APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INPUTTING CHARACTER USING TOUCH SCREEN IN PORTABLE TERMINAL

• US 20140104215A1
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: HUH, Jung-Chul
• Granted Patent: US 9,891,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/26 for modifying the character dimensions, e.g. double width, double height
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly

Abstract

A method of inputting characters in a portable terminal is provided. The method includes displaying a plurality of characters on a keyboard, detecting a touch on the keyboard, displaying one character corresponding to a key corresponding to the touch on the keyboard as enlarged relative to other characters upon detecting the touch, displaying the character, which is displayed enlarged when detecting a release of the touch, in a character input area upon detecting a release of the touch on the keyboard, and displaying a plurality of recommended words in a vicinity of the keyboard based on characters which have been inputted so far, at least one of the plurality of recommended words comprising the characters which have been inputted so far.

Claims

1. A method of inputting characters in a portable terminal, comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of characters on a keyboard;

detecting a touch on the keyboard;

displaying one character corresponding to a key corresponding to the touch on the keyboard as enlarged relative to other characters upon detecting the touch;

displaying the character, which is displayed enlarged when detecting a release of the touch, in a character input area upon detecting a release of the touch on the keyboard; and

displaying a plurality of recommended words in a vicinity of the keyboard based on characters which have been inputted so far, at least one of the plurality of recommended words comprising the characters which have been inputted so far.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the keyboard is a QWERTY key board.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the release of touch is detected when an object is released from the keyboard, or when a next touch is detected, or when the touch is maintained over a predetermined length of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the character is enlargely displayed near its corresponding key or in a predetermined portion of the character input area.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting one of the recommended words; and

displaying the selected recommended word in the character input area.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the character is displayed in the character input area, generating at least one of a vibration, sound, and a graphic effect.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable terminal is a pocket-sized communication terminal