Embedded text input

• US 20060250371A1
• Filed: 07/03/2006
• Published: 11/09/2006
• 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 7,804,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods

Abstract

An input device 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.

Claims

1. A method of character input for a computing system with an input device having a game controller portion and character entry portion that includes a plurality of character keys, 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.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of activating a key to change the operability of the character keys between the input modes.

3. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of disabling character keys not within the subset.

4. The method recited in claim 3, wherein the utilizing a subset step includes utilizing a subset between exactly 9-12 character keys, and the disabling step includes disabling the other of the 26 character keys not within the subset.

5. The method recited in claim 1, 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.

6. The method recited in claim 5, further comprising a step of utilizing a disambiguating routine to associate each character key with only one of the multiple possible letters.

7. The method recited in claim 1, 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.

8. The method recited in claim 1, 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.

9. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of separating the game controller portion and the character entry portion.

10. A method of character input for a computing system with an input device having a game controller portion and character entry portion that includes a plurality of character keys, the method of character input comprising steps of:

utilizing at least 26 character keys under a first key entry mode, wherein each of the 26 character keys are associated with a single alphabetic character;

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, wherein each of the character keys in the subset are associated with multiple alphabetic characters; and

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

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the changing the key entry mode step includes activating a key to change from the first key entry mode to the second key entry mod.

12. The method recited in claim 10, further comprising a step of disabling character keys not within the subset.

13. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the utilizing a subset step includes utilizing a subset between exactly 9-12 character keys, and the disabling step includes disabling the other of the 26 character keys not within the subset.

14. The method recited in claim 10, 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.

15. The method recited in claim 14, further comprising a step of utilizing a disambiguating routine to associate each character key with only one of the multiple possible letters.

16. The method recited in claim 10, further comprising a step of separating the game controller portion and the character entry portion.

17. A method of character input for a computing system with an input device having a game controller portion and character entry portion that includes a plurality of input keys, the method of character input comprising steps of:

receiving a first input signal from a first input key of the character entry portion;

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

receiving a second input signal from a second input key of the character entry portion;

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

receiving a mode change input signal from the character entry portion;

receiving the first input signal and the second input signal from a third input key of the character entry portion; and

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.

18. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the step of receiving the mode change input signal includes deactivating at least one of the first input key and the second input key.

19. The method recited in claim 17, 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.