Data entry by string of possible candidate information in a hand-portable communication terminal

• US 6,810,272 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hansen, Jacob, Pukkila, Päivi, Kraft, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ GUTIERREZ, RAFAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/218,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20030017858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 345/167, 345/163, 345/157, 345/145, 345/146, 345/810, 345/811, 345/812, 345/813, 345/816, 379/433.04
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/018 Input/output arrangements for oriental characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/129 Handling non-Latin characters, e.g. kana-to-kanji conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• 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

A communication terminal is provided with display means, navigation means for navigating through information candidates, selection means for selecting one of the candidates, and a processor controlling the display means in accordance with the operation of the navigation means and the selection means. The display means comprises a first display part for displaying a string of entered information, and a second display part for displaying a string of a plurality of possible information candidates. One of the candidates in the second display part is highlighted by the cursor controlled by the navigation means. The processor copies the highlighted candidate from the candidate string into the entered information string upon selection by the selection means.

Claims

1. A hand-portable communication terminal having a predictive text editor application for entering text, and comprising:

display means;

navigation means for navigating through a list of information candidates;

selection means for selecting one of the candidates from said list of information candidates, wherein the terminal is configured as a handset and includes finger-operable data-entry elements in the form of keys for operating said navigation means and said selection means, the keys and the display being disposed in a front surface of the terminal; and

a processor controlling the display means in accordance with the operation of the navigation means and the selection means, and a memory connected to the processor;

in said predictive text editor application;

a first display part of the display means is reserved for displaying a string of entered information;

a second display part of the display means is reserved for displaying a string of a plurality of possible information candidates from said list of information candidates, one of these candidates in the second display part being highlighted by a cursor controlled by the navigation means in response to an operating of one of said data-entry elements, wherein said displaying of said string of possible information candidates presents only a fraction of the total number of information candidates, the remaining information candidates being displayable in the second display part by operation of a scroll key on the front surface of the terminal;

said processor adds the highlighted candidate in the second display part into the entered information string upon selection by the selection means in response to an operating of one of said data-entry elements; and

said processor sorts the possible information candidates to be displayed as possible information candidates in the second display part in dependence on a previously selected character or characters; and

wherein said memory serves as a dictionary storing information candidates in the forms of both alphanumeric and symbolic characters, operation of the navigation means serving to extract an information candidate from the dictionary for presentation on the second display part, and wherein one of said keys provides an option function for addressing said dictionary by optional modes of address including scrolling through a sequence of the characters and the entry of alphanumeric characters to identify a specific one of the characters to be extracted from the dictionary.

2. A communication terminal according to claim 1 wherein the processor sorts the possible information candidates in a default string of candidates, and said processor for each information candidate entry generates a dynamic string of candidates comprising a group of the most probable characters in the beginning followed by the default string.

3. A hand-portable communication terminal having a calculator application, and comprising:

display means;

navigation means for navigating through a list of candidates;

selection means for selecting one of the candidates from said list of candidates, wherein the terminal is configured as a handset and includes finger-operable data-entry elements in the form of keys for operating said navigation means and said selection means, the keys and the display being disposed in a front surface of the terminal; and

a processor controlling the display means in accordance with the operation of the navigation means and the selection means, and a memory connected to the processor;

in said calculator application;

a first display part of the display means is reserved for displaying entered data and results;

a second display part of the display means is reserved for displaying a string of a plurality of possible calculation operations from said list of candidates, one of these candidates in the second display part being highlighted by the cursor controlled by the navigation means in response to an operating of one of said data-entry elements, wherein said displaying said string of possible calculation operations presents only a fraction of the total number of calculation operations, the remaining calculation operations being displayable in the second string by operation of a scroll key on the front surface of the terminal;

said candidate highlighted in the second display part is as well shown highlighted in the first display part; and

said processor adds the highlighted candidate in the second selection by the selection means in response to an operating of one of said data-entry elements, whereby the highlighted candidate no longer will be shown highlighted in the first display part; and

wherein said memory serves as a dictionary storing information candidates including calculation-operation candidates in the forms of both alphanumeric and symbolic characters, operation of the navigation means serving to extract a candidate from the dictionary for presentation on the second display part, and wherein one of said keys provides an option function for addressing said dictionary by optional modes of address including scrolling through a sequence of the characters and the entry of alphanumeric characters to identify a specific one of the characters to be extracted from the dictionary.

4. A communication terminal having a music composer application for entering music data information into the terminal, said terminal comprising:

display means;

navigation means for moving cursor means through a list or information candidates;

selection means for selecting one of the candidates, wherein the terminal is configured as a handset and includes finger-operable data-entry elements in the form of keys for operating said navigation means and said selection means, the keys and the display means being disposed in a front surface of the terminal; and

a processor controlling the display means in accordance with the operation of the navigation means and the selection means, and a memory connected to the processor;

in said music composer application;

a first display part of the display means is reserved for displaying a string of entered music data information into the music composer of the communication terminal, wherein the string of entered music data information is presented as a first staff segment in the first display part;

a second display part of the display means is reserved for displaying a string of a plurality of possible music data information candidates including a note, wherein said displaying of said second string of information presents only a fraction of the total number of information candidates; and

cursor means for highlighting one of said string of a plurality of possible music data information candidates in said first display part;

wherein a second staff segment appears in the second display part when entering individual notes, the second staff segment being maintained in alignment with the first staff segment during a movement of said note about the second staff segment by said navigation means; and

wherein said memory serves as a dictionary storing information candidates in the forms of both alphanumeric and symbolic characters, operation of the navigation means serving to extract an information candidate from the dictionary for presentation on the second display part, and wherein one of said keys provides an option function for addressing said dictionary by optional modes of address including scrolling through a sequence of the characters and the entry of alphanumeric characters to identify a specific one of the characters to be extracted from the dictionary; and

said music data information candidates include symbolic, Non-Latin characters.

5. A hand-portable communication terminal having display means;

navigation means for navigating through information candidates;

selection means for selecting one of the information candidates;

a processor controlling the display means in accordance with the operation of the navigation means and the selection means, and a memory connected to the processor;

wherein the terminal is configured as a handset and includes finger-operable data-entry elements in the form of keys for operating said navigation means and said selection means, the keys and the display being disposed in a front surface of the terminal; and

a data entry application in which;

a first display part of the display means is reserved for displaying a string of entered information;

a second display part of the display means is reserved for displaying a string of a plurality of possible information candidates, one of these candidates being highlighted by a cursor controlled by the navigation means in response to an operating of one of said data-entry elements, wherein said step of displaying said second string of information candidates presents only a fraction of the total number of information candidates, the remaining information candidates being displayable in the second string by operation of a scroll key on the front surface of the terminal;

said one candidate being highlighted in the second display part is shown highlighted also in the string of entered information in the first display part; and

said processor adds the highlighted candidate in the second display part into the entered information string upon selection by the selection means in response to an operating of one of said data-entry elements, and the highlighted candidate is no longer shown highlighted in the first display part; and

wherein said memory serves a dictionary storing information candidates in the forms of both alphanumeric and symbolic characters, operation of the navigation means serving to extract an information candidate from the dictionary for presentation on the second display part, and wherein one of said keys provides an option function for addressing said dictionary by optional modes of address including scrolling through a sequence of the characters and the entry of alphanumeric characters to identify a specific one of the characters to be extracted from the dictionary.

6. A communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein the processor sorts the possible information candidates in a default string of candidates in dependence on the current mode of the phone, and said processor, for each information candidate entry, generates a dynamic string of candidates, said dynamic string comprising a group of the most probable characters in the beginning followed by the default string.

7. A communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein the terminal is equipped with at least two entry modes for entering different types of information into different applications in the terminal, and the processor sorts the possible information candidates in the candidate string in dependence on the mode of the terminal.

8. A communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein the navigation means is provided as a navigation key having a roller body which, when operated, causes the cursor to move, and wherein the selection means is integrated in the navigation key as a sensor detecting the depression of the roller body.

9. A communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein the navigation means is provided as a navigation key having a step-up/step-down functionality, and wherein the selection means is provided as a separate key for selecting the item currently pointed out by the cursor.

10. A communication terminal according to claim 9, wherein the separate selection key is provided as a soft key, the current function of which is displayed in a special part of the display.

11. A communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein, in some applications, the display means comprises a third display part for displaying complex information candidates to be entered in dependence on information candidates already entered.

12. A communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein the processor searches the dictionary memory to find a word fitting with letters already entered, and displays the best fitting word in the third display part.

13. A communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein the first display part constitutes the major part of a rectangular LCD display, and the second display part is provided as a strip along one of the edges of the display.

14. A communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein the processor sorts the possible information candidates in the second string in dependence on the previously selected character or characters.

15. A method of entering information into a hand-portable communication terminal having a predictive text editor application for entering text, and having a display, a navigator for navigating through a list of information candidates, a selector for selecting one of the candidates, and a processor controlling the display means in accordance with the operation of the navigator and the selector, wherein the terminal is configured as a handset and includes finger-operable data-entry elements in the form of keys for operating said navigator and said selector, the keys and the display being disposed in a front surface of the terminal;

the method comprising;

reserving a first display part of the display for displaying a first string of entered information;

reserving a second display part of the display for displaying a second string of a plurality of possible information candidates from said list of information candidates, and highlighting one of these candidates in the second display part by a cursor controlled by the navigator in response to an operating of one of said data-entry elements, wherein said step of displaying said second string of information presents only a traction of the total number of information candidates, the remaining information candidates being displayable in the second string by operation of a scroll key on the front surface of the terminal;

adding the highlighted candidate in the second display part into the first entered information string upon selection by the selector in response to an operating of one of said data-entry elements; and

sorting the possible information candidates to be displayed as possible information candidates in the second display part in dependence on a previously selected character or characters; and

wherein said step of displaying the second string of a plurality of possible information candidates includes an extracting of an information candidate from a dictionary including both alphanumeric and symbolic characters, wherein one of said keys provides an option function for addressing said dictionary by optional modes of address including scrolling through a sequence of the characters and the entry of alphanumeric characters to identify a specific one of the characters to be extracted from the dictionary.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein in said sorting step, for each information candidate entry generating a dynamic string of candidates comprising a group of the most probable characters in the beginning followed by a default string.

17. A method of entering information into a hand-portable communication terminal having a calculator application, and having a display, a navigator for navigating through a list of information candidates, a selector for selecting one of the candidates, a processor controlling the display in accordance with the operation of the navigator and the selector, and a memory providing the function of a dictionary to the processor, wherein the terminal is configured as a handset and includes finger-operable data-entry elements in the form of keys for operating said navigator and said selector, the keys and the display being disposed in a front surface of the terminal, the method comprising:

reserving a first display part of the display for displaying entered data and results;

reserving a second display part of the display for displaying a string of a plurality of possible calculation operations from said list of candidates, and highlighting one of these candidates in the second display part by a cursor controlled by the navigator in response to an operating of one of said data-entry elements, wherein said step of displaying said string of possible calculation operations presents only a fraction of the total number of calculation operations candidates, the remaining information candidates being displayable in the second string by operation of a scroll key on the front surface of the terminal;

showing said candidate highlighted in the second display part as highlighted in the first display part; and

adding by said processor the highlighted candidate of the second display part into an entered information string upon a selecting by the selector in response to an operating of one of said data-entry elements, and discontinuing a showing of the candidate as highlighted in the first display part; and

wherein said step of displaying the second string of a plurality of possible calculation-operation candidates includes an extracting of a candidate from the dictionary including both alphanumeric and symbolic characters, wherein one of said keys provides an option function for addressing said dictionary by optional modes of address including scrolling through a sequence of the characters and the entry of alphanumeric characters to identify a specific one of the characters to be extracted from the dictionary.

18. A method of entering information into a communication terminal having a music composer, and having a display, a navigator for navigating through a list of information candidates, a selector for selecting one of the candidates, a processor controlling the display in accordance with the operation of the navigator and the selector, and a memory serving as a dictionary for the processor, wherein the terminal is configured as a handset and includes finger-operable data-entry elements in the form of keys for operating said navigator and said selector, the keys and the display being disposed in a front surface of the terminal, the method comprising:

reserving a first display part of the display for displaying a first string of entered music data information into a music composer of the communication terminal;

reserving a second display part of the display for displaying a second string of a plurality of possible music data information candidates, wherein said step of reserving said second string of information candidates presents only a fraction of the total number of information candidates;

presenting the string of entered music data information as a first staff segment in the first display part;

showing a second staff segment in the second display part and entering individual notes upon the second staff segment;

highlighting by a cursor one of said second string of a plurality of possible music data information candidates in said first display part; and

maintaining the second staff segment in alignment with the first staff segment during a movement of one of said notes about the second staff segment by said navigator; and

wherein said step of displaying the second string of a plurality of possible information candidates includes an extracting of an information candidate from the dictionary including both alphanumeric and symbolic characters, wherein one of said keys provides an option function for addressing said dictionary by optional modes of address including scrolling through a sequence of the characters and the entry of alphanumeric characters to identify a specific one of the characters to be extracted from the dictionary; and

said music data information candidates include symbolic, Non-Latin characters.

19. A hand-portable communication terminal having a music composer application for entering music data information into the terminal, said terminal comprising:

display means;

navigation means for moving cursor means through a list of information candidates;

selection means for selecting one of the candidates, wherein the terminal is configured as a handset and includes finger-operable data-entry elements in the form of keys for operating said navigation means and said selection means, the keys and the display being disposed in a front surface of the terminal; and

a processor controlling the display means in accordance with the operation of the navigation means and the selection means, and a memory connected to the processor;

in said music composer application;

a first display part of the display means is reserved for displaying a string of entered music data information into the music composer of the communication terminal;

a second display part of the display means is reserved for displaying a string of a plurality of possible music data information candidates, wherein said displaying of said string of possible information candidates presents only a fraction of the total number of information candidates; and

cursor means for highlighting one of said string of a plurality of possible music data information candidates in said first display part; and

wherein said memory serves as a dictionary storing information candidates in the forms of both alphanumeric and symbolic characters, operation of the navigation means serving to extract an information candidate from the dictionary for presentation on the second display part, and wherein one of said keys provides an option function for addressing said dictionary by optional modes of address including scrolling through a sequence off the characters and the entry of alphanumeric characters to identify a specific one of the characters to be extracted from the dictionary; and

wherein said music data information candidates include symbolic, Non-Latin characters, and one of said keys serves to position a music symbol relative to a staff segment.

20. A communication terminal according to claim 19, wherein the music data information candidate in said first display part is highlighted until the music data information candidate is selected to be entered into the string of entered music data information by activating the selection means to become part of said string of entered music data information.

21. A communication terminal according to claim 20, wherein the music data information candidate to be entered into a string of entered music data information is highlighted in as well the first display part and the second display part during the operation of the navigation means until the activation of the selection means.

22. A communication terminal according to claim 19, wherein the string of entered music data information is presented as a staff segment in the first display part.

23. A communication terminal according to claim 22, wherein a staff segment will appear in the second display part when entering individual notes.

24. A method of entering information into a hand-portable communication terminal having a display, navigation means for navigating through information candidates, and selection means for selecting one of the candidates, wherein the terminal is configured as a handset and includes finger-operable data-entry elements in the form of keys for operating said navigation means and said selection means, the keys and the display being disposed in a front surface of the terminal;

said method comprising;

displaying in the display a first string of entered information;

displaying, separately from the first entered information string, a second string of a plurality of possible information candidates, one of these candidates being highlighted by a cursor controlled by the navigation means in response to an operating of one of said data-entry elements, wherein said step of displaying said second string of information presents only a fraction of the total number of information candidates, the remaining information candidates being displayable in the second string by operation of a scroll key on the front surface of the terminal;

showing said one highlighted candidate also highlighted in the first string of entered information; and

copying the highlighted candidate from the second string to the first entered information string upon selection by the selection means in response to an operating of one of said data-entry elements, and discontinuing highlighting of said one candidate in said first string; and

wherein said step of displaying the second string of a plurality of possible information candidates includes an extracting of an information candidate from a dictionary including both alphanumeric and symbolic characters, wherein one of said keys provides an option function for addressing said dictionary by optional modes of address including scrolling through a sequence of the characters and the entry of alphanumeric characters to identify a specific one of the characters to be extracted from the dictionary.

25. A method according to claim 24, further comprising sorting the possible information candidates in a default string of candidates in dependence on the current mode of the phone, and generating a dynamic string of candidates for each information candidate entry, said dynamic string comprising a group of the most probable characters in the beginning followed by the default string.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein the terminal is equipped with at least two entry modes for entering different types of information into different applications in the terminal, and further comprising sorting the possible information candidates in the candidate string in dependence on the current mode of the terminal.

27. A method according to claim 24, wherein the navigation means is provided as a navigation key in the form of a depressible roller wheel, and including moving the cursor by rolling the roller wheel, and selecting an item pointed out by the cursor by depressing the roller wheel.

28. A method according to claim 24, further comprising searching in the dictionary to find a word fitting with letters already entered, and displaying the best fitting word in a third display part selectable by the user.

29. A method according to claim 24, further comprising sorting the possible information candidates in the candidate string in dependence on at least one previously selected character.

30. A method of entering information into a hand-portable communication terminal having a music composer, and having a display, a navigator for navigating through a list of information candidates, a selector for selecting one of the candidates, and a processor controlling the display in accordance with the operation of the navigator and the selector, wherein the terminal is configured as a handset and includes finger-operable data-entry elements in the form of keys for operating said navigator and said selector, the keys and the display being disposed in a front surface of the terminal, the method comprising:

reserving a first display part of the display for displaying a first string of entered music data information into a music composer of the communication terminal;

reserving a second display part of the display for displaying a second string of a plurality of possible music data information candidates, wherein said step of displaying said second string of possible information candidates presents only a fraction of the total number of information candidates; and

highlighting by a cursor one of said second string of a plurality of possible music data information candidates in said first display part; and

wherein said step of displaying the second string of a plurality of possible information candidates includes an extracting of an information candidate from a dictionary including both alphanumeric and symbolic characters, wherein one of said keys provides an option function for addressing said dictionary by optional modes of address including scrolling through a sequence of the characters and the entry of alphanumeric characters to identity a specific one of the characters to be extracted from the dictionary; and

wherein said music data information candidates include symbolic, Non-Latin characters, and one of said keys serves to position a music symbol relative to a staff segment.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the music data information candidate in said first display part is highlighted until the music data information candidate is selected to be entered into the string of entered music data information by activating the selector to become part of said string of entered music data information.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein the music data information candidate to be entered into a string of entered music data information is highlighted in as well the first display part and the second display part during the operation of the navigator until the activating of the selector.

33. A method according to claim 30, further comprising a step of presenting the string of entered music data information as a staff segment in the first display part.

34. A method according to claim 33, further comprising a step of showing a staff segment in the second display part when entering individual notes.