ADAPTIVE MULTITAP TIMEOUT

• US 20080169942A1
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Burstrom, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,774,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods

Abstract

A communication device may receive successive key inputs, determine an average time duration between successive key inputs, start a timeout, determine if a timeout was successful and adjust the timeout period based on the determined success of the timeout.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving successive key inputs;

determining an average time duration between successive key inputs;

starting a timeout;

determining if the timeout was successful; and

adjusting a timeout period based on at least one of the determined average time duration between successive key inputs or the determined success of the timeout.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining success of the timeout further includes:

determining if a backspace key is actuated.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if a key entry mistake occurred.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the timeout period is not adjusted when a key entry mistake has occurred.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

increasing the timeout period when an unsuccessful timeout is determined and a key entry mistake did not occur.

6. A communication device comprising:

a plurality of input keys;

a timeout timer for starting a timeout period; and

logic configured to;

determine an average time period between successive actuations of an input key,

determine the success of the timeout period, and

adjust the timeout period of the timeout timer based on at least one of the determined average time period between successive actuations of an input key or the success of the timeout period.

7. The communication device of claim 6, wherein the logic is further configured to:

adjust the timeout period of the timer using the determined average time period between successive actuations of an input key when the timeout period is successful.

8. The communication device of claim 6, wherein the logic is further configured to:

discard the determined average time period between successive actuations of an input key when the timeout period is unsuccessful.

9. The communication device of claim 8, wherein the logic is further configured to:

increase the timeout period when the timeout period is unsuccessful.

10. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the logic is further configured to:

decrease the timeout period when the timeout period is successful.

11. A communication device comprising:

means for determining an average time period T_avg between successive actuations of an input key; and

means for calculating a timeout period T_o as;

T_o=T_avg×

A, where A is an adjusting factor.

12. The communication device of claim 11, further comprising:

means for initiating a timeout using the calculated timeout period.

13. The communication device of claim 12, further comprising:

means for determining when the timeout is successful.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the means for calculating a timeout period is enabled when the timeout is determined to be successful.

15. The communication device of claim 13, further comprising:

means for determining a key entry mistake, wherein the means for calculating a timeout period is not enabled when a key entry mistake is determined.

16. A method comprising:

determining an average time duration between successive key inputs;

initiating a timeout;

determining if the timeout was successful;

adjusting a timeout period based on at least one of the determined average time duration between successive key inputs or the determined success of the timeout;

counting a number of times that the timeout period has been adjusted; and

setting the timeout period when the timeout period has been adjusted a predetermined number of times.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the setting the timeout period when the timeout period has been adjusted a predetermined number of times further includes:

permanently setting the timeout period to its current value after being adjusted the predetermined number of times.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

increasing the timeout period when the timeout period is unsuccessful.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

decreasing the timeout period when the timeout period is successful.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

decreasing the timeout period by calculating a new timeout period using the determined average time duration between successive key inputs.