Devices having input controls for efficient input of data

• US 7,548,231 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerence Operating Company (Cerence Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prevalent Devices LLC
• Inventors: Goren, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N
• Application Number:
  US11/316,079
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 345/161, 345/163, 345/168, 341 20- 23, 463/37, 463/39, 463/46, 715/773, 715/863, 464/112, 464/115, 464/156, 464/161
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions

Abstract

Embodiments of the subject invention relate to systems, methods, and devices providing a reduced number of selectable inputs that enable efficient communication. One aspect of what is disclosed are embodiments of a systematic code, which systematic code enables efficient communication. Another aspect of the invention is the implementation of embodiments of a systematic code on interactive devices, thereby enabling efficient communication using such interactive devices.

Claims

1. An input component to input data in an interactive device, said input component comprising:

a plurality of input controls, wherein each input control of at least some of the input controls of the plurality of input controls corresponds to a respective vowel of the alphabet and is associated with a set of consonants greater in number than the respective vowel, wherein an initial activation of an input control of the at least some of the input controls followed by a secondary activation of an input control of the at least some of the input controls enters data in the interactive device corresponding to a consonant in said set of consonants; and

a common input control, wherein an initial activation of an input control of the at least some of the input controls corresponding to a respective vowel of the alphabet followed by activation of the common input control enters data in the interactive device corresponding to such respective vowel.

2. The input component of claim 1, wherein:

if the initial activation of an input control corresponds to a vowel a, then the set of consonants comprises consonants b, c and d;

if the initial activation of an input control corresponds to a vowel e, then the set of consonants comprises consonants f, g, and h;

if the initial activation of an input control corresponds to a vowel i, then the set of consonants comprises consonants j, k, l, m, and n;

if the initial activation of an input control corresponds to a vowel o, then the set of consonants comprises consonants p, q, r, s, and t; and

if the initial activation of an input control corresponds to a vowel u, then the set of consonants comprises consonants v, w, x, y, and z.

3. The input component of claim 1, further comprising a memory associated therewith for storing data input by the input component.

4. The input component of claim 1, further comprising a communications medium for communicating to the user at least one of input and output of the interactive device.

5. The input component of claim 4, wherein the communications medium comprises a least one of a display, a voice chip and a mechanical component.

6. The input component claim 1, wherein each input control of the at least some of the input controls corresponding to a respective vowel is operated by a corresponding user'"'"'s digit.

7. The input component of claim 1, wherein the input component comprises a keypad.

8. The input component of claim 7, wherein the input control for the vowel a and the common input control are on the right side of the keypad, and the input controls for the vowels e, i, o and u are on the left side of the keypad.

9. The input component of claim 7, wherein the input control for the vowels a, e, i, o and u are on the left side of the keypad, and the common input control is on the right side of the keypad.

10. The input component of claim 7, wherein the input control for the vowel a and the common input control are on the left side of the keypad, and the input controls for the vowels e, i, o and u are on the right side of the keypad.

11. The input component of claim 7, wherein the input control for the vowels a, e, i, o and u are on the right side of the keypad, and the common input control is on the left side of the keypad.

12. The input component of claim 7, wherein the at least some of the input controls are arranged vertically.

13. The input component of claim 7, wherein the keypad comprises a three by four array of input keys, said three by four array of input keys comprising five input controls, wherein a second input key in a first row of the three by four array corresponds to a vowel a, a third input key in the first row corresponds to a vowel e, a first input key in a second row corresponds to a vowel i, a second input key in the second row corresponds to a vowel o, and a third input key in a second row corresponds to a vowel u.

14. The input component of claim 13, wherein the second input key in the first row has prominently displayed thereon a letter A, the third input key in the first row has prominently displayed thereon a letter E, the first input key in the second row has prominently displayed thereon a letter I, the second input key in the second row has prominently displayed thereon a letter O, and the third input key in the second row has prominently displayed thereon a letter U.

15. The input component of claim 7, wherein an input control of the plurality of input controls comprises a space key, an input control of the plurality of input controls comprises a punctuation key, and an input control of the plurality of input controls comprises a backspace key.

16. The input component of claim 7, wherein the keypad comprises a three by five array of input keys, said three by five array of input keys comprising five input controls, wherein a third input key in a first row of the three by five array corresponds to a vowel a, a third input key in the second row corresponds to a vowel e, a third input key in a third row corresponds to a vowel i, a third input key in a fourth row corresponds to a vowel o, and a third input key in a fifth row corresponds to a vowel u.

17. The input component of claim 7, wherein the keypad comprises a three by five array of input keys, said three by five array of input keys comprising a selected column of five input controls corresponding to vowels of the alphabet, wherein a first input key in the selected column of the three by five array corresponds to a vowel a, a second input key in the selected column of the three by five array corresponds to a vowel e, a third input key in the selected column of the three by five array corresponds to a vowel i, a fourth input key in the selected column of the three by five array corresponds to a vowel o, and a fifth input key in the selected column of the three by five array corresponds to a vowel u.

18. The input component of claim 17, wherein the selected column is one of the first column, the second column or the third column of the three by five array having three columns and five rows.

19. The input component of claim 7, wherein the interactive device comprises a mobile communications device, said mobile communications device comprising the keypad.

20. The input component of claim 1, wherein the input component comprises a keypad having a plurality of grasps for a plurality of digits.

21. The input component of claim 1, wherein the input component comprises a mouse.

22. The input component of claim 1, wherein the input component comprises a joystick.

23. The input component of claim 1, wherein the input component is of a reduced size.

24. The input component of claim 1, wherein the interactive device comprises a watch.

25. The input component of claim 1, wherein the interactive device comprises a personal digit assistant.

26. The input component of claim 1, wherein the interactive device comprises a pager.

27. The input component of claim 1, wherein the interactive device comprises an e-mail device.

28. The input component of claim 1, wherein the interactive device comprises a web appliance.

29. The input component of claim 1, wherein the interactive device comprises a web tablet.

30. The input component of claim 1, wherein the interactive device comprises a game device.

31. The input component of claim 1, wherein the interactive device comprises a remote control.

32. The input component of claim 1, wherein the interactive device comprises a tablet personal computer.