System and method for inputting characters using a directional pad

• US 20050134572A1
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Anson, David Leininger Adolphson
• Granted Patent: US 7,414,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items

Abstract

A system and method for enabling a user to input characters using a directional pad of a computing device. The directional pad is configured to generate directional inputs. The invention creates mappings for the directional inputs where each of the mappings associates at least one of the directional inputs with at least one of the characters. The user may activate one of the mappings by selecting one of the directional inputs. While the mapping is activated, the user may input a character by selecting a directional input associated with that character.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A computer-readable medium encoded with a data structure comprising:

a first data field containing characters;

a second data field containing directional input identifiers that represent directional inputs generated by a directional pad; and

a third data field containing mappings, wherein each mapping associates at least one of the directional input identifiers in the second data field with at least one of the characters of the first data field.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein at least one of the mappings associates at least one of the directional input identifiers in the second data field with a group of at least two of the characters of the first data field.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the second data field contains five directional input identifiers.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the second data field contains more than five directional input identifiers.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein at least one of the mappings in the third field associates five directional input identifiers with five of the characters in the first data field.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein at least one of the mappings in the third field associates at least one directional input identifiers with another one of the mappings.

34. A computer-readable medium encoded with a data structure, comprising:

a first data field containing a plurability of characters;

a second data field containing directional input identifiers that represent directional inputs generated by a directional pad;

a third data field containing mappings, wherein at least one of the mappings associates at least one of the directional input identifiers in the second data field with at least one of the characters of the first data field;

a fourth data field containing a selected mapping for being displayed on a mobile device; and

a fifth data field containing unselected mappings for being hidden on the mobile device.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein at least one of the mappings associates at least one of the directional input identifiers in the second data field with a group of at least two of the characters of the first data field.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the second data field contains five directional input identifiers.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the second data field contains more than five directional input identifiers.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein at least one of the mappings in the third field associates five directional input identifiers with five of the characters in the first data field.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein at least one of the mappings in the third field associates at least one directional input identifiers with another one of the mappings.

40. A computer-readable medium for a mobile telephone encoded with a data structure, comprising:

a first data field containing a plurability of characters for input into a mobile telephone;

a second data field containing directional input identifiers that represent directional inputs generated by a directional pad of a mobile telephone; and

a third data field containing mappings, wherein at least one of the mappings associates at least one of the directional input identifiers in the second data field with at least one of the characters of the first data field.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, further comprising a fourth data field containing a selected mapping for being displayed on a display of the mobile telephone.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, further comprising a fifth data field containing a unselected mapping for being hidden on a display of the mobile telephone.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein at least one of the mappings associates at least one of the directional input identifiers in the second data field with a group of at least two of the characters of the first data field.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the second data field contains five directional input identifiers.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the second data field contains more than five directional input identifiers.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein at least one of the mappings in the third field associates five directional input identifiers with five of the characters in the first data field.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein at least one of the mappings in the third field associates at least one directional input identifiers with another one of the mappings.