Method and apparatus for accelerated entry of symbols on a reduced keypad

• US 20040056844A1
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eatoni Ergonomics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Eatoni Ergonomics Incorporated
• Inventors: Gutowitz, Howard Andrew, Jones, Terence
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

This invention teaches that a single auxiliary key (1006) can support a multiplicity of ordered groups (1003-1004) and that only a subset of each group (1003-1004) needs to be visually represented on the face of a key, and that either multi-tap or predictive methods, or both, can be used to input members of each groups, and that auxiliary keys (1005-1007) are a convenient and effective method to select ordered groups, and to perform the multi-tap function. This invention teaches: limited multi-tap depth, reduced keystrokes per symbol, discoverability, graduated discoverability, compact presentation and seamless integration of multi-tap and predictive methods.

Claims

1. :

A an apparatus for the entry of symbols comprising a multiplicity of keys wherein at least one of said keys is a multiple-ordered-group key effective to input a multiplicity of ordered groups of symbols, wherein at least two of said ordered groups of symbols input by said multiple-ordered-group key comprise at least two symbols, and further comprising an iterator mechanism or predictive mechanism engaged with said multiple-ordered-group key to select members of said ordered groups for input.

2. :

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a first auxiliary key and where at least one of said ordered groups input by said multiple-ordered-group key is a punctuation group comprising puncutation symbols and another of said ordered groups input by said multiple-ordered-group key does not contain punctuation symbols said first auxiliary key engaged with at least one of said multiple-ordered-group keys such that when said first auxiliary key is actuated in conjunction with said multiple-ordered-group key members of said punctuation group are preferentially selected for input.

3. :

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second auxiliary key and at least one digit key said at least one digit key effective to input at least one digit and at least one ordered group, said second auxiliary key engaged with said at least one digit key such than when said second auxiliary key is activaited in conjunction with said digit key said at least one digit is preferentially selected for input.

4. :

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a third auxiliary key which is a symbol-advance key engaged with at least one of said at least one multiple-ordered group keys such that when said at least one multiple-ordered-group keys is actuated in conjunction with said symbol-advance key then a member of at least one of said multiple-ordered groups is selected preferentially for input, and such that when said symbol-advance key is actuated several times in succcession, elements of said at least one ordered groups are successively selected for input in a defined order.

5. :

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said defined order is defined as a function of sequences of symbols previously input.

6. :

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one of said multiple-ordered group keys is labeled with at least one element from each of said ordered groups input by said multiple-ordered-group key.

7. :

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said labels are visually distinct for letters, punctuation symbols and digits, said visual distinction encoded by differences in font size, color, illumination, or typeface of said labels.

8. :

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein at least one of said multiple-ordered group keys inputs at least one punctuation ordered group where said punctuation ordered group contains at least one punctuation symbol and further specified in that at least one of said punctuation symbols in said punctuation ordered group is a commonly occurring punctuation symbol, said commonly occuring punctuation symbol corresponding to at least one of said labels.

9. :

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said commonly occurring punctuation symbols are selected from the group consisting of comma, exclaimation point, question mark, percent sign, underscore, hyphen, left parenthesis, right parenthesis, colon, at sign. star; and

pound sign.

10. :

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one multiple-ordered group keys inputs a punctuation symbol and a digit which are morphically similar to each other.

11. :

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of said multiple-ordered group keys inputs a set of symbols comprising the digit 1 and the punctuation symbol exclaimation point.

12. :

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of said multiple-ordered group keys inputs a set of symbols comprising the digit 2 and the punctuation symbol question mark.

13. :

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of said multiple-ordered group keys inputs a set of symbols comprising the digit 3 and the punctuation symbol percent sign.

14. :

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of said multiple-ordered group keys inputs a set of symbols comprising the digit 4 and the punctuation symbol underscore.

15. :

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of said multiple-ordered group keys inputs a set of symbols comprising the digit 5 and the punctuation symbol hyphen.

16. :

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of said multiple-ordered group keys inputs a set of symbols comprising the digit 6 and the punctuation symbol left parenthesis.

17. :

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of said multiple-ordered group keys inputs a set of symbols comprising the digit 7 and the punctuation symbol slash.

18. :

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of said multiple-ordered group keys inputs a set of symbols comprising the digit 8 and the punctuation symbol colon.

19. :

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of said multiple-ordered group keys inputs a set of symbols comprising the digit 9 and the punctuation right parenthesis.

20. :

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of said multiple-ordered group keys inputs a set of symbols comprising the digit 0 and the punctuation symbol at sign

21. :

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said morphically similar puncutation symbol and digit are each associated to a label on said at least one multiple-ordered group key where said labels are superimposed.

22. :

The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising an illumination apparatus effective to preferentially illuminate either said superimposed digit or said superimposed punctuation symbol.

23. :

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one ordered group input by at least one said multiple-ordered-group key substantially consists of accented letters.

24. :

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said ordered group substantially consisting of accented letters substantially consists of accented vowels.

25. :

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fourth auxiliary key which is a disambiguation key wherein said at least one multiple-ordered-group keys inputs a letter ordered group, said letter ordered group comprising letters, said disambiguation key engaging said at least one of said multiple-ordered-group keys inputting a letter ordered group such that when said disambiguation key is actuated in conjunction with said at least one multiple-ordered group keys inputting a letter ordered group then one of said letters in said letter ordered group is preferentially selected for input.

26. :

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fifth auxiliary key effective to capitalize letters which have been previously input, said fifth auxiliary key associated with an ordered group of capitalization patterns such that when said fifth auxiliary key is successively actuated members of said ordered group of capitalization patterns are successively applied in order to sequences of said letters which have been previously input.

27. :

The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said ordered group of capitalization patterns comprises the pattern of capitializing the first letter of a word, or capitalizing all letters of a word or uncapitalizing all letters of a word.

28. :

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fifth auxiliary key effective to undo the last retroactive change effected by said predictive software.

29. :

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a space key for inputting the space symbol, such that one activation of the space key causes a space symbol to be input and such that two consecutive activations input a character sequence comprising the carriage return symbol, and each consecutive activation inputs an additional character sequence comprising a carriage return symbol.

30. :

The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a space key for inputting the symbol, and where said digit key engages said space key such that when said digit key is actuated in conjunction with said space key a tab symbol is input.

31. :

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising auxiliary keys which engage said at least one multiple-ordered-group keys such that when one of said auxiliary keys is actuated in conjunction with at least one of said multiple-ordered-group keys then one of said ordered groups is selected for input, and where said ordered groups comprise symbols of essential one class, said classes selected from the group consisting of punctuation symbols, digits, and letters and such that each of said auxiliary keys is labeled in a visually distinct way and such that at least one member of said at least one ordered group corresponds to a label on said at least one multiple-ordered group key and where said corresponding label shares the same visually distinction as said auxiliary key which selects said ordered group for input, whereby the association of said auxiliary key and said ordered group is discoverable.

32. :

A method for generating typable devices comprising the steps of selecting a plurality of symbols to be input,

assigning a plurality of said plurality of symbols to ordered groups,

assigning said ordered groups to keys such that at least one of said keys is assigned more than one ordered group, and such that each of said keys is effective to input members of said assigned ordered groups.

33. :

The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of assigning one or more of said assigned ordered groups to an auxiliary key engaged with said keys assigned ordered groups such that when said auxiliary key is actuated in conjunction with said keys assigned ordered groups then one of said assigned ordered groups is selected preferentially for input.