JPH07295709A - Data input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To utilize both the functions of an information storage device such as an external FDD and a ten key pad and to reduce the planar space to be occupied by the entire system by overlapping these functions on a notebook or sub-notebook type personal computer or word processor. CONSTITUTION:When the FDD is used as the information storage device, a main body 1 of this input device is composed of 18 kinds of keys 2 for figures from '0' to '9', inputs, four-rules arithmetic, period and comma, FDD 3 and floppy disk eject button 4. Additionally, it is composed of a ten-key connection cable 5 composed of a signal line for inputting a key input signal to the main body 1 of the input device and its power source and an FDD connection cable 6 composed of exchanging the data of the FDD 3 with the main body 1 of the input device and a power supply line for driving the FDD 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an external data input device for supplementing the function of a keyboard for inputting data to electronic equipment such as a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer) and a word processor (hereinafter referred to as a word processor), that is, a so-called numeric keypad. Regarding improvement.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, data input to electronic equipment such as personal computers and word processors has been performed by a keyboard built in or externally attached to the body of the electronic equipment. With the recent miniaturization of electronic devices, attempts have also been made to miniaturize the built-in keyboard, but the size of each key deteriorates operability, so
It was impossible to make the keyboard as small as possible without making it smaller than a certain size. For this reason, the keyboard built in the electronic device does not have the key arrangement with the best operability as an external keyboard does, and the size is reduced at the expense of operability. It is inconvenient for us. This inconvenience is fatal when a large amount of numerical data is input to an electronic device from a keyboard. Therefore, in order to alleviate the inconvenience of such usage, a so-called numeric keypad in which the numeric keys 0 to 9 and four arithmetic keys, input keys and a few other minimum necessary keys are optimally arranged is provided separately from the keyboard. Used externally on electronic devices.

In general, the electronic equipment incorporates an FDD as an information storage device to record or reproduce data. It is usually desirable that the number of built-in FDDs is two for operations such as creating a backup disk. However, in recent notebook or sub-notebook type personal computers, word processors, etc., the built-in FDD
Since it is designed as a table and made thin, it is inconvenient for the user. To alleviate this inconvenience, an external FDD has been developed as in the case of the above-mentioned keyboard. Based on the same idea, in addition to FDD, IC cards, magnetic tape readers / writers, HDDs, CD-Rs
An OM or the like is used as an external information storage device.

[0004]

As described above,
In the related art, when a notebook or sub-notebook type personal computer or word processor is used, an information storage device such as an external numeric keypad or FDD may be used depending on its usage. In such a case, despite the miniaturization of the personal computer or the word processor, the area occupied by the entire system is increased due to the information storage device such as the numeric keypad and FDD, and the merit of miniaturization is lost.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-28336 discloses an FDD.
There is disclosed a technique in which a keyboard is built in. However, this technique has not solved the above-mentioned problem in electronic devices such as notebook type or sub-notebook type personal computers and word processors because the electronic device and the keyboard are integrated.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems by using an electronic device such as a notebook or sub-notebook type personal computer or a word processor with an external numeric keypad and an information storage device such as an FDD. When operating
An object of the present invention is to provide a data input device in which the area occupied by the entire system does not become so large and the advantages of a downsized electronic device are not impaired.

[0007]

The gist of the present invention for achieving the above object is a data input device for supplementing the function of a keyboard for inputting data to an electronic device, and the data input device is the above-mentioned device. It is characterized in that it is configured separately from the electronic device and the keyboard, and has an information storage device such as an FDD built therein.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the external keypad and the information storage device such as the FDD are overlapped with each other to reduce the planar space occupied by the entire system.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention when an FDD is used as an information storage device. In FIG. 1, 1 is an input device main body, 2 is a key consisting of 18 types of numbers and inputs from 0 to 9, four arithmetic operations, a period and a comma, 3 is an FDD, 4 is a floppy disk eject button, and 5 is A numeric keypad connection cable composed of a signal line for inputting a key input signal to an electronic device main body (not shown) and its power source, and 6 is also used for transmitting / receiving FDD data to / from the electronic device main body (not shown). It is an FDD connection cable including a signal line and a power supply line for driving the FDD.

The FDD 3 uses a 3.5-inch micro-floppy disk as a medium, and receives data and power from an electronic device body (not shown) and the FDD connection cable 6. The key 2 has the same key arrangement as that of a normal external keyboard and has good operability. Then, the ten-key connection cable 5 is used to send a signal of data keyed to the electronic device and receive power supply.

The connectors for connecting the FDD connection cable 6 and the numeric keypad connection cable 5 to the electronic device side can be adapted to the specifications of electronic devices currently on the market. Therefore, there is no need to change the specifications on the electronic device side.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention,
For a notebook or sub-notebook type personal computer or word processor, a data input device that can use both the functions of an external information storage device such as an FDD and a numeric keypad, and that has only one space on the plane Can be used by connecting. Further, at this time, since the electronic device has a cable that can be connected to the connector of the existing electronic device, it is not necessary to modify the electronic device side.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a numeric keypad including an FDD according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Main unit 2 Key 3 FDD 4 Flexible disk eject button 5 Numeric keypad connection cable 6 FDD connection cable

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A data input device for supplementing the function of a keyboard for inputting data to an electronic device, wherein the electronic device and the keyboard are separate components, and an information storage device is incorporated. A data input device characterized by the following. 2. The data input device according to claim 1, wherein the information storage device uses a semiconductor storage element. 3. The data input device according to claim 1, wherein the information storage device is an IC card. 4. The data input device according to claim 1, wherein the information storage device is a magnetic tape reader / writer. 5. The data input device according to claim 1, wherein the information storage device is a floppy disk drive device (hereinafter referred to as “F”).
The data input device is characterized in that it is DD). 6. The data input device according to claim 1, wherein the information storage device is a hard disk drive device (hereinafter HD
A data input device, characterized in that 7. The data input device according to claim 1, wherein the information storage device is a CD-ROM. 8. The data input device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device and the data input device are a signal line including a power supply for key input and a signal line including a power supply for an information storage device. Connected by a book signal line,
A data input device characterized in that