JPH04367923A - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decrease the generation of a type miss by switching a display character in accordance with a shift state, and displaying an inputtable character on the key top in accordance with the shift state. CONSTITUTION:When one or two or more of shift keys 1-3 are depressed, a shift state check mechanism 4 checks each shift state, and in the case switching is necessary, which character is to be displayed is instructed to a display character switching mechanism 5. The display character switching mechanism 5 switches a display character of the key top to one of 6, 7,... in accordance with the instruction of the shift state check mechanism 4. For instance, the display character 6 is selected in the case there is no key shift input, and the display character 7 is selected in accordance with a state that only the shift key 1 is depressed. The display characters 8-10 are selected in accordance with depression of only the shift key 2, simultaneous depression of the shift keys 1 and 2, and depression of only the shift key 3, respectively.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard device for an electronic computer such as a personal computer, and more particularly to a keyboard device of the type in which each key becomes two or more input keys by interlocking with a shift key.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventional keyboard devices for electronic computers such as personal computers have a large number of symbols to be input compared to the total number of keys, so multiple symbols can be input with one key by linking it with a shift key. ing.

In such a case, each key is engraved with only representative characters among the characters that can be input by that key, as shown in the key top 12 of FIG. 3, or the key tops 13 and 14 of FIG. As shown in the figure, all the characters that can be entered were engraved.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional keyboard device described above, only representative characters or all of the characters that can be entered by the key are engraved on the key top, so it is difficult to change the shift at any given time. It had the disadvantage that it was unclear which characters could be entered depending on the state, and there were many typos.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The keyboard device of the present invention is a keyboard device of a type in which each key becomes two or more input keys by interlocking with a shift key. It has a mechanism for switching the displayed characters in response to the change in characters, and a mechanism for displaying the characters on the key tops.

According to the present invention, characters that can be input in each shift state can be displayed on the key tops, making it possible to reduce typos.

[0007]

Embodiments Next, embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a keyboard device according to the present invention, in which a plurality of (eg, three) shift keys 1, 2 are provided.
, 3 is provided with a shift state checking mechanism 4, and its output is supplied to a display character switching mechanism 5.

As shown in FIG. 2, each key top 20 of the keyboard device according to the present invention has a display device 11 whose display contents can be switched to display different characters, and the characters that can be input are changed depending on the shift state at the time. It is made possible to display. That is, the display character switching mechanism 5 in FIG. 1 switches the display content (display characters) on the display device 11.

Next, the operation of the keyboard device according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG.

When one or more of the shift keys 1, 2, and 3 is pressed, the shift status check mechanism 4 checks each shift status, and if a change is necessary, a message is sent to the display character switching mechanism 5. Indicates which characters to display. The display character switching mechanism 5 changes the display characters on the key tops to 6, 7, 8, 9, etc. according to the instructions from the shift status check mechanism 4.
Switch to one of 10...

Here, display character 6 is selected when there is no shift key input, and display character 7 is selected in response to the state in which only shift key 1 is pressed. Display characters 8, 9 and 1
0 is selected in response to depression of only shift key 2, depression of shift keys 1 and 2 simultaneously, and depression of only shift key 3, respectively. Although not shown in the figure, other characters can also be displayed depending on other pressed states.

[0013]

Effects of the Invention As explained above, the present invention switches the displayed characters according to the shift state, so it is possible to display inputtable characters on the key top according to the shift state at any given time. This has the effect of reducing the occurrence of mistakes.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of a keyboard device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a key top according to the present invention, in which (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a key top in a conventional keyboard device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2, 3 Shift key 4 Shift status check mechanism 5 Display character switching mechanism 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Display character 11 Display device 12, 13, 14 Conventional key top 20
Key top of the present invention

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A keyboard device in which one input key has the functions of two or more input keys by interlocking with a shift key, a display means for switching and displaying different characters on the key top of the key; A keyboard device comprising: means for checking a state; and means for switching characters displayed on the display means in response to an output of the checking means.