Handheld Electronic Device With Text Disambiguation

• US 20070290893A1
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Griffin, Jason, Major, Harry, Scott, Sherryl
• Granted Patent: US 7,893,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software. The device provides output in the form of a default output and a number of variants. The output is based largely upon the frequency, i.e., the likelihood that a user intended a particular output, but various features of the device provide additional variants that are not based solely on frequency and rather are provided by various logic structures resident on the device. The device enables editing during text entry and also provides a learning function that allows the disambiguation function to adapt to provide a customized experience for the user. The disambiguation function can be selectively disabled and an alternate keystroke interpretation system provided. Additionally, the device can facilitate the selection of variants by displaying a graphic of a special <NEXT> key of the keypad that enables a user to progressively select variants generally without changing the position of the user'"'"'s hands on the device.

Claims

15. A method of inputting ambiguous data wherein a <

NEXT>

input member is used for selection among a number of potential objects and wherein a visual indicator with the visual appearance of the <

NEXT>

input member is displayed.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising detecting a plurality of selection inputs from the <

NEXT>

input member, each said selection input successively selecting a different potential object in a variant output.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a graphic for the <

NEXT>

input member, and outputting as the visual indicator an output representative of the graphic.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing as the graphic for the <

NEXT>

input member a design disposed on the <

NEXT>

input member.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a rotatable thumbwheel, and detecting a rotational input of the thumbwheel and an actuation of the <

NEXT>

input member as being substantially identical to one another.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising disposing the <

NEXT>

input member substantially adjacent another input member, and disposing the thumbwheel at a location spaced from the <

NEXT>

input member and the another input member.

21. A method of enabling input on a handheld electronic device having a plurality of language objects stored therein, the handheld electronic device including a first input member and a plurality of second input members, at least some of the second input members each having a plurality of characters assigned thereto, one of the second input members being a <

NEXT>

second input member and including a particular visual appearance, the <

NEXT>

second input member being adapted to provide a selection input, the method comprising;

responsive to an ambiguous input, generating a number of prefix objects corresponding with the ambiguous input;

identifying for each of at least some of the prefix objects a corresponding language object;

outputting a default output comprising a preferred one of the prefix objects;

outputting a variant output comprising a number of the prefix objects;

outputting a visual indicator representative of the particular visual appearance of the <

NEXT>

second input member as an indication that the <

NEXT>

second input member is able to provide selection input as an alternative to the first input member; and

detecting a selection input from either the first input member or the <

NEXT>

second input member as a selection of at least a portion of the variant output.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising detecting a plurality of selection inputs from the <

NEXT>

second input member, each said selection input successively selecting a different prefix object of the variant output.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member, and outputting as the visual indicator an output representative of the graphic.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing as the graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member a design disposed on the <

NEXT>

second input member.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing as the first input member a rotatable thumbwheel, and detecting a rotational input of the thumbwheel and an actuation of the <

NEXT>

second input member as being substantially identical to one another.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising disposing the <

NEXT>

second input member substantially adjacent another second input member of the plurality of second input members.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising disposing the thumbwheel at a location spaced from the plurality of second input members.

28. An apparatus on which is performed a method of inputting ambiguous data wherein a <

NEXT>

input member is used for selection among a number of potential objects and wherein a visual indicator with the visual appearance of the <

NEXT>

input member is displayed.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the method further comprises detecting a plurality of selection inputs from the <

NEXT>

input member, each said selection input successively selecting a different potential object in a variant output.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the method further comprises providing a graphic for the <

NEXT>

input member, and outputting as the visual indicator an output representative of the graphic.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the method further comprises providing as the graphic for the <

NEXT>

input member a design disposed on the <

NEXT>

input member.

32. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the method further comprises providing a rotatable thumbwheel, and detecting a rotational input of the thumbwheel and an actuation of the <

NEXT>

input member as being substantially identical to one another.

33. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the method further comprises disposing the <

NEXT>

input member substantially adjacent another input member, and disposing the thumbwheel at a location spaced from the <

NEXT>

input member and the another input member.