JPH02205920A - Electronic display type input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operability even for random retrieval by using a part of each means as a key trace area where the input operation process already performed by a user is indicated and successively displaying these input operation processes by a control part and accepting the operation for return to one of these input operation processes. CONSTITUTION:A part of each means of input display storage is used as the key trace area where the input operation process already performed by the user is indicated, and input operation processes already performed by the user are successively displayed by a control part 5, and the operation for return to one of them is accepted. That is, parts of an input means 2, a display means 3, and a storage means 4 in an electronic display type input device 1 are used as key input trace areas 21, 31, and 41 respectively. Consequently, the user is enabled to recognize input processes and to return the control to the state of an intermediate input process at random. Thus, the operability is sufficiently improved even for random retrieval.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an electronic display type input device, and more particularly to an electronic display type input device suitable for improving the operability of keys manually by a user.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as one of the devices used for user input such as office computers, JP-A-63-
2. Description of the Related Art An electronic table type input device that allows a large number of input selections is known, as shown in Japanese Patent No. 36426. This input device has data for each page in its memory, and can freely output the contents of each page to the display section through user operations.

° [Problem to be Solved by the Invention] In the above-mentioned conventional technology, the contents of each page can be freely output to the display section by user operation, but when there are many pages, it is difficult to select each page. It becomes bothersome. Therefore, in this device, the number of pages to be switched per screen is controlled in correspondence with the amount of movement of a finger placed on the touch panel in order to improve the operability of the single page switching operation.

However, although this method is convenient for sequential searches, sufficient consideration is not given to random searches, and there is a problem in that sufficient operability cannot be improved.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances! The object of the present invention is to provide an electronic display type input device which solves the above-mentioned problems in the conventional technology and which can sufficiently improve operability even in random searches.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The above object of the present invention is to provide an input means, a means for displaying a display corresponding to the input means, a means for storing an output code and display data for each input, and a means for controlling each of the above-mentioned means. In an electronic display type input device having a control unit, a part of each of the means is used as a key trace area indicating the user's input operation process, and the control unit sequentially displays the user's input operation process. This is achieved by an electronic display type input device characterized in that it is configured to accept an operation to return to any of the previously input operation steps.

[Effect]

In the electronic display type input device according to the present invention, a part of the display means and storage means of the input means 1 of the electronic display type input device is used as a key person quadrant area, so that the user can easily understand the input process up to that point. In addition, it becomes possible to randomly return to the state of the input process in progress.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electronic display input device according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a host device (hereinafter referred to as a "host"). In the figure, 1 indicates an input section 2, a display section 3. An electronic display type input device is composed of a memory section 4 and a control section 5 for controlling these, and 6 indicates a host.

The input unit 2 uses a touch panel, a part of which is used as a key trace area 21 which is a feature of this embodiment, and key positions are set as A, B, C, . . . . The key position of area 22, which is the same as before (normal entry area), is ■
,■,■,... The display section 3 uses an electronic display mechanism such as a plasma display, and has a key trace area 31, which is a feature of this embodiment, and an area (normal display area) 32, which corresponds to the input section 2. to change the display position to A, B, C,...;■,■
,■,... are set.

The memory section 4 includes a key trace area 41 which is a feature of this embodiment, and areas 42, 43 . It is composed of... Areas 42, 43. . . . may be a ROM (read only memory). Generally, the memory section 4 is a battery-backed rewritable semiconductor memory (RAM).

2(a) to 2(d) are diagrams showing the process in which the above-mentioned display unit 3 changes sequentially in accordance with the user's input;
The figure is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation by the control section 5. The operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. Note that the number in parentheses at the end of the sentence indicates the step number in FIG.

Initially, the display section 3 shows the information as shown in FIG. 2(a).

A page screen by country is displayed. This screen is based on the display data of the memory mechanism 41. At this time, the key trace area 31, which is a feature of the present invention, is in a cleared state (step 51). Here, it is assumed that the user selects "Japan", and the user presses the corresponding key (here, ■) on the input section 2 (step 52
．． 53) and the control unit 5 selects “Japan” on the country-specific page mentioned above.
The display data and output code for "Japan" are stored in A of the memory section 41 of the key trace area, which is a feature of the present invention, and the display data and output code of "Japan" are stored at the position A of the display section 31. ” is output as shown in FIG. 2(b) (steps 54 to 56).

At the same time, in step 57, a page screen for each prefecture of "Japan" is displayed as shown in FIG. 2(b). At this stage, the user is shown that by selecting "Japan" next, a page screen by prefecture is obtained.

Next, when the user selects "Aichi Prefecture", as above,
The control unit 5 shifts the contents of A to B of the memory unit 41 of the key trace area, which is a feature of the present invention, and fills the vacant A.
The display data and output code of "Aichi Prefecture" are stored in the position A of the display section 31, and the display data of "Aichi Prefecture" is stored in the second position.
The output is performed as shown in Figure (Q) (steps 52 to 56). At the same time, in step 57, the page screen for heavy punishment for "Aichi Prefecture" is displayed as shown in FIG. 2(c).

As a result, "Japan" and "Aichi Prefecture" are displayed at positions B and A of the 1 display section 31 as a trace of the user's key manual process.

Next, when the user selects "Owari Asahi type", the control unit 5 records the user's key tracing process, which is a feature of the present invention, in C and B of the memory unit 41 in the same way as above.

At position A, display "Japan", "Aichi Prefecture", and "Owari Asahi type" (Steps 52 to 56. As shown in Figure 2 (d))
. At the same time, in step 57. The page screen for each town is displayed as shown in FIG. 2(d).

Through the above operations, the user can always know the key manual steps leading up to the current page screen.

In addition, if the user wishes to return to the page screen by prefecture during the above input process, the key trace area 21
By pressing “Japan”, the control unit 5 selects the second
The page screen display and key tracing state shown in FIG. 6(b) is returned to (steps 61 to 65). To explain in more detail,
In step 62, the data of the position to be returned to is transmitted to the host 6, in step 63 the contents of the trace memory 41 are changed, and in step 64 the contents are displayed on the display section 31. In addition, in response to this, memory areas 42, 4
3. ..., the next data is displayed on the display section 32.

Through the above operations, the user enters the state where the key is being manually operated.
You can return to it at will, which has the effect of greatly improving operability.

In the above embodiment, an example of searching for names of regions and cities by country in the world was shown as an example of data having a hierarchical structure, but the present invention can also be used as a display device for searching various other data. Needless to say, it is effective.

Furthermore, when the display device according to the present invention has a function of arbitrarily returning to the state in the middle of manual key operation, the operability of the display device can be further improved.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the input means;
and means for displaying a display corresponding to the input means.

In an electronic display type input device having means for storing output codes and display data for each input, and a control section for controlling each of the above means, a part of each of the above means is used as a key trace area showing the user's input operation process. death,
The control unit is configured to sequentially display the user's input operation process and accept an operation to return to any of the input operation processes, so that sufficient operability can be obtained even for random searches. This has the remarkable effect that it is possible to realize an electronic display type input device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electronic display input device according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a host device, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the process in which the display section changes sequentially, and FIG. 3 is an overview of the operation. FIG. 1: Electronic display input device, 2: Input section, 21: Key trace area, 22: Normal input area, 3: Display section, 3
1: Key trace area, 32: Normal display area, 4
: Memory section, 41: Key trace area, 42, 43.
...: Normal memory area, 5: Control unit, 6: Host.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electronic display type input device having an input means, a means for displaying a display corresponding to the input means, a means for storing an output code and display data for each input, and a control section for controlling each of the above-mentioned means. A part of the means is used as a key trace area showing the user's input operation process, and the control unit sequentially displays the user's input operation process and accepts an operation to return to any of the user's input operation processes. An electronic display type input device characterized by being configured as follows.