Coded data generation or conversion – Bodily actuated code generator – Including keyboard or keypad
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-21
2003-01-21
Horabik, Michael (Department: 2735)
Coded data generation or conversion
Bodily actuated code generator
Including keyboard or keypad
C341S126000, C345S168000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06509845
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless input apparatus which performs input of data and information by wireless.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, as a data entry device for inputting data and information to various types of computer apparatuses, many types of input devices have been used, such as a key board, a mouse, a trackball, a game pad, a joystick, a tablet, or a touch panel. For example, in the case of a portable information processing apparatus, a data entry unit as mentioned above is sometimes fixed directly to a housing of the apparatus. However, it is usual that such a data entry unit is formed separately from a housing of a computer apparatus.
A keyboard will be taken as an example for explanation. A keyboard is paired with a main unit of an apparatus serving as a host to which the keyboard is connected so as to work. In general, codes outputted by the keyboard can be divided into two types: a code when a key is pressed, which is a code called to be a press code; and a code when a key is released, which is a code called to be a release code. When a key is pressed, a press code of the key is transmitted to the main unit of the apparatus, and when the key is released, a release code of the key is transmitted. The main unit of the apparatus measures time from reception of the press code of the key to reception of the release code of the key, judges that the key is kept pressed in the case where the time is equal to or more than a predetermined time, and may judge that the key was continuously hit plural times to perform a repeat operation of the key. By designing in this way, the operator of a key does not need to conduct an operation of pressing and releasing the key repeatedly, and can conduct typing plural times automatically by keeping the key pressed for a predetermined time or more, with the result that convenience is increased. For example, when a key “A” is kept pressed for 500 ms or more, typing the key “A” is automatically repeated at every 100 ms, and the result of input is “AAA . . . ” However, the main unit of the apparatus works as in the case of a key being hit continuously even when the main unit of the apparatus does not receive a release code of the key after receiving a press code of the key.
A prior art apparatus which relates to prevention of such a wrong repeat operation of a keyboard is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A5-134792 (1993), for example. According to this prior art apparatus, even when a wired keyboard fails in detection of an end of pressing a key, in the case where no key is pressed, the keyboard transmits information representing such status to a main unit of an apparatus, so that a wrong repeat operation can be prevented. Thus, even when the keyboard fails in detection of a point in time when a key is released, in the case where the keyboard can detect at least a status that no key is pressed, a key repeat operation would not be performed. In the case where a release code does not reach the main unit of the apparatus although the release code is transmitted from the keyboard, a wrong repeat operation might be started. However, in the case of a wired keyboard, transmission of data transmitted from the keyboard would not be interrupted as long as an electrical connection is physically formed.
FIG. 28
schematically shows an electrical configuration of a wireless keyboard
1
which is capable of performing data transmission by wireless. The wireless keyboard
1
does not need to be connected by a wire because data transmission is performed by wireless communication between the keyboard and a main body of an apparatus, so that various kinds of problems due to the wire for connection can be avoided. For example, in the case of a wired keyboard, the keyboard cannot be moved away from a main unit of an apparatus in excess of a length of a wire connected between the main unit of the apparatus and the keyboard, and the wire between the main unit of the apparatus and the keyboard might become a nuisance.
In the wireless keyboard
1
as shown in
FIG. 28
, a key press operation of a keyboard
2
is detected by key press detecting means
3
. In order to detect no key being pressed as in the case of JP-A 5-134792 mentioned above, the wireless keyboard
1
is provided with no key press detecting means
4
. A signal which represents a result of detection by the key press detecting means 3 or the no key press detecting means is transmitted from transmitting means 5 to the main unit of the apparatus by wireless with infrared rays or the like used as a medium.
FIGS.
29
(
a
)-
29
(
e
) show signals which are generated in accordance with a key input operation in the wireless keyboard
1
as shown in FIG.
28
. At an instant when a key is pressed and at an instant when pressing the key is ended as described in FIG.
29
(
a
), a key press and a key release as shown in FIG.
29
(
b
) occur, which are recognized as shown in FIG.
29
(
c
) by the host. However, there is a case where a wireless communication channel is interrupted during an operation as shown in FIG.
29
(
d
). In this case, the host cannot recognize an end of the key pressing operation as shown in FIG.
29
(
e
). However, it does not much matter in the case where only a key release signal reaches the host.
The wireless keyboard
1
as shown in
FIG. 28
transmits information of a code associated with a key operation, to the main unit of the apparatus via the wireless communication channel. In the case of a wireless communication channel using light, radio waves or the like as a medium, there is a possibility that the communication channel is interrupted at anytime. When the communication channel is not interrupted, there is no problem because both a key press and a key release signal usually reach the main unit of the apparatus as a set. However, when the communication channel is interrupted, it may happen as shown in FIG.
29
(
d
) that only a key press reaches the main unit of the apparatus and the key release signal expected to reach after the key press does not reach. In such a case, the main unit of the apparatus judges that the key is kept pressed and performs a key repeat process following a program operation, thereby continuing the key repeat process permanently. Although the no key press detecting means
4
is installed as shown in
FIG. 28
, when communication between the wireless keyboard
1
and the main unit of the apparatus is broken down because of a problem in the communication channel, information from the no key press detecting means
4
cannot be transmitted. Therefore, a wrong repeat operation of a key cannot be prevented by installing the no key press detecting means
4
.
That is to say, in the case of a device such as a wired keyboard which is physically connected to a main unit of an apparatus, a release code can be always transmitted in any way, and therefore a wrong repeat operation of a key would not be performed. However, in the case of a wireless keyboard, there is a possibility that a wrong repeat operation is performed when a communication channel is interrupted and thereby the key repeat operation is repeated endlessly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a wireless input apparatus which is capable of recognizing the end of an operation with reliability even when any trouble occurs in a wireless communication channel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a wireless input apparatus which is capable of preventing a wrong repeat operation even when a wireless communication channel is interrupted.
The invention provides a wireless input apparatus comprising an entry unit for use in input operation and a processing unit for performing a process of generating data associated with the operation to the entry unit, the entry unit and the processing unit being connected to each other via a wireless communication channel, the entry unit including an operation detecting section for detecting a start and end of input operation and a signal
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Horabik Michael
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
Wong Albert K.
LandOfFree
Wireless input apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Wireless input apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Wireless input apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3046467