CHARACTER INPUT METHOD AND APPARATUS IN PORTABLE TERMINAL HAVING TOUCH SCREEN

• US 20150042594A1
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KANG, Hee-Jun
• Granted Patent: US 9,465,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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

A character input method and apparatus in an electronic terminal are provided. The character input method includes displaying a virtual keypad having at least one key area to which a plurality of characters are associated, displaying a plurality of areas when a touch is detected on the at least one key area, detecting whether the touch includes a drag and inputting, after the drag is detected, a character mapped to an area corresponding to a point where the drag is released.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display displaying a keypad with at least one key; and

a controller for controlling, if the displayed at least one key is selected, display of one or more characters on respective sides of the selected at least one key, for detecting a drag, and inputting a character displayed on a side of release of the drag.