Mobile Appliance System And Method Enabling Efficient Entry

• US 20070285397A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerence Operating Company (Cerence Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ZI Corporation of Canada Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: LaPointe, Jacques, Williams, Roland
• Granted Patent: US 8,018,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27463 Predictive input, predictive dialling by comparing the dialled sequence with the content of a telephone directory
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• 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 mobile appliance and a method of using a mobile appliance are disclosed. The mobile appliance may include a microprocessor, a data entry device, a monitor, a candidate selection device, and software having instructions for controlling the microprocessor. A series of characters are provided to the appliance, and the series of characters is used to both indicate a function and indicate information for that function.

Claims

1. A mobile appliance, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a data entry device in communication with the microprocessor, the data entry device being capable of allowing a user to provide a series of characters to the microprocessor;

a monitor in communication with the microprocessor, the monitor being capable of displaying candidates corresponding to the series of characters;

a candidate selection device in communication with the microprocessor, the selection device being capable of allowing the user to select one of the displayed candidates;

a software module having instructions for causing the microprocessor to interpret selection of one of the displayed candidates as indicating both a function and input information for that function.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the data entry device is a set of keys operable by human fingers, each key having at least one character displayed thereon.

3. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the at least one character displayed on each key is either a number or a letter.

4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the monitor is a liquid crystal display.

5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the monitor has light emitting diodes.

6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the selection device is a joystick which enables the user to move a cursor displayed on the monitor.

7. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the selection device has at least two keys which enable the user to move a cursor displayed on the monitor.

8. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the function is a telephone number dialer.

9. The appliance of claim 8, wherein the characters are interpreted to be a desired telephone number.

10. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the function is a text message processor.

11. The appliance of claim 10, wherein the characters are interpreted to be letters of a phrase that should be part of a text message.

12. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the function is an Internet browser.

13. The appliance of claim 12, wherein the series of characters are interpreted to be a search query.

14. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the function is internal to the appliance.

15. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the function is external to the appliance.

16. The appliance of claim 15, wherein the external function resides on a computer that is remote from the appliance.

17. The appliance of claim 16, wherein the remote computer communicates with the appliance via a wireless communication channel.

18. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the software module has instructions for presenting the user with more than one function and allowing the user to select one of the functions.

19. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the software module causes the monitor to display internal functions differently from external functions.

20. The appliance of claim 1, wherein indicating a function is accomplished by appending a character to the series of characters.

21. The appliance of claim 1, wherein indicating a function is accomplished by the appearance of the series of characters.

22. The appliance of claim 21, wherein the appearance of the series of characters is italics.

23. A method of using a mobile appliance, comprising:

providing a mobile appliance having a microprocessor, a data entry device, a monitor, a candidate selection device;

providing a series of characters to the microprocessor via the data entry device;

using the microprocessor to cause the monitor to display candidates corresponding to the series of characters;

using the selection device to cause selection of one of the displayed candidates;

providing the selected candidate to the microprocessor;

causing the microprocessor to interpret the selected candidate as indicating both a function and input information for that function;

invoking the function and providing the input information to the function.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the series of characters are provided by pressing keys associated with the data entry device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein each press of the keys indicates one or more characters.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein each character is either a number or a letter.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the selection device includes a joystick operable to move a cursor to a displayed candidate, and moving the cursor to a displayed candidate precedes selection of the selected candidate.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein the selection device includes movement keys operable to move a cursor to a displayed candidate, and moving the cursor to a displayed candidate precedes selection of the selected candidate.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the function is a telephone number dialer and the selected candidate indicates a telephone number to be dialed by the dialer.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the function is a text message processor, and the selected candidate indicates a phrase that should be part of a text message.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the function is an Internet browser, and the series of characters are interpreted to be a search query.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the function is invoked from the appliance.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein the function is invoked from a computer that is remote from the appliance.

34. The method of claim 23, wherein the candidates displayed on the monitor include more than one function.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein displayed candidates corresponding to an internal function are displayed differently from displayed candidates corresponding to an external function.

36. The method of claim 23, wherein displayed candidates corresponding to a function are indicated by appending a character to the series of characters.

37. The method of claim 23, wherein displayed candidates corresponding to a function are indicated by italics.

38. The method of claim 23, wherein invoking the function includes invoking an external function and returning a formatted link, the formatted link enabling a user to initiate use of the external function.