DUAL JOYSTICK DIRECTIONAL TEXT INPUT

• US 20080217075A1
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Thiesson, Bo, Church, Kenneth Ward, Gordner, Jonathan Ian
• Application Number:
  US11/831,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20080217075A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/18.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides for character selection based on two orthogonal directional inputs associated with two input controllers. Such character selection can include a dual-input selection component comprising two independent input directional controllers, wherein activating a directional input effectuates a selection. Further included is a grouping component that can group characters into sub-groups, and map sub-groups and characters to orthogonal directional inputs related to the two input controllers, whereby activating a direction input can select a particular sub-group or character mapped to that direction.

Claims

1. A system that provides directional text input for game control devices, comprising:

a grouping component that arranges multiple characters into sub-groups, and maps a character and a sub-group to substantially orthogonal directional inputs of two input controllers of a game-play device, at least one character or at least one sub-group is mapped to one of the substantially orthogonal directional inputs of each of the two controllers; and

a dual-input selection component that selects a character based at least in part on two substantially orthogonal directional inputs of at least one of the two input controllers.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein moving a controller in an orthogonal direction selects a character or sub-group mapped to the orthogonal direction.

3. The system of claim 1, comprising a sub-group mapping component that maps a high-use rating character within a high-use rating sub-group, and maps the high-use rating sub-group to a substantially orthogonal direction of an input controller determined most convenient for selection.

4. The system of claim 3, the high-use rating of a character is formulated at least in part on a typical use-frequency of the character within a selected alphabet, language, or dialect, or combinations thereof.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein characters of a sub-group are automatically mapped to substantially orthogonal directional inputs of one or both of the input controllers upon selection of the sub-group.

6. The system of claim 1, the input controllers include thumb controlled joysticks, directional button pads, 4 substantially orthogonally placed buttons, or a 5-button pad, having 4 buttons situated substantially within one of four orthogonal quadrants of a circle, and a fifth button in the center of the circle, or a combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising a predictive text component that can reference a source of words, terms, or phrases, or a combination thereof, related to a particular language, alphabet, or dialect or a combination thereof, and a list of possible complete words that are consistent with a set of selected characters.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising a function management component that facilitates mapping cursor control, backspace, space, delete, return, lowercase/uppercase toggle, number/character toggle, character/symbol toggle, or predictive text component activation/deactivation functions, or a combination thereof, to additional input control mechanisms of the game-play device.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising a mode management component that can facilitate toggling between one or more modes of the game-play device.

10. The system of claim 9, the one or more modes comprise an uppercase mode, a lowercase mode, a symbol mode, a numeral mode, at least one diverse language mode, at least one diverse alphabet mode, a single or dual character mapping mode, a graphical entity selection mode, or combinations thereof.

11. A method for providing orthogonal directional input for character selection, comprising:

mapping multiple symbol sub-groups to substantially orthogonal inputs of at least one of two input controllers;

receiving a symbol sub-group selection by way of a first, substantially orthogonal input; and

receiving a character selection associated with the symbol sub-group by way of a second, substantially orthogonal input, receipt of the character selection or the sub-group selection based at least in part on a character or a sub-group being mapped to a substantially orthogonal directional input of each of the two input controllers.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising generating a menu containing characters of the symbol sub-group, wherein a default character is highlighted.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising facilitating selection of the default character with an acceptance input.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising facilitating selection of an intended character with a second orthogonal input and an acceptance input.

15. The method of claim 11, comprising mapping characters of the selected symbol sub-group to the substantially orthogonal inputs upon selection of the symbol sub-group.

16. The method of claim 11, comprising providing multiple sub-group modes, wherein each sub-group mode includes sub-groups mapped to characters of a diverse alphabet, a diverse language, or to numerals, or combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 11, comprising displaying words for predictive text selection that are consistent with prior selected characters.

18. A system that provides orthogonal directional text input, comprising:

means for grouping characters into a sub-group;

means for mapping the sub-group to a substantially orthogonal direction input of at least one of two input controllers of a game-play device;

means for receiving selection of the sub-group upon activation of the substantially orthogonal direction input; and

means for receiving selection of a character upon activation of a substantially orthogonal direction input mapped to the character, receipt of the character selection or the sub-group selection is based at least in part on a character or a sub-group being mapped to a substantially orthogonal directional input of each of the two input controllers.

19. The system of claim 18, comprising means for mapping a character of a selected sub-group to one of the plurality of substantially orthogonal direction inputs of at least one of the two input controllers.

20. The system of claim 18, comprising means for entering a character upon activation of two orthogonal directional inputs of the game-play device.