APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR KEY LAYOUT ARRANGEMENT IN PORTABLE TERMINAL

• US 20110134140A1
• Filed: 12/07/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KANG, Se-Chun
• Application Number:
  US12/961,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20110134140A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• 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

An apparatus and method for determining a keyboard layout arrangement in a portable terminal are provided. A method for determining a keyboard layout in a portable terminal includes selecting a keyboard layout according to a user input, determining a keyboard layout having an optimized key area and shape, if the selected keyboard layout is based on a key area, and determining a keyboard layout optimized to a finger touch, if the selected keyboard layout is not based on a key area.

Claims

1. A method for determining a keyboard layout in a portable terminal comprising a touchscreen, the method comprising:

selecting, by a keyboard layout unit, a keyboard layout according to a user input;

determining, by the keyboard layout unit, a keyboard layout comprising an optimized key area and shape, if the selected keyboard layout is based on a key area; and

determining, by the keyboard layout unit, a keyboard layout optimized to a finger touch, if the selected keyboard layout is not based on a key area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the keyboard layout comprising the optimized key area and shape comprises:

arranging keys in each row such that centers of the keys are arranged in a substantially zigzag manner; and

determining a keyboard layout comprising an increased key central width, due to the zigzag key arrangement, compared to a keyboard layout comprising keys of constant width.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a shape of each key comprises a substantially trapezoidal or triangular shape.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein a shape of each key comprises a substantially circular or elliptical shape.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the keyboard layout optimized to the finger touch comprises:

changing a key shape into an ellipse or circle; and

determining a keyboard layout comprising a key shape optimized for the finger touch.

6. The method of claim 5,

wherein the key shape comprises an ellipse, and

at least one of a size, location, and orientation of each elliptical key are optimized.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the keyboard layout is determined according to a language selected by the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein an English language keyboard arrangement of the keyboard layout is based on a QWERTY arrangement.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a Korean language keyboard arrangement of the keyboard layout is based on a 2-way arrangement or a 3-way arrangement.

10. An apparatus for determining a keyboard layout in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a touchscreen for receiving a touch input from a user and for performing a screen display; and

a keyboard layout unit for selecting a keyboard layout according to a user input, for determining a keyboard layout comprising an optimized key area and shape, if the selected keyboard layout is based on a key area, and for determining a keyboard layout optimized to a finger touch, if the selected keyboard layout is not based on a key area.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the keyboard layout unit arranges keys in each row such that centers of each key in the row are arranged in a substantially zigzag manner, and determines a keyboard layout comprising an increased key central width, due to the zigzag key arrangement, compared to a keyboard layout comprising keys of constant width.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a shape of each key comprises a substantially trapezoidal or triangular shape.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a shape of each key comprises a substantially circular or elliptical shape.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the keyboard layout unit changes the key shape into an ellipse or circle, and determines the keyboard layout having a key shape optimized for the finger touch.

15. The apparatus of claim 14,

wherein the key shape comprises an ellipse, and

at least one of a size, location, and orientation of each elliptical key are optimized.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the keyboard layout is determined according to a language selected by the user.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein an English language keyboard arrangement of the keyboard layout is based on a QWERTY arrangement.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a Korean language keyboard arrangement of the keyboard layout is base on a 2-way arrangement or a 3-way arrangement.

19. A keyboard layout in a touchscreen of a portable terminal, comprising:

a keyboard layout in which centers of keys are arranged in each row in a substantially zigzag manner, the zigzag key arrangement is used to increase a central width of each key compared to a keyboard layout comprising keys of constant width, an English language keyboard arrangement of the keyboard layout is based on a QWERTY arrangement, and a Korean language keyboard arrangement of the keyboard layout is base on a 2-way arrangement or a 3-way arrangement.

20. A keyboard layout in a touchscreen of a portable terminal, comprising:

a keyboard layout in which a shape of each key comprises an ellipse or circle to provide a key shape optimized for fingers, an English language keyboard arrangement of the keyboard layout is based on a QWERTY arrangement, and a Korean language keyboard arrangement of the keyboard layout is base on a 2-way arrangement or a 3-way arrangement.