Embedded text input

• US 20040222964A1
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Guo, William, Martinez, Greg, Lum, Richard S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,116,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods

Abstract

A input device is disclosed that includes a plurality of character input keys and is operable in a single alphabetic character input mode and a multiple alphabetic character input mode. In the single alphabetic character input mode, an individual character input key is assigned a single alphabetic character, and activating the individual character input key inputs the alphabetic character. In the multiple alphabetic character input mode an individual character input key is assigned multiple alphabetic characters, and the specific character that is input as a result of activating the individual character input key depends upon the number of times the individual character input key is activated. In general, the single alphabetic character input mode utilizes a greater number of the character input keys than the multiple alphabetic character input mode. Accordingly, a portion of the character input keys are deactivated in the multiple alphabetic character input mode.

Claims

1. A method of character input for a computing device having a plurality of character keys, the method comprising steps of:

utilizing the character keys under one of a single alphabetic character input mode and a multiple alphabetic character input mode;

changing the mode; and

utilizing the character keys under the other one of the single alphabetic character input mode and the multiple alphabetic character input mode.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of deactivating a selected number of the character input keys in response to the changing step.

3. A method of character input for a computing system, the method of character input comprising steps of:

utilizing at least 26 character keys under a single alphabetic character input mode with each of the 26 character keys being associated with a predetermined single letter; and

utilizing a subset of the character keys under a multiple alphabetic character input mode with each of the keys in the subset being associated with multiple letters.

4. The method recited in claim 3, further comprising a step of activating a key to change the operability of the character keys between the input modes.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising a step of disabling character keys not within the subset.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the utilizing a subset step includes utilizing a subset between exactly 9-12 character keys, and the disabling step of includes disabling the other of the 26 character keys not within the subset.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the utilizing a subset step includes activating character keys in the subset of character keys under an ambiguous key entry system such that the activation of a character key in the subset initially enters a selected one of multiple possible letters.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising a step of utilizing a disambiguating routine to associate each character key with only one of the multiple possible letters.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the utilizing a subset step includes activating each of the subset of character keys a predetermined number of times to provide an input of a selected one of the respective multiple letters associated with the keys.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising a step of providing a contrast in illumination between the character keys within the subset and the character keys not within the subset when in the multiple alphabetic character input mode.

11. A method of character input for a computing system, the method of character input comprising steps of:

utilizing at least 26 character keys under a first key entry mode;

changing the key entry mode from the first key entry mode to a second key entry mode;

utilizing a subset of the 26 character keys under the second key entry mode; and

disabling the at least 26 character keys not within the subset in response to the changing step.

12. A method of character input for a computing device from an input device having a plurality of character input keys, the method comprising steps of:

operating the input device under a first mode, and in that first mode;

activating a character input key to input a first alphabetic character; and

activating the character input key a second time to input the first alphabetic character a second time;

changing the mode of the input device to a second mode, and in that second mode;

once activating the character input key to input a second alphabetic character, and twice activating the character input key to input a third alphabetic character.

13. The method recited in claim 12, wherein the step of changing the mode of the input device includes deactivating a selected number of the character input keys.

14. The method recited in claim 12, wherein the step of changing the mode further comprises thrice activating the character input key to input a fourth alphabetic character.

15. A method of character input for a computing device, the method of character input comprising steps of:

receiving a first input signal from a first input key of an input device;

inputting a first alphabetic character in response to the first input signal;

receiving a second input signal from a second input key of the input device;

inputting a second alphabetic character in response to the second input signal;

receiving a mode change input signal from the input device;

receiving the first input signal and the second input signal from a third input key of the input device;

inputting the first alphabetic character and the second alphabetic character in response to the first input signal and the second input signal from the third input key.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the step of receiving the mode change input signal includes deactivating at least one of the first character input key and the second character input key.

17. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the step of inputting the first alphabetic character and the second alphabetic character includes waiting a predetermined period of time between receipt of the first input signal and the second input signal.

19. The method recited in claim 17, further comprising a step of providing a contrast in illumination between the first character input key and the second character input key when the input device is in the second mode.

18. A method of character input, the method comprising steps of:

providing an input device having a plurality of character input keys that include a first character input key and a second character input key;

placing the input device in a first mode such that;

once depressing the first character input key inputs a first character,

twice depressing the first character input key inputs two of the first character,

once depressing the second character input key inputs a second character,

twice depressing the second character input key inputs two of the second character,

placing the input device in a second mode such that;

once depressing the first character input key inputs a third character,

twice depressing the first character input key inputs a fourth character, and

the second character input key is disabled such that no characters are inputted when the second character input key is depressed.

20. A character input device comprising:

a housing that forms at least a portion of an outer surface of the character input device;

26 character input keys accessible from an exterior of the housing, the character input keys being first labeled with a respective letter of the alphabet;

wherein a subset of the 26 character input keys is further labeled with multiple letters for guidance in an operation of the of the subset of the 26 character input keys in an alternative key entry mode.

21. The character input device of claim 20, wherein the 26 character input keys are labeled with their respective letter of the alphabet on an outer face of the keys.

22. The character input device of claim 20, wherein the subset of the 26 character input keys are spaced from once another such that a portion of the housing extends between adjacent character input keys, and each the subset of the 26 character input keys is labeled with multiple letters located on the housing in an area immediately adjacent each respective key of the subset.

23. A character input device comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of physically depressible character input keys accessible from an exterior of the housing, the plurality of the physically depressible character input keys being operable in a single alphabetic character input mode and a multiple alphabetic character input mode;

a mode-altering key accessible from an exterior of the housing; and

a controller configured to change the mode between the single alphabetic character input mode and the multiple alphabetic character input mode in response to the activation of the mode-altering key.

24. The character input device recited in claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to disable a selected number of the character keys.

25. The character input device recited in claim 23, wherein the controller includes a disambiguating key entry system.