Method for inputting different characters by multi-directionally pressing a single key more than one time

• US 20030223798A1
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Wen, Shen, Wei, Zhang, Shen
• Granted Patent: US 6,857,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/485
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions

Abstract

The invention is to provide a method for inputting different characters by multi-directionally pressing one single key of a portable electronic device more than one time, the key having a plurality of protuberances on an underside and a circuit board having a plurality of pads being equal in number to the protuberances and disposed correspondingly thereto, the method comprises determining the conduction periods of time by a control circuit, while one key being multi-directionally pressed a plurality of times to cause the protuberances to contact the corresponding pads at different conduction periods of time; reading a corresponding character sequentially from a built-in character database based on a longer one of the conduction periods of time; and displaying the read character. By utilizing this method, it is possible of effecting a fast input on the keypad.

Claims

1. A method for a method for inputting different characters by multi-directionally pressing one of a plurality of keys of a key pad of a portable electronic device more than one time, each key having a plurality of protuberances on an underside and a circuit board of the portable electronic device having a plurality of pads being equal in number to the protuberances and disposed correspondingly thereto, the method comprising:

determining the conduction periods of time by a control circuit of the portable electronic device, while one key being multi-directionally pressed a plurality of times to cause the protuberances to contact the corresponding pads at different conduction periods of time; and

reading a corresponding character sequentially from a built-in character database by a storage device of the portable electronic device based on a longer one of the conduction periods of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a pair of protuberances on the underside of each key and a first pad and a second pad on the circuit board with each pad being disposed correspondingly to the protuberance wherein a right portion of the key moves upwardly when a left portion thereof is pressed, in response, the left protuberance contacts the left first pad for a first duration and the right protuberance contact the right second pad for a second duration which is shorter than the first duration, thereby generating a first conduction period of time of the first pad longer than a second conduction period of time of the second pad, and read the corresponding character sequentially from the built-in character database by the storage device of the portable electronic device based on the first conduction period of time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the protuberances of the key contacts the pads substantially at the same time when a central portion of the key is pressed, thereby generating a third conduction period of time of the first pad substantially the same as a fourth conduction period of time of the second pad, and read the corresponding character sequentially from the built-in character database by the storage device of the portable electronic device based on one of the third and the fourth conduction periods of time.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the left portion of the key moves upwardly when the right portion thereof is pressed, in response, the left protuberance contacts the left first pad for a third duration and the right protuberance contact the right second pad for a fourth duration which is shorter than the third duration, thereby generating a fifth conduction period of time of the first pad shorter than a sixth conduction period of time of the second pad, and read the corresponding character sequentially from the built-in character database by the storage device of the portable electronic device based on the sixth conduction period of time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising an arcuate elastic projection on the underside of each key, each projection having three spaced protuberant members and three pad members on the circuit board wherein each pad member is disposed correspondingly to the protuberant member.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the keys are electrically activated keys.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the keys are non-electrically activated keys.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a cellular phone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the character is a symbol.