User interface for cellular telephone

• US 5,797,098 A
• Filed: 07/19/1995
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cirrus Logic Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pacific Communication Sciences , Inc. (Cirrus Logic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sharman, Duane, Schroeder, Martin K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICHARDSON, SCO
• Application Number:
  US08/504,121
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 379/59, 379/58, 379/58 F, 379/63, 379/63 F, 379/355, 455/33.1, 455/564, 455/566, 395/794
• US Class Current: 455/464
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/68 with means for recording information, e.g. telephone number during a conversation recording of telephone conversations H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

An improved user interface for a cellular telephone system subscriber unit, including the following functions: (1) a predictive keyboard input method for speeding up input on a telephone with a space limited keyboard; (2) a word completion method for speeding up input; (3) a distinctive signaling method useful in a dual-mode or tri-mode cellular phone system that incorporates both voice call functionality and data messaging functionality; (4) a secret message method that permits secret messages to be received by an authorized user of a cellular telephone that includes a data messaging capability; (5) a message screening method that permits a user to set a message screening mode in a cellular telephone; (6) an improved "scratchpad" method which permits a user to enter a telephone number into a storage register of a cellular telephone while in the middle of a voice call, visually verify the entry, and then save the number to a rapid redial location for later use; (7) a global search method for searching text strings in all of the different memory sections of a cellular telephone having an address book, a hierarchical menu structure, and stored data messages.

Claims

1. In a cellular telephone having an alphanumeric display and a keyboard having a plurality of programmable keys, a predictive keyboard input method comprising the steps of:

(a) in a text entry mode, displaying an initial character subset, comprising a plurality of characters on the display;

(b) accepting an input keystroke from the keyboard;

(c) if the input keystroke corresponds to one of the displayed plurality of characters, then;

(1) displaying that character as an input character on the display; and

(2) displaying a next character subset, comprising a plurality of characters, on the display, wherein the characters in the next character subset are determined to be the next most probable characters based on at least one preceding input character;

(d) matching each input character to a dictionary of candidate words stored within the cellular telephone to select at least one candidate word in the dictionary;

(e) displaying at least one selected candidate word on the display, each selected candidate word being visually associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable keys;

(f) accepting a next input keystroke from the keyboard;

(g) if such next input keystroke corresponds to one of the plurality of programmable keys, then displaying the selected candidate word associated with such programmable key as text entry on the display, replacing immediately preceding displayed input characters used to select the selected candidate word; and

(h) otherwise continuing at step (c), wherein the initial character subset is statistically determined from sample text to be the most common initial characters of words appearing in such sample text and the initial character subset is periodically updated by analyzing the character frequencies of messages entered by a user over time.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the initial character subset is statistically determined from sample text to be the most common initial characters of words appearing in such sample text.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein each next character subset is statistically determined from sample text.

4. The invention of claim 1, including the further step of automatically adding new words input by the user to the dictionary.

5. In a cellular telephone having an alphanumeric display and a keyboard having a plurality of programmable keys, a predictive keyboard input method comprising the steps of:

(a) in a text entry mode, displaying an initial character subset, comprising a plurality of characters, on the display, each character in the initial character subset being visually associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable keys;

(b) accepting an input keystroke from the keyboard;

(c) if the input keystroke corresponds to one of the plurality of programmable keys, then;

(1) displaying the character associated with such programmable key as an input character on the display; and

(2) displaying a next character subset, comprising a plurality of characters, on the display, each character in the next character subset being visually associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable keys, wherein the characters in the next character subset are determined to be the next most probable characters based on at least one preceding input character;

(d) matching each input character to a dictionary of candidate words stored within the cellular telephone to select at least one candidate word in the dictionary;

(e) displaying at least one selected candidate word on the display, each selected candidate word being visually associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable keys;

(f) accepting a next input keystroke from the keyboard;

(g) if such next input keystroke corresponds to one of the plurality of programmable keys, then displaying the selected candidate word associated with such programmable key as text entry on the display, replacing immediately preceding displayed input characters used to select the selected candidate word; and

(h) otherwise continuing at step (c), wherein the initial character subset is statistically determined from sample text to be the most common initial character of words appearing in such sample text and the initial character subset is periodically updated by analyzing the character frequencies of messages entered by a user over time.

6. A cellular telephone having an alphanumeric display, a keyboard having a plurality of programmable keys, and a programmable processing system, the programmable processing system being programmed to:

(a) in a text entry mode, display an initial character subset, comprising a plurality of characters, on the display;

(b) accept an input keystroke from the keyboard;

(c) if the input keystroke corresponds to one of the displayed plurality of characters, then;

(1) display that character as an input character on the display; and

(2) display a next character subset, comprising a plurality of characters, on the display, wherein the characters in the next character subset are determined to be the next most probable characters based on at least one preceding input character;

(d) match the input character to a dictionary of candidate words stored within the cellular telephone to select at least one candidate word in the dictionary;

(e) display at least one selected candidate word in the display, each selected candidate word being visually associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable keys;

(f) accept a next input keystroke from the keyboard;

(g) if such next input keystroke corresponds to one of the plurality of programmable keys, then display the selected candidate word associated with such programmable key as text entry on the display, replacing immediately preceding displayed input characters used to select the selected candidate word;

(h) otherwise continuing at step (c), wherein the initial character subset is statistically determined from sample text to be the most common initial characters of words appearing in such sample text and the initial character subset is periodically updated by analyzing the character frequencies of messages entered by a user over time.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein each next character subset is statistically determined from sample text.

8. The invention of claim 6, wherein the programmable processing system performs the further function of automatically adding new words input by the user to the dictionary.

9. A cellular telephone having an alphanumeric display, a keyboard having a plurality of programmable keys, and a programmable processing system, the programmable processing system being programmed to:

(a) in a text entry mode, display an initial character subset, comprising a plurality of characters, on the display, each character in the initial character subset being visually associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable keys;

(b) accept an input keystroke from the keyboard;

(c) if the input keystroke corresponds to one of the plurality of programmable keys, then;

(1) display the character associated with such programmable key as an input character on the display; and

(2) display a next character subset, comprising a plurality of characters, on the display, each character in the next character subset being visually associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable keys, wherein the characters in the next character subset are determined to be the next most probable characters based on at least one preceding input character;

(d) match the input character to a dictionary of candidate words stored within the cellular telephone to select at least one candidate word in the dictionary;

(e) display at least one selected candidate word on the display, each selected candidate word being visually associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable keys;

(f) accept a next input keystroke from the keyboard;

(g) if such next input keystroke corresponds to one of the plurality of programmable keys, then display the selected candidate word associated with such programmable key as text entry on the display, replacing mediately preceding displayed input characters used to select the selected candidate word;

(h) otherwise continuing at step (c), wherein the initial character subset is statistically determined from sample text to be the most common initial characters of words appearing in such sample text and the initial character subset is periodically updated by analyzing the character frequencies of messages entered by a user over time.

10. A computer program, for use in a cellular telephone having an alphanumeric display, a keyboard having a plurality of programmable keys, and a programmable processing system, for configuring and operating the programmable processing system to:

(a) in a text entry mode, display an initial character subset, comprising a plurality of characters, on the display;

(b) accept an input keystroke from the keyboard;

(c) if the input keystroke corresponds to one of the displayed plurality of characters, then;

(1) display that character as an input character on the display; and

(2) display a next character subset, comprising a plurality of characters, on the display, wherein the characters in the next character subset are determined to be the next most probable characters based on at least one preceding input character;

(d) match the input character to a dictionary of candidate words stored within the cellular telephone to select at least one candidate word in the dictionary;

(e) display at least one selected candidate word on the display, each selected candidate word being visually associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable keys;

(f) accept a next input keystroke from the keyboard;

(g) if such next input keystroke corresponds to one of the plurality of programmable keys, then display the selected candidate word associated with such programmable key as text entry on the display, replacing immediately preceding displayed input characters used to select the selected candidate word;

(h) otherwise continuing at step (c), wherein the initial character subset is statistically determined from sample text to be the most common initial characters of words appearing in such sample text and the initial character subset is periodically updated by analyzing the character frequencies of messages entered by a user over time.

11. A computer program, for use in a cellular telephone having an alphanumeric display, a keyboard having a plurality of programmable keys, and a programmable processing system, for configuring and operating the programmable processing system to perform the functions of:

(a) in a text entry mode, display an initial character subset, comprising a plurality of characters, on the display, each character in the initial character subset being visually associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable keys;

(b) accept an input keystroke from the keyboard;

(c) if the input keystroke corresponds to one of the plurality of programmable keys, then;

(1) display the character associated with such programmable key as an input character on the display; and

(2) display a next character subset, comprising a plurality of characters, on the display, each character in the next character subset being visually associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable keys, wherein the characters in the next character subset are determined to be the next most probable characters based on at least one preceding input character;

(d) match the input character to a dictionary of candidate words stored within the cellular telephone to select at least one candidate word in the dictionary;

(e) display at least one selected candidate word on the display, each selected candidate word being visually associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of programmable keys;

(f) accept a next input keystroke from the keyboard;

(g) if such next input keystroke corresponds to one of the plurality of programmable keys, then display the selected candidate word associated with such programmable key as text entry on the display, replacing immediately preceding displayed input characters used to select the selected candidate word;

(h) otherwise continuing at step (c), wherein the initial character subset is statistically determined from sample text to be the most common initial characters of words appearing in such sample text and the initial character subset is periodically updated by analyzing the character frequencies of messages entered by a user over time.