Mobile telephone having a character recognition feature and method for controlling the same

• US 6,269,260 B1
• Filed: 06/21/1999
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Joung-Kyou, Shin, Jang-Ki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woldetatios, Yemane
• Application Number:
  US09/336,952
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/575, 455/418, 455/564, 455/414, 455/425, 455/460, 455/461, 455/514, 455/550, 455/551, 455/556, 329/355, 329/356, 345/161, 341/22, 341/26
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings

Abstract

A character recognition mobile telephone registers and performs various functions of the telephone using a character recognition function. The character recognition mobile telephone includes a function character storage for registering character codes corresponding to various functions of the mobile telephone; a touch screen with which a user inputs a desired function character; a character recognizer for generating feature data for the character input from the touch screen and a corresponding character code, and searching the function character storage for a character code identical to the generated character code; and a controller for entering a function mode corresponding to the input character.

Claims

1. A method for registering function characters in a mobile telephone, comprising the steps of:

upon an indication of an off-hook condition, entering a character recognition mode;

upon receipt of a function character, selecting a corresponding one of several functions of the mobile telephone and displaying the received function character that substantially matches the selected function; and

registering the function character in association with the selected function, when a user inputs a registration key input in response to the displayed function character.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile telephone has a flip and enters the character recognition mode upon detection of a flip-on state.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of releasing the character recognition mode, if the function character is not received within a predetermined time while in the character recognition mode.

4. A method for recognizing function characters in a mobile telephone including a touch screen, a first character code storage for storing character codes, a character recognizer, and a second character storage for storing function character codes corresponding to functions of the mobile telephone, the method comprising the steps of:

upon an indication of an off-hook condition, entering a character recognition mode;

recognizing touch screen data input from the touch screen using the character recognizer to generate a recognized character corresponding to the input data, reading a character code corresponding to the recognized character from the first character code storage, and displaying the read character code;

searching the second character storage for a pre-registered character code substantially identical to the displayed character code; and

entering a function mode associated with the character code, when the second character storage has a character code identical to the displayed character code.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising the step of releasing the character recognition mode, if the touch screen data is not input within a predetermined time while in the character recognition mode.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the mobile telephone includes a telephone number storage for storing telephone numbers that match associated character codes, wherein if the second character storage does not have a pre-registered character code identical to the displayed character code, the mobile telephone searches the telephone number storage for a character code identical to the input character code and displays a telephone number associated with the searched character code.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the telephone number is automatically dialed upon indication of a match between the input character code and a stored character code.

8. A character recognition mobile telephone, comprising:

a function character storage for pre-registering character codes corresponding to various function modes of the mobile telephone;

a touch screen with which a user inputs a desired function character;

a character recognizer for generating feature data and a corresponding character code for the character input via the touch screen, the character recognizer further searching the function character storage for a pre-registered character code substantially identical to the generated character code; and

a controller for entering a function mode corresponding to the input character.

9. The character recognition mobile telephone as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

a telephone number storage for pre-registering character codes that match corresponding telephone numbers, wherein said controller displays a telephone number associated with the searched pre-registered character code.

10. The character recognition mobile telephone as recited in claim 9, wherein the controller dials the telephone number automatically upon indication of a match between a pre-registered character code and the generated character code.

11. A character recognition mobile telephone with character registration, comprising:

a touch screen with which a user inputs a function character corresponding to a function of the mobile telephone, thereby generating touch screen data;

a character recognizer to receive the touch screen data, which in turn generates feature data corresponding to the received touch screen data and searches a character database to find a pre-registered feature data substantially identical to the generated feature data; and

a function character storage with a character code storage area for storing the function characters input by the user when the pre-registered feature data is not substantially identical to the generated feature data.

12. A character recognition mobile telephone with character registration as recited in claim 11, wherein said character recognizer includes timing means having a predetermined time period within which the user must input the function character via the touch screen, where after said time period expires the touch screen data is automatically delivered to the character recognizer.

13. A character recognition mobile telephone with character registration as recited in claim 11, wherein the feature data consists of an x/y-coordinate data and a stroke counter data.

14. A character recognition mobile telephone with character registration as recited in claim 12, wherein the feature data consists of an x/y-coordinate data and a stroke counter data.