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Full alphanumeric character set entry from a very limited number of key buttons

  • US 6,031,471 A
  • Filed: 02/09/1998
  • Issued: 02/29/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A machine-user interface, comprising:

  • a matrix-reduction selection keypad with corresponding user pushbuttons representing "up", "right", "down", "left", and "middle";

    an alphanumeric display proximate to the matrix-reduction selection keypad and providing for the display of a first two-dimensional matrix of individual characters;

    a selection indication connected to the alphanumeric display for highlighting a second two-dimensional matrix of individual characters that is a subset of said first two-dimensional matrix of individual characters; and

    a processor connected to the alphanumeric display and the matrix-reduction selection keypad, and programmed to generate a screen display of said first and second two-dimensional matrices of individual characters;

    wherein, the matrix-reduction selection keypad is recursively used to reduce said first two-dimensional matrices of individual characters to said second two-dimensional matrices of individual characters, and if such is not a 1×

    1 matrix with a single member, then further to an nth subset of two-dimensional matrices of individual characters, and said user pushbuttons representing "up", "right", "down", "left", and "middle" are used to select a next succeeding subset from its parent subset.

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