Emoticon input method and apparatus

• US 20040018858A1
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Wildseed LLC
• Inventors: Nelson, Jonathan O.
• Granted Patent: US 6,987,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

An apparatus, such as a communication device, is provided with emoticon input logic associated with an input key to improve the ease-of-use of the apparatus for entering emoticons, e.g. into a text message, while the apparatus is operating e.g. in a text mode. Responsive to a selection of the associated input key, one or more emoticons are displayed for selection. A user may “scroll” through the one or more displayed emoticons to “select” an emoticon. In one embodiment, current focus is placed on one of the displayed emoticons, and the emoticon with the current focus is automatically selected upon elapse of a predetermined amount of time after the current focus was placed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display;

a first input key; and

operating logic associated with the first input key to display on said display one or more emoticons for selection by a user, responsive to a selection of said first input key, when the apparatus is operating in a text mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first input key is an input key for entering an “

*”

(asterisk) when the apparatus is operating in a voice mode.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first input key is an input key for entering a “

#”

(pound) when the apparatus is operating in a voice mode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first input key is an input key for entering a digit when the apparatus is operating in a voice mode.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a 12-key input key pad having 12 input keys arranged in a 4×

3 array configuration for entry of at least a selected one of alphabet and numeric data, and said first input key being one of said 12 input keys.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said first input key is the input key occupying a fourth row and first column position of said 4×

3 array configuration.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein column positions of said 4×

3 array configuration are determined in a selected one of a left-to-right and a right-to-left manner.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein row positions of said 4×

3 array configuration are determined in a selected one of a top-to-bottom and a bottom-totop manner.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in addition to said first input key, said apparatus further comprises a 12-key input key pad having 12 input keys arranged in a 4×

3 array configuration for entry of at least a selected one of alphabet and numeric data.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said operating logic is designed to display said emoticons for selection in a selected one of a first left-to-right then top-to-bottom display arrangement, a second right-to-left then top-to-bottom display arrangement, a third top-to-bottom then left-to-right display arrangement, and a fourth top-to-bottom then right-to-left display arrangement.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said operating logic is designed to place a current focus on one of the one or more emoticons displayed for selection.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said operating logic is further designed to change said placement of current focus to another one of said one or more emoticons displayed for selection responsive to a user input.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said operating logic is designed to perform said changes in accordance with the order the one or more emoticons are displayed for selection.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said first input key is also employed to provide said user input.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said apparatus further comprises at least one other input key, and said at least one other input key is employed to provide said user input.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said operating logic is further designed to automatically select the emoticon with the current focus upon occurrence of a selected one of elapse of a predetermined amount of time after the first input key was last selected, and selection another input key.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said operating logic is further designed to select the emoticon with the current focus, responsive to a user input

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said one or more emoticons comprises a plurality of characters.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said placement of a current focus on a first of displayed emoticons comprises highlighting all characters of the first emoticon.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said highlighting comprises a selected one of underlying, italicizing and employing bold faces for the characters.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said selecting of the emoticon with the current focus comprises selecting all characters of the emoticon with the current focus.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said one or more emoticons comprises a pixel map based single graphical symbol.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises:

storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed to implement said operating logic; and

a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instruction.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a communication device.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said communication device is a wireless mobile phone.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises facilities for adding an emoticon to, or subtracting an emoticon from said one or more emoticons to be displayed for user selection.

27. A communication device comprising:

a display;

a first input key; and

operating logic associated with the first input key to display on said display one or more emoticons for selection by a user, including placing a current focus on a first of the displayed one or more emoticons, responsive to a selection of said first input key, and to automatically select the emoticon having the current focus upon expiration of a predetermined amount of time since the current focus was placed.

28. The communication device of claim 27, wherein the first input key is an input key for entering an “

*”

(asterisk) when the apparatus is operating in a voice mode.

29. The communication device of claim 27, wherein the first input key is an input key for entering a “

#”

(pound) when the apparatus is operating in a voice mode.

30. The communication device of claim 27, wherein the first input key is an input key for entering a digit when the apparatus is operating in a voice mode.

31. The communication device of claim 27, wherein s aid apparatus further comprises a 12-key input key pad having 12 input keys arranged in a 4×

3 array configuration for entry of at least a selected one of alphabet and numeric data, and said first input key being one of said 12 input keys.

32. The communication device of claim 27, wherein in addition to said first input key, said apparatus further comprises a 12-key input key pad having 12 input keys arranged in a 4×

3 array configuration for entry of at least a selected one of alphabet and numeric data.

33. The communication device of claim 27, wherein said operating logic is designed to display said one or more emoticons for selection in a selected one of a first left-to-right then top-to-bottom display arrangement, a second right-to-left then top-to-bottom display arrangement, a third top-to-bottom then left-to-right display arrangement, and a fourth top-to-bottom then right-to-left display arrangement.

34. The communication device of claim 27, wherein said operating logic is further designed to change said placement of current focus to another one of said one or more emoticons displayed for selection responsive to a user input.

35. The communication device of claim 34, wherein said operating logic is designed to perform said changes in accordance with the order the one or more emoticons are displayed for selection.

36. The communication device of claim 34, wherein said first input key is also employed to provide said user input.

37. The communication device of claim 34, wherein said apparatus further comprises at least one other input key, and said at least one other input key is employed to provide said user input.

38. The communication device of claim 27, wherein each of said one or more emoticons comprises a plurality of characters.

39. The communication device of claim 38, wherein said placement of a current focus on a first of the displayed one or more emoticons comprises highlighting all characters of the first emoticon.

40. The communication device of claim 39, wherein said highlighting comprises a selected one of underlying, italicizing and employing bold faces for the characters.

41. The communication device of claim 27, wherein said selecting of the emoticon with the current focus comprises selecting all characters of the emoticon with the current focus.

42. The communication device of claim 27, wherein each of said one or more emoticons comprises a pixel map based single graphical symbol.

43. The communication device of claim 27, wherein said apparatus further comprises:

storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed to implement said operating logic; and

a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instruction.

44. The communication device of claim 27, wherein said communication device is a wireless mobile phone.

45. A communication device cover comprising:

a plurality of input keys including first input key; and

storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed to enable a communication device mated with the communication device cover to display on a display of the communication device one or more emoticons for selection responsive to a selection of said first input key.

46. The communication device cover of claim 45, wherein said programming instructions further enable the mated communication device to place a current focus on one of the one or more emoticons displayed for selection.

47. The communication device cover of claim 45, wherein said programming instructions further enable the mated communication device to change said placement of current focus to another one of said one or more emoticons displayed for selection responsive to a user input.

48. The communication device cover of claim 45, wherein said programming instructions further enable the mated communication device to select the emoticon with the current focus, in a selected one of an automatic manner and a responsive to user input manner.

49. The communication device cover of claim 45, wherein said storage medium further having stored therein a plurality of emoticons.

50. The communication device cover of claim 45, wherein said storage medium further having stored therein information identifying said first input key.

51. The communication device cover of claim 45, wherein each of said one or more emoticons comprises a plurality of characters.

52. A communication device cover comprising:

a plurality of input keys including first input key; and

storage medium having stored therein a resource identifier identifying a location where a plurality of programming instructions may be retrieved for a communication device mated with the communication device cover, wherein the programming instructions are designed to enable the mated communication device to display on a display of the communication device one or more emoticons for selection responsive to a selection of said first input key.

53. The communication device cover of claim 52, wherein said programming instructions further enable the mated communication device to place a current focus on one of the one or more emoticons displayed for selection.

54. The communication device cover of claim 52, wherein said programming instructions further enable the mated communication device to change said placement of current focus to another one of said one or more emoticons displayed for selection responsive to a user input.

55. The communication device cover of claim 52, wherein said programming instructions further enable the mated communication device to select the emoticon with the current focus, in a selected one of an automatic manner and a responsive to user input manner

56. The communication device cover of claim 52, wherein said identified location further having stored therein a plurality of emoticons.

57. The communication device cover of claim 52, wherein said identified location further having stored therein information identifying said first input key.

58. The communication device cover of claim 52, wherein each of said one or more emoticons comprises a plurality of characters.

59. A method comprising:

displaying one or more emoticons for selection responsive to a selection of an input key;

placing a current focus on a first of the displayed one or more emoticons; and

automatically selecting the emoticon with the current focus upon elapse of a predetermined amount of time after the current focus was placed.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the method further comprises moving the current focus to a second of the displayed one or more emoticons responsive to a user input.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein each of said one or more emoticons comprises a plurality of characters.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein said placing of a current focus on a first of the displayed one or more emoticons comprises highlighting all characters of the first emoticon.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein said automatic selection of the emoticon with the current focus comprises automatically selecting all characters of the emoticon with the current focus.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the method further comprises facilitating editing of the automatically selected characters of the emoticon.