG. 4 are designated by common reference numerals, and detailed description of common or similar parts is omitted.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, which is an implementation of a portable notebook personal computer which processes information in response to information input from a keyboard and a coordinate input device. The morphology is shown.

The notebook computer 27 shown here is provided with the same information input device as that of the first embodiment as an information input section. That is, the keyboard housing 1 of the notebook computer 27 (that is, the housing of the personal computer main body) has the same structure as that of the first embodiment, and the tablet 5 of the coordinate input device is removably housed in the tablet housing portion 4b at the bottom. On the upper surface, the input key group 2 and an input pen storage section 4a for storing the input pen 3 are provided.

On the other hand, a display unit 11 is provided on the inner side of the upper surface of the housing 1 so as to be rotatable in the direction of arrow E, and is rotated to a position in which the display unit 11 is tilted so as to overlap the keyboard and a position in which it is upright as shown in the drawing. You can do it.

According to this structure, the tablet can be stored or pulled out and used as in the first embodiment.
The tablet is very easy to use. When the notebook computer 27 is carried, the input pen 3 is inserted into the input pen storage section 4a.
The tablet 5 may be stored in the tablet storage unit 4b, and the display unit 11 may be tilted, and the tablet 5 may be carried in the tablet storage unit 4b, as compared with the conventional laptop computer and the coordinate input device. The sex becomes very good.

Although an information input device similar to that of the first embodiment is provided in a notebook computer as an information input unit here, the information input device may be a desktop personal computer or another information processing device. Of course, it may be provided.

The storage structure of the tablet 5 is not limited to that of the first embodiment, but may be the same as that of the third or fourth embodiment described below.

[Third Embodiment] Next, referring to FIG.
(B) illustrates an information input device including a keyboard and a coordinate input device according to a third embodiment of the present invention,
(A) is a state in which the tablet 5 is in use, and (b) is a vertical sectional side view showing a stored state of the tablet 5.

In this embodiment, the tablet storage portion 4b itself is provided facing the front side (left side in FIG. 6) at the bottom of the keyboard casing 1 as in the first embodiment. The storage structure for storing 5 is different from that of the first embodiment.

That is, the right end in FIG. 6 (a), which is the rear end when the tablet 5 is in use, is rotatably borne by the shaft 13 borne by the housing 1 at the front end of the tablet storage portion 4b. And the tablet 5 thus has a housing 1
On the other hand, it is attached so as to be rotatable in the directions of arrows B and B'reversing the front and back with the right end as the center of rotation.

In order to lock the tablet 5 in the storage position, an elastic locking claw 14 is projected on the inner side of the ceiling of the storage portion 4b, and the front end surface of the tablet 5 in the in-use state is used. A lock groove 15 is formed in the.

With such a structure, when the tablet 5 is used, the tablet 5 is rotated in the direction of arrow B as shown in FIG. 6 (a) so that the tablet 5 becomes substantially horizontal in front of the housing 1 of the keyboard. It can be used by rotating it to the take-out position. Further, when not in use, the tablet 5 can be rotated in the B'direction from the take-out position of (a) and can be rotated to the storage position in which it is horizontally stored in the storage portion 4b as shown in (b). 14 is pushed by the tip portion of the tablet 5 and bends inward to engage with the lock groove 15, so that the tablet 5 is locked at the storage position. From this state, the knob 26 of the tablet 5
By pulling downward, the lock claw 14 bends to the inner side, the engagement with the lock groove 15 is released, and the tablet 5 can be rotated to the take-out position of (a).

The connector 12b on the main body side for connecting the connector 12a on the tablet 5 side is connected to the keyboard board 24.
By being arranged at the front end portion of the lower surface, the flexible member 10 is shortened so as not to interfere with the rotation of the tablet 5.

According to such an embodiment, the usability of the tablet can be improved as in the first embodiment. Although the tablet 5 can be taken out to the front side of the keyboard also in this embodiment, it may be taken out to the left or right side.

[Fourth Embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B show the appearance of the entire information input device, in which FIG. 7A shows a housed state of the tablet, and FIGS. 7B and 7C show a used state of the tablet at different positions and orientations. 8A, 8B,
FIG. 7C is a bottom view of the device in the states of FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C, respectively.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C, the tablet storage section 4b is a keyboard housing 1
It is formed facing the front right at the bottom part of FIG.
As shown in (c), the left side wall of the storage section 4b is curved and formed in an arc shape. In addition, an elastic lock claw 17 is provided in a protruding manner at the left rear corner of the storage section 4b. The lock claw 17 is provided at a position close to the bottom surface of the housing 1, and there is a gap between the lock claw 17 and the installation surface when the device is installed, as will be described later, for the lock claw 17 to bend downward. And The upper surface of the lock claw 17 is formed as an inclined surface whose left side becomes lower.

On the other hand, the tablet 5 has a shaft 1 supported by the housing 1 at one corner of the upper right corner in FIG. 8 (right front in FIG. 7).
A rotatably supported bearing 6 supports the tablet 5 as a whole so that the tablet 5 can be rotatably mounted on the housing 1 in a horizontal plane about the above-mentioned point. A knob 28 is provided on the left end of the front edge of the tablet 5 in the stored state so that the user can pull out the tablet 5 with his / her finger. A lock groove 18 corresponding to the lock claw 17 is formed on the inner side of the left side edge of the tablet 5 in the housed state. The tablet 5 is connected to the main body side of the housing 1 by a short cable 29 near the shaft 16.

With such a structure, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8A, when the tablet 5 is stored in the storage portion 4b, the lock claw 17 and the lock groove 18 are formed as described later.
And the tablet 5 is locked in the storage position.

When the tablet 5 is used from this state, by pulling the knob 28 to the front, the lock claw 17 is bent to the left side in FIG. 8 (a) and the engagement with the lock groove 18 is released, so that the tablet 5 is free. Then, it can be rotated as shown by arrow C and taken out to the front side of the housing 1 as shown in (b), and further rotated as shown by arrow D and right front of the housing 1 as shown in (c). It can also be used at the take-out position. Needless to say, it can also be used in a rotation position between (b) and (c), and a position further rotated in the D direction from (c).

When the tablet 5 is rotated to the storage position (a) after use, the corner portion of the tablet 5 near the lock groove 18 pushes the inclined surface of the upper surface of the lock pawl 17 to move the lock pawl 17 downward. When the corner bends and passes over the lock claw 17 and passes, the lock claw 17 returns to the original position above and engages with the lock groove 18, and the tablet 5 is locked in the storage position.

According to the present embodiment as described above, the usability of the tablet is improved as in the first and third embodiments. In addition, since the tablet 5 is horizontally rotated in the present embodiment, the space of the tablet storage portion 4b becomes wider than that in the first and third embodiments, but the position where the tablet 4a is taken out and used is illustrated. 7, it is possible to arbitrarily set from the position of (b) of FIG. 8 to the position further rotated in the D direction from (c), and there is an advantage that the direction in which the tablet is used can also be arbitrarily set depending on the position.

By the way, in each of the above embodiments, the tablet is stored horizontally in the storage portion, but it goes without saying that the tablet may be stored at an angle slightly inclined from the horizontal. In short, it is preferable to store it substantially horizontally in terms of storage space and usability.

[0057]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, an information input device comprising a keyboard device and a coordinate input device, wherein a tablet constituting the coordinate input device can be taken out from the keyboard device. Since the stored configuration is adopted, the tablet is easy to use as it does not require the effort of clearing, preparing, and connecting like a tablet of a conventional independent single coordinate input device.

Further, in an information processing apparatus having an information input section and performing information processing in response to input of information from the information input section, the information input section according to the present invention is provided as the information input section. Since the tablet is adopted, the usability of the tablet is greatly improved, and particularly when the apparatus is a portable type, the tablet can be carried in a state of being housed, so that an excellent effect of improving portability can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a tablet using state of an information input device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a tablet storage structure of the device.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the same device in a tablet stored state.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the same device in a tablet use state.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a notebook computer according to a second embodiment of the present invention when in use of a tablet.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of an information input device according to a third embodiment of the present invention in a tablet use state and a tablet storage state.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an information input device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention in a tablet storage state and a different use state, respectively.

8 is a bottom view of the information input device corresponding to FIG. 7. FIG.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a principle configuration of an ultrasonic vibration type coordinate input device.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a principle configuration of an electromagnetic induction type coordinate input device.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a principle configuration of a capacitance type coordinate input device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Case of device main body 2 Input key group 3 Input pen 4a Input pen storage section 4b Tablet storage section 5 Tablets 6a, 6b Rails 7a, 7b Stoppers 8a, 8b Rail guides 9a, 9b Grooves 10 Flexible cables 11 Display sections 12a, 12b Connector 13,16 Shaft 14,17 Lock claw 15,18 Lock groove

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An information input device comprising a keyboard device and a coordinate input device, wherein a tablet constituting the coordinate input device is removably housed in the keyboard device. 2. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein a tablet storage portion for storing the tablet substantially horizontally is provided on a bottom portion of a casing of the keyboard device. 3. The tablet is slidably provided along a substantially horizontal straight line direction from a storage position stored in the tablet storage portion to a take-out position when in use. Information input device described in. 4. The tablet is provided so as to be rotatable from a storage position stored in the tablet storage portion to a take-out position when used in a rotation direction in which one end is a rotation center and the front and back are inverted. The information input device according to claim 2, which is characterized in that. 5. The tablet is rotatably provided from a storage position stored in the tablet storage portion to a take-out position at the time of use within a substantially horizontal plane with one point as a rotation center. The information input device according to claim 2. 6. The coordinate input device is configured as an ultrasonic vibration type device that detects ultrasonic vibrations transmitted from an input pen to a tablet and detects coordinates of a designated position of the input pen on the tablet. The information input device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: 7. The coordinate input device is configured as an electromagnetic induction type device that detects the coordinates of the pointing position of the input pen on the tablet by detecting an electromagnetic wave between the input pen and the tablet. The information input device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. 8. The coordinate input device is configured as a capacitance type device that measures a current flowing through a touch panel according to a contact position of an input pen with respect to a touch panel provided on a tablet and detects coordinates of the contact position. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein the information input device is provided. 9. An information processing apparatus having an information input unit, which performs information processing in response to input of information from the information input unit, wherein the information input unit is any one of claims 1 to 8. An information processing apparatus comprising the described information input device. 10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the information processing apparatus is configured to be portable.