Hardware computer keyboard for Japanese input

Abstract

One aspect of the present invention is characterized by dividing a computer keyboard into two major areas (e.g., a left-hand area and a right-hand area), with the representative Japanese hiragana characters (a-ka-sa-ta-na-ha-ma-ya-ra-wa) placed in the first area, and flick keys for selecting the "i → u → e → o" row placed in the other, second area.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0170075, filed on December 7, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in the specification and drawings thereof.

[0002] The present invention relates to personal computers, word processors, and notebook computers. Hardware for entering Japanese into a computer, such as computer keyboard keys For more information about the configuration, see ,centre Utilizing the flick input method Computer keyboard for Japanese input Regarding. [Background technology]

[0003] In portable character input devices such as mobile phones, the number of keys that can be placed is limited due to the small area on which the keys are placed. As a result, it takes several keystrokes to input a single character. For example, in the case of conventional mobile phones, to input Japanese characters, each row of the Japanese syllabary (shown in Figure 1) is assigned to a button from 0 to 9, and the five characters corresponding to that row are input by pressing the corresponding key a certain number of times.

[0004] That is, in the past, the five characters in each row were assigned to separate keys, which required a lot of finger movement, and especially for beginners, the gaze had to move back and forth between the display and the keys, resulting in very poor input efficiency. For example, for a key assigned to "a, i, u, e, o," pressing the key once inputs "a," pressing it twice inputs "i," and similarly, pressing it three times inputs "u," pressing it four times inputs "e," and pressing it five times inputs "o." Therefore, to input "o," five presses are required. Furthermore, if you press the key three times to input "i," you must press the key again until the character goes around the entire circle, which increases the user's fatigue.

[0005] In recent years, mobile phones equipped with a "(single character) back" key have been commercially available to solve this problem, but since this key is usually assigned to a separate key, it is not an effective method in terms of input efficiency. As an alternative, one could consider using a soft keyboard that allows you to select characters with a mouse on a PC, but this has the problem that the soft keyboard takes up more than half of the screen due to the small size of the display.

[0006] In view of such problems, Patent Documents 1 and 2 adopt a simplified character input method.

[0007] However, in Patent Document 1, when entering hiragana, specific characters from all rows (for example, "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ya, ra, wa") are arranged on one row, which is expected to reduce visibility on small displays such as those of mobile phones. Also, when the focus is on the "a" row, five key operations are required to move to the "ha" row, regardless of whether the right key or the left key is used.

[0008] In addition to the above-mentioned problems, Patent Document 2 also has the problem that it is not possible to display all the lines due to the circular layout, which causes the same visibility problem as Patent Document 1.

[0009] To address this issue, Patent Document 3 provides a character input device that uses fewer keys for input and uses surrounding keys, including up, down, left, and right keys, thereby reducing finger and eye movement that occurs during conventional character input. Referring to FIG. 2, when inputting hiragana characters in the Japanese syllabary, the character input device of Patent Document 3 displays "a, ka, sa, ta, na" on the first line of the character input area on the display screen and "hama, ya, ra, wa" on the second line. The left and right keys 1a and 1b are used to move the focus position or character position (a → ka → sa → ...). When the focus position reaches "na," the next character to be focused is switched to the "hama, ya, ra, wa" block. The displayed characters are switched, for example, by using the down key 2b to move to the next character (e.g., a → i → u → ...), and then using the up key 2a to move to the furthest character in that group (e.g., a → o → ...). Once the focus is on the character to be input, the enter key 3 is used to input the character. This allows the character input device to not only have excellent visibility but also reduce finger and eye movement since it does not occupy the screen.

[0010] However, in Patent Document 3, to select a line using the left and right directional keys, the user must move between lines using the left and right directional keys while looking at the characters displayed on the screen, and in this process, the user must press the left or right key up to five times. Furthermore, even though it would be advantageous for a user unfamiliar with input methods to select the left key, if the user selects the right key, the user may have to press the left and / or right key ten or more times to select the desired line. This creates a problem of having to repeatedly press the left or right key to select a line. Furthermore, after searching for the character to be input, the user must press the enter key each time to complete the input, which is cumbersome.

[0011] In view of this problem, Patent Document 4 provides a Japanese language input method and device that allows all Japanese characters to be input by pressing number keys, directional movement keys, and row conversion keys (e.g., # key) a minimum of once and a maximum of five times. Referring to Fig. 3, the Japanese language input method of Patent Document 4 is a method for inputting Japanese using a mobile terminal 10 that has a plurality of row selection keys 12 corresponding to representative characters of each row of hiragana or katakana, a row conversion key 14 for converting rows to voiced or semi-voiced sounds, and a directional movement key 16 for selecting a row, and includes the steps of (a) selecting one of the plurality of row selection keys 12 to determine a row, and (b) determining the conversion of the row determined in step (a) to a voiced or semi-voiced sound through the selection and number of selections of the row conversion key 14, and determining the row of the determined row through the selection and number of selections of the directional movement key 16. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-265501 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-155643 [Patent Document 3] Korean Registration No. 10-0913849 [Patent Document 4] Korean Patent Publication No. 2007-0071480 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0013] Patent Documents 3 and 4 differ in the method of selecting the representative character of each row consisting of Japanese kana "a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa," but are the same in that after selecting the representative character of each row, a row is selected using the up and down movement keys. That is, to select a row for changing the representative character "a" of the selected row, for example, the down key (2b in FIG. 2, 16 in FIG. 3) is used to move to the next character (e.g., a → i → u → ...), and the up key (2a in FIG. 2, 16 in FIG. 3) is used to move to the furthest character in the group (e.g., a → o → ...).

[0014] As a result, to input the Japanese hiragana character "te," one must select "ta," the representative character of the row, and then click the down key (2b in Figure 2, 16 in Figure 3) three times in succession.

[0015] This goes against consumer needs, which demand more concise and simple character input.

[0016] Meanwhile, flicking refers to the act of quickly scrolling horizontally or vertically while touching with a finger, and is mainly applied to touch keyboards on the touch screens of mobile devices such as smartphones.

[0017] The inventors have found that applying this flick input method to a computer keyboard or a touch keyboard on a touch screen makes it possible to input Japanese characters very easily and simply. However, the flick input method requires a sensor on each button that can recognize the scroll direction, but conventional computer keyboards do not have such sensors, making it difficult to directly apply the method.

[0018] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the problems of the prior art and the technical requirements arising from these problems, and its main technical objective is to apply a flick input method to row selection for converting any one of the representative characters ('a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa') of each row.

[0019] Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be understood from the following description and become more apparent from the embodiments of the present invention, and can be realized by the means and combinations thereof as set forth in the claims. [Means for solving the problem]

[0020] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, a key array for inputting Japanese into an input device of a computer system or an information communication device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a first area in which Japanese hiragana characters in the "a" row, "a ka sa tana hama ya ra wa," are arranged, and a second area in which flick keys are arranged for converting the "a" row characters, "a ka sa tana hama ya ra wa," into the "i" row, "u" row, "e" row, and "o" row, wherein the first area is a left-hand area where the user's left hand is placed, and the second area is a right-hand area where the user's right hand is placed, and Japanese is input using both the user's left and right hands.

[0021] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the first aspect, the flick keys form a cross shape by arranging the ``i'' row conversion key, the ``u'' row conversion key, the ``e'' row conversion key, and the ``o'' row conversion key in order clockwise around the specified key (unspecified key) in the second area.

[0022] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a third aspect of the present invention is the second aspect, characterized in that the specific key is arranged on the English letter "k" key in the second area.

[0023] The key array for inputting Japanese according to the fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the third aspect, the first area is arranged in the order of "a, ka, sa", "ta, na, ha", and "ma, ya, ra" in three rows and three columns, with "wa" being arranged on the left key adjacent to "ta" in the second row and first column.

[0024] The key array for inputting Japanese according to the fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the fourth aspect, the second area further includes a voiced sound / lowercase key that converts hiragana characters "ka, sa, ta, ha" into voiced sounds by adding a voiced mark (゛) or converts characters with lowercase letters into lowercase (small).

[0025] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the fifth aspect, the "i" row conversion key is arranged on the left key adjacent to the specific key, the "u" row conversion key is arranged on the upper key adjacent to the specific key, the "e" row conversion key is arranged on the right key adjacent to the specific key, and the "o" row conversion key is arranged on the lower key adjacent to the specific key.

[0026] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the sixth aspect, the voiced consonant / lowercase key is arranged on the right side adjacent to the ``u'' row conversion key of the cross-shaped flick key.

[0027] According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the key array for inputting Japanese characters in the seventh aspect further includes a prediction key for converting the flick key into up / down / left / right directional keys or for selecting a specific object from the predictive text when a prediction text listing a plurality of information objects corresponding to the input Japanese hiragana characters is output, and a Chinese character conversion key for outputting a priority list of Chinese characters corresponding to the input Japanese hiragana characters and selecting a Chinese character from the priority list of Chinese characters.

[0028] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the eighth aspect, the prediction key is arranged on the specific key and the kanji conversion key is arranged on the space bar.

[0029] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the eighth aspect, the prediction key is arranged on the space bar, and the kanji conversion key is arranged on the specific key.

[0030] The key array for inputting Japanese according to the 11th aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the flick keys are arranged in the second area in a "⊥" shape, the "o" row conversion key is arranged in the center of the "⊥" shape, the "i" row conversion key is arranged to the left of the "o" row conversion key, the "u" row conversion key is arranged above it, and the "e" row conversion key is arranged to the right.

[0031] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a 12th aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the 11th aspect, the "i" row conversion key is located on the English letter "j" key, the "u" row conversion key is located on the English letter "i" key, the "e" row conversion key is located on the English letter "l" key, and the "o" row conversion key is located on the English letter "k" key.

[0032] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the twelfth aspect, the first area is arranged in the order of "a, ka, sa", "ta, na, ha", and "ma, ya, ra" in three rows and three columns, with "wa" being arranged on the left key adjacent to "ta" in the second row and first column.

[0033] The key array for inputting Japanese according to the 14th aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the 12th aspect, the second area further includes a voiced sound / lowercase key that converts hiragana characters "ka, sa, ta, ha" into voiced sounds by adding a voiced mark (゛) or converts characters with lowercase letters into lowercase (small).

[0034] According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the key array for inputting Japanese language in the fourteenth aspect further includes a prediction key for converting the flick key into up / down / left / right directional keys or for selecting a specific object in the predictive text when a predictive text listing a plurality of information objects corresponding to the input Japanese hiragana is output, and a kanji conversion key for outputting a priority list of kanji corresponding to the input Japanese hiragana and selecting a kanji from the priority list of kanji.

[0035] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention is the fifteenth aspect, characterized in that the prediction key or the kanji conversion key is arranged adjacent to the flick key.

[0036] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the sixteenth aspect, the prediction key is arranged on the space bar, and the kanji conversion key is arranged on one of the surrounding keys adjacent to the flick key.

[0037] According to an 18th aspect of the present invention, a key array for inputting Japanese is characterized in that, in the 16th aspect, the kanji conversion key is arranged on the space bar, and the prediction key is arranged on one of the surrounding keys adjacent to the flick key.

[0038] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a 19th aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the 16th aspect, a delete key for deleting an input character is disposed on one of the surrounding keys adjacent to the flick key.

[0039] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a 20th aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the 16th aspect, a confirmation key for confirming an object selected from the predictive text is disposed on one of the surrounding keys adjacent to the flick key.

[0040] A key array for inputting Japanese characters according to a 21st aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the 16th aspect, a delete key for canceling input of Japanese hiragana characters that has been input is arranged on one of the surrounding keys adjacent to the flick key.

[0041] A key array for inputting Japanese according to a 22nd aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the 14th aspect, the voiced consonant / lowercase key is arranged on the English letter "o" key, which is the key to the right of the "u" row conversion key.

[0042] A keyboard as an input device for a computer system according to a 23rd aspect of the present invention includes a first area where a user's left hand is placed and a second area where a user's right hand is placed, and is characterized in that a key array according to any one of the 1st to 22nd aspects is arranged in the first or second area.

[0043] A keyboard as an input device for a computer system according to a 24th aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the 23rd aspect, when the voiced sound / lowercase key is pressed twice in succession, it functions as a semi-voiced sound key that converts the sound into a semi-voiced sound.

[0044] A touch keyboard for a touch screen according to a 25th aspect of the present invention is characterized by comprising the key array according to any one of the 1st to 22nd aspects.

[0045] A touch keyboard for a touch screen according to a 26th aspect of the present invention is the 25th aspect, characterized in that the first area is arranged in a left-hand area of ​​the touch keyboard and the second area is arranged in a right-hand area of ​​the touch keyboard.

[0046] A touch keyboard for a touch screen according to a 27th aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the 26th aspect, when the voiced sound / lowercase key is pressed twice in succession, it functions as a semi-voiced sound key that converts the sound into a semi-voiced sound. [Effects of the Invention]

[0047] According to one aspect of the present invention, by simply moving the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger of the user's left and right hands up and down, it is possible to easily input not only all Japanese characters in the Hiragana syllabary, but also Japanese characters such as voiced consonants, semi-voiced consonants, and lowercase letters.

[0048] In addition, by introducing the flick key system to the younger generation who are accustomed to mobile environments such as smartphones, the usability of Japanese computer keyboards is being improved.

[0049] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, all Japanese hiragana characters can be easily input by simply selecting one of "a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa" and selecting the flick key in a maximum of two steps.

[0050] In addition, according to one aspect of the present invention, when selecting a specific object in predictive text, the selection of the predicted object is simplified by utilizing a flick key located in the right hand area of ​​the keyboard, without using a directional key or a mouse as in the conventional case.

[0051] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, are intended to facilitate a better understanding of the technical concepts of the present invention; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the matters described in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0052] [Figure 1] This is a table showing the arrangement of the Japanese alphabet. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an external configuration diagram of a Japanese language input device disclosed in Patent Document 3. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is an external configuration diagram of a Japanese language input device disclosed in Patent Document 4. [Figure 4] 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of a computer system for inputting Japanese language according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5]1 is a layout diagram showing a key array of a computer keyboard according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a layout diagram showing a key array of a computer keyboard according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a group of kanji candidates corresponding to input hiragana characters as predictive text according to the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the process of selecting a kanji character to be converted using a flick key on the predictive text. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a layout diagram of a key array for a portion of a second area of ​​a computer keyboard according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a layout diagram of a key array for a part of a second area of ​​a computer keyboard according to another modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a layout diagram showing a key array of a computer keyboard according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a priority list of kanji characters corresponding to hiragana characters inputted according to the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a layout diagram of a key array for a part of the second area of ​​a computer keyboard according to another first modified example of the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a layout diagram of a key array for a part of a second area of ​​a computer keyboard according to another second modified example of the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a layout diagram of a key array for a part of the second area of ​​a computer keyboard according to another third modified example of the third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0053] Since the present invention is susceptible to various modifications and embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, and it is understood that the present invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0054] When a component is said to be "coupled" or "connected" to another component, this includes not only when the component is directly coupled or connected to the other component, but also when there are other components intervening.

[0055] However, when an element is said to be "directly coupled" or "directly connected" to another element, it is understood that there are no other elements intervening therebetween.

[0056] The terms used in this specification are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expressions include the plural expressions unless otherwise clearly indicated in the context. In the present specification, the terms "comprise" or "have" indicate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and do not preclude the presence or additional possibility of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0057] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are to be interpreted as meanings consistent with the contextual meaning of the relevant art, and are not to be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless specifically defined in this application.

[0058] The terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be construed as meanings and concepts that correspond to the technical concepts of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor himself can appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe his invention. Furthermore, unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used have the meanings commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. In the following description and the accompanying drawings, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations that may obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted. The accompanying drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only to fully convey the concepts of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the accompanying drawings and may be embodied in other forms. Furthermore, the same reference numerals refer to the same components throughout the specification. Please note that the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same components in the drawings whenever possible.

[0059] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: The drawings are not drawn to scale, and like reference numerals in different drawings refer to like elements.

[0060] 4 is a hardware configuration diagram of a computer system 200 for inputting Japanese characters according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, the computer system 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a memory 270, at least one CPU (Central Processing Unit) 260 connected to the memory 270 and performing high-speed operations, an input device 240, and an output device 250.

[0061] Here, the input device 240 is a computer keyboard or a touch keyboard of a touch screen for inputting Japanese characters according to the present invention, and preferably includes any one of the key arrays shown in Figures 5, 6, 9 to 11, and 12 to 15. The output device 250 refers to a display capable of displaying characters and images, such as a light emitting diode (LED), a liquid crystal display (LCD), or e-ink.

[0062] The CPU 260 is a processor that is installed in the computer system 200 and performs the function of processing the overall operation. The CPU 260 may include an ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) 262 for performing calculations, a register 264 for temporarily storing data and instructions, and a controller 266 for controlling the overall operation of the computer system 200.

[0063] The memory 270 may include a high-speed main memory, which is generally in the form of a recording medium such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory), an auxiliary memory such as a flash memory, and a device for recording data using an electric, magnetic, optical, or other recording medium. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the memory 270 is a product having various recording capabilities and may have various forms.

[0064] In the technical field of the present invention, the computer system 200 may include an operating system (OS) and at least one application program. The operating system is a set of software that controls the operation of the computer system 200 and the allocation of resources. The application program is a set of software that executes tasks requested by a user by using computer resources available through the OS. The OS and application program are permanently stored in memory 270.

[0065] In the present invention, the input device 240 may include a key code conversion program 272, which is a Japanese input application program permanently stored in the memory 270, for converting key codes input through the keyboard or touch keyboard of the touch screen into Japanese (e.g., hiragana or katakana) and displaying them.

[0066] The Japanese input application program works in cooperation with the operating system to receive and analyze signals generated when a key on a keyboard or keypad is operated singly or in combination with multiple keys, and performs a pre-assigned operation to input a specific Japanese character string intended by the user.

[0067] The key code or codes transmitted from the keyboard or the touch keyboard of the touch screen are converted into specific Japanese hiragana or katakana characters designated in advance by the key code conversion program 272 as necessary and finally input. The input result is displayed on the output device 250 of the computer system 200.

[0068] <First Example> 5 is a layout diagram showing a key array of a computer keyboard according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The computer keyboard shown in FIG. 5 can be similarly configured as a touch keyboard for a touch screen. That is, the key array configuration of the present invention, which will be described later, can of course be realized as a touch keyboard for a touch screen in the same form.

[0069] An example in which the key array according to this embodiment is implemented as a computer keyboard will now be described.

[0070] Referring to FIG. 5, a computer keyboard 100 is divided into a first area and a second area, preferably a first area or left hand area 110 and a second area or right hand area 120.

[0071] First, referring to Figure 1, the Japanese hiragana syllabary is composed of a matrix of 10 rows and 5 columns, with the kana in row 1, which is the representative character of each column, being "a, i, u, e, o," and the "a" row, which is the representative character of column 1, being composed of "a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa."

[0072] The first area, left-hand area 110, is arranged with the characters of the "a" row (a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa), which are representative characters of each row of the Japanese hiragana 50-sound chart, and the second area, right-hand area 120, is arranged with conversion keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 for converting the characters of the "a" row in first area 110 into the characters of the "i" row, "u" row, "e" row, and "o" row.

[0073] In the first area 110, the characters in the "a" row, "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ya, ra" are arranged in three rows and three columns, and the character "wa" in the "a" row is arranged adjacent to the character "ta" in the second row and one column. In other words, it is preferable to arrange the character "wa" on the left key of the character "ta."

[0074] Of course, the "wa" character can be placed at any position of the keys in the first area 110 adjacent to the key block consisting of three rows and three columns.

[0075] In the second area 120, flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 are arranged for converting the characters of the "a" row (a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa) in the first area 110 into the characters of the "i" row, "u" row, "e" row, and "o" row.

[0076] Here, the flick key refers to a function key that generates a command to convert a quick horizontal or vertical finger movement up, down, left, and right into a key input.

[0077] The flick keys according to the present invention are configured by arranging an "i" row conversion key 122 on the left side, an "u" row conversion key 123 above, an "e" row conversion key 124 on the right side, and an "o" row conversion key 125 below any specific key (e.g., the English letter "k" key) in the second area 120.

[0078] That is, the "i" row conversion key 122, the "u" row conversion key 123, the "e" row conversion key 124, and the "o" row conversion key 125 are arranged in this order clockwise from the left side of the specific key. Therefore, the multiple flick keys are arranged in a cross (+) shape with the specific key at the center.

[0079] The "i" row conversion key 122 converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ra" in the first area 110 into the "i" row characters "i, ki, shi, chi, ni, hi, mi, ri."

[0080] The "u" row conversion key 123 converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ya, ra" in the first area 110 into the "u" row characters "u, ku, su, tsu, nu, fu, mu, yu, ru."

[0081] The "e" row conversion key 124 converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ra" in the first area 110 into the "e" row characters "e, ke, se, te, ne, he, me, re."

[0082] The "O" row conversion key 125 converts the "A" row characters "A, KA, SA, TA, NA, HA, MA, YA, RA, WA" in the first area 110 into the "O" row characters "O, KO, SO, TO, NO, HO, MO, YO, RO, WO".

[0083] For example, after selecting one of the characters (e.g., "sa") in the "a" row (a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa) in the first area 110, if the "e" row conversion key 124 is pressed, "se" will be selected and displayed on the display of the computer system 200.

[0084] The conversion of the "a" row characters (a ka sa ta na ha ma ya ra wa) to the "i" row, "u" row, "e" row, and "o" row is performed in accordance with the hiragana 50-sound chart in Figure 1. For example, in the case of converting the "a" row characters (a ka sa ta na ha ma ya ra wa) to the "i" row, "a" is converted to "i", "ka" is converted to "ki", "sa" is converted to "shi", "ta" is converted to "chi", "na" is converted to "ni", "ha" is converted to "hi", "ma" is converted to "mi", and "ra" is converted to "ri".

[0085] When the specific key is the alphabet "k" key, the "i" row conversion key 122 is preferably arranged on the alphabet "j" key adjacent to the specific key on the left side. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the "i" row conversion key 122 is provided with the alphabet "j" and the graphic "

[0086]

number

[0087] It is preferable that " is shown together.

[0088] When the specific key is the English letter "k", the "u" row conversion key 123 is preferably arranged on the English letter "i" key above the specific key. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the "u" row conversion key 123 is provided with a graphic "

[0089]

number

[0090] It is preferable that " is shown together.

[0091] When the specific key is the English letter "k", the "e" row conversion key 124 is preferably arranged on the English letter "l" key adjacent to the specific key on the right side. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the "e" row conversion key 124 is provided with the English letter "l" and the graphic "

[0092]

number

[0093] It is preferable that " is shown together.

[0094] When the specific key is the English letter "k", the "o" row conversion key 125 is preferably arranged on the English letter "m" key below the specific key. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the "o" row conversion key 125 is provided with the English letter "m" and the graphic "

[0095]

number

[0096] It is preferable that " is shown together.

[0097] In addition, the second area 120 may further include a voiced sound / lowercase key 126 that converts hiragana characters "ka, sa, ta, ha" into voiced sounds by adding a voiced mark (゛) or converts characters with lowercase letters into lowercase (small).

[0098] For example, the voiced consonant / lowercase key 126 is preferably located on the key adjacent to the cross-shaped flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125, and more preferably on the English letter "o" key, which is the key to the right of the "u" row conversion key 123. <Second Example> 6 is a layout diagram showing a key array of a computer keyboard according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The computer keyboard shown in FIG. 6 can be similarly configured as a touch keyboard for a touch screen. That is, the key array configuration of the present invention, which will be described later, can of course be realized as a touch keyboard for a touch screen in the same form.

[0099] An example in which the key array according to this embodiment is implemented as a computer keyboard will now be described.

[0100] Referring to FIG. 6, a computer keyboard 100 is divided into a first area and a second area, preferably a first area or left hand area 110 and a second area or right hand area 120.

[0101] First, referring to Figure 1, the Japanese hiragana syllabary is composed of a matrix of 10 rows and 5 columns, with the kana in row 1, which is the representative character of each column, being "a, i, u, e, o," and the "a" row, which is the representative character of column 1, being composed of "a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa."

[0102] The first area, left-hand area 110, is arranged with the characters of the "A" row (a-ka-sa-ta-na-ha-ma-ya-ra-wa), which are representative characters of each row of the Japanese hiragana 50-sound chart, and the second area, right-hand area 120, is arranged with flick keys 122, 123, 124, 125, which function as conversion keys for converting the characters of the "A" row in the first area 110 to the "I" row, "U" row, "E" row, and "O" row, or as directional keys for changing directions up, down, left, and right, and a prediction key 121.

[0103] In the first area 110, the characters in the "a" row, "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ya, ra" are arranged in three rows and three columns, and the character "wa" in the "a" row is arranged adjacent to the character "ta" in the second row and one column. In other words, it is preferable to arrange the character "wa" on the left key of the character "ta."

[0104] Of course, the "wa" character can be placed at any position of the keys in the first area 110 adjacent to the key block consisting of three rows and three columns.

[0105] In the second area 120, a prediction key 121 is arranged along with flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 for converting the characters in the "a" row (a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa) in the first area 110 into the characters in the "i" row, "u" row, "e" row, and "o" row, or for changing the direction up, down, left, and right.

[0106] Also, as shown in FIG. 9, the space bar 127 of the keyboard of the second embodiment of the present invention can be assigned the function of a "kanji conversion key" to output a priority list of kanji corresponding to the input Japanese hiragana and move to the next kanji in the priority list.

[0107] The priority list of Chinese characters 250, as shown in FIG. 12, is a list of Chinese characters in which Chinese characters whose pronunciation matches the input Japanese hiragana are arranged in order of frequency of use.

[0108] Here, the flick key refers to a function key that generates a command for converting a quick horizontal or vertical movement of a finger up, down, left, or right into a key input.

[0109] When Japanese hiragana characters are input through the keyboard according to this embodiment and predictive text 210 as shown in FIG. 7 is output at the same time, the prediction key 121 converts the function of the flick key from a conversion key for converting the hiragana characters to up, down, left, right directional keys, or functions as a selection key for selecting a specific object in the predictive text 210, or as a decision key for confirming the selected object.

[0110] Here, the prediction text 210 refers to a list of various information (for example, Chinese characters, katakana characters, etc.) corresponding to the input hiragana characters, which is predicted and displayed through a separate interface.

[0111] 7 and 8 are diagrams showing a list of kanji candidates with the same pronunciation as the input hiragana (for example, "ni") in the information of the predictive text 210.

[0112] Therefore, when a specific hiragana character is input using the keyboard according to this embodiment, a predicted text 210 corresponding to the hiragana character is output. At this time, when the prediction key 121 is selected, the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 are converted from row change keys to direction keys, and function as direction keys for moving a cursor bar 211 for selecting an object on the predicted text 210 up, down, left, and right.

[0113] The prediction key 121 also functions as a confirmation key for selecting the first object from the object list on the predictive text 210 or for moving the cursor bar 211 with the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 to confirm the selected object.

[0114] The flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 according to the present invention are arranged on the left side of the prediction key 121, and are arranged as a "I" row conversion key (or

[0115]

number

[0116] key) 122, and the "u" row conversion key (or

[0117]

number

[0118] key) 123, and the "e" row conversion key (or

[0119]

number

[0120] key) 124, and the "o" row conversion key (or

[0121]

number

[0122] It is composed of 125 keys.

[0123] That is, with the prediction key 121 as the center, the "I" row conversion key (or

[0124]

number

[0125] key) 122, "U" row conversion key (or

[0126]

number

[0127] key) 123, "e" stage conversion key (or

[0128]

number

[0129] key) 124, "o" row conversion key (or

[0130]

number

[0131] Therefore, the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 are arranged in a cross (+) shape with the prediction key 121 at the center.

[0132] In the hiragana input mode, the "i" row conversion key 122 converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ra" in the first area 110 to "i" row characters "i, ki, shi, chi, ni, hi, mi, ri" or converts the "i" row characters "i, ki, shi, chi, ni, hi, mi, ri" to "i" row characters.

[0133]

number

[0134] key).

[0135] In the hiragana input mode, the "u" row conversion key 123 converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ya, ra" in the first area of ​​the first area 110 into "u" row characters "u, ku, su, tsu, nu, fu, mu, yu, ru" or converts the characters "u, ku, su, tsu, nu, fu, mu, yu, ru" into "u" row characters.

[0136]

number

[0137] key).

[0138] In the hiragana input mode, the "e" row conversion key 124 converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ra" in the first area 110 into "e" row characters "e, ke, se, te, ne, he, me, re" or converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ra" into "e" row characters "e, ke, se, te, ne, he, me, re" by using the right arrow key (

[0139]

number

[0140] key).

[0141] In the hiragana input mode, the "o" row conversion key 125 converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ya, ra, wa" in the first area 110 into "o" row characters "o, ko, so, to, no, ho, mo, yo, ro, wo" or converts them into "o" row characters "o, ko, so, to, no, ho, mo, yo, ro, wo" using the down arrow key (

[0142]

number

[0143] key).

[0144] For example, after selecting one of the characters (e.g., "sa") in the "a" row (a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa) in the first area 110, if the "e" row conversion key 124 is pressed, "se" will be selected and displayed on the display of the computer system 200.

[0145] The conversion of the "a" row characters (a ka sa ta na ha ma ya ra wa) to the "i" row, "u" row, "e" row, and "o" row is performed in accordance with the hiragana 50-sound chart in Figure 1. For example, when converting the "a" row characters (a ka sa ta na ha ma ya ra wa) to the "i" row, "a" is converted to "i", "ka" is converted to "ki", "sa" is converted to "shi", "ta" is converted to "chi", "na" is converted to "ni", "ha" is converted to "hi", "ma" is converted to "mi", and "ra" is converted to "ri".

[0146] The prediction key 121 is preferably located on the letter "k" key in the second area 120 of the keyboard of the computer system 200. In this case, it is preferable that the prediction key 121 displays the letter "k" and a "□" symbol representing the predictive text 210, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0147] 9 is preferably located on the space bar of the second area 120 of the keyboard of the computer system 200. In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, the Chinese character conversion key 127 is preferably accompanied by a pair of arrows symbolizing character conversion.

[0148] The "i" row conversion key 122 is preferably arranged on the left side of the alphabet "j" key adjacent to the prediction key 121. In this case, the "i" row conversion key 122 is provided with a direction symbol "

[0149]

number

[0150] It is preferable that " is shown together.

[0151] The "u" row conversion key 123 is preferably arranged on the alphabet "i" key above the prediction key 121. In this case, the "u" row conversion key 123 is provided with a direction symbol "

[0152]

number

[0153] It is preferable that " is shown together.

[0154] The "e" row conversion key 124 is preferably arranged on the English letter "l" key on the right side adjacent to the prediction key 121. In this case, the "e" row conversion key 124 is provided with a figure "

[0155]

number

[0156] It is preferable that " is shown together.

[0157] The "o" row conversion key 125 is preferably arranged on the alphabet "m" key below the prediction key 121. In this case, the "o" row conversion key 125 is provided with a figure "

[0158]

number

[0159] It is preferable that " is shown together.

[0160] In addition, the second area 120 may further include a voiced sound / lowercase key 126 that converts hiragana characters "ka, sa, ta, ha" into voiced sounds by adding a voiced mark (゛) or converts characters with lowercase letters into lowercase (small).

[0161] For example, the voiced consonant / lowercase key 126 is preferably located on the key adjacent to the cross-shaped flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125, and more preferably on the English letter "o" key, which is the key to the right of the "u" row conversion key 123. <Modification> FIG. 10 is a layout diagram of a key array for a part of the second area of ​​a keyboard according to another modification of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0162] The modified example of Fig. 10 also has basically the same key array arrangement as the second embodiment of Fig. 6. However, it is characterized in that the function of the "prediction key" is assigned to the space bar 121, and the function of the "kanji change key" is assigned to the specific key, the English letter "k" key 127. <Third Example> 11 is a layout diagram showing a key array of a computer keyboard according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. The computer keyboard shown in FIG. 11 can be similarly configured as a touch keyboard for a touch screen. That is, the key array configuration of the present invention, which will be described later, can of course be realized as a touch keyboard for a touch screen in the same form.

[0163] An example in which the key array according to this embodiment is implemented as a computer keyboard will now be described.

[0164] Referring to FIG. 11, a computer keyboard 100 is divided into a first area and a second area, preferably a first area or left hand area 110 and a second area or right hand area 120.

[0165] The first area, left-hand area 110, is arranged with the characters of the "A" row (a-ka-sa-ta-na-ha-ma-ya-ra-wa), which are representative characters of each row of the Japanese hiragana 50-sound chart, and the second area, right-hand area 120, is arranged with flick keys 122, 123, 124, 125, first conversion key 121, and second conversion key 126, which function as directional keys for converting the characters of the "A" row in first area 110 into the characters of the "I" row, "U" row, "E" row, and "O" row and / or for changing directions up, down, left, and right.

[0166] In the first area 110, the characters in the "a" row, "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ya, ra" are arranged in three rows and three columns, and the character "wa" in the "a" row is arranged adjacent to the character "ta" in the second row and one column. In other words, it is preferable to arrange the character "wa" on the left key of the character "ta."

[0167] Of course, the "wa" character can be placed at any position of the keys in the first area 110 adjacent to the key block consisting of three rows and three columns.

[0168] In the second area 120, a first conversion key 121 and a second conversion key 126 are arranged, along with flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 for converting the characters in the "a" row (a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa) in the first area 110 into the characters in the "i" row, "u" row, "e" row, and "o" row, or for changing the direction up, down, left, and right.

[0169] Here, the flick key refers to a function key that generates a command for converting a quick horizontal or vertical movement of a finger up, down, left, or right into a key input.

[0170] One of the first conversion key 121 and the second conversion key 126 performs the same function as the prediction key in the second embodiment described above, and the other performs the same function as the kanji conversion key in the second embodiment.

[0171] When Japanese hiragana characters are input through the keyboard according to this embodiment and predictive text (210 in FIG. 7) is output at the same time, the prediction keys convert the functions of the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 from conversion keys for changing the hiragana character row to up, down, left, and right direction keys, or function as selection keys for selecting a specific object from the predictive text (210 in FIG. 7), or as a decision key for confirming the selected object.

[0172] Here, the prediction text 210 means that various information (e.g., Chinese characters, katakana, etc.) corresponding to the input hiragana is predicted and listed in advance, and the information is displayed in order of relevance through a separate interface.

[0173] The Chinese character conversion key outputs a priority list (250 in FIG. 12) of Chinese characters corresponding to Japanese hiragana characters input through the keyboard according to this embodiment, and by repeatedly pressing the Chinese character conversion key, the cursor bar moves to the next Chinese character object.

[0174] The priority list of Chinese characters 250, as shown in FIG. 12, is a list of Chinese characters in which Chinese characters whose pronunciation matches the input Japanese hiragana are arranged in order of frequency of use.

[0175] In the keyboard according to this embodiment, predicted text 210 is automatically output as Japanese hiragana characters are input. When the prediction key is selected, the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 are converted into up, down, left, and right directional keys to select a specific object in the predicted text 210 or to issue a command to confirm the selected object. When the Chinese character conversion key is selected, the predicted text 210 disappears and, instead, the Chinese character priority list 250 shown in FIG. 12 is displayed as a new interface. Therefore, the user can select and input a desired Chinese character object by successively clicking the Chinese character conversion key. For example, FIG. 12 shows the state in which the second-ranked Chinese character is selected by successively clicking the Chinese character conversion key twice.

[0176] As described above, this embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the flick keys 123 to 125 are arranged in a "⊥" shape rather than a cross (+) shape. Also, the functions of a prediction key and a kanji conversion key are assigned to the specific keys 127 and the space bar 121 around the flick keys 123 to 125 arranged in a "⊥" shape.

[0177] The flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 according to this embodiment are arranged in a "⊥" shape similar to the up, down, left, and right direction keys of a conventional keyboard. That is, the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 have a "I" row conversion key (or

[0178]

number

[0179] key) 122, and the "u" row conversion key (or

[0180]

number

[0181] key) 123, and the "e" row conversion key (or

[0182]

number

[0183] key) 124, "O" stage conversion key in the center (or

[0184]

number

[0185] In other words, the "⊥" shape has a "o" stage conversion key (or

[0186]

number

[0187] key) 125, and the "o" row conversion key (or

[0188]

number

[0189] To the left of key 125 is the "I" row conversion key (or

[0190]

number

[0191] key) 122, and the "u" row conversion key (or

[0192]

number

[0193] key) 123, and the "e" row conversion key (or

[0194]

number

[0195] It is characterized by the placement of 124 keys.

[0196] In the hiragana input mode, the "i" row conversion key 122 converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ra" in the first area 110 to "i" row characters "i, ki, shi, chi, ni, hi, mi, ri" or converts the "i" row characters "i, ki, shi, chi, ni, hi, mi, ri" to "i" row characters.

[0197]

number

[0198] key).

[0199] In the hiragana input mode, the "u" row conversion key 123 converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ya, ra" in the first area of ​​the first area 110 into "u" row characters "u, ku, su, tsu, nu, fu, mu, yu, ru" or converts the characters "u, ku, su, tsu, nu, fu, mu, yu, ru" into "u" row characters.

[0200]

number

[0201] key).

[0202] In the hiragana input mode, the "e" row conversion key 124 converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ra" in the first area 110 into "e" row characters "e, ke, se, te, ne, he, me, re" or converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ra" into "e" row characters "e, ke, se, te, ne, he, me, re" by using the right arrow key (

[0203]

number

[0204] key).

[0205] In the hiragana input mode, the "o" row conversion key 125 converts the "a" row characters "a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ya, ra, wa" in the first area 110 into "o" row characters "o, ko, so, to, no, ho, mo, yo, ro, wo" or converts them into "o" row characters "o, ko, so, to, no, ho, mo, yo, ro, wo" using the down arrow key (

[0206]

number

[0207] key).

[0208] For example, after selecting one of the characters (e.g., "sa") in the "a" row (a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa) in the first area 110, if the "e" row conversion key 124 is pressed, "se" will be selected and displayed on the display of the computer system 200.

[0209] The conversion of the "a" row characters (a ka sa ta na ha ma ya ra wa) to the "i" row, "u" row, "e" row, and "o" row is performed in accordance with the hiragana 50-sound chart in Figure 1. For example, when converting the "a" row characters (a ka sa ta na ha ma ya ra wa) to the "i" row, "a" is converted to "i", "ka" is converted to "ki", "sa" is converted to "shi", "ta" is converted to "chi", "na" is converted to "ni", "ha" is converted to "hi", "ma" is converted to "mi", and "ra" is converted to "ri".

[0210] The first conversion key 121 is preferably located on the space bar of the keyboard of the computer system 200. The second conversion key 127 may be located on any one of the alphabet "m", "u", and "o" keys, which are adjacent to the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125. The second conversion key 127 is most preferably located on the alphabet "m" key in the second area 120 of the keyboard of the computer system 200, as shown in FIG.

[0211] One of the first conversion key 121 and the second conversion key 127 may function as a prediction key, and the other may function as a Chinese character conversion key. For example, the first conversion key 121 may be set as a prediction key and the second conversion key 127 as a Chinese character conversion key, or the first conversion key 121 may be set as a Chinese character conversion key and the second conversion key 127 as a prediction key.

[0212] At this time, as shown in FIG. 11, it is preferable that the prediction key is displayed with a "□" symbolizing the predictive text 210, and the kanji conversion key is displayed with a double arrow symbol.

[0213] The "i" row conversion key 122 is preferably arranged on the alphabet "j" key. In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, the "i" row conversion key 122 is provided with a direction symbol "

[0214]

number

[0215] It is preferable that " is shown together.

[0216] The "u" row conversion key 123 is preferably arranged on the alphabet "i" key. In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, the "u" row conversion key 123 has a direction symbol "

[0217]

number

[0218] It is preferable that " is shown together.

[0219] The "e" row change key 124 is preferably arranged on the English letter "l" key. In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, the "e" row change key 124 is provided with a direction symbol "

[0220]

number

[0221] It is preferable that " is shown together.

[0222] The "o" row conversion key 125 is preferably arranged on the alphabet "k" key. In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, the "o" row conversion key 125 has a direction symbol "

[0223]

number

[0224] It is preferable that " is shown together.

[0225] In addition, the second area 120 may further include a voiced sound / lowercase key 126 that converts hiragana characters "ka, sa, ta, ha" into voiced sounds by adding a voiced mark (゛) or converts characters with lowercase letters into lowercase (small).

[0226] For example, the voiced consonant / lowercase key 126 is preferably located on the key adjacent to the "⊥"-shaped flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125, and more preferably on the English letter "o" key, which is the key to the right of the "u" row conversion key 123. <First Modification> FIG. 13 is a layout diagram of a key array for a part of the second area of ​​a keyboard according to another first modified example of the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0227] The first modified example in Fig. 13 also has basically the same key array arrangement as the third embodiment in Fig. 11. However, it is characterized in that a delete key 126 is arranged on the English letter "o" key, which is the key to the right of the "u" row conversion key 123, adjacent to the "u" row conversion key 123, among the "⊥"-shaped flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125.

[0228] The delete key 126 is a key used to delete an input character, so that when inputting Japanese hiragana and deleting an incorrect character, the user does not have to move his / her finger far. <Second Modification> FIG. 14 is a layout diagram of a key array for a part of the second area of ​​a keyboard according to another second modified example of the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0229] The second modified example in Fig. 14 has basically the same key array arrangement as the third embodiment in Fig. 11. However, it is characterized in that a confirmation key 126 is arranged on the English letter "o" key, which is the key to the right of the "u" row conversion key 123, adjacent to the "u" row conversion key 123, among the "⊥"-shaped flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125.

[0230] In the third embodiment of the present invention, when Japanese hiragana characters are input through the keyboard and predictive text 210 is output at the same time, the prediction keys convert the functions of the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 from conversion keys for converting hiragana characters to up, down, left, and right direction keys, or function as selection keys for selecting a specific object in the predictive text, or as a decision key (or confirmation key) for confirming and inputting the selected object. However, in this modified example, the function of the decision key for confirming and inputting the selected object from the functions of the prediction keys is assigned to the separate confirmation key 126.

[0231] As a result, in this modified example, the first conversion key 121 and the second conversion key 127 only function to select characters from the predictive text 210 or the Chinese character priority list 250, and the final confirmation and input of the selected characters is performed through the confirmation key 126. <Third Modification> FIG. 15 is a layout diagram of a key array for a part of the second area of ​​a keyboard according to another third modified example of the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0232] The third modified example in Figure 15 is a partial modification of the second modified example in Figure 14 described above. That is, it has the same key array arrangement as the second modified example in Figure 14, but is characterized in that a delete key 128 for deleting an input character is assigned to the alphabet letter "p" key, which is the key adjacent to the right of the confirmation key 126. The first conversion key 121 is assigned as a prediction key, and the second conversion key 127 is assigned as a kanji conversion key. <Entering Japanese Hiragana> The process of inputting Japanese hiragana using the hiragana input mode of the keyboard according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 5, the keyboard according to the second embodiment (or its variant) of the present invention shown in Figure 6, and the keyboard according to the third embodiment (or its variant) of the present invention shown in Figure 11 is as follows.

[0233] First, the user places his / her left hand on the first area 110 of the keyboard 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention and his / her right hand on the second area 120, and selects one of the hiragana characters in the "a" row (a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ya, ra, wa) that he / she wishes to input using his / her left hand.

[0234] At this time, the characters in the "A" row (a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa) are arranged in three rows and three columns in the first area 110, so the desired character in the "A" row can be easily selected simply by moving the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger of the left hand up and down.

[0235] On the other hand, if the final hiragana to be input is not a character in the "a" row (akasatananahamayarawa), the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 are used to convert the "row" to the desired hiragana.

[0236] That is, after selecting one of the hiragana "a" row characters (akasatananahamayarawa) from the first area 110 using the left hand, one of the flick keys 122, 123, 124, 125 is selected using the right hand.

[0237] At this time, since the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 are arranged in the second area 120 in the shape of a cross (+) or a "⊥", the desired flick key 122, 123, 124, and 125 can be easily selected simply by moving the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger of the right hand up and down.

[0238] For example, the Japanese input method according to the present invention will be explained by taking an example in which the Japanese word "gakusei" is input using the keyboard 100 according to this embodiment. (Entering the Japanese character "ga") First, the user selects "ka" in the first area 110 using the left hand, and simultaneously selects the voiced consonant / lowercase key 126 in the second area 120 using the right hand. (Japanese "ku" input) The left hand is used to select "ka" in the first area 110, and the right hand is used to simultaneously select the "u" row conversion key 123 in the second area 120. (Japanese "se" input) The left hand is used to select "sa" in the first area 110, and the right hand is used to simultaneously select the "e" row conversion key 124 in the second area 120. (Japanese "i" input) The left hand is used to select "a" in the first area 110, and the right hand is used to simultaneously select the "i" row conversion key 122 in the second area 120. <Kanji conversion> The process of converting hiragana characters inputted using the keyboard according to the second embodiment (or its modification) of the present invention shown in Fig. 6 or the keyboard according to the third embodiment (or its modification) of the present invention shown in Fig. 11 into corresponding Chinese characters is as follows: Fig. 7 illustrates the case where the information object displayed through the predictive text 210 is a group of Chinese character candidates corresponding to the hiragana characters, but it goes without saying that the predictive text 210 according to the present invention can include all other predictable information (e.g., katakana characters, etc.) other than Chinese characters as prediction objects.

[0239] First, the user places his / her left hand on the first area 110 of the keyboard 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention and his / her right hand on the second area 120, and selects one of the hiragana characters in the "a" row (a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ya, ra, wa) that he / she wishes to input using his / her left hand.

[0240] At this time, the characters in the "A" row (a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa) are arranged in three rows and three columns in the first area 110, so the desired character in the "A" row can be easily selected simply by moving the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger of the left hand up and down.

[0241] On the other hand, if the final hiragana to be input is not a character in the "a" row (akasatananahamayarawa), the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 are used to convert the "row" to the desired hiragana.

[0242] That is, after selecting one of the hiragana "a" row characters (akasatananahamayarawa) from the first area 110 using the left hand, one of the flick keys 122, 123, 124, 125 is selected using the right hand.

[0243] At this time, since the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 are arranged in the second area 120 in the shape of a cross (+) or a "⊥", the desired flick key 122, 123, 124, and 125 can be easily selected simply by moving the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger of the right hand up and down.

[0244] For example, in the hiragana input mode of a keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention, the hiragana character "ni" is input by selecting the "na" key in the first area 110 using the left hand and selecting the "i" row conversion key 122 in the second area 120 using the right hand.

[0245] As a result, a group of kanji candidates with the same pronunciation as the input hiragana "ni" is output as predictive text 210 as shown in FIG.

[0246] At this time, when the prediction key 121 is selected, the cursor bar 211 is positioned at the first Chinese character "Japan" among the Chinese character candidate group on the prediction text 210, and at the same time, the flick keys 122, 123, 124, and 125 are converted into the up, down, left, and right direction keys.

[0247] At this time, if the Chinese character to be converted is the first candidate "Japan", the Chinese character to be input is determined as "Japan" by selecting the prediction key 121 again in the state where the cursor bar 211 is placed or by selecting a separate confirmation key 126.

[0248] On the other hand, if the Chinese character to be converted is not the first Chinese character where the cursor bar 211 is placed, as shown in FIG. 8, the cursor bar 211 is moved to the next Chinese character candidate group of the prediction text 210 by using the down key (

[0249]

Number

[0255] As described above, the key array for Japanese input according to the present invention allows the user to easily input not only all Japanese characters of the Hiragana syllabary but also Japanese characters such as voiced consonants, semi-voiced consonants, and lowercase letters, by simply moving the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger of the user's left and right hands up and down.

[0256] In addition, by introducing the flick key system to the younger generation who are accustomed to mobile environments such as smartphones, the usability of Japanese computer keyboards is being improved.

[0257] Furthermore, the present invention allows the user to easily input Japanese hiragana characters through a maximum of two selection steps: selecting one of "a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa" and selecting a flick key.

[0258] As described above, the present invention has been described using limited embodiments and drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that various modifications and variations can be made by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains within the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0259] The key array according to the present invention is preferably applied to computer keyboards, touch keyboards for touch screens, etc., but it can also be applied to conventional English keyboards by manufacturing it in the form of key skins, key caps, stickers, etc. using the same principle.

Claims

1. A key array for inputting Japanese into an input device of a computer system or an information and communication device, A first area in which the Japanese hiragana "a" row characters "a ka sa tana hama ya ra wa" are arranged; a second area in which flick keys are arranged to convert the characters of the "a" row, "a ka sa ta na hama ya ra wa," into the characters of the "i" row, "u" row, "e" row, and "o" row, A key array for inputting Japanese, wherein the first area is a left hand area where the user's left hand is placed, and the second area is a right hand area where the user's right hand is placed, and Japanese is input using both the user's left and right hands.

2. 2. A key array for Japanese input as described in claim 1, wherein the flick keys are arranged in a cross shape with the "i" row conversion key, the "u" row conversion key, the "e" row conversion key, and the "o" row conversion key arranged in that order clockwise around the specific key in the second area.

3. 3. The key array for inputting Japanese language according to claim 2, wherein the specific key is arranged on the English letter "k" key in the second area.

4. 4. A key array for inputting Japanese as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first area is arranged in the order of "a, ka, sa", "ta, na, ha", and "ma, ya, ra" in three rows and three columns, and "wa" is arranged on the left key adjacent to "ta" in the second row and first column.

5. 5. A key array for inputting Japanese as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second area further includes a voiced sound / lowercase key for converting hiragana characters "ka, sa, ta, ha" into voiced sounds by adding a voiced mark (゛) or converting characters with lowercase letters into lowercase (small).

6. The "I" row conversion key is disposed on the left key adjacent to the specific key, The "u" row conversion key is located on the upper key adjacent to the specific key, the "e" row conversion key is located on the right key adjacent to the specific key, 6. The key array for inputting Japanese language according to claim 5, wherein the "o" row conversion key is arranged on a lower key adjacent to the specific key.

7. 7. The key array for inputting Japanese language characters according to claim 6, wherein the voiced sound / lowercase letter key is arranged on the right side of the cross-shaped flick key, adjacent to the "u" row conversion key.

8. a prediction key for converting the flick key into up / down / left / right direction keys or selecting a specific object from the predicted text when a predictive text is output, the predictive text arranging a plurality of information objects corresponding to the input Japanese hiragana characters in order of relevance; 8. The key array for Japanese input according to claim 7, further comprising: a kanji conversion key for outputting a priority list of kanji corresponding to an input Japanese hiragana character, and for selecting a kanji character from the priority list of kanji characters.

9. placing the predicted key at the particular key; 9. The key array for inputting Japanese language according to claim 8, wherein the kanji conversion key is located on the space bar.

10. placing the prediction key on the space bar; 9. The key array for inputting Japanese language according to claim 8, wherein the kanji conversion key is arranged on the specific key.

11. the flick keys are arranged in the second area in a "⊥" shape, 2. A key array for inputting Japanese as described in claim 1, wherein an "o" row conversion key is located in the center of the "⊥" shape, an "i" row conversion key is located to the left of the "o" row conversion key, an "u" row conversion key is located above, and an "e" row conversion key is located to the right.

12. The "i" row conversion key is located on the English letter "j" key, The "u" row conversion key is located on the English letter "i" key, The "e" row conversion key is located on the English letter "l" key, 12. The key array for inputting Japanese language according to claim 11, wherein the "o" row conversion key is located on the English letter "k" key.

13. 13. A key array for inputting Japanese as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first area is arranged in the order of "a, ka, sa", "ta, na, ha", and "ma, ya, ra" in three rows and three columns, and "wa" is arranged on the left key adjacent to "ta" in the second row and first column.

14. 13. The key array for Japanese input according to claim 12, wherein the second area further includes a voiced sound / lowercase key for converting hiragana characters "ka, sa, ta, ha" into voiced sounds by adding a voiced mark (゛) or converting characters with lowercase letters into lowercase (small).

15. a prediction key for converting the flick key into up / down / left / right direction keys or selecting a specific object from the predicted text when a predictive text is output, the predictive text arranging a plurality of information objects corresponding to the input Japanese hiragana characters in order of relevance; 15. The key array for Japanese input according to claim 14, further comprising: a kanji conversion key for outputting a priority list of kanji corresponding to an input Japanese hiragana character, and for selecting a kanji from the priority list of kanji characters.

16. 16. The key array for inputting Japanese language according to claim 15, wherein the prediction key or the kanji conversion key is arranged on a peripheral key adjacent to the flick key.

17. placing the prediction key on the space bar; 17. The key array for inputting Japanese language according to claim 16, wherein the kanji conversion key is arranged on one of the surrounding keys adjacent to the flick key.

18. Place the Kanji conversion key on the space bar, 17. The key array for inputting Japanese language according to claim 16, wherein the prediction key is arranged on one of the surrounding keys adjacent to the flick key.

19. 17. The key array for inputting Japanese language according to claim 16, wherein a delete key for deleting an input character is arranged on one of the keys adjacent to the flick key.

20. 17. The key array for inputting Japanese as claimed in claim 16, wherein a confirmation key for confirming and inputting an object selected from the predictive text is disposed on one of the surrounding keys adjacent to the flick key.

21. 17. The key array for inputting Japanese language characters according to claim 16, wherein a delete key for canceling input of an input Japanese hiragana character is arranged on any one of the surrounding keys adjacent to the flick key.

22. 15. The key array for inputting Japanese language characters according to claim 14, wherein the voiced sound / lowercase key is arranged on the English letter "o" key, which is the key adjacent to the "u" row conversion key on the right side.

23. In a keyboard as an input device for a computer system, a first area on which the user's left hand is placed; a second area for the user's right hand to rest on; A computer keyboard having the key array according to any one of claims 1 to 22 arranged in the first area or the second area.

24. 24. The computer keyboard according to claim 23, wherein when the voiced sound / lowercase key is pressed twice in succession, it functions as a semi-voiced sound key that converts a voiced sound into a semi-voiced sound.

25. A touch keyboard for a touch screen, comprising a key array according to any one of claims 1 to 22.

26. 26. The touchscreen touch keyboard of claim 25, wherein the first area is located in a left-hand area of ​​a character key and the second area is located in a right-hand area of ​​a character key.

27. 27. The touch keyboard of the touch screen of claim 26, wherein when the voiced sound / lowercase key is pressed twice in succession, it functions as a semi-voiced sound key that converts a voiced sound into a semi-voiced sound.

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