Description

APPARATUS FOR INPUTTING DATA HAVING DISPLAYER

FOR PICTURE

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a data input apparatus and, more particularly, to a data input apparatus having an image display unit established in an input switch that displays various information by a single input switch and controls a plurality of image display units by a single driver IC, thus inputting data efficiently.

[2]

Background Art

[3] In general, data input devices for inputting information such as a keyboard, switch, etc. are included in a computer, game player, etc. Such data input devices generally comprise a keyboard and a microprocessor mounted in the keyboard. If a user presses a keyboard button, a corresponding code is generated and then the microprocessor recognizes and converts the code into a scan code to be transmitted to a central processing unit of a computer.

[4] Moreover, as characters such as Hangul, English alphabet, symbols, etc. are printed on the keyboard buttons, the user can input data by selecting desired language or symbol.

[5] However, such conventional data input devices have a drawback in that, if more than two languages are to be displayed, the more than two languages should be printed on a single keyboard having a limited space so that the user can input data by selecting the characters.

[6]

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[7] The present invention has been contrived to solve the above-described drawback, and an object of the present invention is to provide a data input apparatus having an image display unit such as an LCD, organic EL display, etc. so as to display various languages and symbols by a set of keyboard.

[8] Moreover, another object of the present invention is to provide a data input apparatus that controls a plurality of image display units included in a keyboard by means of less than five driver ICs, thus reducing the manufacturing cost and facilitating the use.

[9]

Technical Solution

[10] To accomplish the object of the present invention, there is provided a data input apparatus comprising: a case; a plurality of input switches arranged in the case to input information; an image display unit included in the input switch to display characters, symbols and images; and a control unit connected to the input switches and the image display units to process information.

[H]

Advantageous Effects

[12] The data input apparatus including an image display unit established on a keyboard in accordance with the present invention has an advantage in that it is possible to selectively display various characters, symbols and images by a single input switch.

[13] Moreover, the data input apparatus in accordance with the present invention has another advantage in that it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost by controlling a plurality of input switches using a single driver IC.

[14]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[15] Fig. 1 is a perspective view depicting a data input apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[16] Fig. 2 is a diagram depicting a structure of an input switch of the data input apparatus depicted in Fig. 1 ; and

[17] Fig. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a connection relation between respective input switches and a driver IC of the data input apparatus depicted in Fig. 1.

[18]

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[19] As depicted in Figs. 1 and 2, the data input apparatus proposed by the present invention comprises a case 1, a plurality of input switches 5 arranged in the case 1 to input information, an image display unit L included in the input switch 5 to display an image, and a control unit 7 connected to the input switches 5 and the image display units L.

[20]

Mode for the Invention

[21] Hereinafter, the data input apparatus in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[22] In the data input apparatus having the above-described structure, the case 1 will be described with reference to a computer keyboard; however, the present invention is not limited thereto, but can be applied to a game device, for example.

[23] The input switch 5 as depicted in Fig. 2 can be arranged plurally in the case 1 so as

to input information. Such input switch 5 has the same structure as the computer keyboard generally known in the art. [24] That is, if a user presses the input switch 5, a scan signal is transmitted through a contact switch 15 to the control unit 7 so that the control unit 7 recognizes the scan signal. [25] At this time, the input switch 5 pressed can be recognized by the contact switch 15 as well as by a sensor. That is, a photo-sensor, not depicted, may be established in the input switch 5 to detect the input switch 5 pressed. [26] The input switch 5 is connected through a wiring 13 to a bus line 17, thus transmitting information to the control unit 7. [27] Moreover, the image display unit L included in the input switch 5 includes a TFT or

STN liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electroluminescent (EL) display. Accordingly, the image display unit L displays an appropriate image by a signal input from the control 7 so that the user can recognize the same. [28] That is, it is possible to display Hangul, English alphabet, Japanese, Chinese, and the other characters on the image display unit L. [29] Accordingly, it is possible to use the data input apparatus as a dedicated keyboard for Hangul, English, Japanese and Chinese characters, respectively, or by mixing such characters with each other, if necessary. [30] Moreover, if the data input apparatus of the present invention is applied to a game device, for example, it can be used as a switch for playing a game by displaying arrows, characters, etc. on the image display unit L. [31] Like this, with the signals input from the control unit 7, the images can be displayed on the image display unit L in each of the input switches 5. [32] As depicted in Figs. 2 and 3, a plurality of data lines Dl to Dn and a plurality of gates Gl to Gn are arranged in the image display units L of the respective input switches 5, and such data line Dl to Dn and gates Gl to Gn are connected to a driver

IC 3 included in the control unit 7 by the bus line 17. [33] The driver IC 3 is coupled to the respective input switches 5 through a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 9. [34] Accordingly, if the respective input switches 5 are pressed, input signals may be transmitted to the driver IC 3 through the data lines Dl to Dn and the gates Gl to Gn.

On the contrary, signals stored in the driver IC 3 may be transmitted to the respective input switches 5 through the gates Gl to Gn and the data lines Dl to Dn. [35] The image display unit L is composed of an appropriate number of pixels. Accordingly, the numbers of the data lines Dl to Dn and the gates Gl to Gn are increased or decreased and the total number of pixels is determined according to the number of pixels arranged in each of the image display unit L.

[36] That is, if the number of pixels of a first image display unit Ll 1 is 30*30, and if the input switches 5 are arranged twelve in horizontal direction and four in vertical direction, the number of pixels in the horizontal direction becomes 30*12 (360) and the number of pixels in the vertical direction is 30*4 (120).

[37] As a result, the respective input switches 5 driven by one driver IC 3 have the same effect as an LCD screen having 360*120 pixels.

[38] In the above description, the driver IC is limited to one; however, the present invention is not limited thereto, but includes less than five driver ICs.

[39] Moreover, according to the number of pixels of the respective image display units

L, the numbers of the data lines Dl to Dn and the gates Gl to Gn are increased or decreased. Furthermore, such data line Dl to Dn and gates Gl to Gn are connected to the driver IC 3 by the bus line 17.

[40] Consequently, as the plural input switches 5 are connected to the single driver IC 3, it is possible to readily control the whole input switches 5 using the single driver IC 3.

[41] It is possible to display information on predetermined languages such as Hangul,

English, Japanese, Chinese, and the like through the input switches 5, if necessary, by storing such languages in the driver IC 3.

[42] Of course, it is further possible to display information such as symbols, characters for game, etc. through the input switches 5 by storing such information in the driver IC 3.

[43] Moreover, it is also possible to store moving picture information, i.e., video signals, in the driver IC 3. As such, if the driver IC 3 transmits the moving picture information to the respective input switches 3, an image can be displayed on the plural input switches 5, respectively, so that the whole keyboard forms a screen to display the moving picture.

[44] Meanwhile, the driver IC 3 uses files in a compressed form when exchanging information with the central processing unit of the computer main body. That is, if transmitting character information or image information from the driver IC 3 to the central processing unit, such information is transmitted as a compressed file in the form of LVDS or RSDS. Accordingly, it is possible to readily transmit a great deal of information for a short time.

[45] As described above, it is possible to readily input information by controlling a plurality of input switches 5 by means of a single driver IC 3.

[46]

Industrial Applicability

[47] The data input apparatus having an image display unit established on a keyboard in accordance with the present invention can selectively display various characters,

symbols and images through a single input switch and control a plurality of input switches by means of a single driver IC, thus reducing the manufacturing cost.

[48] As above, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated, however, the present invention is not limited thereto, rather, it should be understood that various modifications and variations of the present invention can be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the technical scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

[49]