Apparatus and method for inputting characters using fingerprint identification in portable wireless terminal

• US 20060110013A1
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Eun Talk
• Application Number:
  US11/285,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20060110013A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification

Abstract

Disclosed are an apparatus and method for inputting character using fingerprint identification in a portable wireless terminal. The apparatus includes a memory for storing a first database, in which a plurality of fingerprints are previously registered and a plurality of characters corresponding to the fingerprints are stored, and a second database, in which a dictionary is stored; a fingerprint identification pad for detecting and outputting input fingerprints; and a controller for retrieving the first database to check characters mapped for the respective fingerprints input from the fingerprint identification pad, and determining an input word by using the second database to combine the checked characters in an input order of the fingerprints.

Claims

1. A method for inputting characters using fingerprint identification in a portable wireless terminal, the portable wireless terminal having a first database in which a plurality of fingerprints are previously registered and a plurality of characters corresponding to the fingerprints are stored, and a second database in which a dictionary is stored, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving the first database to check characters mapped for respective fingerprints input through a fingerprint identification pad; and

identifying an input word by combining the checked characters in an input order of the fingerprints using the second database.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the identified word on a display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first database is established based on a QWERTY keyboard format.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the combining of the checked characters is carried out according to a T9-based probability combination.

5. A method for inputting characters using fingerprint identification in a portable wireless terminal, the portable wireless terminal having a first database in which a plurality of fingerprints are previously registered and a plurality of characters corresponding to the fingerprints are stored, and a second database in which a dictionary is stored, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying an input fingerprint by comparing the fingerprint input through a fingerprint identification pad with the plurality of registered fingerprints;

retrieving the first database to check characters mapped for the identified fingerprint;

creating new character strings using the second database to combine the checked characters and character strings produced by combining previously input fingerprints;

checking whether the new character strings include a word defined in the second database; and

when the new character strings include the word defined in the second database, displaying the corresponding word.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

when the new character strings do not include the word defined in the second database, storing the new character strings in a specific area of a memory so as to combine the new character string and characters input later; and

returning to the step of identifying the fingerprint.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first database is established based on a QWERTY keyboard format.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the combination of the characters is carried out according to a T9-based probability combination.

9. An apparatus for inputting characters using fingerprint identification in a portable wireless terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing a first database, in which a plurality of fingerprints are previously registered and a plurality of characters corresponding to the fingerprints are stored, and a second database, in which a dictionary is stored;

a fingerprint identification pad for detecting and outputting input fingerprints; and

a controller for retrieving the first database to check characters mapped for the respective fingerprints input from the fingerprint identification pad, and identifying an input word by combining the checked characters in an input order of the fingerprints using the second database.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a display for displaying the identified word.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first database is established based on a QWERTY keyboard format.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the combining of the checked characters is carried out according to a T9-based probability combination.

13. An apparatus for inputting characters using fingerprint identification in a portable wireless terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing a database, in which a plurality of fingerprints are previously registered and a plurality of characters corresponding to the fingerprints are stored,

a fingerprint identification pad for inputting fingerprints; and

a controller for comparing characters mapped for the respective fingerprints with input fingerprints, and identifying an input word by combining the mapped characters in an input order of the fingerprints.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a display for displaying the identified input word.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the database is established based on a QWERTY keyboard format.

16. A method for inputting characters using fingerprint identification in a portable wireless terminal, the portable wireless terminal having a memory for registering fingerprints, for storing characters corresponding to the registered fingerprints, and for storing a dictionary, the method comprising the steps of:

checking the memory for characters mapped for respective fingerprints input through a fingerprint identification pad; and

identifying an input word by combining the checked characters in an input order of the fingerprints using the memory.