Data correction method and apparatus using key filtering function for entering data in navigation system

• US 7,107,147 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Pascual, Joey, Tu, Ihung S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/940,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20060058943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 715/780
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233

Abstract

An input data correction method and apparatus for a navigation system that has a key filtering function to assist the user to determine possible entries for inputting data. The input data correction method includes the steps of displaying a keyboard screen, inputting data through alphanumeric keys on the keyboard screen, positioning a cursor to a location of a character of the input data that is desired to be changed, searching for candidate entries that match the input data if the character at the cursor location of the input data is changed, highlighting alphanumeric keys corresponding to the characters to change the character at the cursor location so that the input data after the change match with the candidate entries, and selecting one or more highlighted keys thereby changing the input data to the candidate entry.

Claims

1. An input data correction method for assisting a user to enter data in a navigation system, comprising the steps of:

displaying a keyboard screen;

inputting data through alphanumeric keys on the keyboard screen;

positioning a cursor to a location of a character of the input data that is desired to be changed;

searching for candidate entries that match the input data if the character at the cursor location of the input data is changed;

highlighting alphanumeric keys corresponding to the characters to change the character at the cursor location so that the input data after the change match with the candidate entries; and

selecting one or more highlighted keys thereby changing the input data to the candidate entry.

2. An input data correction method as defined in claim 1, after said step of changing the input data by selecting one or more highlighted keys, further comprising the following steps of:

highlighting alphanumeric keys corresponding to characters that follow the input data that has been changed so that the input data added with the characters that follow match with the candidate entries; and

selecting one or more highlighted keys thereby changing the input data to the candidate entry.

3. An input data correction method as defined in claim 1, after said step of changing the input data by selecting one or more highlighted keys, further comprising the following steps of:

positioning the cursor on the input data that has been changed to specify a location of a character that is desired to be changed;

searching for candidate entries that match the input data if the character at the cursor location of the input data is changed;

highlighting alphanumeric keys corresponding to the characters to change the character at the cursor location so that the input data after the change match with the candidate entries; and

selecting one or more highlighted keys thereby changing the input data to the candidate entry.

4. An input data correction method as defined in claim 1, when a candidate entry that matches the input data is not found even if the character at the cursor location of the input data is changed, the method further comprising the following steps of:

displaying a warning message that a candidate entry is not found and prompting to select whether a best match search should be performed; and

searching for a candidate entry that is most similar to input data when the best match search is selected.

5. An input data correction method as defined in claim 4, further comprising the following steps of:

highlighting alphanumeric keys corresponding to the characters to change the character at the cursor location so that the input data after the change match with the candidate entry that is most similar to the input data before the change; and

selecting one or more highlighted keys thereby changing the input data to the candidate entry.

6. An input data correction method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of changing the input data by selecting one or more highlighted keys includes a step of either deleting the character at the cursor location, inserting a character in the cursor location, or replacing the character at the cursor location with another character.

7. An input data correction method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of highlighting the alphanumeric keys includes a step of highlighting function keys that perform, when selected, either deleting the character at the cursor location, inserting a character in the cursor location, or replacing the character at the cursor location with another character.

8. An input data correction method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of positioning the cursor to the location of the character includes a step of maintaining the characters of the input data when the cursor moves backwardly on the input data.

9. A navigation system for assisting a user to enter data in a navigation system, comprising:

means for displaying a keyboard screen;

means for inputting data through alphanumeric keys on the keyboard screen;

means for positioning a cursor to a location of a character of the input data that is desired to be changed;

means for searching for candidate entries that match the input data if the character at the cursor location of the input data is changed;

means for highlighting alphanumeric keys corresponding to the characters to change the character at the cursor location so that the input data after the change match with the candidate entries; and

means for selecting one or more highlighted keys thereby changing the input data to the candidate entry.

10. A navigation system as defined in claim 9, further comprising:

means for highlighting alphanumeric keys corresponding to characters that follow the input data that has been changed by said changing means so that the input data added with the characters that follow match with the candidate entries; and

means for selecting one or more highlighted keys thereby changing the input data to the candidate entry.

11. A navigation system as defined in claim 9, further comprising:

means for positioning the cursor on the input data that has been changed by said changing means to specify a location of a character that is desired to be changed;

means for searching for candidate entries that match the input data if the character at the cursor location of the input data is changed;

means for highlighting alphanumeric keys corresponding to the characters to change the character at the cursor location so that the input data after the change match with the candidate entries; and

means for selecting one or more highlighted keys thereby changing the input data to the candidate entry.

12. A navigation system as defined in claim 9, comprising:

means for determining that a candidate entry that match the input data is not found even if the character at the cursor location of the input data is changed;

means for displaying a warning message that a candidate entry is not found and prompting to select whether a best match search should be performed; and

means for searching for a candidate entry that is most similar to input data when the best match search is selected.

13. A navigation system as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

means for highlighting alphanumeric keys corresponding to the characters to change the character at the cursor location so that the input data after the change match with the candidate entry that is most similar to the input data before the change; and

means for selecting one or more highlighted keys thereby changing the input data to the candidate entry.

14. A navigation system as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for changing the input data by selecting one or more highlighted keys includes means for either deleting the character at the cursor location, inserting a character in the cursor location, or replacing the character at the cursor location with another character.

15. A navigation system as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for highlighting the alphanumeric keys includes means for highlighting function keys that perform, when selected, either deleting the character at the cursor location, inserting a character in the cursor location, or replacing the character at the cursor location with another character.

16. A navigation system as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for positioning the cursor to the location of the character includes means for maintaining the characters of the input data when the cursor moves backwardly on the input data.