Flat keyboard arrangement

• US 4,879,548 A
• Filed: 02/02/1988
• Issued: 11/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Hachizou, Mitarai, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Brigance, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US07/151,618
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 340/365 VL, 340/365 R, 340/701, 340/703, 340/711, 340/712
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/012 programmable

Abstract

A flat keyboard arrangement includes a color of blocks. Each block corresponds to a key unit and is liquid crystal display having a screen divided into a number capable of producing any natural color. A table is provided for storing color data of the blocks, and for storing function data representing the function assigned to blocks. A driver circuit is provided for driving the color liquid crystal display to illuminate one or more colors in accordance with the data stored in the table. A transparent touch switch arrangement is placed on the color liquid crystal display. The transparent touch switch arrangement has transparent sheet in which a plurality of transparent touch switches are located correspondingly to the blocks of the screen to define touch keys.

Claims

1. A flat keyboard arrangement comprising:

a color liquid crystal display means having a screen divided into a number of blocks, said blocks corresponding to an equal number of key units and capable of producing any natural color;

table means for storing color data for each of said blocks, and for storing function data representing a function assigned to each of said blocks, wherein said table means stores both a color and a function for each of said blocks;

means for driving said color liquid crystal display means to display said blocks in colors in accordance with the color data stored in said table means; and

a transparent touch switch arrangement placed on said color liquid crystal display means, said transparent touch switch arangement having a transparent sheet in which a number of transparent touch switches comprising said key units are located correspondingly to said blocks of the screen to define touch keys.

2. A flat keyboard arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a key unit setting means for setting color data and function data in said table means for each of said number of blocks.

3. A flat keyboard arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said table means further stores mode data identifying a plurality of particularly set and stored table arrangements for said number of blocks.

4. A flat keyboard arrangement as claimed in claim 3, further comprising means for selecting a mode corresponding to one of said plurality of stored arrangements.

5. A flat keyboard arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising position detecting means for detecting the enablement of a transparent touch switch.