TOUCH SCREEN DEVICE AND CHARACTER INPUT METHOD THEREIN

• US 20090085874A1
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Joo-Ho, Heo, U-Beom, Ahn, Jeong-Hee, Park, Kyung-Wook
• Granted Patent: US 8,902,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A device, computer program product and method of inputting a character in a touch screen device, in which a touch area is partitioned into a plurality of array positions, and one or more letters are assigned to each of the partitioned array positions. The method comprises the steps of: partitioning a touch area of the touch panel into a plurality of array positions and assigning one or more characters to each of the partitioned array positions; sensing an expansion event of selecting one among the array positions; dividing the touch area into a plurality of selection positions and assigning the characters assigned to the array position selected by the expansion event to the respective selection positions; sensing a selection event of selecting one among the selection positions; and recognizing the character assigned to the selection position selected by the selection event as an input character.

Claims

1. A method of inputting a character via a touch panel of an electronic device, the method comprising the steps of:

partitioning a touch area of the touch screen into a plurality of array positions;

assigning one or more characters to each of the partitioned array positions;

enlarging and rearranging a subset of the characters on the touch screen in response to a first user action; and

displaying one of the rearranged characters in a display window of the electronic device in response to a second user action.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of assigning one or more characters to each of the partitioned array positions comprises:

arranging plural characters in one partitioned array position so that one of the plural characters is arranged at a center of the one portioned array position and other characters of the plural characters are arranged in the one portioned array position at one or more respective positions of up, down, left and right sides of the one character arranged at the center of the one portioned array position.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

displaying the character arranged at the center of the one portioned array position in a font larger than a font of the other characters within the one partitioned array position.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the step of enlarging and rearranging a subset of the characters on the touch screen in response to a user touch to one of the subset of characters comprises:

enlarging the other characters of the plural characters; and

displaying the enlarged other characters in portioned array positions adjacent to the one portioned array position.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of displaying the enlarged other characters in portioned array positions adjacent to the one portioned array position comprises:

displaying a character arranged in the one portioned array position at the up side of the one character in an array position above the one portioned array position;

displaying a character arranged in the one portioned array position at the down side of the one character in an array position below the one portioned array position;

displaying a character arranged in the one portioned array position at the right side of the one character in an array position to the right of the one portioned array position; and

displaying a character arranged in the one portioned array position at the left side of the one character in an array position to the left of the one portioned array position.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the step of enlarging and rearranging comprises

sensing a selection of one position among the plurality of array positions,

dividing the touch area into a plurality of selection positions, and

assigning one or more characters assigned to the one position to respective selection positions;

and

the step of displaying one of the rearranged characters comprises

sensing a selection of one of the selection positions, and

displaying the character assigned to the one selection position as an input character.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first user action is a user touch to one of the subset of characters and the second user action is a release of the user touch.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first user action is a first user touch to one of the subset of characters and the second user action is a second user touch.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

canceling an input of a character in response to a touch outside of the one position.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of partitioning a touch area of the touch screen into a plurality of array positions comprises:

dividing the touch area into a matrix form of n×

m, where n and m are integers.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein n and m are 3, respectively;

and the step of partitioning a touch area of the touch screen into a plurality of array positions comprises partitioning the array into array positions (AP), including

assigning two or less characters to AP(1,

     1),

assigning three or less characters to AP(1,

     2),

assigning three or less characters to AP(1,

     3),

assigning three or less characters to AP(2,

     1),

assigning four or less characters to AP(2,

     2),

assigning four or less characters to AP(2,

     3),

assigning two or less characters to AP(3,

     1),

assigning three or less characters to AP(3,

     2), and

assigning three or less characters to AP(3,

     3).

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein n and m are 3, respectively;

and the step of partitioning a touch area of the touch screen into a plurality of array positions comprises partitioning the array into array positions (AP), including

assigning two or less characters to AP(1,

     1),

assigning three or less characters to AP(1,

     2),

assigning two or less characters to AP(1,

     3),

assigning three or less characters to AP(2,

     1),

assigning four or less characters to AP(2,

     2),

assigning three or less characters to AP(2,

     3),

assigning three or less characters to AP(3,

     1),

assigning four or less characters to AP(3,

     2), and

assigning three or less characters to AP(3,

     3).

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of assigning one or more characters to each of the partitioned array positions comprises:

assigning English characters to each of the partitioned array positions in a QWERTY-based sequence.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein n and m are 2, respectively;

and the step of partitioning a touch area of the touch screen into a plurality of array positions comprises partitioning the array into array positions (AP), including

assigning three or less characters to AP(1,

     1),

assigning three or less characters to AP(1,

     2),

assigning three or less characters to AP(2,

     1), and

assigning three or less characters to AP(2,

     2).

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of assigning one or more characters to each of the partitioned array positions comprises:

assigning Arabic numerals to each of the partitioned array positions according to a predetermined sequence.

16. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch screen;

a display; and

a control unit configured to

partition a touch area of the touch screen into a plurality of array positions;

assign one or more characters to each of the partitioned array positions;

enlarge and rearrange a subset of the characters on the touch screen in response to a first user action; and

display one of the rearranged characters in a display window of the display

in response to a second user action.

17. The electronic device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to assign the one or more characters to each of the partitioned array positions by arranging plural characters in one partitioned array position so that one of the plural characters is arranged at a center of the one portioned array position and other characters of the plural characters are arranged in the one portioned array position at one or more respective positions of up, down, left and right sides of the one character arranged at the center of the one portioned array position.

18. The electronic device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to displaying the character arranged at the center of the one portioned array position in a font larger than a font of the other characters within the one partitioned array position.

19. The electronic device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to enlarge and rearrange the subset of the characters by

enlarging the other characters of the plural characters;

and

displaying the enlarged other characters in portioned array positions adjacent to the one portioned array position.

20. The electronic device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to display the enlarged other characters in portioned array positions adjacent to the one portioned array position by:

displaying a character arranged in the one portioned array position at the up side of the one character in an array position above the one portioned array position;

displaying a character arranged in the one portioned array position at the down side of the one character in an array position below the one portioned array position;

displaying a character arranged in the one portioned array position at the right side of the one character in an array position to the right of the one portioned array position; and

displaying a character arranged in the one portioned array position at the left side of the one character in an array position to the left of the one portioned array position.

21. The electronic device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to enlarge and rearrange the subset of the characters by

sensing a selection of one position among the plurality of array positions,

dividing the touch area into a plurality of selection positions, and

assigning one or more characters assigned to the one position to respective selection positions;

and

the step of displaying one of the rearranged characters comprises

sensing a selection of one of the selection positions, and

displaying the character assigned to the one selection position as an input character.

22. The electronic device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the first user action is a user touch to one of the subset of characters and the second user action is a release of the user touch.

23. The electronic device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the first user action is a first user touch to one of the subset of characters and the second user action is a second user touch.

24. The electronic device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to cancel an input of a character in response to a touch outside of the one position.

25. The electronic device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to partition the touch area of the touch screen into a plurality of array positions by dividing the touch area into a matrix form of n×

m, where n and m are integers.

26. The electronic device as claimed in claim 25, wherein n and m are 3, respectively, and the controller is configured to partition the touch area of the touch screen into a plurality of array positions comprises partitioning the array into array positions (AP) by assigning two or less characters to AP(1, 1),

assigning three or less characters to AP(1, 2),

assigning three or less characters to AP(1, 3),

assigning three or less characters to AP(2, 1),

assigning four or less characters to AP(2, 2),

assigning four or less characters to AP(2, 3),

assigning two or less characters to AP(3, 1),

assigning three or less characters to AP(3, 2), and

assigning three or less characters to AP(3, 3).

27. The electronic device as claimed in claim 25, wherein n and m are 3, respectively, and the controller is configured to partition the touch area of the touch screen into a plurality of array positions comprises partitioning the array into array positions (AP) by assigning two or less characters to AP(1, 1),

assigning three or less characters to AP(1, 2),

assigning two or less characters to AP(1, 3),

assigning three or less characters to AP(2, 1),

assigning four or less characters to AP(2, 2),

assigning three or less characters to AP(2, 3),

assigning three or less characters to AP(3, 1),

assigning four or less characters to AP(3, 2), and

assigning three or less characters to AP(3, 3).

28. The electronic device as claimed in claim 27, wherein the controller is configured to assign English characters to each of the partitioned array positions in a QWWERTY-based sequence.

29. The electronic device as claimed in claim 25, wherein n and m are 2, respectively, and the controller is configured to partition the touch area of the touch screen into a plurality of array positions comprises partitioning the array into array positions (AP) by

assigning three or less characters to AP(1, 1),

assigning three or less characters to AP(1, 2),

assigning three or less characters to AP(2, 1), and

assigning three or less characters to AP(2, 2).

30. The electronic device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the controller is configured to assign Arabic numerals to each of the partitioned array positions according to a predetermined sequence.

31. The electronic device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the control unit comprises:

a touch panel controller; and

a display controller.