Symbol input device, image forming apparatus including the symbol input device, and method for inputting symbols

摘要

A symbol input device includes a plurality of symbol keys, a correction key, a time keeping portion for measuring a time for which the symbol key is pressed and held, a storage portion for storing data, and an input receiving portion which accepts input with the symbol key or the correction key, recognizes a time for which the symbol key is pressed and held based on the measurement by the time keeping portion, automatically accepts re-input of the symbol corresponding to the symbol key when the time for which the same symbol key is pressed and held exceeds a predetermined long press time, and increases the long press time every time when the number of correction times that is the number of times of which the correction key has been pressed reaches a predetermined first number of times after the automatic re-input.

主权项

1. A symbol input device comprising:
a plurality of symbol keys for inputting symbols including characters and numerals, each of the symbol keys being assigned one symbol; a correction key for correcting input symbols; a time keeping portion for measuring a time for which the symbol key is pressed and held; a storage portion for storing data; and an input receiving portion which
recognizes that the symbol key or the correction key is pressed so as to accept input with the symbol key or the correction key,recognizes the time for which the symbol key is pressed and held based on the measurement by the time keeping portion,accepts, on condition that the time for which the same symbol key is pressed and held exceeds a predetermined long press time, periodic, automatic re-input of a symbol so long as the symbol key keeps being pressed beyond the predetermined long press time,refers to, when the correction key is pressed after the re-input performed automatically, the number of times that the correction key has been pressed,controls the storage portion to update the number of correction times that is the accumulated number of times that the correction key has been pressed after the re-input,increases the long press time every time when the number of correction times reaches a predetermined first number of times, andresets the number of correction times when the long press time is increased, wherein the input receiving portion controls the storage portion to update a normal input number of times, which is an accumulated number of times that mutually different characters, numerals, or symbols have been input each without exceeding the long press time, every time the normal input number of times reaches a second number of times, the input receiving portion decreases the long press time, when the input receiving portion decreases the long press time, the input receiving portion also resets the normal input number of times, and one or both of a longest time as a higher limit of the long press time and a shortest time as a lower limit of the long press time are determined in advance.