Keypads style input device for electrical devices

• US 20040145571A1
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikolaj Helberg Bestle, Robert A. Shepherd
• Original Assignee: Nikolaj Helberg Bestle, Robert A. Shepherd
• Inventors: Shepherd, Robert A., Bestle, Nikolaj Helberg
• Granted Patent: US 7,151,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions

Abstract

A mobile telephone includes a body, a display, and a keypad. The keypad is remotely secured to the body and coupled to a processor. The keypad is depressible along a plurality of directions and can be switched between a first mode and second mode, wherein each combination of depressible direction and mode represent a unique group of alphanumeric letters. The processor includes word recognition software, such a desire word can be determined form the sequence of groups of letter selected without having to select each individual letter.

Claims

1. An electrical device comprising:

a body for retaining a control processor;

a display secured to the body coupled to the processor for visual presentation of information; and

a keypad removably secured to the body and coupled to the processor, wherein the keypad is depressible along a plurality of directions and can be switched between a first mode and second mode and

wherein each combination of depressible direction and mode represent a unique group of alphanumeric letters.

2. The electrical device according to claim 1, further comprising a annulus of numerical keys.

3. The electrical device according to claim 2, further comprising means for text recognition controlled by and coupled to the processor for determining, based on sequence of the unique groups selected, a unique word selected from a plurality of words.

4. The electrical device according to claim 3, wherein the keypad can be reposition in an orientation that is vertical relative to the orientation of the display.

5. A method for entering a word the method comprising:

selecting one mode from a plurality of modes;

selecting a group of letters from a plurality of groups of letters associated with that mode corresponding to a desired letter, wherein each group of letters includes a plurality of letters;

repeating the mode selection and the group selection until all of the groups that contain all of letters of a desired word have been selected; and

determining the desire word using a word recognition means.