Character inputting method and character inputting apparatus

• US 20050114138A1
• Filed: 11/17/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yasumura, Chiaki, Tomishige, Kaoru, Okuda, Yoshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,912,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/018 Input/output arrangements for oriental characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items

Abstract

When an input section is actuated by a user, a character is inputted, and a storage section stores therein the inputted character. On this occasion, when the inputted character is a vowel character, a control section causes the storage section to store therein the inputted vowel character and an intonation associated therewith. In a case where a vowel character identical to the inputted vowel character is successively inputted by the input section, the control section causes the storage section to store therein the vowel character and the initial intonation in association with each other, for a first input. At second and subsequent inputs, the control section does not cause the storage section to store therein the identical vowel character anew, but it alters only the intonation associated with the vowel character which has been already stored in the storage section.

Claims

1. A character inputting method for Chinese Pinyin input, comprising:

detecting an input of a vowel character;

providing an intonation for the inputted vowel character; and

when a vowel character identical to the inputted vowel character is successively inputted, providing a different intonation for the successively inputted vowel character.

3. The character inputting method of claim 1, wherein the provision of the different intonation is based on an intonation at a last input and a predetermined sequence.

5. The character inputting method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined sequence is in order of a neutral tone, a first tone, a second tone, a third tone, a fourth tone, and the neutral tone.

7. The character inputting method of claim 1, wherein when a different vowel character or a consonant character is inputted in succession to the successive inputs of the identical vowel character,

an intonation provided at a last one of the successive inputs is validated as an intonation of the inputted vowel character.

9. The character inputting method of claim 1, wherein when movement of a cursor is inputted in succession to the successive inputs of the identical vowel character,

an intonation provided at a last one of the successive inputs is validated as an intonation of the inputted vowel character.

11. A character search method comprising:

making a search on the basis of the Pinyin inputted by the character inputting method of claim 1;

when the intonation of the vowel character has been altered, making a search in accordance with the alteration; and

outputting the search results.

13. The character search method of claim 11, wherein the search results are outputted by displaying them on a screen, and

when all the search results cannot be displayed by one frame, the search results are displayed by scrolling the screen.

2. A character inputting method for Chinese Pinyin input, comprising:

detecting an input of a vowel character;

providing an intonation for the inputted vowel character; and

when a vowel character identical to the inputted vowel character is successively inputted, providing a different intonation for the vowel character inputted at a first one of the successive inputs with regard to second and subsequent inputs.

4. The character inputting method of claim 2, wherein the provision of the different intonation is based on an intonation at a last input and a predetermined sequence.

6. The character inputting method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined sequence is in order of a neutral tone, a first tone, a second tone, a third tone, a fourth tone, and the neutral tone.

8. The character inputting method of claim 2, wherein when a different vowel character or a consonant character is inputted in succession to the successive inputs of the identical vowel character,

an intonation provided at a last one of the successive inputs is validated as an intonation of the inputted vowel character.

10. The character inputting method of claim 2, wherein when movement of a cursor is inputted in succession to the successive inputs of the identical vowel character,

an intonation provided at a last one of the successive inputs is validated as an intonation of the inputted vowel character.

12. A character search method comprising:

making a search on the basis of the Pinyin inputted by the character inputting method of claim 2;

when the intonation of the vowel character has been altered, making a search in accordance with the alteration; and

outputting the search results.

14. The character search method of claim 12, wherein the search results are outputted by displaying them on a screen, and

when all the search results cannot be displayed by one frame, the search results are displayed by scrolling the screen.

15. A character inputting method for Chinese Pinyin input, comprising:

detecting an input of a predetermined character;

providing an intonation for the inputted predetermined character; and

when a character identical to the inputted predetermined character is successively inputted, providing a different intonation of the inputted predetermined character.

16. A character inputting apparatus for Chinese Pinyin input, comprising:

input means for making an input of a character;

storage means for storing therein the inputted character; and

control means for causing when the inputted character is a vowel character, the storage means to store therein the inputted vowel character and its intonation associated therewith,

wherein, when a vowel character identical to the inputted vowel character is successively inputted by the input means,

the control means alters only the intonation associated with the vowel character stored in compliance with a first one of the successive inputs, without causing the storage means to store therein the inputted vowel character anew, in compliance with second and subsequent inputs.