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US 6,191,709 B1Granted
Keyboard with separated keyboard frames and portable computer having the same
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorHwan-Cheol Cho
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A keyboard with a simplified structure, which is connected to a main computer having a microcomputer in which a key map is stored therein and which generates first and second scanning signals via respective scan input lines and receives first or second scanning codes via respective scan output lines upon a key on the keyboard being operated. The keyboard includes first and second keyboard frames separated from each other, and a first key matrix assigned to the first keyboard frame and disposed adjacent thereto, for generating the first scanning code in response to the first scanning signal, and a second key matrix assigned to the second keyboard frame and disposed adjacent thereto, for generating the second scanning code in response to the second scanning signal.
Claims13
A keyboard of a main computer, comprising:
- first and second keyboard frames of said keyboard separated from each other, said keyboard connected to a main computer having a microcomputer performing data processing functions of the main computer, the microcomputer having a key map being implemented therein and generating first and second scanning signals via respective scan output lines and receiving one of first or second return address signals via respective scan input lines upon a key on said keyboard being operated;
- a first key matrix assigned to said first keyboard frame and disposed adjacent to said first keyboard frame, said first key matrix generating said first return address signal on the first scan input line in response to said first scanning signal on the first scan output line;
- and
- a second key matrix assigned to said second keyboard frame and disposed adjacent to said second keyboard frame, said second key matrix generating said second return address signal on the scan input line in response to said second scanning signal on the scan output line.
1 more element
A computer system, comprising:
- a main body performing a data processing function;
- a keyboard receiving a key input signal;
- a microcomputer being contained within said main body, said microcomputer implementing a key map and generating first and second scanning signals via respective scan output lines and receiving one of first or second return address signals via respective scan input lines upon a key on said keyboard being operated, said microcomputer performing the data processing function;
- and
- said keyboard comprising:
- a first keyboard frame and a second keyboard frame separated from each other;
- and
- a first key matrix and a second key matrix respectively assigned to said first and second keyboard frames and respectively disposed adjacent thereto, said first key matrix and second key matrix respectively generating said first and second return address signals in response to said first and second scanning signals.
5 more elements
A keyboard of a main computer, comprising:
- first through N keyboard frames of said keyboard separated from each other, said keyboard connected to a main computer having a microcomputer performing data processing functions of the main computer, the microcomputer having a key map being implemented therein and generating first through N scanning signals via respective scan output lines and receiving one of first through N return address signals via respective scan input lines upon a key on said keyboard being operated, being a positive integer greater than 1;
- and
- first through N key matrices respectively assigned to said first through N keyboard frames and respectively disposed adjacent to said first through N keyboard frames, said first N key matrices generating said first through N return address signals in response to said first through N scanning signals.
A computer system comprising:
- a main body performing a data processing function;
- a keyboard receiving a key input signal;
- a microcomputer being contained within said main body, said microcomputer implementing a key map and generating first through N scanning signals via respective scan output lines and receiving one of first through N return address signals via respective scan input lines upon a key on said keyboard being operated, N being an integer greater than 1, said microcomputer performing the data processing function of the main body;
- and
- said keyboard comprising:
- first through N keyboard frames separated from each other;
- and
- first through N key matrices respectively assigned to said first through N keyboard frames and respectively disposed adjacent to said first through N keyboard frames, said first through N key matrices respectively generating said first through N return address signals in response to said first through N scanning signals.
5 more elements
A method, comprising the steps of:
- providing the first scanning signal output by a microcomputer to a first key matrix of a keyboard through a scan output line connected therewith, the keyboard connected to the main computer having the microcomputer having first and second key maps and a combined key map being stored therein and generating first and second scanning signals and receiving one of the first and second scanning signals upon a key on said keyboard being operated, the keyboard having first and second separated keyboard frames and first and second key matrices connected to the microcomputer through scan input and output lines, the first and second key matrices respectively disposed corresponding to the first and second keyboard frames, said microcomputer also performing data processing functions of the main computer;
- checking the presence of the first scanning signal on a scan input line connected to the first key matrix;
- determining first key map information concerning a key on the first key matrix being operated using the first key map;
- providing the second scanning signal output by the microcomputer to the second key matrix through a scan output line connected therewith;
- checking for the presence of the second scanning signal on the scan input line connected to the second key matrix;
- determining second key map information concerning a key on the second key matrix being operated using the second key map;
- converting the first and second key map information into a scanning code of the key being operated using the combined key map;
- and
- outputting scanning code to the main computer.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.