DE20217855U1 - Multi media function for a standard computer keyboard depends upon use of application program key - Google Patents

Abstract

The multi media keyboard (3) has a set of function keys that are linked to the state of a Windows Application Program key, APP, (311). This key is used in association with any of the function keys (314). The built in microprocessor provides the keyboard scanning function and the multi media function depends on the status of the APP key.

Description

Key Mouse Electronic Enterprise Co., Ltd, 6F-9, No. 3, Wu-Chuan ^1st Rd., Hsin Chuang City,

Taipei, Taiwan, Taiwanese
"Standard keyboard supporting multimedia functions"

The present invention relates to a standard keyboard, and more particularly to a standard keyboard with which existing function keys can be switched to hot keys for supporting multimedia functions without having to add new keys, and the switching state of the keyboard can be easily ascertained via a monitor connected to the keyboard and a light emitting diode (LED) provided on the keyboard.

Figures 1 and 2 are top views of a conventional multimedia keyboard 1 with additional keys and a conventional standard keyboard 2, respectively. As shown, the conventional multimedia keyboard 1 is obtained by adding several multimedia hot keys 11 to the conventional standard keyboard 2. There are approximately eighteen multi-

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BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT

timedia hot keys 11 including Volume Up, Volume Dn, Mute, WWW, Record, Rewind, Close, etc. are provided. These multimedia hot keys 11 have respective scan codes that can work with application programs under Windows®, so that an operator can directly operate the hot keys 11 on the keyboard 1 and experience the provided multimedia functions on the screen of the monitor. However, adding more hot keys 11 to the conventional standard keyboard 2 has the disadvantage of increasing the volume of the keyboard 2. In addition, adding the multimedia hot keys 11, each of which requires approximately two to three U.S. dollars, is very expensive.

It has also been proposed to add a key on a keyboard as a control key for switching the keyboard between a standard keyboard and a multimedia keyboard. This approach still requires modification of injection molds to produce the standard keyboard and is not much more helpful in reducing the modification cost.

Another proposal is to provide a Scroll Lock key or a Num Lock key on the standard keyboard which can be directly pressed simultaneously to generate multiple control key combinations for the standard keyboard to support multimedia functions. In this proposal, the application program Resisger under Win 95 is used to detect the flag bit of the Scroll Lock key or the Num Lock key, and a special driver is used to judge the detected flag bit before code conversion can be performed. Then, the function of Win Exec O provided by Windows API (Application Program Interface) is used to replace the path leading to a desired file and the file name parameter of the application program so that the control key combinations can support multimedia functions. The above proposal would cause some existing keys to lose their originally intended functions and thus is not a reasonable way to modify the standard keyboard.

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It is therefore desirable to develop a standard keyboard which can switch existing function keys of the keyboard to hot keys to support multimedia functions without adding new keys, and in which the switching state of the keyboard can be easily ascertained via a monitor connected to the keyboard and a light emitting diode (LED) provided on the keyboard.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a standard keyboard comprising a plurality of function keys with a second function hierarchy defined to support multimedia functions and a setting key designed to cooperate with the function keys to form different key combinations, wherein the function keys are electrically connected to a scan matrix formed by I/O connection lines of a microprocessor within the standard keyboard for carrying out a conversion of a state flag of a central microprocessor unit within the keyboard by locking two keys and changing scan codes from the function keys, so that application programs obtained from databases and Application Program Interface under Windows can be used to carry out a selected multimedia function when an operator presses the function keys and the setting key directly on the standard keyboard to switch the function keys to multimedia hot keys, and a current state of the switched standard keyboard is shown on a monitor connected to the keyboard and displayed by a light-emitting diode provided on the keyboard without any new key being added to the standard keyboard. must become.

The subclaims relate to advantageous embodiments of the keyboard.

Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the claims and from the following description, in which an exemplary embodiment is explained in detail using the schematic drawings. In the drawings:

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Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a conventional multimedia

Keyboard with additional keys provided on it from above;

Figure 2 is a top view of a conventional standard keyboard;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a standard keyboard according to a special design

embodiment of the invention from above;

Figure 4 shows a circuit for a central microprocessor unit within the

Keyboard according to the particular embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 shows a circuit scan matrix for the central microprocessor unit in

within the keyboard according to the particular embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 6 is a flow chart showing the steps of keyboard scanning by the

central microprocessor unit within the keyboard according to the particular embodiment of the invention.

Referring next to Figures 3, 4 and 5, the keyboard 3 is a two-way communication device as shown. When a computer system to which the keyboard 3 is connected issues a command to the keyboard 3, the keyboard 3 must respond to the computer system. The central microprocessor unit 31 within the keyboard 3 maintains detection of the circuit scan matrix and verification of any depressed key. An existing LED on the keyboard 3, which is controlled by the central microprocessor unit 31 to indicate the scroll lock state, is converted from a single color LED to a two color MI LED 312. An APP (Windows Application Program) key 311 on the standard keyboard 3 is configured as a setting key which can be selectively combined with any existing function key 314 on the keyboard 3.

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can be used to form any of the following setting key combinations: APP+Fl, APP+F2, APP+F3, APP+F4, APP+F5, APP+F6, APP+F7, APP+F8, APP+F9, APP+F10, APP+Fl 1, APP+Fl2, APP + Esc, APP + Print Screen, APP + Scroll Lock, APP + Caps Lock, APP + Num Lock, APP + Pause. When the central microprocessor unit 31 detects any depressed key from the scan matrix, it will determine whether the depressed key is the APP key 311 or not and then detect the current state of the APP key 311. If the APP key 311 is released, it is treated as an ordinary key. However, if the APP key 311 is depressed and held and another function key 314 is depressed at the same time, the central microprocessor unit 31 will check the depressed key and compare it with stored data one by one to act as a filter. For example, if it detects that the depressed key is Fl2, the central microprocessor unit 31 will convert the state of a checked flag in a register from "enabled" to "disabled" or from "disabled" to "enabled". When the checked flag is disabled, the Ml LED 312 is off. When the checked flag is enabled, the Ml LED 312 is on to inform a user that the keyboard has entered a second hierarchy of multimedia function defined for the depressed function key 314 (i.e., F12). The user may then release the F12 key and APP key simultaneously. At this point, the central microprocessor unit 31 will send an APP key 311 break code. If the user were currently running Windows, an image that would appear when a right button on a mouse is clicked would now be displayed on the screen. At this point, the keyboard 3 would send an Esc key code to erase the image that appears when the right button on the mouse is clicked, thereby completing the key setup to support a special multimedia function. During this time, the central microprocessor unit 31 would also stop scanning. If another key is detected to be depressed, the central microprocessor unit 31 would again determine whether or not the depressed key is the APP key. If not, the central microprocessor unit 31 would check the depressed key and compare it with stored data one by one to determine the

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to send an appropriate keyboard scan code to keyboard 3. The same procedures are repeated when any function key on keyboard 3 is pressed.

Briefly, the central microprocessor unit 31 automatically detects any depressed key from the scan matrix and determines whether the depressed key is the setting key for switching functions of the keyboard 3. If the depressed key is the APP key 311, a recorded state of the flag is converted. At this point, the central microprocessor unit 31 would close the scan matrix in the second hierarchy and return to the scan matrix in the first hierarchy. In the keyboard 3 according to the particular embodiment of the present invention, the function keys 314 and the function of the hierarchy scan matrix enable self-adjustment of the scan matrix according to actual needs.

In order to enable a user to easily find out whether the keys on the standard keyboard 3 are currently in the state supporting the multimedia functions or not, two of three existing LEDs 313 on the keyboard 3 are left unchanged, while the remaining one is replaced by a two-color ML-LED 312. The user can quickly find out the current state of the keyboard 3 by the color or on/off state of the ML-LED 312.

Considering that a general keyboard controller can withstand a sink current larger than an output current that can be withstood by the general keyboard controller, LEDs 313 having a common positive electrode are provided on the keyboard 3 as shown in Figures 3 and 4 for the control key combination, the Scroll Lock key and the Num Lock key. Furthermore, the function keys 314 that initially provide general functions can now provide multimedia functions by switching the APP key 311 and the function keys 314 on the standard keyboard 3. That is, the function keys 314 on the standard keyboard 3 can be switched to provide multimedia control keys of Volume Up, Volume Down, Mute, Web Home,

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Refresh, WWW.Stop, Back, Forward, E-mail, Search, Favorites, Play, Next Track, Previous Track, Stop, Calculator, My Computer, Game, A+, A-, Zoom, etc. or retain their original functions of Esc, Fl, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, FlO, FIl, F12, Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause, Insert, Home, Page Up, Delete, End, Page Down, etc. or are switched to be software tool keys of Help, New, Open, Save, Replace, Bold, Spell, Bullets, Reply, Forward, Send, TaskPane, Print, Redo, Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Close, etc.

The function keys 314 are electrically connected to the scan matrix formed by input/output (I/O) leads of a microprocessor configured within the keyboard 3. By locking two keys, it is possible to change the scan code for a depressed key. In other words, when the APP key 311 is depressed and held and another function key 314 is further depressed, the APP key 311 and the depressed function key 314 are locked. By "locking two keys" it is meant that a first key is depressed and held before a second key is depressed. It should be noted that the first key should not be released before the second key has been released in order to provide the locking two key function. For example, if the F12 key is depressed while the APP key 311 is depressed and held, the state of the central microprocessor unit's state flag is changed. At this point, an entire group of function keys 314, including Fl, F2, F3, ..., Fl 1, F12, Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Page Up, etc., are changed to function as multimedia hot keys. Icons representing different multimedia functions can be printed on top of the function keys 314 to identify the multimedia function provided by each individual function key 314. By changing the key scan codes of the entire group of function keys, it is possible to It is possible to run the application programs under Windows and to access the multimedia functions by directly pressing the corresponding control keys on the standard keyboard. The selected multimedia function is displayed on the monitor screen.

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Figure 6 is a flow chart showing steps involved in the state conversion by the central microprocessor unit 31. When the APP key 311 is released, an image that usually appears when a right button on the mouse is clicked is shown on the screen. At this point, the keyboard 3 automatically sends out the key scan code of the Esc key to delete the image. In addition, the keyboard 3 can work with other special software or use the function of Win Exec O provided by Windows API to substitute the path leading to the desired file and the file name parameter for the application program. In this way, an operator can operate the control key combinations directly on the keyboard and the selected multimedia function is shown on the monitor screen.

For example, when the function keys 314 are in the state of supporting the multimedia function and the operator depresses the multimedia hot key player on the keyboard 3, an appropriate application program under Windows scans the scan code that appears when the hot key player on the keyboard is depressed and intercepts it and determines whether the scan code is a hot key code or not. If it is determined from the scan code that the key depressed by the operator is indeed the multimedia hot key player, then the appropriate application program under Windows uses the function of Win Exec O provided by Windows API to replace the path leading to the player file and the file name parameter of the application program PLAYER.EXE (packaged with Windows 95). At this point, the player is operated and immediately shown on the monitor screen.

Claims (6)

1. A standard keyboard supporting multimedia functions, comprising a plurality of function keys ( 314 ) with a second function hierarchy defined to support multimedia functions and a setting key designed to cooperate with the function keys to form different key combinations, wherein the function keys ( 314 ) are electrically connected to a scan matrix formed by I/O connection lines of a microprocessor within the standard keyboard for carrying out a conversion of a state flag of a central microprocessor unit ( 31 ) within the keyboard ( 3 ) by locking two keys and changing scan codes from the function keys ( 314 ), so that application programs obtained from databases and Application Program Interface under Windows can be used to carry out a selected multimedia function when an operator presses the function keys and the setting key directly on the standard keyboard to switch the function keys ( 314 ) to multimedia hot keys ( 11 ), and a current state of the switched standard keyboard is shown on a monitor connected to the keyboard ( 3 ) and indicated by a light-emitting diode provided on the keyboard ( 3 ) without having to add any new key to the standard keyboard. 2. Keyboard ( 3 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the light-emitting diode is a two-color light-emitting diode. 3. Keyboard ( 3 ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the key combinations formed by the setting key and the function keys ( 314 ) include APP + F1, APP + F2, APP + F3, APP + F4, APP + F5, APP + F6, APP + F7, APP + F8, APP + F9, APP + F10, APP + F11, APP + F12, APP + Esc, APP + print Screen, APP + Scroll Lock, APP + Caps Lock, APP + Num Lock and APP + Pause. 4. Keyboard ( 3 ) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the function keys ( 314 ) are assigned to multimedia hot keys ( 11 ) of Volume Up, Volume Down, Mute, Web Home, Refresh, WWW. Stop, Back, Forward, Email, Search, Favorites, Play, Next Track, Previous Track, Stop, Calculator, My Computer, Game, A+, A-, Zoom, etc. or can keep their original functions of Esc, F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, F11, F12, Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause, Insert, Home, Page Up, Delete, End, Page Down, etc. or can be switchable to software tool keys of Help, New, Open, Save, Replace, Bold, Spell, Bullets, Reply, Forward, Send, TaskPane, Print, Redo, Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Close, etc. 5. Keyboard ( 3 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the standard keyboard is provided in a light-emitting diode display area with more than one light-emitting diode display with a common positive electrode. 6. Keyboard ( 3 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the standard keyboard is designed to cooperate with special software.