Handheld Electronic Device with Text Disambiguation

• US 20110112828A1
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Scott, Sherryl Lee Lorraine, Major, Harry Richmond, Griffin, Jason T.
• Application Number:
  US13/006,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20110112828A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software. The device provides output in the form of a default output and a number of variants. The output is based largely upon the frequency, i.e., the likelihood that a user intended a particular output, but various features of the device provide additional variants that are not based solely on frequency and rather are provided by various logic structures resident on the device. The device enables editing during text entry and also provides a learning function that allows the disambiguation function to adapt to provide a customized experience for the user. The disambiguation function can be selectively disabled and an alternate keystroke interpretation system provided. Additionally, the device can facilitate the selection of variants by displaying a graphic of a special <NEXT> key of the keypad that enables a user to progressively select variants generally without changing the position of the user'"'"'s hands on the device.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A method of disambiguating an input into a handheld electronic device having an input device, an output device, and a memory, the input device including a first input member and a plurality of second input members, each of at least some of the second input members having a plurality of characters assigned thereto, one of the second input members being a <

NEXT>

second input member and including a particular visual appearance, the <

NEXT>

second input member being adapted to provide a selection input, the method comprising;

generating a prefix object corresponding with an ambiguous input;

outputting a default output comprising the prefix object and a variant output; and

outputting a visual indicator representative of the particular visual appearance of the <

NEXT>

second input member as an indication that alternative variant outputs are available.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising providing a graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member, and outputting as the visual indicator an output representative of the graphic.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising providing as the graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member a design disposed on the <

NEXT>

second input member.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising providing a rotatable thumbwheel, and detecting a rotational input of the thumbwheel and an actuation of the <

NEXT>

second input member as being substantially identical to one another.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising disposing the <

NEXT>

second input member substantially adjacent another input member, and disposing the thumbwheel at a location spaced from the <

NEXT>

second input member and the another input member.

40. A method of enabling input on a handheld electronic device, the handheld electronic device including a first input member and a plurality of second input members, at least some of the second input members each having a plurality of characters assigned thereto, one of the second input members being a <

NEXT>

second input member and including a particular visual appearance, the <

NEXT>

second input member being adapted to provide a selection input, the method comprising;

responsive to an ambiguous input, generating a number of prefix objects corresponding with the ambiguous input;

outputting a default output comprising a preferred one of the prefix objects;

outputting a variant output comprising a number of the prefix objects; and

outputting a visual indicator representative of the particular visual appearance of the <

NEXT>

second input member as an indication that alternative variant outputs are available.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising detecting a plurality of selection inputs from the <

NEXT>

second input member, each said selection input successively selecting a different prefix object of the variant output.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising providing a graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member, and outputting as the visual indicator an output representative of the graphic.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising providing as the graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member a design disposed on the <

NEXT>

second input member.

44. The method of claim 40, further comprising providing as the first input member a rotatable thumbwheel, and detecting a rotational input of the thumbwheel and an actuation of the <

NEXT>

second input member as being substantially identical to one another.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising disposing the <

NEXT>

second input member substantially adjacent another second input member of the plurality of second input members.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising disposing the thumbwheel at a location spaced from the plurality of second input members.

47. An apparatus comprising:

a keypad including a <

NEXT>

input member configured for inputting data;

a display configured to display a visual indicator having an appearance associated with the <

NEXT>

input member; and

a memory comprising a plurality of objects and a routine, the routine, when executed on a processor, cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising;

detecting ambiguous data from input using the keypad, wherein the <

NEXT>

input member is used for selection among a number of potential objects, wherein each potential object comprises an alternative variant output corresponding to the ambiguous data.

48. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the operations further comprise providing a graphic for the <

NEXT>

input member, and outputting as the visual indicator an output representative of the graphic.

49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the operations further comprise providing as the graphic for the <

NEXT>

input member a design disposed on the <

NEXT>

input member.

50. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the apparatus further comprises a rotatable thumbwheel, and wherein the operations further comprise detecting a rotational input of the thumbwheel and an actuation of the <

NEXT>

input member as being substantially identical to one another.

51. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the keypad is configured to include the <

NEXT>

input member substantially adjacent another input member, and wherein the apparatus includes the thumbwheel at a location spaced from the <

NEXT>

input member and the another input member.

52. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the ambiguous data comprises input from the keyboard.

53. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the keypad comprises a touch screen.