SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED DATA ENTRY

• US 20070057822A1
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey Davies
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey Davies
• Inventors: Davies, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,710,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 11/18 wherein the shift keys are operated before the operation of the multifunction keys

Abstract

A system and method for entering text via a numeric keypad. The keypad is logically divided into columns, with each column having four rows. The first column includes at least the keypad number associated with a particular key, the second column includes the lowercase letters associated with the key and the third column contains the shifted versions of the characters in the second column.

Claims

1. A data entry system comprising:

a keypad for entering data into the data entry system, wherein the keypad is configured as a keypad having three columns of four rows each;

the first row having three keys representing the numbers one, two and three, the second row having three keys representing the numbers four, five and six, the third row having three keys representing the numbers seven, eight and nine, and the fourth row having three keys representing the asterisk, zero and pound sign;

wherein the number two key represents the letters A, B and C, the number three key represents the letters D, E and F, the number four key represents the letter J, K and L, the number six key represents the letters M, N and O, the number seven key represents the letters P, Q, R and S, the number eight key represents the letters T, U and V, and the number nine key represents the letter W, X, Y and Z; and

a mapping scheme for mapping the letters of the keypad in a predetermined order when a first key is pressed, wherein the first column includes the value of the number pressed, the second column includes each of the letters representing the number pressed and the third column includes the shifted versions of each of the letters representing the number pressed.

2. The data entry system of claim 1, wherein the first column includes symbols.

3. The data entry system of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third columns may be interchanged.

4. The data entry system of claim 1, wherein the second column displays lower case letters.

5. The data entry system of claim 1, wherein the third column displays upper case letters.

6. The data entry system of claim 1, wherein pressing a first predetermined key aborts the current operation.

7. The data entry system of claim 1, wherein pressing a second predetermined key twice in succession repeats entry of the previously entered character.

8. The data entry system of claim 1, wherein pressing a third predetermined key twice in succession enters a space.

9. A method for entering data into an electronic device, comprising:

entering data into the data entry system using a keypad, wherein the keypad is configured as a group of keys having three columns of four rows each;

the first row having three keys representing the numbers one, two and three, the second row having three keys representing the numbers four, five and six, the third row having three keys representing the numbers seven, eight and nine, and the fourth row having three keys representing the asterisk, zero and pound sign;

wherein the number two key represents the letters A, B and C, the number three key represents the letters D, E and F, the number four key represents the letter J, K and L, the number six key represents the letters M, N and O, the number seven key represents the letters P, Q, R and S, the number eight key represents the letters T, U and V, and the number nine key represents the letter W, X, Y and Z; and

mapping the letters of the keypad in a predetermined order when a first key is pressed, wherein the first column includes the value of the number pressed, the second column includes each of the letters representing the number pressed and the third column includes the shifted versions of each of the letters representing the number pressed.

10. The data entry method of claim 9, further comprising the step of assigning the first column one or more symbols.

12. The data entry method of claim 9, further comprising the step of displaying lower case letters in the second column.

13. The data entry system of claim 9, wherein the third column displays upper case letters.

14. The data entry system of claim 9, wherein pressing a first predetermined key aborts the current operation.

15. The data entry system of claim 9, wherein pressing a second predetermined key twice repeats entry of the previously entered character.

16. The data entry system of claim 9, wherein pressing a third predetermined key twice enters a space character.

11. The data entry method of 9, further comprising the step of interchanging the first, second and third columns.

17. A data entry system comprising:

a keypad having multiple keys for entering data;

a first mode where the data entry system is waiting for a key to be pressed;

a second mode that the data entry system enters when the key on the keypad has been pressed, the second mode including a remapped keypad having a predetermined layout depending on the key that was pressed; and

a third mode that the data entry system enters when another key on the keypad has been pressed, the second mode including acceptance by the data entry system of the value assigned to the key being pressed when the data entry system is in its second mode.

18. The data entry system of claim 17, wherein the second mode includes remapping the keyboard into several columns.

19. The data entry system of claim 18, wherein a first column includes the number associated with the particular key being pressed.

20. The data entry system of claim 18, wherein a second column includes the lower case letters associated with the particular key being pressed.

21. The data entry system of claim 18, wherein a third column includes the upper case letters associated with the particular key being pressed.

22. The data entry system of claim 17, including at least one additional mode for enabling the keyboard to be configured for an additional keypad mapping.

23. The data entry system of claim 17, including at least one additional mode for enabling the keyboard to be configured to execute at least one macro.