Method for controlling switch of input mode of keyboard instructions

• US 6,426,742 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2000
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shin Jiuh Corp.
• Original Assignee: Shin Jiuh Corp.
• Inventors: Tai, Jen-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZAMANI, ALI A
• Application Number:
  US09/520,140
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/156, 345/167, 345/157, 710/200, 710/14, 710/8, 710/16, 341/22
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data

Abstract

A method for controlling switch of input mode of keyboard instructions is to provide and load a program to intellectualize an auxiliary keypad without forcing any of or both the keypad and a main keyboard to retain at a specified state. In other words, the program of the keypad will read the present status flag of the keypad and the main keyboard and put them in memory. Hence, when an arbitrary key of the keypad is pressed, the program will compare whether the state of the keypad and the main keyboard are identical or not; if positive, a key code from the keypad is acceptable, otherwise, a Num Lock code will be transmitted to a host frame of a notebook computer for changing the state of the main keyboard into that of the keypad for receiving a key code from the keypad. After transmission of the key code to the host frame, the program will send the Num Lock code again to the host frame for restoring the state of the main keyboard while the keypad remains its state unchanged.

Claims

1. A method for controlling switch of input mode of keyboard instructions, comprising:

a) Requesting no specified state of a main keyboard and an auxiliary keypad;

b) Using a program of said keypad to read and put status flag of said main keyboard and said keypad for remembering present respective state thereof; and

c) Pressing an arbitrary key of said keypad, whereby the program of said keypad will compare whether the status flag of said main keyboard and said keypad are identical or not;

if positive, a key code to be sent out is acceptable, otherwise, a Num Lock code will be sent to a host frame of a notebook computer for changing the state of said main keyboard into that of said keypad for receiving a key code from said keypad;

after the key code is transmitted, the program is to send the Num Lock code again to the host frame for restoring the state of said main keyboard while said keypad remains its state unchanged;

therefore, despite of the original state of said main keyboard and said keypad, controlling switch of input mode of figures or characters will become easier and more convenient without causing interference between said main keyboard and said keypad.

2. The method for controlling switch of input mode of keyboard instructions of claim 1, wherein said main keyboard may be a conventional keyboard or a keyboard of a notebook computer.

3. The method for controlling switch of input mode of keyboard instructions of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary keypad is a figure keyboard.

4. The method for controlling switch of input mode of keyboard instructions of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary keypad has been coupled with said host frame before booting, then the initial state of said auxiliary keypad and said main keyboard both are at “

ON”

state after booting.

5. The method for controlling switch of input mode of keyboard instructions of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary keypad has not yet been coupled with said host frame before booting, then the initial state of said auxiliary keypad and said main keyboard both are at “

ON”

state after booting.

6. The method for controlling switch of input mode of keyboard instructions of claim 1, wherein the input mode of both said main keyboard and said auxiliary keypad are supposedly staying at “

OFF”

state (non-figure input mode), the program of said auxiliary keypad will read and put the status flag of both parties in memory accordingly;

when an arbitrary key of said keypad is pressed. a key code will be sent out while said auxiliary keypad remains unchanged at “

OFF”

state (non-figure input mode);

at this time, if a “

Num Lock key”

of said auxiliary keypad is pressed to change the state of said auxiliary keypad into “

ON”

(figure input mode), the program of said auxiliary keypad will read and input the state of said main keyboard as “

OFF”

(non-figure input mode) and that of said auxiliary keypad as “

ON”

(figure input mode) in memory, and when an arbitrary key of said auxiliary keypad is pressed, a Num Lock code will be sent to said host frame for changing the state of said main keyboard into “

ON”

(figure input mode) for receiving a key code from said auxiliary keypad;

after the key code is sent to said host frame, the program will send again the Num Lock code to said host frame for restoring the state of said main keyboard back to “

OFF”

(non-figure input mode) while said auxiliary keypad remains unchanged at “

ON”

state (figure input mode); and

, if the “

Num Lock key”

of said auxiliary keypad is pressed again, said auxiliary keypad will reenter the “

OFF”

state (non-figure input mode).

7. The method for controlling switch of input mode of keyboard instructions of claim 1, wherein the input mode of said main keyboard is “

OFF”

(non-figure input mode) while that of said auxiliary keypad is “

ON”

(figure input mode), the program of said auxiliary keypad will read and put the respective status flag in memory accordingly;

when an arbitrary key of said auxiliary keypad is pressed, a Num Lock code;

will be sent to said host frame for changing the state of said main keyboard from “

OFF”

into “

ON”

to enable said host frame to receive a key code from said auxiliary keypad;

after the key code has been received by said host frame, another Num Lock code will be sent to said host frame for changing back the state of said main keyboard to “

OFF”

while said auxiliary keypad remains unchanged at “

ON”

state (figure input mode);

at this time, if the “

Num Lock key”

of said auxiliary keypad is pressed again, said auxiliary keypad will enter “

OFF”

state (non-figure input mode) and the program will read and put the status flag of said main keyboard as “

OFF”

(non-figure input mode) and said auxiliary keypad as “

OFF”

(non-figure input mode) in memory so that when an arbitrary key of said auxiliary keypad is pressed, a key code will be sent to said host frame while said auxiliary keypad remains unchanged at “

OFF”

state (non-figure input mode); and

, if the “

Num Lock key”

of said auxiliary keypad is pressed once more, said auxiliary keypad will reenter “

ON”

state (figure input mode).

8. The method for controlling switch of input mode of keyboard instructions of claim 1, wherein the input mode of said main keyboard is “

ON”

(figure input mode) while that of said auxiliary keypad is “

OFF”

(non-figure input mode), the program of said auxiliary keypad will read and put the respective status flag in memory accordingly;

when an arbitrary, key of said auxiliary keypad is pressed, a Num Lock code will be sent to said host frame for changing the state of said main keyboard from “

ON”

(figure input mode) into “

OFF”

(non-figure input mode) to enable said host frame to receive a key code from said auxiliary keypad;

after the key code has been received by said host frame, another Num Lock code will be sent to said host frame for restoring back the state of said main keyboard to “

ON”

(figure input mode) while said auxiliary keypad remains unchanged at “

OFF”

state (non-figure input mode);

at this time, if the “

Num Lock key”

of said auxiliary keypad is pressed again, said auxiliary keypad will enter “

ON”

state (figure input mode) and the program will read and put the status flag of said main keyboard as “

ON”

(figure input mode) and said auxiliary keypad as “

ON”

(figure input mode) in memory so that when an arbitrary key of said auxiliary keypad is pressed, a key code will be sent to said host frame while said auxiliary keypad remains unchanged at “

ON”

state;

one more press of the “

Num Lock key”

of said auxiliary keypad will change the state of said auxiliary keypad from “

ON”

into “

OFF”

state (non-figure input mode).

9. The method for controlling switch of input mode of keyboard instructions of claim 1, wherein the input mode of said main keyboard and said auxiliary keypad are both at “

ON”

(figure input mode), the program of said auxiliary keypad will read and put the respective status flag in memory accordingly;

when an arbitrary key of said auxiliary keypad is pressed, a key code will be sent to said host frame and said auxiliary keypad remains unchanged at “

ON”

state (figure input mode);

if now the “

Num Lock key”

of said auxiliary keypad is pressed, the state of said auxiliary keypad is changed from “

ON”

(figure input mode) into “

OFF”

(non-figure input mode), and the program will read and put the state of said main keyboard as “

ON”

(figure input mode) and said auxiliary keypad as “

OFF”

(non-figure input mode) in memory accordingly;

when an arbitrary key of said auxiliary keypad is pressed, a Num Lock code will be sent to said host frame for changing the state of said main keyboard into “

OFF”

to enable said host frame to receive a key code from said auxiliary keypad;

after the key code has been received by said host frame, another Num Lock code will be sent to the host frame for restoring back the state of said main keyboard to “

ON”

(figure input mode) while said auxiliary keypad remains unchanged at “

OFF”

state (non-figure input mode); and

, at this time, if the “

Num Lock key”

of said auxiliary keypad is pressed once more, said auxiliary keypad will turn into “

ON”

state (figure input mode).

10. The method for controlling switch of input mode of keyboard instructions of claim 1, wherein the program can be loaded to said main keyboard instead of said auxiliary keypad so that said main keyboard can operate cooperatively with an average auxiliary keypad.