Universal x,y-axis positioning input method

• US 20060176284A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yu-Chih Cheng
• Original Assignee: Yu-Chih Cheng
• Inventors: Cheng, Yu-Chih
• Application Number:
  US11/168,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20060176284A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A universal x, y-axis positioning input method used for electronic devices having number keys, direction keys and a display screen integrates the characters and/or function keys into several character options to define a menu of columns in at least two rows displayed on the screen, and the menu can be divided into several pages if it is too large; a horizontal numerical row is disposed at the upper part of the menu for indicating the x-coordinates of the character options for selecting and controlling the x-coordinate of the character option by using the numerical keys; the values of y-coordinate, at first determining an initial value corresponding to the horizontal character option row, and then being displayed on the screen by a method other than those displaying the character option rows, finally, using direction keys to select and control the y-coordinate of the character option, and a row of character options can be selected each time; the way of selecting the x-coordinate is interchangeable with that for y-coordinate. Selecting the values of the x, y-axis for the desired character option from the menu completes the input. The invention overcomes the difficulties of locating the key mapping to the desired characters and having too many keystrokes, and also provides a simple, convenient and quick input method to be used universally for any character code sets and having the function keys effect.

Claims

1. A universal x, y-axis positioning input method, integrating a plurality of characters and/or function keys into a plurality of character options to define a menu having columns in at least two rows to be displayed on a screen, wherein said menu at its upper section marks x-coordinate for each said character option by an horizontal number row, and said horizontal number row is controlled by number keys to select the x-coordinate, and an initial y-coordinate value corresponding to said horizontal character option row is set for the y-coordinate of said character option row and displayed by a method other than those for displaying other character option rows, and direction keys are used to select and control the y-coordinates, and one character option row is selected at a time, and said desired character option is shown on said menu for selecting the coordinates so as to complete inputting a character.

2. The universal x, y-axis positioning input method of claim 1, wherein said character is selected from an element including texts, alphabets and symbols for any languages or their combinations.

3. The universal x, y-axis positioning input method of claim 1, wherein said function key is a key for controlling an operating function.

4. The universal x, y-axis positioning input method of claim 1, wherein said character option is a single character, a single function key or a combination of a plurality of characters.

5. The universal x, y-axis positioning input method of claim 1, wherein said menu is divided into a plurality of pages if said menu is too large to be displayed in a page, and said direction keys or function keys are used to select each page and display one page at a time.

6. The universal x, y-axis positioning input method of claim 1, wherein said number keys are keys including at least ten digits from 0 to 9.

7. The universal x, y-axis positioning input method of claim 1, wherein said direction keys are direction controlling devices including direction keys, joysticks, rollers, dials or pointer etc..

8. The universal x, y-axis positioning input method of claim 1, wherein said method of setting said x, y-coordinates is interchangeable.

9. An electronic product is an apparatus adopting said universal x, y-axis positioning input method of claim 1.