ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING TOUCHSCREEN AND CHARACTER INPUT METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20130091455A1
• Filed: 10/05/2012
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Ji Hoon, Lee, Ji Hoon, Park, Sung Wook, PARK, Se Hwan
• Application Number:
  US13/646,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20130091455A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/773
• 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 electronic device having a touchscreen and a character input method which enable the user to enter characters more conveniently through a virtual keyboard area having a minimum number of character input regions by displaying a virtual keyboard area, displaying basic characters entered through the virtual keyboard area, displaying one or more candidate words corresponding to the entered basic characters, and displaying, when one of the candidate words is selected, the selected candidate word, using a virtual keyboard area having a minimum number of consonant and vowel key regions so that the user can enter characters without much awareness of consonant and vowel key positions.

Claims

1. A character input method using a touchscreen, comprising:

displaying a virtual keyboard area;

displaying basic characters entered through the virtual keyboard area;

displaying one or more candidate words corresponding to the entered basic characters; and

displaying, when one of the candidate words is selected, the selected candidate word.

2. The character input method of claim 1, wherein displaying the virtual keyboard area comprises displaying a virtual keyboard area having separate basic consonant and vowel regions.

3. The character input method of claim 2, wherein the virtual keyboard area includes one basic consonant region and multiple vowel regions.

4. The character input method of claim 1, wherein displaying basic characters comprises:

detecting a touch on the virtual keyboard area;

identifying a basic consonant or a vowel corresponding to the touched region; and

displaying the identified basic consonant or vowel.

5. The character input method of claim 1, wherein displaying one or more candidate words comprises:

determining whether words corresponding to currently displayed basic characters are present in a database; and

displaying, when words corresponding to currently displayed basic characters are present in the database, the corresponding words as candidate words.

6. The character input method of claim 5, wherein determining whether corresponding words are present in a database comprises searching the database for words including characters corresponding to syllables of the basic characters.

7. The character input method of claim 6, wherein searching the database for words including characters corresponding to syllables comprises examining the type of a vowel of each syllable of the basic characters and checking for presence of a final consonant in the syllable.

8. The character input method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, when a display request for additional candidate words is made, next candidate words not yet displayed.

9. The character input method of claim 8, further comprising:

checking whether an edit event is generated; and

performing, when an edit event is generated, an operation corresponding to generation of a backspace, a space, an enter or an input mode change as indicated by the edit event.

10. The character input method of claim 9, wherein performing an operation comprises performing automatic selection in response to generation of a space, an enter or an input mode change.

11. The character input method of claim 2, wherein displaying basic characters comprises:

displaying, when the basic consonant region is touched, consonant key regions associated with consonants of the basic consonant region in the virtual keyboard area; and

displaying a consonant associated with a touched consonant key region of the displayed consonant key regions.

12. The character input method of claim 2, wherein the virtual keyboard area is composed of a first basic consonant region for entering a basic consonant corresponding to an initial consonant, a second basic consonant region for entering a basic consonant corresponding to a final consonant, and multiple vowel regions.

13. The character input method of claim 2, wherein the virtual keyboard area is composed of a first basic consonant region for entering a basic consonant corresponding to a single initial consonant, a second basic consonant region for entering a basic consonant corresponding to a single final consonant, a third basic consonant region for entering a basic consonant corresponding to a double consonant, and multiple vowel regions.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a touchscreen displaying a character input screen that is composed of a virtual keyboard area to enter basic characters, an input character display area to display basic characters entered through the virtual keyboard area, and a candidate group display area to display one or more candidate words corresponding to the entered basic characters; and

a control unit controlling a process of displaying a basic character associated with one of touched basic consonant and vowel regions in the virtual keyboard area, generating and displaying candidate words on the basis of the displayed basic character, and displaying a selected one of the candidate words in the input character display area.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the control unit controls an operation to display a basic consonant or a vowel associated with the touched region in the input character display area.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the control unit searches a database for words including characters corresponding to syllables of displayed basic characters.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the control unit examines the type of a vowel of each syllable of basic characters and checks presence of a final consonant in the syllable to conduct a database search.

18. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the virtual keyboard area includes a basic consonant region and multiple vowel regions.

19. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the virtual keyboard area includes a first basic consonant region for entering a basic consonant corresponding to an initial consonant, a second basic consonant region for entering a basic consonant corresponding to a final consonant, and multiple vowel regions for entering vowels.

20. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the virtual keyboard area includes a first basic consonant region for entering a basic consonant corresponding to a single initial consonant, a second basic consonant region for entering a basic consonant corresponding to a single final consonant, a third basic consonant region for entering a basic consonant corresponding to a double consonant, and multiple vowel regions for entering vowels.

21. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the control unit controls an operation to display, when a basic consonant region is touched, consonant key regions associated with consonants of the basic consonant region, and to display a consonant associated with a touched consonant key region of the displayed consonant key regions.