The present invention relates to a high-reliability vehicle mounted device control apparatus (1) capable of making a decision about functions of switch units (4A-4G) with a simple structure and at a high processing speed and a low cost. Each of the switch units (4A-4G) comprises a circuit substrate having a required circuit pattern formed to include a plurality of pairs of short-circuiting possible land (L1-L3) portions, and a switch (4A-4G) mounted on the circuit substrate so that any one of the plurality of pairs of land portions (L1-L3) are short-circuited selectively to set a switching function inherent to that switch unit (4A-4G). Any one selected from the switch units (4A-4G) is mounted in one of the unit mounting sections (3A-3G), and the switch (SW1-SW7) of that switch unit (4A-4G) is turned on. A switch unit decision section constituting a control section (6) detects the land portions (L1-L3) short-circuited to automatically make a decision about the kind of a switching function of the mounted switch unit (4A-4G).

Eine Eingabetastenanordnung für ein elektronisches oder elektrisches Gerät (12) umfaßt wenigstens eine Taste (2,3,4,6,7,8,11), die zwischen einer Ruhestellung und einer Betätigungsstellung bewegbar ist, einen durch Bewegen der Taste zwischen einem geschlossenen und einem offenen Zustand umschaltbaren Schaltkontakt und eine Verwaltungsschaltung (13,14,15) zum Überwachen von Bewegungen der Taste und zum Ausgeben eines die Ergebnisse der Überwachung anzeigenden Ergebnissignals an das elektronische oder elektrische Gerät (12). Die Verwaltungsschaltung liefert kein solches Ergebnissignal, solange der Zustand des Schaltkontakts unverändert bleibt oder von seinem der betätigten Taste zugeordneten Zustand in den der unbetätigten Taste zugeordneten Zustand übergeht. Ein solches Signal wird nur geliefert, wenn der Schaltkontakt von seinein der unbetätigten Taste zugeordneten Zustand in den der betätigten Taste zugeordneten Zustand übergeht.

The present invention relates to a high-reliability vehicle mounted device control apparatus capable of making a decision about functions of switch units with a simple structure and at a high processing speed and a low cost. Each of the switch units comprises a circuit substrate having a required circuit pattern formed to include a plurality of pairs of short-circuiting possible land portions, and a switch mounted on the circuit substrate so that any one of the plurality of pairs of land portions are short-circuited selectively to set a switching function inherent to that switch unit. Any one selected from the switch units is mounted in one of the unit mounting sections, and the switch of that switch unit is turned on. A switch unit decision section constituting a control section detects the land portions short-circuited to automatically make a decision about the kind of a switching function of the mounted switch unit.

In a keyboard arrangement and method for identifying a pressed key according to the present invention, conductor lines (4', 6') at each key (B), which may be connected together, are connected to a ground plane (24, 23, 27) as a response to a pressing (P) of a key. The pressed key (B) is identified by detecting the conductor lines that are connected to the ground plane. All the conductor lines may be connected as pulled-up inputs of a detector circuit, and any conductor line or combination of conductor lines may be used to identify a key. A noticeably greater number of keys may be simply identified with the same number of conductor lines than is possible in a solution according to the prior art. In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the means for connecting the conductor lines (4', 5', 6', 7') to the ground plane (27) is a conductive plate (23), which essentially covers the whole keyboard. This also provides a good shield against electrostatic discharges and other interference.

A keyboard including a plurality of keys each having a same size and shape and disposed removably and slidably on a frame of the keyboard, the top of each key provided with a marking; a plurality of key switches fixedly mounted on the keyboard frame and each having a predetermined number of movable and fixed contact pairs at predetermined positions; and a plurality of protrusions same in number as the predetermined number and formed at the bottom surface of each key at positions corresponding to the predetermined positions of the contact pairs, the plurality of protrusions being arranged in each key in a different predetermined pattern; whereby when any one of the keys is actuated, the different predetermined pattern of the plurality of protrusions identifies the one of keys, based on a combination of the plurality of protrusions acting upon the predetermined number of contact pairs.

Bei einer Anschlußeinrichtung einer Schaltungsfolie sind auf eine flexible Trägerfolie 1 Bahnen als Leiter oder Widerstände aufgebracht. Um an eine Anschlußleiste 17, an der ein erster Schaltungsteil liegt, einen zweiten Schaltungsteil kreuzungsfrei anzuschließen und eine einfache Herstellung zu erlauben, ist die Folie 1 längs einer Knicklinie 18 geknickt, die quer zu den Bahnen 9,10, 11, 15 verläuft. An den gegeneinander geknickten Folienteilen 20, 21 liegen die Bahnen 2 bis 15 außen und die Knicklinie 18 steckt in der Anschlußleiste 17.

An improved, low cost, high speed keyboard encoding device is provided which develops directly encoded, valid and reliable multi-bit output signals and overcomes problems associated with tolerance errors and adverse environmental and usage conditions (e.g., manufacturing errors, dust, wear). The preferred encoding device includes a plurality of juxtaposed, flexible conductive strands or wires each having a number of axially spaced impact zones along the length thereof which are either insulated or electrically conductive; corresponding zones on the separate wires are operably aligned to cooperatively define a series of spaced impact zone sets each made up of a unique pattern of conductive and insulated zones. An electrically conductive, rubber-like resilient pad having a series of ridge-like elongated members respectively aligned with corre- _spon_ding impact zone sets is also provided which is designed for impact-shifting of the members into momentary contact with the associated zone sets, whereby electrical contact is made between the ridge members and the conductive impact zones of the set. The resulting circuit making and current flow directly generates a momentary, unique, digitalized output signal without the need for conventional encoding electronic circuitry. The device is particularly suited for use in an impact-type keyboard where, upon depression of each key, an associated resilient element is shifted, released, and allowed to overtravel its rest position and momentarily strike the encoding device at a location for shifting the appropriate pad ridge into contact with the adjacent impact zone set.