Text Entry Interface for a Portable Communication Device

• US 20070152979A1
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran, Christie, Greg, Ording, Bas, Van Os, Marcel, Forstall, Scott, Anzures, Freddy, Jobs, Steven, Lemay, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,574,672 B2
• 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 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/26 Devices for calling a subscriber H04M1/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

A method includes displaying a first tray and a second tray in a display of the portable communications device. The first tray is configured to display one of more characters that were selected by a user using a click wheel. The second tray includes a first plurality of icons that correspond to a set of characters and one or more recommended words. The first tray includes a first region in a graphical user interface and the second tray includes a second region in the graphical user interface. Scrolling through the first plurality of icons and the one or more recommended words occurs in accordance with one or more navigation commands received from a click wheel.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying a first tray and a second tray in a display of a portable communications device, wherein the first tray is configured to display one of more characters that were selected by a user using a click wheel, the second tray includes a first plurality of icons that correspond to a set of characters and one or more recommended words, and wherein the first tray includes a first region in a graphical user interface and the second tray includes a second region in the graphical user interface; and

scrolling through the first plurality of icons and the one or more recommended words in accordance with one or more navigation commands received from the click wheel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of icons and the one or more recommended words comprise a set, scrolling through the set is sequential, and wherein the scrolling wraps around from one end of the set to another end of the set.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a third tray, wherein the third tray includes a second plurality of icons, the second plurality of icons includes numbers, and wherein the third tray includes a third region in the graphical user interface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first plurality of icons, the one or more recommended words and the second plurality of icons comprise a set, scrolling through the set is sequential, and wherein the scrolling wraps around from one end of the set to another end of the set.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising highlighting a respective icon in the first plurality of icons corresponding to a current position in the second tray.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a user command, wherein the user command corresponds to selection of a respective icon in the first plurality of icons, and wherein the user command includes pushing down on the click wheel.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a user command, wherein the user command corresponds to selection of a respective icon in the first plurality of icons, and wherein the user command includes pushing down on a button at the center of the click wheel.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying explanations of one or more functions corresponding to one or more symbols on the click wheel in the display.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically adding a space after receiving a user command corresponding to selection of at least one of the one or more recommended words.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of icons includes a display adjustment icon, and wherein the one or more recommended words in the second tray are replaced by icons corresponding to punctuation marks when a first user command corresponding to selection of the display adjustment icon is received a first time and the icons corresponding to punctuation marks are replaced by the one or more recommended words when the first user command corresponding to selection of the display adjustment icon is received a second time.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising automatically adding a space after a second user command corresponding to selection of at least one of the one or more recommended words is received and automatically removing the space if a next user command received corresponds to the display adjustment icon.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein additional icons corresponding to one or more sets of characters are displayed if the first user command corresponding to selection of the display adjustment icon is received a second time and if a contact associated with the selection of the display adjustment icon is maintained for a time interval greater than a pre-determined value.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of icons includes at least one character icon corresponding to one or more sets of additional characters, and wherein a set of icons corresponding to at least one of the one or more sets of additional characters is displayed when a user command corresponding to selection of at least the one character icon is received.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying icons corresponding to pronunciation marks in accordance with the one or more characters that are selected by the user.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more recommended words are in accordance with a user word history.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the user word history includes frequencies and times of usage.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more recommended words are displayed prior to receiving a user command corresponding to selection of any icon in the first plurality of icons.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more recommended words are in accordance with a word prediction model, wherein the word prediction model is in accordance with one or more previously received user commands corresponding to one or more characters.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of icons includes one or more jump icons, the first plurality of icons and the one or more recommended words comprise a set, and wherein clicking on a respective jump icon using a click wheel results in a discontinuous jump from one position in the set to another position.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein a scrolling rate is in accordance with an item selected from the group consisting of a speed and an acceleration of a contact by a user with the click wheel.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein a scrolling rate is slower for a pre-determined angular displacement of the contact just after the scrolling is started, just prior to stopping the scrolling, and when a direction of the scrolling is reversed, than for other angular displacements.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein a scrolling rate is slower for a pre-determined time interval of the contact just after the scrolling is started, just prior to stopping the scrolling, and when a direction of the scrolling is reversed, than for other time intervals.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a plurality of user commands using the click wheel, wherein the plurality of user commands correspond to selection of multiple icons in the first plurality of icons, and wherein the selection occurs while contact with the click wheel is maintained.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more navigation commands include motion of a user contact with the click wheel.

25. A graphical user interface, comprising a first tray and a second tray in a display of a portable communications device, wherein the first tray is configured to display one of more characters that were selected by a user using a click wheel, the second tray includes a first plurality of icons that correspond to a set of characters and one or more recommended words, the first tray includes a first region in the graphical user interface and the second tray includes a second region in the graphical user interface, and wherein a current position icon is cycled through the first plurality of icons and the one or more recommended words in accordance with one or more navigation commands received from a click wheel.

26. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a device, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising instructions for:

displaying a first tray and a second tray in a display of a portable communications device, wherein the first tray is configured to display one of more characters that were selected by a user using a click wheel, the second tray includes a first plurality of icons that correspond to a set of characters and one or more recommended words, and wherein the first tray includes a first region in a graphical user interface and the second tray includes a second region in the graphical user interface; and

scrolling through the first plurality of icons and the one or more recommended words in accordance with one or more navigation commands received from a click wheel.

27. A portable communications device, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

a program, wherein the program is stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the program including;

instructions for displaying a first tray and a second tray in the display of the device, wherein the first tray is configured to display one of more characters that were selected by a user using a click wheel, the second tray includes a first plurality of icons that correspond to a set of characters and one or more recommended words, and wherein the first tray includes a first region in a graphical user interface and the second tray includes a second region in the graphical user interface; and

instructions for scrolling through the first plurality of icons and the one or more recommended words in accordance with one or more navigation commands received from a click wheel.

28. A portable communications device, comprising:

display means;

one or more processor means;

memory means; and

a program mechanism, wherein the program mechanism is stored in the memory means and configured to be executed by the one or more processors means, the program mechanism including;

instructions for displaying a first tray and a second tray in the display means of the device, wherein the first tray is configured to display one of more characters that were selected by a user using a click wheel, the second tray includes a first plurality of icons that correspond to a set of characters and one or more recommended words, and wherein the first tray includes a first region in the graphical user interface and the second tray includes a second region in the graphical user interface; and

instructions for scrolling through the first plurality of icons and the one or more recommended words in accordance with one or more navigation commands received from a click wheel.