Method and apparatus for selecting key action

• US 5,007,008 A
• Filed: 08/17/1990
• Issued: 04/09/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Beers, Theodore W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Dale M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai, Tan V.
• Application Number:
  US07/569,269
• Time in Patent Office: 235 Days
• Field of Search: 364/709.12, 364/709.15, 364/709.16, 364/705.01, 364/705.02, 364/705.03, 364/705.07, 341/22-24, 368/224-225, 400/485
• US Class Current: 708/145
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items

Abstract

To reduce the number of keys on a calculator keyboard (22), two symbols representing possible operations or key actions are associated with each key (24) of a plurality of keys. The calculator (20) is programmed (30) to determine which key action is selected to be performed. The symbol representing the selected key action may be displayed on a display screen (28) if appropriate. The program (30) determines which key action is selected in response to a predetermined pattern of pressing a key (24) during a pending period that begins with the initial press of the key (24). The user may adjust the length of the pending period. The presence of the pending period is indicated on the calculator display screen (28) by a cursor (61). Alpha characters may thus be entered into the calculator (20) without the need for an additional keyboard or calculator modes.

Claims

1. Apparatus for selecting key actions to be performed, comprising:

a pressable key for selecting between two key actions associated with the key;

means responsive to a predetermined pattern of pressing the key during a pending time period for determining which of the key actions is selected to be performed, said pending time period beginning with an initial press of the key;

a pair of symbols positioned adjacent to the key, each symbol representing a key action;

a display for displaying a symbol associated with a selected key action; and

means for causing the display to display to first symbol of the pair in response to the initial key press to indicate which key action will be performed if a predetermined key pressing pattern is not detected during the pending period, said means causing the second symbol to be displayed in place of the first if the predetermined pattern is detected during the pending period.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including user operable adjustment means for adjusting the length of the pending period.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including an output device and wherein the determining means includes means for indicating on the output device the presence of the pending period.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which a cursor is displayed on the display device and the determining means controls the appearance of the cursor to indicate the presence of the pending period.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the determining means responds to a predetermined pattern comprising the number of key presses within the pending period, the determining means causing a first key action to be performed if the key is not pressed within the period and causing a second key action to be performed if the key is pressed within the period.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the determining means responds to a predetermined pattern comprising the duration of the initial key press, the determining means causing a first key action to be performed if the key press duration less than the period and causing a second key action to be performed if the duration is greater than the period.

7. Apparatus for symbol entry and display, comprising:

a computing device;

an output device coupled to the computing device for displaying symbols;

a keyboard having a plurality of keys for entering symbols into the computing device and displaying said symbols on the output device, each key of said plurality associated with an adjacent pair of symbols, each symbol representing a key action;

means in communication with the computing device and responsive to a predetermined pattern of pressing a key of said plurality of keys during a pending time period for determining from said pattern which of the associated symbols is to be entered and displayed, said pending period beginning with an initial press of the key; and

means for causing the output device to display a first symbol of a pair in response to the initial press of one of the keys to indicate which key action will be performed if a predetermined key pressing pattern is not detected during the pending period, said means causing the second symbol to be displayed in place of the first if the predetermined pattern is detected during the pending period.

8. A method of selecting key actions to be performed, comprising the following steps:

providing a pressable key for selecting between two key actions, the two actions represented by a pair of symbols adjacent to the key;

determining if the key has been initially pressed;

selecting a first key action upon pressing of the key;

beginning a pending time period upon pressing of the key;

displaying a first symbol in response to the initial key press to indicate which key action will be performed if a predetermined key pressing pattern is not detected during the pending period;

detecting if the predetermined pattern of pressing the key occurs within the pending time period;

selecting a second key action if said pattern is detected; and

displaying a second symbol in place of the first if said pattern is detected during the pending period.

9. The method of claim 8 including indicating the presence of the pending period.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the detecting step comprises detecting if a key press occurs within the pending period.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the detecting step comprises detecting if the duration of the initial key press exceeds the pending period.