CN1354849A - User input device with memory - Google Patents

Abstract

The module 2 has user input means 8,9,10 and a memory 27 storing a program. As a result, the program control device 1 with which the modules communicate can be provided with input means adapted to the program being run.

Description

User input device with memory

technical field

The invention relates to a combined memory and user input device for a program control device.

Background technique

The Nintendo (RTM) Gameboy (RTM) is a well-known portable video game console. The Nintendo (RTM) Gameboy (RTM) includes a housing housing inside: a processor, a display screen, and push-button user input devices. The program of the video game is provided in the form of a ROM card inserted into the body, so that the processor can run the program stored in the ROM card. The problem with the Nintendo (RTM) Gameboy (RTM) is that the button arrangement has to serve different types of games, and a user input device suitable for one platform game is often not optimal for a racing game or flight simulation game.

Contents of the invention

The present invention aims to solve this problem of portable video game machines. However, the present invention is generally more applicable to program-controlled devices, such as personal digital devices and smart phones, providing appropriate user input means for a particular program.

According to the present invention, a program control device is provided, including a main part and an auxiliary part, the main part includes: a processor and a display device for displaying images controlled by the processor, and the auxiliary part includes: storing the processor storage means for programs and user input means, wherein the subsidiary part may be temporarily installed on the main part in order to transmit the above program codes to the main part and to transmit data generated when operating the user input means to the main part In part, the data provide input to the program when the processor executes the program.

According to the invention, a program control device is proposed, comprising:

Main parts, including:

processor, and

a display device, controllable by the processor, for displaying images, and

Parts 1 and 2, respectively, include:

storage means for storing programs for the processor and the user input means, respectively,

in,

In order to transmit the above-mentioned program code to the main part and to transmit data (including instructions) generated when operating the user input device to the main part, the accessory part may be temporarily and interchangeably mounted on the main part, When the processor runs the program, said data provides input for said program;

the user input device of the first subsidiary part is different from the user input device of the second subsidiary part; and

The format of the data that can be transmitted from the first subsidiary part is the same as that of the data that can be transmitted from the second subsidiary part.

As a result, the format of the data is independent of the form of the user input device, eg whether it is analog or digital in operation.

While the program is running, the program code can be transferred in its entirety to the main part for storage in the main part. Alternatively, it is also possible to read code from subsections while the program is running.

Preferably, there are complementary electrical connection means between the main part and the one or each accessory part which, when mated together, provide a path for the aforementioned code and data communications. However, data and codes can be transmitted from the subsidiary part to the main part through free space using electromagnetic waves.

Preferably, the or each subsidiary part includes a circuit responsive to operation of its user input means to generate said data for transmission to the main part. In simple cases, the user input device may include a switch located between two contacts of the connector, so that the main part can detect whether the switch is open or closed.

Preferably, the above-mentioned data includes a code composed of a plurality of bits having the same length. Instead, each of the above data may contain one of a plurality of instruction codes with optional parameters, for example: instruction type+quantity.

The form of the main part may basically be determined by the form of the display device, and the accessory part may be connected to the edge of the main part. Preferably, the display device has a side edge and the accessory part is connectable to the side edge of the display device. Preferably, comprising an auxiliary part with user input means, the main part and the auxiliary part having complementary connection means for transmitting data generated when operating the user input means of the auxiliary part to the main part, When the processor runs the above-mentioned program, the above-mentioned data provides input for the above-mentioned program. Preferably, the accessory portion and the auxiliary portion are configured to provide a handle for the device.

The user input means can take a variety of forms depending on the software in the storage means. For example, a keyboard is good for programs that require text input, while the traditional "Gameboy" keyboard arrangement is good for platform games. The user input device need not be a manually operated device, but may also include a microphone.

The storage device may store one or more programs.

For convenience, one or each storage device contains solid state ROM. However, storage devices may also include disk drives and magnetic disks.

According to the invention there is also provided an accessory part for use in the apparatus of the invention.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment in Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a structural block diagram of the embodiment in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram of the plug-in module in Fig. 1;

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the embodiment of Figure 1 with the keyboard module;

Fig. 6 is the circuit diagram of keyboard module;

Figure 7 is a front view of a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a front view of an optional plug-in module in the embodiment of FIG. 7. FIG.

Detailed ways

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below by way of examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the device according to the invention comprises a main body 1 and a plug-in module 2 . The main body 1 is rectangular in plan view and has a raised portion 3 extending along the main body 1 from one side to the middle. A liquid crystal display 4 is installed on the raised portion 3 . A multi-way connector 5 is mounted on the front face of the raised portion 3 at the midpoint of the main body 1 . A pair of hooking elements 6 , 7 are located at one end of the main body 1 , facing the raised portion 3 .

The plug-in module 2 has a multi-way connector (not shown) for connecting with the multi-way connector 5 of the main body 1 and grooves (not shown) for engaging the hooking elements 6, 7 so that the plug-in module 2 Can be detachably connected to the main body 1. With plug-in module 2 installed, the device is also rectangular in side view.

The upper surface of the insertable module is provided with a cross membrane switch element 8 and two circular membrane switch elements 9 , 10 .

Referring to Fig. 3, the battery 20 is housed in the main body 1, which supplies power for the main body 1 and the circuit of the plug-in module 2 through a switch; a microprocessor 21; a display driver 22 of the display screen 4; ROM23; Microprocessor 21 , display driver 22 , ROM 23 , RAM 24 and I/O interface circuit 25 are interconnected by a multiplexed address and data bus 26 . The bus 26 extends into the plug-in module 2 via the connector 5 ( FIG. 2 ) and is connected to the ROM 27 of the plug-in module 2 . As a result, the microprocessor 21 can read program instruction codes from the ROM 27 of the plug-in module 2 . The ROM 27 stores programs of platform games.

The membrane switching elements 8 , 9 , 10 are connected to a command processing circuit 28 in the plug-in module 2 . The command processing circuit 28 outputs the 8-bit command code to the I/O interface circuit 25 and outputs the interrupt signal to the microprocessor 21 according to the operation of the membrane switch elements 8 , 9 , 10 . The above-mentioned 8-bit instruction code and the interrupt signal all pass through the connector 5 .

The operation of the microcomputer is well known to those skilled in the art and will not be repeated here. However, the generation and processing of user input instructions will still be described.

Referring to Fig. 4, instruction processing circuit 28 comprises: the first three-input OR gate 30, its input is connected to the switch operated respectively by the corresponding support arm of cross membrane switch element 8; The second three-input OR gate 31, its input is connected respectively to the switch operated by the remaining one arm of the cross membrane switch element 8 and the switches of the circular membrane switch elements 9, 10; the two-input OR gate 32 whose input is the output of the three-input OR gate 30, 31; a clock 33 ; a two-input AND gate 34 whose input is connected to the output of a two-input OR gate 32 and the clock 33 ; and an 8-bit latch 35 . The latch 35 is clocked by the output of the two-input AND gate 34 .

Six of the inputs of the latch 35 are connected to the switches operated by the arms of the cross membrane switch element 8 and the circular membrane switch elements 9 , 10 . The other two inputs of the latch 35 are connected to 0V. The outputs of the latches 35 are respectively connected to corresponding contacts of a connector 36 mating with the connector 5 on the main body 1 (Fig. 2). The output of the two-input AND gate 34 is connected to the other contact of the connector 36 .

When inactive, the inputs to the three-input OR gates 30, 31 and to the latch 35 are logic zeros. When the user presses the first circular membrane switch element 9, the corresponding switch is closed, so that the first input of the latch 35 and one input of the second three-input OR gate 31 are logic 1, and then the second three-input OR The output of the gate becomes a logic 1 and, consequently, the output of the two-input OR gate 32 also becomes a logic 1. When the output of the two-input OR gate 32 is logic 1, if a clock pulse occurs, the output of the AND gate 34 becomes logic 1 within the clock pulse period. The pulse output by AND gate 34 clocks latch 35 such that a logic 1 on the first input of the latch and a logic 0 on the other input are transferred to its output. The pulses from the AND gate 34 also enter the interrupt port of the microprocessor 21 (FIG. 3) through the connector 36. Microprocessor 21 responds to the interrupt by reading the output of latch 35 through I/O interface circuit 25 (FIG. 3). The response of the microprocessor 21 to the latch output being read depends on the program running on the microprocessor 21 , eg stored in the ROM 27 of the plug-in module 2 .

It can be seen that pressing another membrane switch element will be followed by the same sequence of events, with the operation of each element producing a unique code at the output of latch 35 .

Referring to Fig. 5, another plug-in module 40 has a membrane type Western character matrix keyboard 41 installed on its upper surface, and the ROM of this module is programmed with character processing software.

Referring to Fig. 6, the switches of the keyboard 41 are arranged in rows and columns. Pulses are sequentially supplied to each row by a ring counter 42 . The output of ring counter 42 is also fed to the input of encoder 43 . The encoder outputs a three-bit binary code, which is used to determine the line to which the pulse is applied, for example, the 0th, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th lines. The columns of the matrix are also connected to the input of a similar encoder 44 . The outputs of the encoders 43, 44 are connected to the address input of an n*8-bit ROM 45. Eight outputs of ROM 45 are respectively connected to corresponding inputs of 8-bit latch 46 . The outputs of the latches 46 are respectively connected to the corresponding contacts of the connector 47 for matching with the connector 5 ( FIG. 2 ) on the main body.

Three of the columns of the matrix are connected to the inputs of the first three-input OR gate 48 and the other three columns are connected to the inputs of the second three-input OR gate 49 . The outputs of the three-input OR gates 48 , 49 are connected to the inputs of the two-input OR gate 50 . The output of the two-input OR gate is connected to the read enable input of ROM 45 and to the input of delayer 51 . The output of delay 51 is connected to the clock input of latch 46 and to the contacts of connector 47 .

When the user presses a key of the keyboard 41, for example, the A key, one of the columns (column 2) is connected to one of the rows (row 2) for a short time. In this case, since the cycle of the ring counter is very short, a pulse is applied to row 2 when connecting row 2 to column 2. As a result, the pulse will be applied to one input of the first three-input OR gate 48 and to one input of the second encoder 44 . At this time, both the encoders 43 and 44 output 010, so the address input to the ROM 45 is 010010.

The output of the first three-input OR gate 48 becomes a logic one, so that the output of the two-input OR gate 50 also becomes a logic one. The output of the two-input OR gate 50 becomes a logic 1, allowing the ROM 45 to read data. As a result, the 8-bit code located at address 010010 in ROM 45 appears at the output of the ROM. This code is then input to the latch 46 and transferred to the output of the latch when the pulsed output of the two-input OR gate 5 is passed to the latch 46 through the delay 5 . The delay provides time to stabilize the input to latch 46 before the latch is clocked.

The output of delayer 51 is also output to the interrupt input of microprocessor 21 (FIG. 3) so that microprocessor 21 reads the output of latch 46 through I/O interface circuit 25 (FIG. 3).

Referring to FIG. 7, a second embodiment of the present invention includes a rectangular panel 60. As shown in FIG. The liquid crystal display occupies substantially all of one side of the panel 60 . First and second clip-on handles are provided on the left and right sides of panel 60 . The first clip-on handle 62 is electrically equivalent to the plug-in module described in the first embodiment above, and an electrical connection is established between the first clip-on handle 62 and the microcomputer circuit of the panel 60 . The second clip-on handle 63 contains no ROM and only includes user input command processing circuitry. An electrical connection is established between the second clip-on handle 63 and the microcomputer circuit of the panel 60, so that the microcomputer circuit can receive instructions input from the user therefrom.

The first clip-on handle 62 has three membrane switch elements 64 , 65 , 66 and the second clip-on handle 63 has a trackball 67 .

Referring to FIG. 8, an alternative pair of first clip-on handles 72 has a pressure-sensitive touch stick 74 for user input means; and a second clip-on handle 73 has no input device.

Claims (14)

1. A program control device, comprising a main part and an auxiliary part, the main part includes: a processor and a display device for displaying images controlled by the processor, and the auxiliary part includes: a storage device storing the program of the processor device and user input device, wherein, in order to transmit the above-mentioned program code to the main part and transmit data generated when operating the user input device to the main part, the accessory part may be temporarily installed on the main part, when When the processor runs the program, the above-mentioned data provides input for the above-mentioned program. 2. A program control device comprising: Main parts, including: processor, and a display device, controllable by the processor, for displaying images, and Parts 1 and 2, respectively, include: storage means for storing respective programs for the processor and the user input means, in, In order to transfer the above program code to the main part and to transfer the data generated when operating the user input device to the main part, the accessory part can be temporarily and interchangeably mounted on the main part, and when the processor is running When programming, the above data provide input for the above program; the user input device of the first subsidiary part is different from the user input device of the second subsidiary part; and The format of the data that can be transmitted from the first subsidiary part is the same as that of the data that can be transmitted from the second subsidiary part. 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein there are complementary electrical connection means between the main part and the one or each subsidiary part which, when mated together, provide a means for communication of said code and data. path. 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the or each subsidiary part includes a circuit responsive to operation of the user input means to generate said data to be transmitted to the main part. 5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said data comprises a code consisting of a plurality of bits of the same length. 6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of said data contains one of a plurality of instruction codes. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the data element contains additional parameters. 8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the form of the main part is determined primarily by the form of the display means, and the subsidiary parts are connectable to the edges of the main part. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the display means has a side edge and the accessory part is attachable to the side edge of the display means. 10. Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, comprising an auxiliary part with user input means, wherein the main part and the auxiliary part have complementary connection means for a user who will operate the auxiliary part The data generated by the input device is transmitted to the main part, and when the processor runs the above-mentioned program, the above-mentioned data provides input for the above-mentioned program. 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the accessory portion and the auxiliary portion are configured to provide a handle for the device. 12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the user input means comprises a keyboard. 13. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each memory means comprises solid state ROM. 14. An accessory part of an apparatus according to any preceding claim.

Images