Portable communication terminal device and character/picture display method

• US 20020072394A1
• Filed: 09/19/2001
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Muramatsu, Seiji
• Granted Patent: US 6,968,215 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques

Abstract

Disclosed is a portable communication terminal device and a method of displaying characters and picture for enabling every user to swiftly and correctly input desired characters or correct input characters. This is achieved by way of implementing the following: When the inventive portable communication terminal device has entered into a character inputting mode, of those functional operations including shifting of cursor in all directions on a display screen and another operation to effect selection, i.e., an entering operation, shifting of cursor in the vertical direction via a jog dial is provisionally allocated to the shifting of cursor on word (or phrase) candidate lists and also to the instruction for selecting the corresponding candidates. When the designated candidate lists are closed, shifting movement of the cursor in all directions and the entering operation are allocated to the character-inputting screen.

Claims

1. A portable communication terminal device comprising a first cursor shifting device for shifting a cursor in a first direction on a display screen and a second cursor shifting device for shifting the cursor in a second direction on said display screen;

wherein an editing object specified by the cursor on said display screen is selected via a predetermined operation performed by said first cursor shifting device;

wherein, during a mode of character input, said portable communication terminal device comprises;

display means for displaying a predetermined candidate list on said display screen in response to an input;

first allocating means for allocating said first cursor shifting device for shifting the cursor and selecting the editing object on said display screen; and

second allocating means for allocating said second cursor shifting device for shifting the cursor in a character-input screen on said display screen.

2. The portable communication terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising switching means for effecting, when said display screen changes to display only said character-input screen, a switching operation in which said first cursor shifting device and said second cursor shifting device are allocated to shifting of the cursor and selecting the editing object specified by the cursor in the character input screen.

3. The portable communication terminal device according to claim 2, wherein said switching operation is executed in linkage with an operation for closing said candidate list off from said display screen.

4. The portable communication terminal device according to claim 3, wherein such a command for closing said candidate list is displayed as one of choices in said candidate list.

5. The portable communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said candidate list includes a first list comprising a plurality of selectable word candidates and a second list comprising a plurality of selectable word and/or phrase candidates that can respectively be continued to a word selected from said word candidates in said first list.

6. The portable communication terminal device according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of word candidates and said plurality of word and/or phrase candidates are individually aligned in a vertical direction in said first list and said second list, respectively.

7. The portable communication terminal device according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of word candidates and said plurality of word and/or phrase candidates are individually aligned in a horizontal direction in said first list and said second list, respectively.

8. The portable communication terminal device according to claim 5, wherein said candidate list is so arranged as to avoid a character-input area on said display screen.

9. The portable communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein a direction of operating said first cursor shifting device is constantly coincident with a direction of shifting the cursor on said candidate list.

10. The portable communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein a direction of operating said first cursor shifting device is deviant from a direction of shifting the cursor by 90 degrees on said candidate list.

11. The portable communication terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising;

function display means for performing a functional display indicating a function of said first cursor shifting device on said display screen; and

visibly display means for visibly displaying the functional display and said candidate list in an analogous color.

13. The method of displaying characters and images according to claim 12, when said display screen changes to display only said character-input screen, further comprising:

a step of executing a switching operation in which said first cursor shifting device and said second cursor shifting device are allocated to shifting of the cursor on said display screen and selecting an editing object specified by the cursor.

14. The method of displaying characters and images according to claim 12, further comprising;

a step of performing a functional display indicating a function of said first cursor shifting device on said display screen; and

a step of visibly displaying the functional display and said candidate list in an analogous color.

15. The method of displaying characters and images according to claim 12, wherein said candidate list is so arranged as to avoid a character-input area on said display screen.

12. A method of displaying characters and images on a display screen of a portable communication terminal device which is provided with a first cursor shifting device for shifting a cursor in a first direction on a display screen and a second cursor shifting device for shifting the cursor in a second direction on said display screen and capable of selecting an editing object specified by the cursor on said display screen via a predetermined operation performed by said first cursor shifting device, wherein, while said portable communication terminal device remains in a character-inputting mode, said method comprises:

a step of displaying a predetermined candidate list on said display screen;

a step of displaying a character-input screen on said display screen;

a first allocation step for allocating said first cursor shifting device to execute an operation for shifting a cursor on said candidate list and another operation for selecting said editing object;

a second allocation step for allocating said second cursor shifting device to execute an operation to shift the cursor in said character-input screen; and

a step of displaying the cursor at a predetermined position on said candidate list and on said character-input screen in accordance with allocation assigned via said first and second allocation steps.

16. A portable communication terminal having display means for displaying predetermined information on a display screen, comprising:

cursor shifting means for shifting a cursor on said display screen in a plurality of directions;

display area generating means for generating a first information display area and a second information display area on said display screen; and

cursor allocating means for allocating some of said plurality of directions to a predetermined operation in said first information display area and for allocating the other of said plurality of directions to a predetermined operation in said second information display area.

17. A controlling method of a portable communication terminal having display means for displaying predetermined information on a display screen in which a cursor shifts in a plurality of directions, said method comprising:

a step of generating a first display area and a second display area on said display screen; and

a step of allocating some of said plurality of directions to a predetermined operation in said first information display area and for allocating the other of said plurality of directions to a predetermined operation in said second information display area.