JP2003076480A - Electronics - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] In an electronic device such as a personal computer, the number of input keys tends to increase with an increase in ancillary functions. In addition, since electronic devices that may be carried around are also required to be small and lightweight, the input keys must be small and are difficult to use. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to cope with an increase in additional functions without increasing the number of input keys, to reduce costs, and to improve operability. SOLUTION: At least one of the input keys is constituted by a two-stage press input switch 100, and functions such as a delete & backspace key 304a and a shift & control key 304b are assigned to the input keys.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an electronic device,
In particular, the present invention relates to an electronic device in which at least one of the input keys is composed of a two-stage press input switch.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Incidental functions in electronic devices such as personal computers tend to increase daily, and the number of input keys tends to increase accordingly. In addition, electronic devices that may be carried are also required to be smaller and lighter. Therefore, the input key must be small, which makes it difficult to use.

In order to solve such a problem, conventionally, an input switch (for example, a jog dial or a joystick) capable of multidirectional input is adopted, or a touch panel type input switch is formed on a liquid crystal display section. Etc. were adopted.

[0004]

However, of the above-mentioned prior arts, the former case requires habituation to be able to operate the input switch smoothly, and the latter case requires a finger or the like. Since it is necessary to cover the display unit with a transparent sheet for sensing, the visibility of the display deteriorates.

Incidentally, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-112240 discloses a two-step pressing input switch. As such a two-step pressing input switch is adopted as an input key, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 02-039757. Telephone with dial number confirmation function disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-12502
Although there is an intercom device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 0,
There is no example adopted in electronic equipment.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-056730 discloses a portable information terminal device which employs a multi-stage press input switch as an input key. However, the multi-stage press input switch has many contacts and the control system is complicated. Therefore, there is a problem that the cost becomes high.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to cope with an increase in ancillary functions without increasing the number of input keys and to reduce the manufacturing cost. It is to provide an electronic device that is capable of improving the operability.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device which prevents erroneous input when not in use.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the electronic device according to the present invention is characterized in that at least one of the input keys is constituted by a two-stage press input switch. The combination of the two input keys that can be combined into a single two-stage press input switch is not particularly limited. For example, a power key for turning on / off the power and a backlight for the display section are turned on / off. A back light key, a delete key and a back space key, a shift key and a control key, etc. are possible.

When a plurality of numeral or alphabet input keys are provided, each numeral or alphabet input key is composed of a two-step pressing input switch, and when each numeral or alphabet input key is pressed in the first step. The operability is improved by inputting numbers or alphabets and performing the same input processing as when pressing the shift key and two input keys, the number or alphabetic input keys, at the time of pressing the second step. Therefore, it is preferable.

Further, if a means for invalidating the input processing of all the input keys is provided by software, even if the input keys are erroneously pressed when not in use, the operation will not be performed, and the battery life will be reduced. It can be postponed. In this case, since it is invalidated by software, the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the case where the input is mechanically locked.

In this case, at the time of pressing the first step of the input key constituted by the two-step pressing input switch, the input processing for executing the function assigned to the input key is performed, and the second step is executed. If the process of invalidating the input process of all the input keys is performed at the time of pressing input of, there is no need to provide an input switch dedicated to the lock,
Manufacturing cost is reduced.

Further, in this case, the first-stage press input of the input key constituted by the two-stage press input switch is performed, and the second-stage press input is performed within the first predetermined time from the time of the first-stage press input. If the press input is not made, the input process for executing the first function assigned to the first step of the input key is performed, and the first predetermined time has elapsed since the press input of the first step. If the second-step press input is performed and the pressing duration is within the second predetermined time, the input for executing the second function assigned to the second step of the input key. When the processing is performed and the pressing duration time exceeds the second predetermined time, if the processing for invalidating the input processing of all the input keys is performed, it is necessary to provide the lock-dedicated input switch. Not only disappears, but also Since it becomes possible corresponding without increasing the number of input keys for pressurizing, preferred.

The electronic equipment to which the present invention is applied is not particularly limited, but it is particularly effective when applied to information processing equipment having a large number of input keys and new auxiliary functions increasing daily. .

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a two-stage press input switch used in this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the two-stage press input switch of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are operation explanations of the two-stage press input switch of FIG. 5 and 5 are schematic diagrams of detection waveforms of a key input signal by the two-step pressing input switch of FIG.

A two-stage push input switch 10 shown in FIGS.
0 is composed of a push button knob 110, a leaf spring contact 120, a dome-shaped contact 130, and a substrate 140.

The push-button knob 110 is a columnar one made of synthetic resin or the like, and has a flange-shaped retaining portion 111 which extends laterally over the entire circumference at the lower end thereof.
Are formed. The push button knob 110 has an upper portion slidably penetrating through holes 201a and 301a formed in the cabinets 201 and 301 of the electronic device and protruding to the outside of the cabinets 201 and 301. , 301 is prevented from exiting outside.

The leaf spring contact 120 is formed of a flexible conductive metal plate and has a bent portion 121 having an L-shaped section.
The pressing piece 12 that extends horizontally from the upper end of the bent portion 121.
It consists of two. A hemispherical projection 123 is formed at the center of the lower surface of the pressing piece 122. Leaf spring contact 120
The bottom surface of the bent portion 121 is in contact with the rectangular pattern 141 formed of a conductive metal on the substrate 140, and the projection 123 has the push button knob 110 and the dome-shaped contact 1.
It is arranged so as to be located on the center line L of the push button knob 110 between 30.

The dome-shaped contact 130 is formed of a conductive metal plate having flexibility, and the dome-shaped contact 1 is formed on the substrate 140 on an annular pattern 142 formed of the conductive metal.
The lower end of 30 is arranged so as to contact the entire circumference. A circular pattern 143 made of a conductive metal is concentrically formed inside the pattern 142, and the pattern 143 is formed on the push button knob 110.
It is located on the center line L.

When the upper end of the push button knob 110 of the two-step push input switch 100 is pressed downward, the pressing piece 122 is pressed by the lower end of the push button knob 110 and elastically deforms downward, as shown in FIG. Push button knob 110 until projection 123 contacts dome-shaped contact 130
When is pushed in, the patterns 141 and 142 are brought into conduction, and
As shown in, the first-stage key input signal is generated. When the push button knob 110 is further pushed, as shown in FIG. 4, the dome-shaped contact 130 is pressed by the projection 123 and elastically deforms downward. When the push button knob 110 is pushed until the lower surface of the central portion of the dome-shaped contact 130 comes into contact with the pattern 143, the patterns 141, 142 and 143 are brought into conduction, and a key input signal for the second stage is generated as shown in FIG.

In the first and second embodiments, the key input signal generated by the two-stage press input switch 100 is processed in the procedure shown in FIG. That is, when the key input of the first step is performed from the key input waiting state (step # 10) and the key input of the second step is performed within a predetermined time A from that time point (see FIG. 5A), The second-stage key input signal is input to the CPU of the electronic device (steps # 20, # 3).
0). When the second-stage key input is not performed within a predetermined time A after the first-stage key input (see FIG. 5B), the first-stage key input signal is the CPU. (Steps # 20, # 40). If the second key input is performed after a predetermined time A has elapsed after the first key input (see FIG. 5C), the second key input is ignored. (Steps # 50, # 6
0).

FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of the electronic device 200 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a front view of the electronic device 200.

The electronic device 200 is a portable information terminal, and includes a cabinet 201 made of synthetic resin, a display unit 202 made of a liquid crystal screen, and an input unit 203 made up of a plurality of input keys. Although not shown, the display unit 20
A backlight that illuminates the display unit 202 is provided on the back side of the display unit 2.

In the present embodiment, the power key (input key for turning on / off the power of the electronic device 200) 203a, which is one of the input keys, is the above-described two-stage press input switch 1
00, and if the second stage is not pushed within a predetermined time A from the time when the first stage is pushed in, a process of turning on / off the power is performed.
When the second step is pressed within a predetermined time A from the pressing of the step, the process of turning on / off the backlight is performed.

As described above, by providing one input key for turning on / off the power source and one input key for turning on / off the backlight, the case where two input keys are provided independently of each other Since one input key becomes empty, it is possible to cope with the increase in additional functions without increasing the number of input keys, and it is possible to perform two different types of input processing with one input key. Operability is improved. Further, since the two-stage press input switch 100 has a simple structure and has a small number of contacts and a simple control system, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

FIG. 9 is an external perspective view of an electronic device 300 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a front view of the electronic device 300.

The electronic device 300 is a portable personal computer, and a main body side cabinet 301 and a display side cabinet 302 made of synthetic resin or the like have a hinge portion 30.
3, the main body side cabinet 301 is provided with an input section 304 comprising a plurality of input keys, and the display side cabinet 302 is provided with a liquid crystal screen display section. 305 is provided.

In this embodiment, one of the input keys, delete & backspace key 304a, shift & control key 304b, each numeric key 304c and each alphabet key 304d are constituted by the above-mentioned two-step press input switch 100. ing.

The delete & backspace key 304a is pushed down by one step and, within a predetermined time A from that point, 2
If the second step is not pressed, the input processing as the delete key is performed, and if the second step is pressed within a predetermined time A after the first step is pressed, the input processing as the backspace key is performed. It is supposed to be.

Also, shift and control key 304b
If the second step is not pressed within a predetermined time A after pressing the button, the input process as the shift key is performed, and the second step is pressed within the predetermined time A from the pressing of the first step. In that case, the input process as the control key is performed.

As described above, by using one delete key and one backspace key, and one shift key and one control key, two input keys are vacant compared to the case where four input keys are provided independently. Because,
It is possible to cope with an increase in additional functions without increasing the number of input keys, and it is possible to improve operability because one input key can perform two different types of input processing.

If each of the numeric keys 304c or each of the alphabet keys 304d is pushed one step and the second step is not pushed within the predetermined time A from that point, input processing of the numeral or alphabet is performed,
When the second step is pressed within a predetermined time A after the first step is pressed, the same input processing as when the two input keys of the shift key and the numeral or alphabet input key are simultaneously pressed is performed. .

As described above, by using one shift key and each number or alphabet input key, the same input processing as when the conventional shift key and two number or alphabet input keys are simultaneously pressed is performed. Since the input keys can be used, the operation is simplified and the operability is improved.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure of a key input signal adopted in the third embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the input keys composed of the two-stage press input switch can invalidate the input processing of all the input keys by software.

That is, from the key input waiting state, the key input of the first step is performed with the input key, and then the predetermined time A
If the second-stage key input is performed within that time, all input keys will be disabled (hereinafter referred to as disabled status)
(Steps # 310 to # 330). If the second-stage key input is not performed within a predetermined time A after the first-stage key input, the first-stage key input signal is input to the CPU (step # 340). ). Also,
2 after a lapse of a predetermined time A from the key input of the first step
When the key input of the second row is performed, the key input of the second row is ignored (steps # 350 and # 360).

When the first key input is made with the input key from the invalid state and the second key input is subsequently made within the predetermined time A, the invalid state is released (step # 370). ~ # 390). If the second-stage key input is not performed within a predetermined time A after the first-stage key input, the first-stage key input is ignored, and after the predetermined time A has elapsed, 2 Even if the key input in the second row is performed, it is ignored and the invalidation state is maintained (step # 4).
00- # 420).

By thus setting the state in which the input processing of all the input keys is invalidated,
Since it does not operate even if the input key is pressed by mistake when not in use, such as when carrying, transporting, or storing electronic equipment,
The life of the built-in battery etc. can be extended and
Since it is not necessary to separately provide an input switch for locking, the number of input keys can be reduced and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed. Further, since the input processing is invalidated by software, the manufacturing cost is lower than that when the input is mechanically locked.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure of a key input signal adopted in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, when the second key input of the input key composed of the two-stage press input switch is long-pressed, the input processing of all the input keys can be invalidated by software. ing.

That is, from the state of waiting for key input, the first key input is performed with the input key, and
If the key input for the second step is made within a predetermined time A from the time of pressing the second step and the pressing duration of the key input for the second step exceeds the predetermined time B (long press), it is invalidated. (Steps # 510 to # 540). If the second-stage key input is not performed within a predetermined time A after the first-stage key input, the first-stage key input signal is input to the CPU and the predetermined time A elapses. Even if the second-stage key input is performed later, the second-stage key input is ignored (steps # 550 to # 570). If the pressing duration of the second-stage key input performed within the predetermined time A from the first-stage key input is within the predetermined time B, the second-stage key input signal is input to the CPU. (Step # 580).

From the disabled state, the first key input is performed with the input key, the second key input is performed within a predetermined time A from the pressing input, and the second key input is performed. When the pressing duration exceeds the predetermined time B, the invalidation state is released (steps # 590 to # 6).
20). In the case of other key inputs in the invalidated state, all the key inputs are ignored and the invalidated state is maintained (steps # 630 to # 650, # 660).

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0042]

As described above, according to the electronic device of the present invention, since at least one of the input keys is constituted by the two-stage pressing input switch, it is possible to cope with the increase of the incidental function without increasing the number of input keys. can do. Further, the two-stage press input switch has a simple structure, has a small number of contacts, and has a simple control system, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, it is possible to improve the operability by devising the function assigned to the two-stage press input switch.

According to the electronic device of the fifth aspect, the same input processing as when the shift key and the two input keys of the numeral or the alphabet input key are simultaneously pressed can be performed by one input key, so that the operation is simplified. It is possible to improve the operability.

According to the electronic equipment of claim 6, since the means for invalidating the input processing of all the input keys by software is provided, when the electronic equipment is not in use, such as when it is carried, transported or stored. Even if the input key is pressed by mistake, it is possible to prevent the operation of the input key, so that the life of the battery or the like can be extended.

According to the electronic device of the seventh aspect, the processing of invalidating the input processing of all the input keys is performed in the key input processing of the second step of the input key composed of the two-step pressing input switch. By doing so, it is not necessary to provide an input switch dedicated to the lock, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

According to the electronic device of the eighth aspect, all the input keys are formed when the pressing duration of the second-stage key input of the input keys constituted by the two-stage pressing input switch exceeds the second predetermined time. By disabling the input processing of the above, it is not only necessary to provide an input switch dedicated to the lock, but also to cope with the increase of other incidental functions without increasing the number of input keys. You can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a two-stage press input switch used in this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the two-stage press input switch of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of the two-stage press input switch of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view of the two-stage press input switch of FIG.

5 is a schematic diagram of a detection waveform of a key input signal by the two-step pressing input switch of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a key input signal of the two-stage press input switch adopted in the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of the electronic device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the electronic device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an external perspective view of an electronic device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a front view of an electronic device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a key input signal of the two-stage press input switch adopted in the third embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a key input signal of the two-step press input switch adopted in the fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 2-stage push input switch 200,300 Electronic equipment 202, 305 display 203, 304 Input section 203a Power supply & backlight key 304a Delete & Backspace key 304b Shift & control key 304c Numeric key 304d alphabet key

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) H01H 13/64 G06F 3/023 310F H03M 11/22

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An electronic device, wherein at least one of the input keys is composed of a two-stage press input switch. 2. A power key for turning on / off the power source and a backlight key for turning on / off the backlight of the display unit are constituted by one two-stage press input switch. The electronic device according to claim 1. 3. The delete key and the backspace key are
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is configured by one two-stage press input switch. 4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the shift key and the control key are constituted by one two-stage press input switch. 5. A plurality of numeral or alphabet input keys are provided, each numeral or alphabet input key is configured by a two-step pressing input switch, and when the first step of each numeral or alphabet input key is pressed, A number or alphabet input process is performed, and at the time of the second-stage press input, the same input process as when the shift key and two input keys of the number or alphabet input keys are simultaneously pressed is performed. The electronic device according to claim 1. 6. A means for invalidating input processing of all input keys by software is provided.
The electronic device according to any one of 1. 7. The input process for executing the function assigned to the input key is performed at the time of the first-stage press input of the input key constituted by the two-stage press input switch.
7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein a process of invalidating the input process of all the input keys is performed at the time of the pressing input of the second stage. 8. A first-stage press input of an input key composed of a two-stage press input switch is made, and the second-stage press input is not made within a first predetermined time from the time of the press input. In this case, an input process for executing the first function assigned to the first stage of the input key is performed,
When the second-stage press input is performed within the first predetermined time from the time of the first-stage press input and the pressing duration time is within the second predetermined time, the second-stage input key is pressed. Input processing for executing the assigned second function is performed, and when the pressing duration exceeds the second predetermined time, processing for invalidating the input processing of all the input keys is performed. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the electronic device is configured as described above. 9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is an information processing device.