SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSOCIATING CHARACTERS TO KEYS IN A KEYPAD IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20110169741A1
• Filed: 03/22/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: GUTHRIE, Martin George Albert
• Granted Patent: US 8,466,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a system and method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device. The method comprises: associating a first set of characters in a QWERTY keyboard layout with a segment of programmable keys in the keypad, the QWERTY keyboard layout comprising at least a left and a right column of keys; navigating through the QWERTY keyboard layout for the programmable keys using first and second directional keys providing upper and lower navigation controls for the segment of programmable keys when the first set of characters is from the right column of keys in the QWERTY keyboard layout; and associating the segment of keys with a second set of characters in the QWERTY keyboard layout based on a signal received from the first and second direction keys.

Claims

1. A method of navigating through a layout of a keyboard in a keypad in an electronic device, the method comprising:

associating a first set of characters in a QWERTY keyboard layout with a segment of programmable keys in said keypad, said QWERTY keyboard layout comprising at least a left and a right column of keys;

navigating through said QWERTY keyboard layout for said programmable keys using first and second directional keys providing upper and lower navigation controls for said segment of programmable keys when said first set of characters is from said right column of keys in said QWERTY keyboard layout; and

associating said segment of keys with a second set of characters in said QWERTY keyboard layout based on a signal received from said first and second direction keys.

2. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second directional keys are located at opposite ends of said segment of programmable keys.

3. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said second set of characters in said QWERTY keyboard is taken from said left column of keys when

said first or second directional key is activated; and

implementation of a direction said associated with said first or said second directional key would map said programmable keys to said left column of keys.

4. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

one key of said programmable keys is simultaneously associated with at least two characters; and

said method further comprises selecting one character from said at least two characters by disambiguating a word currently being entered that includes either character of said at least two characters.

5. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a set of icons is generated on a display in said device identifying said set of characters.

6. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein an alternative set of characters is associated with said programmable keys when an alternative layout key is activated.

7. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein an alternative set of icons is generated on a display in said device identifying said set alternative of characters when said alternative layout key is activated.

8. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

navigating through said QWERTY keyboard layout for said programmable keys using third and fourth directional keys providing upper and lower navigation controls for said segment of programmable keys when said first set of characters is from said left column of keys in said QWERTY keyboard layout.

9. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said first and second directional keys provide access to said right column of keys when said first set of characters is from said left column of keys; and

said third and fourth directional keys provide access to said left column of keys when said first set of characters is from said right column of keys.

10. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first set of characters mapped to said segment of programmable keys includes at least the characters “

H”

, “

J”

, “

K” and

“

L”

.

11. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second set of characters mapped to said segment of programmable keys includes at least the characters “

A”

, “

S”

, “

D” and

“

G”

.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a keypad having a set of a programmable keys in said keypad;

data identifying a QWERTY keyboard layout for mapping against said programmable keys, said QWERTY keyboard layout comprising at least a left and a right column of keys;

first and second directional keys;

a mapping module to associate a first set of characters in a QWERTY keyboard layout with a segment of programmable keys in said keypad and with a second set of characters in said QWERTY keyboard layout based on a signal received from said first and second direction keys; and

a keyboard navigation module for navigating through said QWERTY keyboard layout for said programmable keys using first and second directional keys providing upper and lower navigation controls for said segment of programmable keys when said first set of characters is from said right column of keys in said QWERTY keyboard layout.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first and second directional keys are located at opposite ends of said segment of programmable keys.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said mapping module:

takes said second set of characters in said QWERTY keyboard from said left column of keys when

said first or second directional key is activated; and

implementation of a direction said associated with said first or said second directional key would map said programmable keys to said left column of keys.

15. The electronic device as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

one key of said programmable keys is simultaneously associated with at least two characters; and

said mapping module further selects one character from said at least two characters by disambiguating a word currently being entered that includes either character of said at least two characters.

16. The electronic device as claimed in claim 13, wherein a set of icons is generated on a display in said device identifying said set of characters.

17. The electronic device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said navigation module further:

navigates through said QWERTY keyboard layout for said programmable keys using third and fourth directional keys providing upper and lower navigation controls for said segment of programmable keys when said first set of characters is from said left column of keys in said QWERTY keyboard layout.

18. The electronic device as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said first and second directional keys provide access to said right column of keys when said first set of characters is from said left column of keys; and

said third and fourth directional keys provide access to said left column of keys when said first set of characters is from said right column of keys.

19. The electronic device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said first set of characters mapped to said segment of programmable keys includes at least the characters “

H”

, “

J”

, “

K” and

“

L”

.

20. The electronic device as claimed in claim 19, wherein said second set of characters mapped to said segment of programmable keys includes at least the characters “

A”

, “

S”

, “

D” and

“

G”

.