Intelligent key display

A programmable key for use on a terminal has a microchip device incorporated therein to permit programming the function of the key, and one or more liquid crystal displays to indicate the programmed function of the key.

What is claimed:

1. A programmable key for use on a keyboard having a keyselect switch wherein the key has a display visible in the top thereof, including:

a key cap and a key body;

said key cap having a transparent top;

at least one display device mounted in said key cap and visible through said transparent top;

a microcircuit interconnected with the keyselect switch and said display device for providing programmable control of said display device by means of the keyboard when the keyselect switch is placed in the key programming mode;

said microcircuit including:

a state controller;

a buffer;

a clock;

a multiplexer and a driver;

said state controller providing logical control to advance data input into said microcircuit through said buffer and said driver to said display device;

said clock providing timing signals for said state controller and said multiplexer; and

said multiplexer providing enable signals to turn said display device on to display the characters indicative of the data input to said microcircuit; and

said key cap mounted in a moveable relationship with said key body so that upon depression of said key cap a switching function is accomplished.

2. The programmable key according to claim 1 wherein said display device displays one or more characters indicative of the function of the key, and the one or more characters displayed are changed each time the function of the key is changed.

3. A programmable key for use on a keyboard having a keyselect switch wherein the key has a display visible in the top thereof and has circuitry for transmitting data to the key, including:

a key cap having at least one character display means visibly located in the top of said key cap for displaying a character;

a microcircuit located under said display means and electrically connected thereto;

said microcircuit having means for receiving data transmitted from the keyboard to the key when the keyselect switch is placed in the key programming mode, and for changing the character displayed by said display means based upon the received data;

said microcircuit further including a state controller and a buffer for receiving data transmitted to the key and for generating the characters displayed by said display means; and

a key base having said key cap moveably mounted thereon so that upon depression of said key cap the function of the key and the function displayed by said display means is accomplished.

4. The programmable key according to claim 3 wherein said microcircuit further includes means for controlling characters displayed by a plurality of display means.

5. A programmable key for use on a keyboard having a keyselect switch wherein the key has a display visible in the top thereof, including:

a key cap and a key body;

said key cap having a transparent top;

at least one display device having a plurality of display segments mounted in said key cap and visible through said transparent top;

a microcircuit interconnected with the keyselect switch and said display device for providing programmable control of said display device by means of the keyboard when the keyselect switch is placed in the key programming mode;

said microcircuit including:

decode logic means for receiving data indicative of the key character to be displayed;

random access memory means for storing the decoded data indicative of the character to be displayed;

display driver means for enabling said display segments to be used for displaying the selected character; and

display control means for enabling or disabling each display device and to control when each display device receives a change of data to change the displayed character; and

said key cap mounted in a moveable relationship with said key body so that upon depression of said key cap a switching function is accomplished.