INPUT DEVICE FOR INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input device for an information processing apparatus capable of eliminating any need to alternately move a sight line at a time of keyboard operation and at a time of confirmation of a monitor screen which reflects the operation. SOLUTION: The input device for the information processing apparatus has a keyboard 16, a mouse 44, a pressing detection element 14 for corresponding each key area 18, an input processing circuits 40, 42 for processing input from the keyboard and the mouse and sending it to a keyboard input terminal and a mouse input terminal and a USB conversion means 45 for processing input from the pressing detection element 14 and sending it to a USB terminal of the information processing apparatus. A virtual keyboard display 60 which simulate the keyboard 16 is tried on a part of a monitor screen of the information processing apparatus 50, and when key input is tried, a display to recognize a position of a finger 62 and the like on the virtual keyboard display 60 is made to appear by the key input signal. In addition, when a pressing detection signal is emitted from the pressing detection element 14, key input corresponding to the pressing detection element 14 is recognized as a determined input. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO