Text-input device and method

• US 20070127716A1
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Kyun-hoe, Kwak, Woon-geun, Rhee, Dae-sun, Kim, Kyoung-won, Lee, Sang-jin
• Granted Patent: US 8,280,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/43
• 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 text-input device and method is provided. The device includes a display unit that displays a user interface, which is divided into a plurality of areas each including a plurality of cells where predetermined text is displayed, an input unit that includes a plurality of text-input units to provide a focusing signal that focuses on a predetermined cell in the displayed user interface and a selecting signal that selects the focused cell, a user interface providing unit that generates a control signal corresponding to the selected cell with reference to a mapping table according to whether the selecting signal is available, and a control unit that performs a control command based on the control signal, wherein the plurality of text-input units correspond to the areas

Claims

1. A text-input device comprising:

a display unit that displays a user interface, which is divided into a plurality of individually presented areas each area including a plurality of cells where predetermined text is displayed;

an input unit that includes a plurality of text-input units to provide a focusing signal that focuses on a predetermined cell in the displayed user interface and a selecting signal that selects the focused cell;

a user interface providing unit that generates a control signal corresponding to the selected cell with reference to a mapping table according to whether the selecting signal is available; and

a control unit that performs a control command based on the control signal, wherein the plurality of text-input units correspond to the areas.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the text comprises at least one of Korean letters, English letters, special symbol text, and/or numbers.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the focusing signal focuses a predetermined cell of an area corresponding to the text-input units.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the selecting signal selects the focused cell if the focused cell is present in the area not corresponding to the text-input units.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the text-input units comprises either a jog switch or a track ball.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of cells are arranged in a matrix.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of text-input units provide a focusing signal corresponding to at least one of left, right, up, down, up-left, up-right, down-left, and down-right directions.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the mapping table comprises at least one of information related to identifying the cell, information related to text that is mapped to the cell, information related to an area of the cell, and information related to the text-input mode.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the input unit further comprises a text-input-mode key determining whether to indicate the user interface.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the text-input mode key converts the text-input mode.

11. A method of operating a portable electronic device, comprising:

displaying a user interface divided into a plurality of individually presented areas each area including a plurality of cells where a predetermined text is displayed,

receiving a focusing signal that focuses on a predetermined cell by the displayed user interface and a selecting signal that selects the focused cell from a plurality of text-input units,

creating a control signal corresponding to the selected cell with reference to a mapping table according to whether the selecting signal is available, and

performing a control command based on the control signal, wherein the plurality of text-input units correspond to the areas.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the text comprises at least one of Korean letters, English letters, special symbol text, and/or numbers.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the focusing signal focuses on a predetermined cell of an area corresponding to the text-input units.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the selecting signal selects the focused cell if the focused cell is present in the area not corresponding to the text-input units.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein each of the text-input units comprises either a jog switch or a track ball.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of cells are arranged in a matrix.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the focusing signal corresponds to at least one of left, right, up, down, up-left, up-right, down-left, and down-right directions.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the mapping table comprises at least one of information related to identifying the cell, information related to text that is mapped to the cell, information related to an area of the cell, and information related to the text-input mode.

19. The method according to claim 11, further comprising converting a text-input mode.

20. A method of inputting a letter into a device that is capable of supporting at least two modes, each mode displaying one of first and second text areas from which to choose the letter, the method comprising:

setting the device into the one of the modes that includes the letter;

inputting a first selecting signal if the letter is included within the first text area of the mode and is initially focused on, inputting a first directional signal to move a focus from a secondary letter to the letter if the letter is included within the first text area but is not initially focused on, or inputting a text area changing signal to display the second text area if the letter is not included within the first text area; and

inputting a second selecting signal if the letter is initially focused on after the input of the text area changing signal, or inputting a second directional signal to move the focus from a secondary letter to the letter after the input of the text area changing signal.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the device comprises first and second text input keys.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the second input key generates the first selecting signal when pressed and the first input key generates the first directional signal when manipulated directionally if the first text area is displayed.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the second key generates the text area changing signal when manipulated directionally if the first text area is displayed.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first input key generates the second selecting signal when pressed and the second input key generates the second directional signal when manipulated directionally when the second text area is displayed.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first key generates the text area changing signal when manipulated directionally if the second text area is displayed.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein each of the first and second input keys comprises either a jog switch or a track ball, which are both capable of being pressed so as to generate the first and second selecting signals, respectively, and/or manipulated in various directions so as to generate the first and second directional signals, respectively.

27. The method according to claim 20, wherein, if the letter is focused on, further comprising activating a shift signal so that the letter may be input in a capitalized form thereof.

28. A method of inputting a command to type a letter into a portable electronic device, which alternately displays one of at least first and second sets of characters one of which includes the letter, the method comprising:

inputting a first selecting signal if the letter is included within the first set of characters and is initially focused on, inputting a first directional signal to move a focus from a secondary letter to the letter if the letter is included within the first set of characters but is not initially focused on, or inputting a text area changing signal to display the second set of characters if the letter is not included within the first set of characters; and

inputting a second selecting signal if the letter is initially focused on after the input of the text area changing signal, or inputting a second directional signal to move the focus from a secondary letter to the letter after the input of the text area changing signal.