Tablet type key input device and information terminal device

• US 6,686,908 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2000
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US09/707,999
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/156, 345/158, 345/168, 345/169, 345/171, 345/172, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 345/179, 341/22, 341/23, 178/18.01
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A key input device 1 is provided with a transparent tablet 1b, and when an IC card 2 is inserted from an insertion inlet 1c and set in the key input device 1, characters or numerals 20 printed on the surface of a card 2 are represented in the tablet 1b as a key operational portion. The IC card 2 stores therein a program for assigning the keys represented in the tablet 1b to the predetermined functions. When the key portion of the tablet 1b is pushed, a code signal corresponding to its key is generated.

Claims

1. A tablet type key input device comprising:

an insertion inlet into which information memory medium having a plurality of marks displayed on a surface thereof is inserted;

a transparent tablet in which the marks of the information memory medium inserted into said insertion inlet are represented as a key operational portion;

a reading portion for reading a program recorded in said information memory medium;

a memory portion for storing the program read by said reading portion therein;

a control portion for assigning each of said plurality of marks represented on said tablet to a corresponding one of a plurality of specific keys according to said program, and

a transmit-receive portion for transmitting a signal corresponding to the key according to the operation of the assigned key and receiving the predetermined information from an external portion; and

a display portion for displaying the received information, wherein a layout of the plurality of keys represented in the table is the same as that of keys displayed on the display portion.

2. The tablet type key input device according to claim 1, wherein

said information memory medium is an IC card.

3. The tablet type key input device comprising:

an insertion inlet into which information memory medium having a plurality of marks displayed on a surface thereof is inserted;

a transparent tablet in which the marks of the information memory medium inserted into said insertion inlet are represented as a key operational portion;

a reading portion for reading an identification code recorded in said information memory medium;

a memory portion in which a program for assigning each of said

plurality of marks to a corresponding one of a plurality of specific keys is stored;

a control portion for reading a program according to the identification code read by said reading portion from said memory portion and performing key assignment in accordance with the program, and

a transmit-receive portion for transmitting a signal corresponding to the key according to the operation of the assigned key and receiving the predetermined information from an external portion; and

a display portion for displaying the received information, wherein a layout of the plurality of keys represented in the table is the same as that of keys displayed on the display portion.

4. A tablet type information terminal device comprising:

an insertion inlet into which information memory medium having a plurality of marks displayed on a surface thereof is inserted;

a transparent tablet in which the marks of the information memory medium inserted into said insertion inlet are represented as a key operational portion;

a reading portion for reading information recorded in said information memory medium;

a control portion for assigning each of said plurality of marks represented on said tablet to a corresponding one of a plurality of specific keys according to the information read by said reading portion;

a transmit-receive portion for transmitting a signal corresponding to the key according to the operation of the assigned key and receiving the predetermined information from an external portion; and

a display portion for displaying the received information, wherein a layout of the plurality of keys represented in the table is the same as that of keys displayed on the display portion.

5. The tablet type information terminal device according to claim 4, wherein

said information memory medium stores a specific URL address, the URL address being read by said reading portion,

said device is connected to Internet through said transmit-receive portion, and contents in a home page corresponding to the URL address are displayed on said display portion.

6. The tablet type information terminal device according to claim 4, wherein

the information memory medium on which key layout of a standard keyboard is represented is received, and

the keys represented in the tablet are assigned to keys of the standard keyboard.