Key input apparatus and method

Abstract

A key input apparatus and method includes a first key input unit, when any one of a plurality of keys of a first group is pressed, to output first data corresponding to the pressed key, a second key input unit, when any one of a plurality of keys of a second group is pressed, to output second data corresponding to the pressed key, and a key code generator to assign the first data and the second data to a certain row number and a certain column number, respectively, of a matrix and to generate a different key code corresponding to the row number and the column number of the matrix according to an order in which the first data and the second data are output, wherein the keys of the first group are different from the keys of the second group.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the present general inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional key input circuit using a matrix scheme;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a key input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a key input apparatus according to another embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram illustrating a key input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a key input apparatus according to another embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a portable device to which the key input apparatus of FIG. 3 is applied, according to an embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a portable device to which the key input apparatus of FIG. 5 is applied, according to an embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a key input method according to an embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a key input method according to another embodiment of the present general inventive concept; and

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a key input method according to another embodiment of the present general inventive concept.

Claims

1. A key input apparatus comprising: a first key input unit, when any one of a plurality of keys of a first group is pressed, to output first data corresponding to the pressed key of the first group;a second key input unit, when any one of a plurality of keys of a second group is pressed, to output second data corresponding to the pressed key of the second group; anda key code generator to assign the first data and the second data to a certain row number and a certain column number, respectively, of a matrix, and to generate a different key code corresponding to the row number and the column number of the matrix according to the order in which the first data and the second data are output,wherein the keys of the first group are different from the keys of the second group.

2. The key input apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an adviser to generate key codes to be combined using the output first data; anda display unit to visually display the key codes generated by the adviser.

3. The key input apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a first table to store data corresponding to a plurality of digital voltages,wherein the first key input unit comprises: a first voltage generator to generate a first voltage corresponding to the pressed key of the first group; anda first output unit to convert the generated first voltage to a digital voltage, to search the first table for data corresponding to the converted digital voltage, and to output the searched data corresponding to the converted digital voltage as the first data.

4. The key input apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first voltage generator comprises a voltage divider having a plurality of resistors connected to the keys of the first group to output the different voltage according to the pressed key using voltage division.

5. The key input apparatus of claim 3, further comprising: a second table to store data corresponding to a plurality of digital voltages,wherein the second key input unit comprises: a second voltage generator to generate a second voltage corresponding to the pressed key of the second group; anda second output unit to convert the generated second voltage to a digital voltage, to search the second table for data corresponding to the converted digital voltage, and to output the searched data corresponding to the converted digital voltage as the second data.

6. The key input apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second voltage generator comprises a second voltage divider having a plurality of second resistors connected to the keys of the second group to output a different voltage according to the pressed key using second voltage division.

7. The key input apparatus of claim 1, wherein the key code generator does not generate the key code but initialize the first and second data if any one of the first data and the second data is output after a predetermined time passes after any one of the first data and the second data is output.

8. A key input apparatus comprising: a first key input unit, when any one of a plurality of keys of a first group is pressed, to output first data corresponding to the pressed key of the first group;a second key input unit, when any one of a plurality of keys of a second group is pressed, to output second data corresponding to the pressed key of the second group;a third key input unit, when any one of a plurality of keys of a third group is pressed, to output third data corresponding to the pressed key of the third group; anda key code generator to assign the first data, the second data, and the third data to a certain x-axis number, a certain y-axis number, and a certain z-axis number, respectively, of a matrix, and to generate a key code corresponding to the x-axis number, the y-axis number, and the z-axis number of the matrix,wherein the keys of the first group, the keys of the second group, and the keys of the third group are different from each other.

9. The key input apparatus of claim 8, wherein the key code generator generates a different key code corresponding to the x-axis number, the y-axis number, and the z-axis number of the matrix according to an order in which the first data, the second data, and the third data are output.

10. The key input apparatus of claim 8, wherein the key code generator does not generate the key code but initialize the first and second data if any one of the first data, the second data, and the third data is output after a predetermined time passes after any one of the first data, the second data, and the third data is output.

11. A key input method comprising: when any one of a plurality of keys of a first group is pressed, outputting first data corresponding to the pressed key of the first group using voltage division, and when any one of a plurality of keys of a second group is pressed, outputting second data corresponding to the pressed key of the second group using voltage division; andassigning the first data and the second data to a certain row number and a certain column number, respectively, of a matrix, and generating a key code corresponding to the row number and the column number of the matrix according to an order in which the first data and the second data are output,wherein the keys of the first group are different from the keys of the second group.

12. The key input method of claim 11, wherein the outputting of the first data comprises: generating key codes to be combined into the key code using the output first data; andvisually displaying the generated key codes.

13. The key input method of claim 11, wherein the generating of the key code corresponding to the row number and the column number of the matrix comprises preventing the generation of the key code if any one of the first data and the second data is output after a predetermined time passes after any one of the first data and the second data is output, and performing initialization of the first and second data.

14. A key input method comprising: when any one of a plurality of keys of a first group is pressed, outputting first data corresponding to the pressed key using voltage division, and when any one of a plurality of keys of a second group is pressed, outputting second data corresponding to the pressed key using voltage division, and when any one of a plurality of keys of a third group is pressed, outputting third data corresponding to the pressed key using voltage division; andassigning the first data, the second data, and the third data to a certain x-axis number, a certain y-axis number, and a certain z-axis number, respectively, of a matrix, and generating a key code corresponding to the x-axis number, the y-axis number, and the z-axis number of the matrix,wherein the keys of the first group, the keys of the second group, and the keys of the third group are different from each other.

15. The key input method of claim 14, wherein the generating of the key code corresponding to the x-axis number, the y-axis number, and the z-axis number of the matrix comprises preventing the generation of the key code if any one of the first data, the second data, and the third data is output after a predetermined time passes after any one of the first data, the second data, and the third data is output, and performing initialization of the first and second data.

16. A key input apparatus comprising: a first key input unit having a first group of keys;a second key input unit having a second group of keys; anda key code generator to generate a key code corresponding to a combination of one of the first group of keys and one of the second group of keys.

17. The key input apparatus of claim 16, wherein the key code generator generates a plurality of key codes including the key code to correspond to combinations of the respective first group keys and the respective second group keys.

18. The key input apparatus of claim 17, further comprising: a display,wherein the plurality of key codes are displayed on the display when at least one of the first group keys and the second group keys is selected.

19. The key input apparatus of claim 17, further comprising: a display,wherein the plurality of key codes comprises a first plurality of key codes and a second plurality of key codes, and the display displays the first plurality of key codes when one of the first group keys is selected before the second group keys and displays the second plurality of key codes when one of the second group keys is selected before the first group keys.

20. The key input apparatus of claim 17, wherein the display displays a table representing the plurality of key codes.

21. The key input apparatus of claim 20, wherein the display highlights the key code among the plurality of key codes in the table.

22. The key input apparatus of claim 16, wherein the key code generator generates another key code according to an order of the ones of the first group keys and the second group keys.

23. The key input apparatus of claim 22, wherein the order comprises a first order when the one of the first group keys is selected before the one of the second group keys, and a second order when the one of the second group keys is selected before the one of the first group keys, and the key code generator generates the key code according to the first order, and the another key code according to the second order.

24. The key input apparatus of claim 16, wherein the key code generator generates the key code according to an order of the ones of the first and second groups.

25. The key input apparatus of claim 16, wherein the key code generator generates the key code when the ones of the first group keys and the second group keys are selected within a predetermined period of time.

26. The key input apparatus of claim 16, wherein the key code generator does not generate the key code when the ones of the first group keys and the second group keys are not selected within a predetermined period of time.

27. The key input apparatus of claim 16, wherein the key code generator generates a new key code according to a new combination of one of the first group keys and one of the second group keys when the ones of the first group keys and the second group keys are not selected within a predetermined period of time.

28. The key input apparatus of claim 16, wherein the number of the first group keys is the same as the number of the second group keys.

29. The key input apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first group keys are different from the second group keys.

30. A portable device comprising: a body;a display device disposed on the body; anda key input apparatus disposed on the body, and having a first key input unit having a first group of keys, a second key input unit having a second group of keys, and a key code generator to generate a key code corresponding to a combination of one of the first group of keys and one of the second group of keys according to an order of the ones of the first group keys and the second group keys.

31. The portable device of claim 30, wherein the first key input unit and the second key input unit are spaced-apart from each other and disposed within a distance where two fingers of a user can reach corresponding ones of the first key input unit and the second key input unit.

32. The portable device of claim 30, wherein the two fingers comprise a thumb and an index finger of the user.

33. The portable device of claim 30, wherein the two fingers comprise a finger of one hand and a finger of the other hand of the user.

34. The portable device of claim 30, wherein the first key input unit is disposed on a first position of the body and the second key input unit is disposed on a second position of the body.

35. The portable device of claim 34, wherein the first position and the second position are disposed within a distance where two fingers of a user can reach the respective first and second key input unit.

36. The portable device of claim 34, wherein the display is disposed between the first position and the second position.

37. The portable device of claim 30, wherein the body comprises a first side and a second side different from the first side, and the first key input init is disposed on the first side of the body and the second key input unit is disposed on the second side of the body.

38. The portable device of claim 37, wherein the display is disposed on one of the first and second sides of the body.

39. The portable device of claim 30, wherein the key code generator generates a plurality of key codes including the key code to correspond to combinations of the respective first group keys and the respective second group keys, and the display displays the generated plurality of key codes.

40. The portable device of claim 30, wherein the body comprises a function unit to perform an operation of the generated key code.

41. A computer readable recording medium containing computer readable codes to perform a key input method, the key input method comprising: generating a key code corresponding to a combination of one of a first key input unit having a first group of keys and one of a second key input unit having a second group of keys according to an order of the ones of the first key input unit and the second key input unit.