JPH0423023A - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform the control of a keyboard device in order to enable a key input operator to secure the pleasant key repeat starting time by measuring the key input speed of a user at each prescribed time and setting the key repeat starting time in accordance with the measured key input speed. CONSTITUTION:When '5 minutes' is set to a measurement interval timer 3, a key input operation is started. Then a fact that an operator inputted a 1st character with a key is informed to the timer 3. When the operator inputs a 2nd character with a key, a data processor control part 2 judges whether the 2nd character is identical with the character inputted right before the 2nd character or not. If not, this fact is informed to the timer 3. Then the timer 3 outputs the input time interval between the 1st and 2nd characters. In the same way, the input interval is measured for 5 minutes between the 2nd and 3rd characters, the 3rd and 4th characters and so on. These measurement results are all stored in a memory 6. When the measurement of 5 minutes is over with each input interval, the minimum value is retrieved out of those measurement values stored in the memory 6. In addition, the value obtained by multiplying the retrieved minimum value by the fixed value is set as the single key repeat starting time 11 within a keyboard.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a keyboard device, and more particularly to a keyboard having a so-called key repeat function.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Generally, information processing devices including a keyboard are equipped with a so-called key repeat function that facilitates the operator's key input work. In other words, if a key is held down for a short time, one character, symbol, etc. corresponding to that key will be input.If the key is held down continuously, the characters, etc. corresponding to that key will be input continuously. This is the function of In other words, when a key is continuously pressed until a predetermined period of time has elapsed from when the key was first pressed,
From then on, the keyboard is controlled so that the key code corresponding to that key is continuously generated until the pressed state is released.

Conventionally, the time until the start of continuous generation of key codes, that is, the key repeat start time, has been controlled by a time fixedly determined in advance by the system or the user.

However, the conventional key repeat start time control is a control that starts key repeat at a fixed time set in advance, so the key repeat start time is changed when the user (operator) changes or due to fatigue etc. Even if you want to do so, there is a drawback that you either need to use the fixed value or change the set value by performing complicated operations each time.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and its purpose is to provide a keyboard device that can automatically set the key repeat start time to an optimal value depending on the fatigue of the user. It is to provide.

Composition of the Invention The keyboard device according to the present invention provides a keyboard device that, when a given key is continuously pressed from the start of pressing the key until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, from then on, the keyboard corresponding to the key is pressed until the pressed state is released. The keyboard continuously generates codes, and is characterized by having a measuring means for measuring the key input speed by an operator, and a controlling means for changing and controlling the predetermined time according to the IIPl determination result.

Example Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a keyboard device according to the present invention. In the figure, a keyboard 1 is a device for inputting data, and has a key repeat start time 11 stored therein. Then, when the time for which the key is kept pressed exceeds the key repeat start time, the same key code is generated continuously.

The device of this embodiment changes and controls the key repeat start time according to the operator's key input speed,
data processing device control unit 2, key input interval measurement timer 3,
It is configured to include a key input measurement interval timer 4, a measurement interval timer 5, and a memory 6.

The key input interval measurement timer 3 is a timer that, when inputting two key input times, outputs the input time interval between the two keys.

The key input measurement interval timer 4 and the measurement interval timer 5 are timers that notify the data processing device control unit 2 of the elapse of respective set times.

Next, the operation of the keyboard device of this embodiment having such a configuration will be explained using FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for key repeat start time control in the keyboard device of FIG. 1.

In this example, a case will be described in which the key input measurement time is 5 minutes and the measurement interval is 30 minutes.

In the figure, first, the key input end fixed interval timer is set to "5 minutes" (step 21). Here, key input is started, and when the operator inputs the first character, the key input interval measurement timer 3 is notified of this (steps 22-23). Subsequently, when the operator inputs the second character, the data processing device control unit 2 first determines whether or not the second character is the same as the character input immediately before, ie, one character] (step 23).

If it is determined that they are different, the key input interval measurement timer 3 is notified of this, and the key input interval measurement timer 3 is set to 1.
The input time interval between character 11 and the second character is output (step 25). The value is stored in memory 6 (step 26).

Similarly, the 2nd and 3rd characters, the 3rd and 4th characters...
Each input interval is measured for 5 minutes, and all measurement results are stored in the memory 6 (steps 27-22→23→25→2
6...).

On the other hand, if two characters are determined to be the same, the input time interval for the two characters is not measured because the operator may have entered them faster than usual.
It is not stored in the memory 6 (steps 23→24→22).

For each input interval, when the 5-minute measurement is completed, the minimum value among the measured values stored in the memory 6 is searched (step 28), and the value is further multiplied by a constant value (for example, 1.1). The key repeat start time of 1 in the keyboard is 11
(Step 29).

Next, the key input interval measuring timer 3 is set to "30 minutes" (step 30). As a result, after 30 minutes have elapsed, the above-mentioned measurement and setting of the key repeat start time are performed again (steps 30-420→21...).

In other words, the present invention changes and controls the key repeat start time according to the operator's key input ability, fatigue, etc., and measures the key input speed and changes the key repeat start time according to the measurement result. Therefore, the key repeat start time can always be kept at the optimum value.

Note that the key input measurement time and measurement interval are not limited to 5 minutes or 30 minutes as in the above example, but may be other values. Furthermore, it is clear that the present invention is widely applicable to devices having keyboards such as personal computers and word processors.

Detailed Description of the Invention As described above, the present invention measures the user's key input speed at regular intervals and sets the key repeat start time according to the measured key input speed, so that the key input person can take turns. Even if the key input speed changes due to fatigue of the key input person or the like, the key repeat start time can be controlled to be comfortable for the key input person.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a keyboard device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for key repeat start time control. Explanation of symbols of main parts 1...Keyboard 3...Key input interval timer 4...Key input measurement interval timer 5...
Measurement interval timer 6...Memory

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) When a given key continues to be pressed until a predetermined period of time elapses from the start of pressing the key, the key code corresponding to the key is generated continuously from then on until the pressed state is released. What is claimed is: 1. A keyboard device comprising: a measuring means for measuring a key input speed by an operator; and a controlling means for controlling the predetermined time period according to the measurement result.