JPS6125232A - Input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the working space on a desk for an input device by attaching an arm fixed to another arm to a main body containing plural keys that can be operated with fingers of a single hand and detecting both the sloping direction and the angle between the main body and the arm to transmits them to a computer together with the key signals. CONSTITUTION:Key pads 2 are attached at the positions where each finger A' of an input device main body 1 that can be held by a single hand has a touch. An arm 4 attached to the main body 1 is fixed to an arm B. An angle sensor (not shown in figure) attached to the arm 4 detects the angle and the direction of the main body 1 produced by rotations of a wrist A''. These detected angle and direction are coded together with the signals supplied from pads 2 and transmitted to a computer (not shown in figure) via a cable 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to an input device for inputting data to a computer.

<Prior Art> Generally, as a computer terminal device, a display such as a CRT for displaying data and a full keyboard for inputting data into the computer or operating the computer are used.

On the other hand, application software and input devices therefor that use only specific signals when operating a computer or inputting data and do not necessarily require a full keyboard are becoming popular. For example, this is application software that uses a mouse as an input device to input coordinate data of an image. in this case,
The only input signals to the computer system are the relative position of the mouse relative to the screen and the signals from the switch buttons. Therefore, the use of a mouse means that the full keyboard no longer needs to be used, and in this case, removing the full keyboard increases the desk space around the terminal device that is freely available to the operator. This has a big impact when the operator uses desk space with plenty of space.However, when using a mouse, the area occupied by the mouse itself cannot be ignored, and while data input operations are easy, input The flexibility of data available is inferior to that of a full keypad.

<Object of the Invention> The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an input device that can be held and operated with one hand without being installed on a desk.

<Structure of the invention> A plurality of keys that can be operated on each floor while being held in one hand, an arm that is fixed to the arm, and a detection device that detects the direction and angle of inclination with the arm when the wrist is rotated and tilted. and data transmission means for transmitting code data generated based on the key operation and the signal from the detection means to the computer.

<Example> An embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 1, the input device main body 1 is large enough to be held in one hand, and has a shape that fits well in the hand as shown by the broken line A. The input device main body 1 has a display screen for each floor A' and A' when the input device body 1 is grasped.
, multiple keypads around the area touched 2.2.
... are lined up. Kinivasodo lined up in three rows is the second
As shown in the figure, it is desirable to arrange the input device main body 1 in a curved shape. And each of these keypads 2, 2.・
By pressing ..., keypad 2, 2 . The key switch (not shown) inside the input device main body 1 engaged with...
operates, and a corresponding code signal is input to a computer (not shown) via cable 3.

An arm 4 is further attached to the input device main body 1, and the arm 4 is fixed to the arm B with a band 5. An angle sensor (not shown) is attached to the arm 4 inside the input device main body 1, and when the wrist A is rotated to create an angle between the input device main body 1 and the arm 4, this angle can be adjusted. A predetermined coded signal is output based on the signal representing the angle and direction of inclination from the sensor and the key operation, and this signal is input to the computer via the cable 3. High accuracy can be obtained by detecting the inclination between the input device main body 1 and the arm 4 as an analog quantity such as a voltage level, A/D converting it, and encoding it.

The input device main body 1 also defines a key that indicates the movement of the input device main body 1, and when this key °- is used together with a direction instruction by the arm 4, when the input device main body 1 moves from the current coordinate position to the specified direction. The coordinates of can be generated. In this case, it will function as a coordinate input device.

The input device main body 1 has 12 keys that are operated with a key other than the thumb, but by using a shift key with n stages as the key that is operated with the thumb, nX12 types of keys can be defined. In this case, each time the shift key is pressed, the codes of other keys are updated, and the code returns to the first code on the nth press.

<Effects of the Invention> As explained above, in the present invention, multiple keys can be operated by holding with one hand, so unlike conventional keyboards, the space around the computer is not occupied, and the operator You can increase the desk space that can be used freely. In addition, by providing multiple keys, it is possible to provide flexibility in the data that can be generated manually, and by detecting the angle between the gripping arm and wrist and using this as a signal indicating the direction of movement of the coordinates, It can have the same function as a coordinate input device. moreover,
Since it can be operated with only one hand, the other hand is free to use.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention.
It is a partial sectional view of the figure. 1...Input device body-02...Keypad 3...Cable 4...Arm A...Hand A'...Finger A4...Wrist B...Arm

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Multiple keys that can be operated with each finger while held in one hand, an arm fixed to the arm, and a detection means that detects the direction and angle of inclination with the arm when the wrist is rotated. and a transmission means for transmitting code data generated based on the operation of the key and the signal from the detection means to a computer.