Character input control equipment

• US 6,486,870 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2000
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD.
• Original Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD.
• Inventors: Kozu, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N.
• Application Number:
  US09/487,341
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 345/157, 345/168-172, 345/764, 345/773, 345/778, 345/780, 345/467-469, 345/856, 345/858, 345/827, 345/810, 345/835, 345/840, 341/22, 341/23, 341/26, 341/28, 273/272, 273/139, 273/299, 273/308, 463/30, 463/31, 463/37, 455/556, 455/566, 455/575
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items

Abstract

Character input control equipment enables the decrease of moving distance of a cursor between key positions and also enables efficient key input. The character input control equipment includes character input display field display controller for displaying a plurality of character input display fields in a display part, cursor movement controller for specifying one character input display field out of the plurality of character input display fields displayed in the display part by moving the cursor, and input character selector for selecting one character out of the plurality of characters corresponding to the one character input display field specified by the cursor movement controller wherein a plurality of characters correspond to each one of the plurality of character input display fields.

Claims

1. A character input control system comprising:

a controller for controlling the display of a plurality of character input display fields on a display unit such that one of said plurality of character input display fields is positioned in a central location relative to the other of said plurality of character input display fields, said controller also controlling cursor movement for specifying one character input display field out of the plurality of character input display fields displayed on said display unit, said cursor initially being located at said central location position of said one character input display field and is moveable by said controller from the central location position to said other of said plurality of character input display fields, and wherein said controller controls cursor movement such that said cursor returns to said central location position when cursor movement from said central location position ends; and

an input character selector for selecting one character out of a plurality of characters corresponding to a specified character input display field.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a character type select switch for changing a character type of characters corresponding to said plurality of character input display fields.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls cursor movement in response to receiving commands from a player.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of character input display fields displayed on said display unit includes a first character input display field group which includes said one character input display field positioned in said central location and a second character input display field group having at least one character input display field which is arranged outside said first character input display field group.

5. The system according to claim 4, further comprising a display field group selector for selecting either said first character input display field group or said second character input display field group, wherein the cursor is moved to the second character input display field group from said one character input display field positioned at said central location when said second character input display field group is selected.

6. A character input control system comprising:

a controller for controlling the display of a plurality of character input display fields on a display unit such that one of said plurality of character input display fields is positioned in a central location relative to the other of said plurality of character input display fields;

said controller also controlling cursor movement for specifying one character input display field out of the plurality of character input display fields displayed on said display unit by moving a cursor according to control by a player, wherein the cursor is initially located at said central location position of said one character input display field and is moveable by said controller from the central location position to said other of said plurality of character input fields and the cursor returns to said central location position when cursor movement from said central location position ends; and

wherein

said controller controls the selection of a first code and one second code out of a plurality of second codes corresponding to said first code, said first code and said plurality of second codes corresponding to one character input display field on said display unit as specified by said cursor, said controller also controls the conversion of the combination of said first code and said selected one of the second codes to a corresponding character.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of character input display fields displayed on said display unit includes a first character input display field group which includes said one character input display field positioned in said central location and a second character input display field group having at least one character input display field which is arranged outside said first character input display field group.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising a display field group select means for selecting either said first character input display field group or said second character input display field group, wherein the cursor is moved to the second character input display field group from said one character input display field positioned at said central location when said second character input display field group is selected.

9. A character input control method, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of character input display fields with one of said plurality of character input display fields being positioned in a central location relative to the other of said plurality of character input display fields;

moving a cursor from an initial location at said centrally located character input display field to specify another character input display field out of said plurality of character input display fields;

defining an input of a character corresponding to said specified character input display field; and

returning said cursor to the initial location at said centrally located character input display field.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said act of moving further comprises specifying one character of a plurality of characters belonging to the specified character input display field, by sequentially shifting the cursor onto said plurality of characters until a desired character is specified.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said act of defining comprises converting a combination of a first code and a second code corresponding to the first code, to a character, wherein the combination is associated with the specified character input display field.

12. A game machine comprising:

a main unit having a controller to control the display of a plurality of character input display fields on a display unit with one of the plurality of character input display fields being positioned in a central location relative to the other of said plurality of character input display fields; and

an input pad which is connectable to said main unit and has a cursor movement control switch, a character select switch and a character type select switch, wherein said controller controls movement of the cursor in response to a user pressing said cursor movement control switch to specify one character input display field out of said plurality of character input display fields, said controller also controls the defining of the input of the character corresponding to said specified character input display field when said cursor movement control switch is set to non-pressed status, and wherein said controller also controls the return of said cursor to the one centrally located character input display field.

13. A recording medium storing a game program to be executed by a video game machine, wherein said game program operates said video game machine to:

display a plurality of character input display fields with one of said plurality of character input display fields being positioned in a central location relative to the other of said plurality of character input display fields;

move a cursor in response to a user'"'"'s pressing a cursor movement control switch to specify one character input display field out of said plurality of character input display fields;

define an input of a character corresponding to said specified character input display field when said cursor movement control switch is set to non-pressed status; and

return said cursor to the one centrally located character input display field.