Method and apparatus for navigation, text input and phone dialing

• US 6,992,658 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Lu, Guo, Jin, Wu, Charles, McEvilly, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLISH, ALECIA DIANE
• Application Number:
  US10/285,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20030048262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/163, 345/167, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.06
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/17 using hand-held instruments

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for entering information into an electronic device are provided. The apparatus (200) includes five text-input buttons (102, etc) that can be activated by pressing or by touching. In one embodiment, the buttons are located on a disk (302). Text is entered by pressing or touching a single text-input button and then passing a finger or thumb over additional buttons in a prescribed order. The apparatus may be used in conjunction with additional input devices, such as an ‘accept’ or ‘OK’ button. Four navigation buttons (104, etc) are also provided. In one embodiment, these are additional buttons. In a further embodiment, four of the five text-input buttons are selectable as navigation buttons. The selection may be achieved by rotation of the disk (302) on which the buttons are located. The apparatus may also include a rotatable wheel or roller (108) to permit scrolling through lists. The apparatus may be used to enter navigation (command), text or number information.

Claims

1. An interaction device for entering text characters of a plurality of text characters into an electronic device, the interaction device comprising:

an array of text-input buttons, each text-input button begin independently sensitive to touching and pressure; and

an array of navigation buttons, each navigation button being independently sensitive to touch and to pressure,

wherein each text character of a plurality of text characters is entered by touching one or more buttons of the array of text-input buttons in a predetermined sequence, and wherein each of the navigation buttons moves the position of an object displayed on a display screen in a predetermined direction, and wherein the array of navigation buttons comprises four navigation buttons arranged in a cross pattern at the four corners of a diamond, and wherein the array of four navigation buttons is rotatable through 45°

so that four navigation buttons form at least part of the array of text input buttons.

2. An interaction device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the start of the predetermined sequence is indicated by pressing a predatermined button of the array of text-input buttons.

3. An interaction device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a button touch is determined to be the start of the predetermined sequence if the time elapsed since a previous button touch exceeds a threshold.

4. An interaction device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the array of text-input buttons comprises an array of five input text buttons positioned at the four corners and the center of a square.

5. An interaction device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the display screen is incorporated into the electronic device.

6. An interaction device for entering text characters of a plurality of text characters into an electronic device, the interaction device comprising:

an array of text-input buttons, each text-input button begin independently sensitive to both touch and pressure, wherein each text character of a plurality of text characters is entered by touching one or more buttons of the array of text-input buttons in a predetermined sequence; and

an array of navigation buttons, each navigation button being independently sensitive to touching and to pressure, wherein each of the navigation buttons moves the position of an object displayed on a display screen in a predetermined direction, and

wherein the array of text-input buttons comprises an array of five text input buttons and the array of navigation buttons comprises an array of four navigation buttons, and wherein the array of five text input buttons and the army of four navigation buttons are physically distinct buttons arranged in a three-by-three square grid.

7. An interaction device in accordance with claim 6, wherein one array of buttons of the array of five text-input buttons and the array of four navigation buttons is disabled.

8. An interaction device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the one array of buttons that is disabled is physically disabled.

9. An interaction device in accordance with claim 6, wherein buttons of the one array of buttons that is disabled are less brightly illuminated than other buttons.

10. An interaction device in accordance with claim 6, further comprising:

a scrolling device located in proximity to the array of text-input buttons.

11. An interaction device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the scrolling device is a ring mounted in the plane of the array of text-input buttons.

12. An interaction device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the ring encircles one or more of the text-input buttons.

13. An interaction device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the ring is located in close proximity to the array of text-input buttons.

14. An interaction device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the ring is touch sensitive, producing a signal indicative of the position of the ring that is touched.

15. An interaction device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the ring is rotatable, producing a signal indicative of the position of the ring or the change in position of the ring.

16. An interaction device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the scrolling device is one of a roller and a wheel.

17. An interaction device in accordance with claim 16, wherein the scrolling device is mounted with its axis of rotation in the plane of the array of text-input buttons.

18. An interaction device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the scrolling device is clickable.

19. An interaction device for entering user information into an electronic device, the interaction device comprising:

a display screen; and

a rotatable array comprising five buttons,

wherein, when in a first orientation that is a cross pattern with a center button, each of at least four buttons of the rotatable array moves the position of an object displayed on a the display screen in a predetermined direction, and wherein a second orientation of the rotatable array is an orientation that is rotated 45 degree with reference to the first orientation, and wherein the rotatable array are usable in the second orientation to enter text characters onto the display.

20. An interaction device in accordance with claim 19, wherein each of the five buttons is independently sensitive to touching and pressure in the second orientation, and wherein each text character of a plurality of text characters is entered in the second orientation by touching one or more buttons of the rotatable array of five buttons in a predetermined sequence.

21. A method for entering user information into an electronic device from an interaction device having an array of text-input buttons, each button being sensitive to both pressure and touch, the method comprising:

determining a first button of the array of text-input buttons and a sequence of one or more second buttons of the array or text-input buttons corresponding to a symbol;

touching or pressing the first button of the array of text-input buttons;

touching the one or more second buttons in the sequence of one or more second buttons, wherein the array of text-input buttons comprises an array of five text input buttons located on a rotatable surface;

rotating the rotatable surface so that the array of five text-input buttons is arranged in a square pattern with one button in each of the four corners of the square and one button in the center of the square, wherein the electronic device incorporates a display screen;

rotating the rotatable surface so that the array of five text-input buttons is arranged in a diamond pattern with one button in each of the four corners of the diamond and one button in the center of the diamond, the buttons in the four corners of the diamond forming an array of four navigation buttons; and

touching a button of the array of four navigation buttons to move the position of an object displayed on the display screen in a predetermined direction or highlight a target displayed on the display screen.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21, further comprising:

clicking a button of the array of four navigation buttons to select a target highlighted on the display screen.

23. A method for entering user information into an electronic device from an interaction device having an array of text-input buttons, each button being sensitive to both pressure and touch, the method comprising:

determining a first button of the array of text-input buttons and a sequence of one or more second buttons of the array of text-input buttons corresponding to a symbol;

touching or pressing the first button of the array of text-input buttons;

touching the one or more second buttons in the sequence of one or more second buttons, wherein the electronic device incorporates a display screen and the interaction device includes an array of navigation buttons;

touching a button of the array of navigation buttons to move the position of an object displayed on the display screen in a predetermined direction or highlight a target displayed on the display screen;

selecting the array of text-input buttons or the array of navigation buttons;

disabling the array of navigation buttons if the array of text-input buttons is selected; and

disabling the array of text-input buttons if the array of navigation buttons is selected.

24. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein the disabling of the text-input buttons or the navigation buttons is performed in software.