REDUCED KEYPAD FOR MULTI-TAP INPUT

• US 20100156677A1
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Engstrom, G. Eric, Salman, Majeed D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,890,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

An apparatus (625) with a first plurality of input keys (635). Some of the first input keys may be associated with both a numeric value and a first set of alphabetic values and arranged in a first alphabetic keypad layout. The apparatus (625) is further provided with a second plurality of input keys (645), positioned adjacent to the first plurality of input keys (635), and being associated with at least one alphabetic value. Some of the input keys of the second plurality of input keys (645) may be arranged in a second alphabetic keypad layout different from the first alphabetic keypad layout. Further, in various embodiments, at least some input keys of the first plurality of input keys (635) have a second set of alphabetic values that is used as part of the second alphabetic keypad layout. Additionally, in various embodiments, at least some of the alphabetic values of the second keyboard layout are arranged at least partially based on a frequency of use of such alphabetic values.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a keypad having a plurality of input keys with each of the plurality of input keys assigned a first alphabetic value, and each of a subset of the input keys assigned a second alphabetic value, wherein each of the assigned second alphabetic values has a lower frequency of use than the corresponding assigned first alphabetic value of the input key, and each of the assigned second alphabetic values is positioned below the corresponding first alphabetic value on a face of the input key, wherein the first alphabetic values and the second alphabetic values together form substantially a standard keyboard layout, wherein a single activation of a selected input key of the subset of input keys results in selection of the first alphabetic value of the selected input key and an additional activation of the selected input key results in selection of the corresponding second alphabetic value of the selected input key; and

a processor, coupled to the keypad to receive a signal indicating the selection of the alphabetic value.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the first alphabetic value of each input key of the subset is further positioned diagonally relative to the second alphabetic value.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein at least one of the subset of input keys is assigned a third alphabetic value positioned below the corresponding second alphabetic value on the face of the input key, the corresponding second alphabetic value having a higher frequency of use than the third alphabetic value, and wherein a third activation of the input key results in a selection of the third alphabetic value.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the third alphabetic value forms substantially a QWERTY or a Dvorak keypad layout together with the first and the second alphabetic values.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein at least some of the plurality of input keys are arranged to split digrams representing commonly used pairs of alphabetic values between adjacent input keys of the keypad, and wherein the plurality of input keys includes at least one input key having only a single alphanumeric value wherein a single activation of the at least one key results in selection of the single alphanumeric value.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the apparatus is a portable electronic device.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the apparatus is a wireless mobile communication device.

26. An apparatus, comprising:

a keypad having a plurality of input keys, wherein at least some of the plurality of input keys are arranged to split digrams representing commonly used pairs of alphabetic values between adjacent input keys of the keypad, and wherein the plurality of input keys includes at least one input key having only a single alphanumeric value wherein a single activation of the at least one key results in selection of the single alphanumeric value; and

a processor, coupled to the keypad to receive a signal indicating the selection of an alphabetic value of a digram or an alphanumeric value.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the apparatus is a portable electronic device.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the apparatus is a wireless mobile communication device.