US 5,706,030 A · Compact data input device having transparent touch panel

Abstract

Disclosed is the tape printer 1 constructed from the main body 2 shaped nearly a rectangular parallelpiped having a front face slightly inclined rearward and the input part 3 shaped like as a flat plate which is extended from a front bottom of the main body 2. On the front face of the main body 2, the liquid crystal display 5 is arranged. In the input part 3, the plate 7, on which the keyboard pattern is printed, is movably arranged under the transparent touch panel 10. The position of the plate 7 is detected based on combinations of ON state and OFF state of the first position sensor 131 and the second position sensor 132. When it is detected by the sensors 131,132 that the plate 7 is positioned under the transparent touch panel 10, the character data is input by using the positional data output from the transparent touch panel 10 through the input pen 6. When it is detected by the sensors 131, 132 that the plate is positioned substantially out of the transparent touch panel 10, the figure data is input by using the positional data output from the transparent touch panel 10 through the input pen 6.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A compact data input device having a transparent touch panel outputting positional data in accordance with a position depressed by an input pen on a figure input area of the transparent touch panel and a plurality of data change programs including at least a figure input program and a keyboard input program, the positional data output from the transparent touch panel being changed into character data or figure data based on the data change programs, the data input device comprising:

an input plate with a keyboard pattern thereon, the input plate being movably arranged under the transparent touch panel;
detection means for detecting a first position where the input plate is positioned under the transparent touch panel and a second position where the input plate is positioned substantially out of the transparent touch panel;
and
selection means for selecting one of the data change programs based on the first position or the second position detected by the detection means;
wherein the selection means selects the keyboard input program when the first position is detected by the detection means and selects the figure input program when the second position is detected by the detection means, and
wherein a figure input is conducted through the figure input area formed on the transparent touch panel when the figure input program is selected by the selection means and the keyboard pattern of the input plate is arranged below the figure input area of the transparent touch panel and a keyboard input is conducted through the keyboard pattern when the keyboard input program is selected by the selection means.

3 more elements

A tape printer having a transparent touch panel outputting positional data in accordance with a position depressed by an input pen on a figure input area of the transparent touch panel and a plurality of data change programs including at least a figure input program and a keyboard input program, the positional data output from the transparent touch panel being changed into character data or figure data based on the data change programs, the data input device comprising:

display means for displaying the character data and the figure data thereon;
print means for printing on a tape the character data and the figure data displayed on the display means;
control means for controlling both the display means and the print means;
an input plate with a keyboard pattern thereon, the input plate being movably arranged under the transparent touch panel;
detection means for detecting a first position where the input plate is positioned under the transparent touch panel and a second position where the input plate is positioned substantially out of the transparent touch panel;
and
selection means for selecting one of the data change programs based on the first position or the second position detected by the detection means;
wherein the selection means selects the keyboard input program when the first position is detected by the detection means and selects the figure input program when the second position is detected by the detection means,
wherein a figure input is conducted through the figure input area formed on the transparent touch panel when the figure input program is selected by the selection means and the keyboard pattern of the input plate is arranged below the figure input area of the transparent touch panel and a keyboard input is conducted through the keyboard pattern when the keyboard input program is selected by the selection means, and
wherein the control means controls both the display means and the print means so that the character data is displayed and printed under control by the keyboard input program and so that the figure is displayed and printed under control by the figure input program.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Compact data input device having transparent touch panel

Life of this patent

Compact data input device having transparent touch panel

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21