Portable terminal for controlling two cursors within a virtual keyboard according to setting of movement by a single key at a time or a plurality of keys at a time

• US 10,423,328 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hiroyuki Ikeda
• Original Assignee: Hiroyuki Ikeda
• Inventors: Ikeda, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kawsar, Abdullah Al
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stanley, Jeremy L
• Application Number:
  US14/369,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20150026627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,574 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038

Abstract

A portable terminal that can be held stably and can perform entry operation quickly at the time of character entry is provided. On a character entry screen including a keyboard screen, a first cursor and a second cursor are displayed. A first indicating button 20 for indicating the direction of movement of the first cursor and giving an instruction to select a key currently indicated by the first cursor on the keyboard screen and a second indicating button 30 for indicating the direction of movement of the second cursor and giving an instruction to select a key currently indicated by the second cursor on the keyboard screen are provided at the lower edge on the front side of the portable terminal. A control means of the portable terminal controls the entry of a character based on a signal from the first indicating button 20 and a signal from the second indicating button 30.

Claims

1. A portable terminal having a character entry function of displaying a character entry screen with a keyboard screen including a plurality of character key images on a display of a display device and performing an entry of a character by using the character key images of the keyboard screen, the portable terminal comprising:

a first physical button provided separately from the display of the display device in a predetermined place of the portable terminal, the first physical button for indicating a direction of movement of a first cursor that is displayed on the character entry screen and giving an instruction to select a character key image currently indicated by the first cursor on the keyboard screen;

a second physical button provided separately from the display of the display device in a predetermined place of the portable terminal, the second physical button for indicating a direction of movement of a second cursor that is displayed on the character entry screen and giving an instruction to select a character key image currently indicated by the second cursor on the keyboard screen;

a button-operated cursor movement controller for controlling display of the first cursor and the second cursor operated by the first physical button and the second physical button, respectively, so that the first cursor and the second cursor can respectively move not only in a range of the keyboard screen but also over an entire surface of the character entry screen freely, controlling movement of the first cursor on the character entry screen based on a signal concerning the direction of movement of the first cursor, the signal which is output from the first physical button when the direction of movement of the first cursor is indicated by using the first physical button, and controlling movement of the second cursor on the character entry screen based on a signal concerning the direction of movement of the second cursor, the signal which is output from the second physical button when the direction of movement of the second cursor is indicated by using the second physical button; and

a button-operated entry controller for controlling an entry of a character related to a character key image based on a signal from the first physical button concerning selection of the character key image, the signal which is output from the first physical button when the character key image currently indicated by the first cursor is selected by using the first physical button, and controlling an entry of a character related to a character key image based on a signal from the second physical button concerning selection of the character key image, the signal which is output from the second physical button when the character key image currently indicated by the second cursor is selected by using the second physical button,

wherein each of the first and second physical buttons includes a first physical button portion for indicating a direction of movement of the corresponding cursor that is displayed on the character entry screen and a second physical button portion for giving an instruction to select a character key image currently indicated by the corresponding cursor on the keyboard screen, or is configured to indicate a direction of movement of the corresponding cursor and a selection of a character key image currently indicated by the corresponding cursor on the keyboard screen in accordance with a user'"'"'s touch operation of the corresponding physical button,

the first physical button portion surrounds the second physical button portion from radially outward of the second physical button portion,

selectively enablable free movement setting that allows each of the first and second cursors to move freely on the keyboard screen and selectively enablable key image unit movement setting that allows each of the first and second cursors to move on the keyboard screen in a key image unit by using each key image as one movement range are provided to control the respective movements of the first cursor and the second cursor on the keyboard screen of the character entry screen displayed on the display of the display device,

when the free movement setting is currently enabled, the cursor movement controller freely moves each of the first and second cursors on the keyboard screen over a plurality of key images per operation of the first and second buttons, respectively, and

when the key image unit movement setting is currently enabled, the cursor movement controller moves each of the first and second cursors on the keyboard screen in a single key image unit by using each key image as one movement range per operation of the first and second buttons, respectively.

2. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first cursor and the second cursor differ from each other in at least one of elements:

a shape, a color, a line drawn on an inside, and a pattern.

3. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein the display of the display device is a touch panel, and when a user directly touches a character key image on the keyboard screen with a finger, the entry controller controls an entry of a character for the touched character key image.

4. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein when a screen other than the character entry screen is displayed on the display of the display device, the first button and the second button are used respectively as an indicating device for giving an instruction to display a predetermined menu screen and an indicating device for giving an instruction to return to the most recently displayed screen.

5. The portable terminal according to claim 1, comprising:

the first button for a vertically-oriented state and the second button for a vertically-oriented state which are used when an entry of a character is performed with the display of the display device being brought to a vertically-oriented state, and the first button for a horizontally-oriented state and the second button for a horizontally-oriented state which are used when an entry of a character is performed with the display of the display device being brought to a horizontally-oriented state.

6. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard screen includes a plurality of function key images, the first button is provided to give an instruction to select a function key image currently indicated by the first cursor on the keyboard screen, the second button is provided to give an instruction to select a function key image currently indicated by the second cursor on the keyboard screen, and the entry controller controls processing to implement a function provided to a function key image based on a signal concerning selection of the function key image, the signal which is output from the first button when the function key image currently indicated by the first cursor is selected by using the first button, and controls processing to implement a function provided to a function key image based on a signal concerning selection of the function key image, the signal which is output from the second button when the function key image currently indicated by the second cursor is selected by using the second button.

7. The portable terminal according to claim 6, wherein the display of the display device is a touch panel, and when a user directly touches a function key image on the keyboard screen with a finger, the entry controller controls processing to implement a function provided to the touched function key image.

8. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second buttons is a touch pad type of device.

9. The portable terminal according to claim 8, wherein the touch pad type of device is either an electrostatic pad or a trackball.

10. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second buttons has an integrated pressing-type structure.

11. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first and second buttons are physical buttons manually operable by a user.

12. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the second physical button is different from a shape of the first physical button, a shape of the first cursor corresponds to the shape of the first physical button, and a shape of the second cursor corresponds to the shape of the second physical button.

13. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the key image unit movement setting is currently enabled, the first cursor and the second cursor on the keyboard screen have a same circular or rectangular shape whose size is substantially same as that of a character key image and differ from each other in at least one of the following elements:

a color, a line drawn on an inside, and a pattern.

14. A portable terminal having a character entry function of displaying a character entry screen with a keyboard screen including a plurality of character key images on a display of a display device and performing an entry of a character by using the character key images of the keyboard screen, the portable terminal comprising:

a first button provided separately from the display of the display device in a predetermined place of the portable terminal, the first button for indicating a direction of movement of a first cursor that is displayed on the character entry screen and giving an instruction to select a character key image currently indicated by the first cursor on the keyboard screen;

a second button provided separately from the display of the display device in a predetermined place of the portable terminal, the second button for indicating a direction of movement of a second cursor that is displayed on the character entry screen and giving an instruction to select a character key image currently indicated by the second cursor on the keyboard screen;

a button-operated cursor movement controller for controlling display of the first cursor and the second cursor operated by the first button and the second button, respectively, so that the first cursor and the second cursor can respectively move on the keyboard screen freely, controlling movement of the first cursor on the character entry screen based on a signal concerning the direction of movement of the first cursor, the signal which is output from the first button when the direction of movement of the first cursor is indicated by using the first button, and controlling movement of the second cursor on the character entry screen based on a signal concerning the direction of movement of the second cursor, the signal which is output from the second button when the direction of movement of the second cursor is indicated by using the second button; and

a button-operated entry controller for controlling an entry of a character related to a character key image based on a signal from the first button concerning selection of the character key image, the signal which is output from the first button when the character key image currently indicated by the first cursor is selected by using the first button, and controlling an entry of a character related to a character key image based on a signal from the second button concerning selection of the character key image, the signal which is output from the second button when the character key image currently indicated by the second cursor is selected by using the second button,

wherein each of the first and second buttons includes a first button portion for indicating a direction of movement of the corresponding cursor that is displayed on the character entry screen and a second button portion for giving an instruction to select a character key image currently indicated by the corresponding cursor on the keyboard screen, or is configured to indicate a direction of movement of the corresponding cursor and a selection of a character key image currently indicated by the corresponding cursor on the keyboard screen in accordance with a user'"'"'s touch operation of the corresponding button,

selectively enablable free movement setting that allows each of the first and second cursors to move freely on the keyboard screen and selectively enablable key image unit movement setting that allows each of the first and second cursors to move on the keyboard screen in a key image unit by using each key image as one movement range are provided to control the respective movements of the first cursor and the second cursor on the keyboard screen of the character entry screen displayed on the display of the display device,

when the free movement setting is currently enabled, the cursor movement controller freely moves each of the first and second cursors on the keyboard screen over a plurality of key images per operation of the first and second buttons, respectively, and

when the key image unit movement setting is currently enabled, the cursor movement controller moves each of the first and second cursors on the keyboard screen in a single key image unit by using each key image as one movement range per operation of the first and second buttons, respectively.

15. The portable terminal according to claim 14, wherein the keyboard screen includes a plurality of function key images, the first button is provided to give an instruction to select a function key image currently indicated by the first cursor on the keyboard screen, the second button is provided to give an instruction to select a function key image currently indicated by the second cursor on the keyboard screen, and the entry controller controls processing to implement a function provided to a function key image based on a signal concerning selection of the function key image, the signal which is output from the first button when the function key image currently indicated by the first cursor is selected by using the first button, and controls processing to implement a function provided to a function key image based on a signal concerning selection of the function key image, the signal which is output from the second button when the function key image currently indicated by the second cursor is selected by using the second button.

16. The portable terminal according to claim 15, wherein the display of the display device is a touch panel, and when a user directly touches a function key image on the keyboard screen with a finger, the entry control device controls processing to implement a function provided to the touched function key image.

17. The portable terminal according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the first and second buttons is a touch pad type of device.

18. The portable terminal according to claim 17, wherein the touch pad type of device is either an electrostatic pad or a trackball.

19. The portable terminal according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the first and second buttons has an integrated pressing-type structure.

20. The portable terminal according to claim 14, wherein the first and second buttons are physical buttons manually operable by a user.

21. A portable terminal having a character entry function of displaying a character entry screen with a keyboard screen including a plurality of character key images on a display of a display device and performing an entry of a character by using the character key images of the keyboard screen, the portable terminal comprising:

a first physical button provided separately from the display of the display device in a predetermined place of the portable terminal, the first physical button for indicating a direction of movement of a first cursor that is displayed on the character entry screen and giving an instruction to select a character key image currently indicated by the first cursor on the keyboard screen;

a second physical button provided separately from the display of the display device in a predetermined place of the portable terminal, the second physical button for indicating a direction of movement of a second cursor that is displayed on the character entry screen and giving an instruction to select a character key image currently indicated by the second cursor on the keyboard screen, wherein a shape of the second physical button is different from a shape of the first physical button;

a button-operated cursor movement controller for controlling display of the first cursor and the second cursor operated by the first physical button and the second physical button, respectively, so that the first cursor and the second cursor can respectively move not only in a range of the keyboard screen but also over an entire surface of the character entry screen freely, controlling movement of the first cursor on the character entry screen based on a signal concerning the direction of movement of the first cursor, the signal which is output from the first physical button when the direction of movement of the first cursor is indicated by using the first physical button, and controlling movement of the second cursor on the character entry screen based on a signal concerning the direction of movement of the second cursor, the signal which is output from the second physical button when the direction of movement of the second cursor is indicated by using the second physical button; and

a button-operated entry controller for controlling an entry of a character related to a character key image based on a signal from the first physical button concerning selection of the character key image, the signal which is output from the first physical button when the character key image currently indicated by the first cursor is selected by using the first physical button, and controlling an entry of a character related to a character key image based on a signal from the second physical button concerning selection of the character key image, the signal which is output from the second physical button when the character key image currently indicated by the second cursor is selected by using the second physical button,

wherein each of the first and second physical buttons includes a first physical button portion for indicating a direction of movement of the corresponding cursor that is displayed on the character entry screen and a second physical button portion for giving an instruction to select a character key image currently indicated by the corresponding cursor on the keyboard screen, or is configured to indicate a direction of movement of the corresponding cursor and a selection of a character key image currently indicated by the corresponding cursor on the keyboard screen in accordance with a user'"'"'s touch operation of the corresponding physical button,

the first physical button portion surrounds the second physical button portion from radially outward of the second physical button portion,

selectively enablable free movement setting that allows each of the first and second cursors to move freely on the keyboard screen and selectively enablable key image unit movement setting that allows each of the first and second cursors to move on the keyboard screen in a key image unit by using each key image as one movement range are provided to control the respective movements of the first cursor and the second cursor on the keyboard screen of the character entry screen displayed on the display of the display device,

when the free movement setting is currently enabled, the cursor movement controller freely moves each of the first and second cursors on the keyboard screen over a plurality of key images per operation of the first and second buttons, respectively, and

when the key image unit movement setting is currently enabled, the cursor movement controller moves the cursors on the keyboard screen in a single key image unit by using each key image as one movement range per operation of the first and second buttons, respectively.