Character input apparatus

• US 20040196266A1
• Filed: 12/24/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Digital Media Engineering Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Akira, Koga, Kenichi, Matsuura, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,292,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A character input apparatus includes a key-in unit configured to input a character by a keystroke, a writing input unit to input a character by writing, a storage to store character strings, and a control unit to control the storage to store, in the storage, a first character input by the key-in unit and a second character input by the writing input unit in a form of a single character string including the first character and the second character.

Claims

1. A character input apparatus which generates character string data, comprising:

key-in means for inputting a character by a keystroke;

writing input means for inputting a character by writing;

means for storing character strings; and

control means for controlling the storing means to store a first character input by the key-in means and a second character input by the writing input means in the storing means in a form of a single character string including the first character and the second character.

2. The character input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display device to display information; and

display controlling means for controlling the display device to display a function key on the display device;

the writing input means comprising;

coordinate detecting means for detecting coordinates of an object input by the writing input means, the coordinate detecting means being laid on the display device; and

handwriting detecting means for detecting a handwritten character based on the coordinates and,

the controlling means executing a preset editing control with respect to the character string when the coordinate detecting means has detected a pressure applied to a position corresponding to the function key,

the display controlling means starting display of the function key when the coordinate detecting means has detected the writing after inputting a character by the keystroke.

3. The character input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the key-in means includes a preset key and holding means for holding a character type inputted through the preset key, and when the writing inputting means accepts a character input and then a key operation for the key-in means is again performed, the key-in means accepts a character in the character type held by the holding means.

4. The character input apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the coordinate detecting means detects a coordinate to which an external pressure is applied.

5. The character input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display device to display information; and

display controlling means for controlling the display device to display a function key on the display device;

the writing input means comprising;

coordinate detecting means for detecting coordinates of an object input by the writing input means, the coordinate detecting means being laid on the display device; and

handwriting detecting means for detecting a handwritten character based on the coordinates and, the controlling means executing a preset editing control with respect to the character string when the coordinate detecting means has detected a pressure applied to a position corresponding to the function key,

the display controlling means terminates the display of the function key when the key-in means was operated after inputting a character through the writing inputting means.

6. The character input apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the key-in means includes a preset key and holding means for holding a character type inputted through the preset key, and when the writing inputting means accepts a character input and then a key operation for the key-in means is again performed, the key-in means accepts a character in the character type held by the holding means.

7. The character input apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the coordinate detecting means detects a coordinate to which an external pressure is applied.

8. The character input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the key-in means includes a preset key and holding means for holding a character type inputted through the preset key, and when the writing inputting means accepts a character input and then a key operation for the key-in means is again performed, the key-in means accepts a character in the character type held by the holding means.

9. A character input apparatus which generates character string data, comprising:

a key-in unit configured to input a character by a keystroke;

a writing input unit configured to input a character by writing;

a storage configured to store character strings; and

a control unit configured to control the storage to store a first character input by the key-in unit and a second character input by the writing input unit in the storage in a form of a single character string including the first character and the second character.

10. The character input apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a display device to display information; and

a display controlling unit configured to control the display device to display a function key on the display device;

the writing input unit comprising;

a coordinate detecting unit configured to detect coordinates of an object input by the writing input unit, the coordinate detecting unit being laid on the display device; and

a handwriting detecting unit configured to detect a handwritten character based on the coordinates and,

the control unit executing a preset editing control with respect to the character string when the coordinate detecting unit has detected a pressure applied to a position corresponding to the function key,

the display controlling unit starting display of the function key when the coordinate detecting unit has detected the writing after inputting a character by the keystroke.

11. The character input apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the key-in unit includes a preset key and holding unit configured to hold a character type inputted through the preset key, and when the writing inputting unit accepts a character input and then a key operation for the key-in unit is again performed, the key-in unit accepts a character in the character type held by the holding unit.

12. The character input apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the coordinate detecting unit detects a coordinate to which an external pressure is applied.

13. The character input apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a display device to display information; and

a display controlling unit configured to control the display device to display a function key on the display device;

the writing input unit comprising;

a coordinate detecting unit configured to detect coordinates of an object input by the writing input unit, the coordinate detecting unit being laid on the display device; and

a handwriting detecting unit configured to detect a handwritten character based on the coordinates and, the control unit executing a preset editing control with respect to the character string when the coordinate detecting unit has detected a pressure applied to a position corresponding to the function key,

the display control unit terminates the display of the function key when the key-in unit was operated after inputting a character through the writing inputting unit.

14. The character input apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the key-in unit includes a preset key and holding unit configured to hold a character type inputted through the preset key, and when the writing inputting unit accepts a character input and then a key operation for the key-in unit is again performed, the key-in unit accepts a character in the character type held by the holding unit.

15. The character input apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the coordinate detecting unit detects a coordinate to which an external pressure is applied.

16. The character input apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the key-in unit includes a preset key and holding unit configured to hold a character type inputted through the preset key, and when the writing inputting unit accepts a character input and then a key operation for the key-in unit is again performed, the key-in unit accepts a character in the character type held by the holding unit.