Abstract:
A keyboard control circuit adapted to a keyboard device with a plurality of keys is provided. The keyboard control circuit comprises a combination key control unit, a key setting module and a processing module. When at least two keys of the keyboard device and a preset time are inputted, a combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes related to a function key is generated. The key setting module is used for receiving and transmitting a preset rule to the combination key control unit. When the function key for executing a control function is triggered, the keyboard device transmits a converting signal to the combination key control unit to convert the converting signal to the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes and transmits the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes to the processing module, and then the processing module executes the control function.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/190,229, filed on Jul. 8, 2015 and TW application No. 105118141, filed on Jun. 8, 2016. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent applications are hereby incorporated by references herein and made a part of specification. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to a control circuit and, more specifically, to a keyboard control circuit. 
         [0004]    Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Generally, computer games are manipulated mainly via keyboards, mouses or a combination of them. Since various instructions can be output via a plurality of keys of the keyboard, the keyboard is always used as a main input unit for some of the games. 
         [0006]    Conventionally, in some game settings, when a certain key combination is continuously pressed within a particular time interval, a corresponding function in the game is triggered. In an embodiment, in a fighting game, a player enables a combination key that combines multiple keys to trigger a function corresponding combat movement taken by a role. However, since a time interval between the keystrokes is usually preset for the composite key, the user may fail to input the composite key to make a corresponding instruction when the time interval between the keystrokes of the composite key does not conform to the pre-set time interval. In such a case, the user should press the keys of the composite key again and again until the composite key is successfully enabled. It is inconvenient for the user and the serve life of the frequently-used keys may be reduced. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    According to one aspect, a keyboard control circuit adapted to a keyboard device is provided. The keyboard device comprises a plurality of keys. The keyboard control circuit comprises a combination key control unit, a key setting module and a processing module. The combination key control unit is electrically connected to the keyboard device. When at least two keys of the keyboard device and a preset time are inputted, a combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes is generated, wherein the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes is related to a function key. 
         [0008]    The key setting module is used for receiving a preset rule and transmitting the preset rule to the combination key control unit. The processing module is electrically connected to the combination key control unit. When a function key for executing a control function is triggered, the keyboard device transmits a converting signal to the combination key control unit to convert the converting signal to the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes according to the preset rule and transmits the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes to the processing module, and then the processing module executes the control function according to the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes. 
         [0009]    In the keyboard control circuit of the embodiment, the combination key combination is defined by the user. Thus, the user can easily make an instruction indicated by the composite key via the combination key. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the invention will become better understood with regard to the following embodiments and accompanying drawings. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing a keyboard control circuit in an embodiment; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a plane view of a keyboard device which is electrically connected to a circuit board where a keyboard control circuit is configured at in an embodiment; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2A  is an enlarged view of a circled part A in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2B  is an enlarged view of a circled part B in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing a setting interface of a key setting module that is displayed on a display screen; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram showing a keystroke timing sequence of a keystroke timing sequence combination when a function key for display is F1 key; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing a keystroke timing sequence of a keystroke timing sequence combination when a function key for display is F2 key; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram showing a keystroke timing sequence of a keystroke timing sequence combination when a function key for display is F3 key; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram showing a preset rule setting interface of a key setting module that is displayed on a display screen in an embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing a keyboard control circuit in an embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a keyboard control circuit  100  includes a combination key control unit  1 , a processing module  2 , a key setting module  3  and a basic input and output system (BIOS)  4 . The keyboard control circuit  100  is configured at a circuit board  200 . The circuit board  200  includes a Universal Series Bus (USB) port  201 . The USB port  201  is electrically connected to a keyboard device  300 . In an embodiment, the circuit board  200  includes several USB ports  201 , and the keyboard device  300  is electrically connected to one of the USB ports  201 . 
         [0021]    Please refer to  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 2B ,  FIG. 2  is a plane view of a keyboard device which is electrically connected to a circuit board where a keyboard control circuit is configured at in an embodiment;  FIG. 2A  is an enlarged view of a circled part A in  FIG. 2 , and FIG.B is an enlarged view of a circled part B in  FIG. 2 . As shown in the figures, the keyboard device  300  includes a plurality of keys  300   a  (the number  300   a  of a key is shown as an example, and seven keys  301 ,  302 ,  303 ,  304 ,  305 ,  306  and  307  are exemplified in the embodiment). The keys  301 ,  302 ,  303 ,  304 ,  305 ,  306  and  307  are A key, S key, D key, W key, Ctrl key, Alt key and F1 key, respectively. In the embodiment, the A key, the S key, the D key and the W key represent ←(left), ↓(down), →(right) and ↑(up), respectively, while the Ctrl key and the Alt key represent tap and thump, respectively, in the game. 
         [0022]    Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 2B , as shown in the figures, the combination key control unit  1  includes a USB transmission interface  11 , a keyboard setting firmware  12  and a Low Pin Count Bus (LPC) transmission interface  13 . 
         [0023]    The USB transmission interface  11  is electrically connected to the USB port  201 , and thus the USB transmission interface  11  is electrically connected to the keyboard device  300  via the USB port  201 . 
         [0024]    In an embodiment, the combination key control unit  1  includes the keyboard setting firmware  12 . The keyboard setting firmware  12  is electrically connected to the USB transmission interface  11  to receive a plurality of stroke signals from the keyboard device  300  via the USB transmission interface  11  and the USB port  201 . In the embodiment, the keyboard setting firmware  12  analyzes a keystroke timing sequence combination of which at least two keys of the keys  300   a  and a preset time are inputted, a combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2  is generated. The combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2  is a continuous signal consisting of multiple stroke signals. 
         [0025]    The LPC transmission interface  13  is electrically connected to the keyboard setting firmware  12  to send out the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2  received from the keyboard setting firmware  12 . 
         [0026]    The processing module  2  is electrically connected to the LPC transmission interface  13  of the combination key control unit  1  to receive the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2 . The processing module  2  executes a corresponding control function according to the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2 . 
         [0027]    The key setting module  3  is electrically connected to the processing unit  21  of the processing module  2 , and thus the key setting module  3  is electrically connected to the combination key control unit  1  via the processing module  2 . The key setting module  3  is used for setting a preset rule. According to the preset rule, one of the keys  300   a  is set as a function key and a combination of other keys is set to have a relationship with the function key. Then, a setting signal S 1  indicating the preset rule is transmitted to the processing unit  21  and the preset rule is stored in the keyboard setting firmware  12  by the processing unit  21  via the LPC transmission interface  13 . 
         [0028]    In an embodiment, in the embodiment, the key  307  is set as the function key. A converting signal K 1  generated when the key  307  is triggered is defined as the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2 . The preset rule is transmitted to be stored in the keyboard setting firmware  12  of the combination key control unit  1 . When the keyboard setting firmware  12  of the combination key control unit  1  receives the converting signal K 1 , the converting signal K 1  is converted to the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2  and the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2  is transmitted to the processing unit  21 . The processing unit  21  executes a corresponding control function according to the received combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2 . In the embodiment, the key setting module  3  is a storage device where a key setting application is installed for the user to set the preset rule. 
         [0029]    Please refer to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing a setting interface by a key setting module that is displayed on a display screen,  FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram showing a keystroke timing sequence of a keystroke timing sequence combination when a function key for display is the F1 key. As shown in the  FIG. 3 , in the embodiment, a setting interface is displayed on a display screen  400  for the user to set the function key and the keystroke timing sequence combination via the keyboard or the mouse, and then at least one stroke time slot and at least one non-stroke time slot are arranged based on a key-triggering sequence. In an embodiment, in the embodiment, “←         θ+Ctrl” listed in a combat movement table of the game and is used for triggering a particular combat movement, is set via the setting interface of the key setting module  3  that is displayed on the display screen  400 . 
         [0030]    In an embodiment, the F1 key is set as the function key in a function key column (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). In a corresponding keystroke timing sequence combination column, a stroke signal for the A key is set to be outputted continuously for 50 ms (millisecond) during a stroke time slot t 1 , then, a stroke signal for the A key and the S key is set to be outputted continuously for 50 ms during a stroke t 2 , and then the stroke signal for the S key is set to be outputted continuously for 50 ms during a stroke time slot t 3 , and at last, a stroke signal for the Ctrl key is set to be outputted continuously for 50 ms during a stroke time slot t 4 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , after the setting signal S 1  indicating the settings of the function key and the keystroke timing sequence combination in  FIG. 3  is stored in the keyboard setting firmware  12  via the key setting module  3 , when the key  307  is pressed and the converting signal K 1  for the F1 key is transmitted to the keyboard setting firmware  12 , the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2  corresponding to the converting signal K 1  is transmitted to the processing unit  21  by the keyboard setting firmware  12  according to the settings of the preset rule. The keystroke timing sequence combination indicated by the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2  refers to a combination of the A key, the S key and the Ctrl key within a preset time t. 
         [0032]    The preset time t includes four stroke time slots t 1 , t 2 , t 3  and t 4 . During the stroke time slot t 1 , the stroke signal for the A key is outputted continuously for 50 ms, then, the stroke signal for the A key and the S key is outputted continuously for 50 ms during the stroke time slot t 2 , then, the stroke signal for the S key is outputted continuously for 50 ms during the stroke time slot t 3 , and at last, the stroke signal for the Ctrl key is outputted continuously for 50 ms during the stroke time slot t 4 . In such a way, the user only needs to press the key  307  of the keyboard device  300 , and a signal representing that the key  301 , the key  302  and the key  305  are pressed sequentially within the preset time t is received by the processing unit  21 . Then, the processing unit  210  executes a corresponding combat movement in the game according to the keystroke sequence. 
         [0033]    Please refer to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing a keystroke timing sequence of a keystroke timing sequence combination when a function key for display is F2 key,  FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram showing a keystroke timing sequence of a keystroke timing sequence combination when a function key for display is F3 key. 
         [0034]    As shown in the figures, when a key representing F2 key is pressed and a converting signal K 1  corresponding to the F2 key is transmitted to the keyboard setting firmware  12 , a combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2  corresponding to the converting signal K 1  is transmitted to the processing unit  21  by the keyboard setting firmware  12  according to the settings of the preset rule. The keystroke timing sequence combination indicated by the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2  refers to a combination of the S key, the D key, the Ctrl key and the Alt key within a preset time t′. 
         [0035]    The preset time t′ includes four stroke time slots t 1 ′, t 2 ′, t 3 ′ and t 4 ′. The stroke signal for the S key is outputted continuously for 50 ms during the stroke time slot t 1 ′, then, the stroke signal for the S key and the D key is outputted continuously for 50 ms during the stroke time slot t 2 ′, then, the stroke signal for the D key is outputted continuously for 50 ms during the stroke time slot t 3 ′, and at last, the stroke signal for the Ctrl key and the Alt key is outputted continuously for 50 ms during the stroke time slot t 4 ′. In such a way, the user only needs to press the key representing the F2 key of the keyboard device  300 , and a signal representing that the key  302  , the key  303 , the key  305  and the key  306  are pressed sequentially within the preset time t′ is received by the processing unit  21 . 
         [0036]    Similarly, when a key representing F3 key is pressed and a converting signal K 1  corresponding to the F3 key is outputted to the keyboard setting firmware  12 , a combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2  corresponding to the converting signal K 1  is outputted to the processing unit  21  by the keyboard setting firmware  12  according to the settings of the preset rule. The keystroke timing sequence combination indicated by the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes K 2  refers to a combination of the Ctrl keys within a preset time t″. The preset time t″ includes three stroke time slots t 1 ″, t 3 ″ and t 5 ″ and two non-stroke time slots t 2 ″ and t 4 ″. The sequence of the stroke time slots t 1 ″, t 3 ″ and t 5 ″ and the non-stroke time slots t 2 ″ and t 4 ″ is set as follows: the stroke time slot t 1 ″, the non-stroke time slot t 2 ″, the stroke time slot t 3 ″, the non-stroke time slot t 4 ″ and the stroke time slot t 5 ″ according to the key-triggering sequence. 
         [0037]    During the stroke time slot t 1 ″, the stroke signal for the Ctrl key is outputted continuously for 30 ms, then, the sending of any signal is stopped for 20 ms during the non-stroke time slot t 2 ″, then, the stroke signal for the Ctrl key is outputted continuously for 30 ms during the stroke time slot t 3 ″, then, the sending of any signal is stopped for 20 ms during the non-stroke time slot t 4 ″, and the stroke signal for the Ctrl key is outputted continuously for 30 ms during the stroke time slot  5 ″. In such a way, the user only needs to press the key representing the F3 key of the keyboard device  300 , and a signal representing that the key  305  is pressed repeatedly within the preset time t″ is received by the processing unit  21 . 
         [0038]    Please referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram showing a preset rule setting interface of a key setting module that is displayed on a display screen in an embodiment. As shown in the figures, a preset rule is built in the keyboard setting firmware  12  of the combination key control unit  1 . In an embodiment, in the embodiment, F11 key, F12 key and DEL key are preset as the preset function keys. When the keyboard setting firmware  12  receives a preset converting signal corresponding to the preset function key, a corresponding preset function signal is transmitted to the basic input and output system (BIOS)  4 . The preset function signal includes a system bootup and processor (CPU) overclocking signal, a system bootup and memory overclocking signal and a system bootup and BIOS-entering signal. 
         [0039]    When the F11 key is pressed before the computer boots, a corresponding preset converting signal (not shown in the figures) is transmitted by the keyboard device  300 . When the keyboard setting firmware  12  receives the preset converting signal, a preset function signal is transmitted to the basic input and output system (BIOS)  4 , and then the system is driven to boot to enter a processor overclocking mode by the basic input and output system (BIOS)  4 . 
         [0040]    Similarly, when the F12 key is pressed before the computer boots, a corresponding preset converting signal is transmitted by the keyboard device  300 . When the keyboard setting firmware  12  receives the preset converting signal, a preset function signal is transmitted to the basic input and output system (BIOS)  4 , and then the system is driven to boot to enter a memory overclocking mode by the basic input and output system (BIOS)  4 . 
         [0041]    In an embodiment, when the DEL key is pressed before the computer boots, a corresponding preset converting signal is transmitted by the keyboard device  300 . When the keyboard setting firmware  12  receives the preset converting signal, a preset function signal is transmitted to the basic input and output system (BIOS)  4 , and then the system is driven to boot to enter a BIOS setting mode by the basic input and output system (BIOS)  4 . 
         [0042]    Conventionally, the stroke signals from the keyboard device are transmitted one by one to the processing unit in sequence by the USB control chip. Therefore, in the game, the user needs to press a series of keys of the keyboard device, and then a series of stroke signal are outputted to the processing unit to execute the corresponding combat movement. However, the combat movement usually cannot be triggered when the key-presses are not pressed completely, and the service life of the frequently-used keys is reduced. 
         [0043]    In the embodiments of the keyboard control circuit, the combination key control unit with the keyboard setting firmware receives the converting signal from the keyboard device, converts the converting signal to the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes according to the preset rule (which is set via the key setting module by the user), and sends the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes to the processing module. The processing module executes the corresponding control function corresponding to the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes according to the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes. 
         [0044]    In other words, by setting the preset rule, only one function key needs to be pressed, and then the combination signal of time stamping and sequence of keystrokes including multiple stroke signals sequenced according to the key-triggering sequence is outputted by the combination key control unit. The processing module receives the multiple stroke signals orderly according to the key-triggering sequence, and executes the corresponding control function. It&#39;s easy for the user to manipulate, and the service life of the keys is prolonged. 
         [0045]    Although the invention has been disclosed with reference to certain embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments described above.