DATA INPUT DEVICE

• US 20090195418A1
• Filed: 02/02/2009
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eui-Jin Oh
• Original Assignee: Eui-Jin Oh
• Inventors: OH, Eui-Jin
• Application Number:
  US12/364,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20090195418A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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 data input device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the data input device includes a plurality of input keys in which a one-stage input for inputting a first character and a two-stage input for inputting a second character are independently performed, a sensor for sensing the one-stage input and the two-stage input to the input keys, and a controller for extracting the first character or the second character redundantly assigned to the corresponding input key based on the sense result of the sensor from a memory to input the first character or the second character.

Claims

1. A data input device, comprising:

a plurality of input keys in which a one-stage input for inputting a first character and a two-stage input for inputting a second character are independently performed;

a sensor configured to sense the one-stage input and the two-stage input to the input keys; and

a controller configured to extract the first character or the second character redundantly assigned to the corresponding input key based on the sense result of the sensor from a memory to input the first character or the second character.

8. The data input device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein predetermined consonants and vowels are simultaneously assigned to the input keys,

wherein a conversion input unit for making a conversion into the vowels by the input keys and the combination input is further provided, and

wherein the conversion input unit is provided in at least one of inside and outside of the input keys.

12. The data input device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the one-stage input is a touch input performed by contacting or approaching the input keys,

wherein the two-stage input is a pressure input in which the input keys move up and down,

wherein the sensor comprises:

a touch sensor for sensing the touch input; and

a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure input, and

wherein a skim input in which two or more input keys sequentially contact can be performed in the touch input.

13. The data input device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a conversion input unit provided to be adjacent to the plurality of input keys

wherein the controller extracts a fourth character from a memory by a sequential input of sequentially selecting the input key and the conversion input unit to input the fourth character.

16. The data input device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the input key comprises:

a first input key; and

a second input key provided to be adjacent to inside or outside of the first input key, and

wherein, when a combination input of simultaneously selecting the first input key and the second input key within predetermined time is performed, a third character different from the character originally assigned to the corresponding input key is extracted from a memory to be input.

18. The data input device as claimed in claim 16, the plurality of sensors are provided in each of the first input key and the second input key.

19. The data input device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the controller determines only a signal maintained for no less than predetermined time as an effective signal among the sense signals of the first input key and the second input key sensed by the sensors to perform an input.

21. The data input device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a conversion input unit provided to be adjacent to the plurality of input keys,

wherein the controller extracts a fourth character from a memory by a sequential input of sequentially selecting the input key and the conversion input unit to input the fourth character.

22. The data input device as claimed in claim 21,

wherein a first character or a second character is input by a single input of the input key,

wherein a fourth character is input by a sequential input in the order of the input key and the conversion input unit or the conversion input and the input key, and

wherein an input is not performed by the sequential input in the opposite order.

24. The data input device as claimed in claim 21,

wherein the plurality of input keys are circularly arranged, and

wherein, when a circumferential input in which a plurality of input keys are sequentially selected along a circumferential direction is performed, the controller determines only the character assigned to the finally selected input key to be effective so that an input is performed.

25. The data input device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the one-stage input is a touch input performed by contacting or approaching the input keys,

wherein the two-stage input is a pressure input in which the input keys move up and down,

wherein the sensor comprises:

a touch sensor for sensing the touch input; and

a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure input,

wherein the plurality of input keys are circularly arranged and include another touch sensors for sensing skimming in the radius direction of the input keys,

wherein a first character or a second character is input by the touch input or a pressure input, and

wherein a fourth character is input by radius direction touch to the input key.

26. The data input device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the direction of the sequential input for inputting the assigned fourth character is displayed in the input key.

28. The data input device as claimed in claim 21,

wherein the one-stage input is a touch input performed by contacting or approaching the input keys,

wherein the two-stage input is a pressure input in which the input keys move up and down,

wherein the sensor comprises:

a touch sensor for sensing the touch input; and

a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure input,

wherein the plurality of input keys are circularly arranged,

wherein a fifth character is redundantly assigned to the input key, and

wherein, when an event input is sensed, the controller extracts the fifth character from a memory to input the fifth character.

29. The data input device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the event input is performed by lifting a finger from a predetermined input key during the skim input so that a touch sense signal is canceled or by continuously generating a touch sense signal to a predetermined input key for no less than predetermined time.

30. The data input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the event input is performed by horizontally pressing a side in the pressure direction of the input key.

31. The data input device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the touch sensor comprises:

a first touch sensor for sensing touch to the input key or skimming in a circumferential direction; and

a second touch sensor for sensing skimming to the radius direction to the input key,

wherein the controller extracts the first character when the sense signal of the first touch sensor is received and the fifth character determined to be an event input when the sense signal of the second touch sensor is received to input the first character and the fifth character.

32. The data input device as claimed of claim 28,

wherein the input key comprises:

a circularly arranged first input key; and

second input keys provided to be adjacent to the inside or the outside of the first input key, and

wherein, when a combination input of simultaneously selecting the first input key and the second input key within predetermined time is performed, the controller extracts a third character different from the character originally assigned to the corresponding input key from a memory to input the third character.

33. The data input device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the second input key can be moved in a predetermined radial direction and further comprises a movement sensor for sensing the radial movement of the second input key, and

wherein the controller extracts a sixth character assigned in the corresponding radial direction where the movement of the second input key is sensed from a memory to input the sixth character.

34. The data input device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the second input key can be moved in a predetermined radial direction and further comprises a movement sensor for sensing the radial movement of the second input key, and

wherein the controller extracts a sixth character assigned in the corresponding radial direction where the movement of the second input key is sensed from a memory to input the sixth character.

35. The data input device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the touch sensor is provided to sense touch movement to the radial direction to the second input key, and

wherein the controller extracts a sixth character assigned in the corresponding radial direction in the direction of touch movement performed by the second input key from a memory to input the sixth character.

2-7. -7. (canceled)

9-11. -11. (canceled)

14-15. -15. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

36. The data input device as claimed 1,

wherein the two pairs of first input keys, second input keys, and sensors are provided in the input region,

wherein the two pairs of input keys, conversion input units, and sensors are provided in the input region, and

wherein the plurality of two pairs of input keys and sensors are provided in the input region.

37-43. -43. (canceled)

44. A data input device, comprising:

a plurality of input keys in which a one-stage input for inputting a first character and a two-stage input for inputting a second character are independently performed;

means for sensing the one-stage input and the two-stage input to the input keys; and

means for extracting the first character or the second character redundantly assigned to the corresponding input key based on the sense result of the sensor from a memory to input the first character or the second character.