BUTTON EXTENSION TYPE LETTER INPUT SYSTEM FOR TOUCH SCREEN

• US 20110109558A1
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Byung-Jin
• Application Number:
  US12/935,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20110109558A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/018 Input/output arrangements for oriental characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• 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 method for inputting key-extension letters is provided. The method is adapted to a touch screen installed to a mobile device or a stationary communication device. The method includes: (1) allocating representative letters to 12 keys, including the number, * and # keys, or to a corresponding number of keys, respectively; (2) arranging, if one of the keys is pressed, keys to which numbers, consonants, vowels, letters, or symbols are allocated, around the pressed key, wherein the numbers, consonants, vowels, letters, or symbols (hereinafter called ‘first related letters’) are related to a representative letter assigned to the pressed key; (3) inputting, when an object (a user'"'"' s finger, etc.) moves from the pressed key to other keys to which the first related letters are assigned without losing the contact of the pressed key and then releases the pressing operation from the pressed key or a corresponding key, the representative letter or one of the first related letters assigned to the corresponding key to the touch screen; and (4) arranging, when the key to which one of the first related letters is assigned is pressed, keys to which second related letters, related to a first related letter assigned to the pressed first related-letter key, are assigned, around the first related letter key.

Claims

1. A method for inputting key-extension letters on a touch screen installed to a mobile device or a stationary communication device, the method comprising:

(1) allocating representative letters to 12 keys, including the number, * and # keys, or to a corresponding number of keys, respectively;

(2) arranging, if one of the keys is pressed, keys to which numbers, consonants, vowels, letters, or symbols are allocated, around the pressed key, wherein the numbers, consonants, vowels, letters, or symbols (hereinafter called ‘

first related letters’

) are related to a representative letter assigned to the pressed key;

(3) inputting, when an object (a user'"'"'s finger, etc.) moves from the pressed key to other keys to which the first related letters are assigned without losing the contact of the pressed key and then releases the pressing operation from the pressed key or a corresponding key, the representative letter or one of the first related letters assigned to the corresponding key to the touch screen; and

(4) arranging, when the key to which one of the first related letters is assigned is pressed, keys to which second related letters, related to a first related letter assigned to the pressed first related-letter key, are assigned, around the first related letter key.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the representative letters are Hangeul (the Korean alphabet); and

the method, in a Hangeul input mode, further comprises;

assigning 10 representative letters, and to 10 number keys;

arranging, when a key to which one of the representative letters is assigned is pressed, keys to which third related letters are assigned, around the pressed representative letter key, wherein the third related letters include the number assigned to the pressed key, voiced consonants of the representative letter assigned to the pressed key, and the vowels and

arranging, when the object moves from the key, to which the representative letter is assigned, to the vowel key, while pressing the key to which the representative letter is assigned, keys to which the vowels and related to the vowel are assigned, around the vowel key;

arranging, when the object moves from the vowel key to the vowel or key without losing the contact of the vowel key, keys to which the vowels, and related to the vowel , assigned, around the vowel key, or keys to which the vowels, and related to the vowel assigned, around the vowel key;

arranging, when the object moves from the key, to which the representative letter is assigned, to the vowel key, while pressing the key to which the representative letter is assigned, keys to which the vowels, and related to the vowel are assigned, around the vowel key;

arranging, when the object moves from the vowel key to the vowel or key without losing the contact of the vowel key, keys to which the vowel and related to the vowel are assigned, around the vowel key, or keys, to which the vowels and keys, related to the vowel key, are assigned, around the vowel key; and

inputting, when the object moves from one key to another while pressing the key to which the representative letter and the third related letter are assigned, and then releases the pressing operation, a Korean syllable combined with corresponding consonants and vowels.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein:

the representative letters are Hangeul (the Korean alphabet); and

the method further comprises;

arranging, when the object moves from a key, to which one of the representative letters is assigned, to the key to which the voiced consonant is assigned, while pressing the key to which the representative letter is assigned, keys to which fourth related letters are assigned, around the key to which the voiced consonant is assigned, wherein the fourth related letters include compound consonants related to the voiced consonant and the vowels and

arranging, when the object moves from the key, to which the voiced consonant is assigned, to the vowel key, while pressing the key to which the voiced consonant letter is assigned, keys to which the vowels and related to the vowel are assigned, around the vowel key;

arranging, when the object moves from the vowel key to the vowel or key without losing the contact of the vowel key, keys to which the vowels, and related to the vowel , assigned, around the vowel key, or keys to which the vowels, and related to the vowel assigned, around the vowel key;

arranging, when the object moves from the key, to which the voiced consonant is assigned, to the vowel key, while pressing the key to which the voiced consonant is assigned, keys to which the vowels, and related to the vowel are assigned, around the vowel key;

arranging, when the object moves from the vowel key to the vowel or key without losing the contact of the vowel key, keys to which the vowel and related to the vowel are assigned, around the vowels key, or keys, to which the vowels and keys, related to the vowel key, are assigned, around the vowel key; and

inputting, when the object moves from one key to another while pressing the key to which the representative letter and the fourth related letter are assigned, and then releases the pressing operation, a Korean syllable combined with corresponding consonants and vowels.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the representative letters are Hangeul (the Korean alphabet); and

the method further comprises;

arranging, when the object moves from a key, to which the voiced consonant is assigned, to the key to which the compound consonant is assigned, while pressing the key to which the voiced consonant is assigned, keys to which fifth related letters are assigned, around the key to which the compound consonant is assigned, wherein the fifth related letters include the vowels and related to the compound consonant;

arranging, when the object moves from the key, to which the voiced consonant is assigned, to the vowel key, while pressing the key to which the voiced consonant letter is assigned, keys to which the vowels and related to the vowel are assigned, around the vowel key;

arranging, when the object moves from the vowel key to the vowel or key without losing the contact of the vowel key, keys to which the vowels, and related to the vowel assigned, around the vowel key, or keys to which the vowels, and related to the vowel assigned, around the vowel key;

arranging, when the object moves from the key, to which the compound consonant is assigned, to the vowel key, while pressing the key to which the compound consonant is assigned, keys to which the vowels, and related to the vowel are assigned, around the vowel key;

arranging, when the object moves from the vowel key to the vowel or key without losing the contact of the vowel key, keys to which the vowels and related to the vowel are assigned, around the vowel key, or keys, to which the vowels and keys, related to the vowel key, are assigned, around the vowel key; and

inputting, when the object moves from one key to another while pressing the key to which the representative letter and the fifth related letter are assigned, and then releases the pressing operation, a Korean syllable combined with corresponding consonants and vowels.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a space function to the # key; and

inputting, when the pressing operation to the # key is released, a space to the mobile device.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

arranging, when the object moves from the key to which the representative letter is assigned to a key to which a corresponding number is assigned, while pressing the key to which the representative letter is assigned, keys to which symbols are assigned, around the key to which a corresponding number is assigned, wherein the symbols includes ‘

!’

, ‘

?’

, ‘

(’ and

‘

)’

; and

inputting, when the object moves from the key to which a corresponding number is assigned to a key to which one of the symbols is assigned or to which another number is assigned and then releases the pressing operation, a corresponding number or symbol to the mobile device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the representative letters are the English alphabet; and

the method, in an English alphabet input mode, further comprises;

grouping the 26 English letters to {a, b, c}, {d, e, f}, {g, h, _j}, {j, k, 1}, {m, n, o}, {p, q, r, s}, {t, u, v} and {w, x, y, z} and assigning them to eight number keys , respectively, according to an international standard;

arranging, when a number key is pressed, keys to which English letters, a number and symbols, assigned to the pressed number key, are allocated, around the pressed number key; and

inputting, when the object moves from the number key to a key to which one of the English letters, numbers, and symbols is allocated, while pressing the number key, and then releases the press ing operation, a corresponding letter where the pressing operation has been released to the mobile device.