Handheld electronic device with text disambiguation

• US 7,893,850 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Major, Harry Richmond, Scott, Sherryl Lee Lorraine, Griffin, Jason T.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US11/849,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20070290893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 341 20- 22, 345/184, 715/811, 710/67
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software. The device provides output in the form of a default output and a number of variants. The output is based largely upon the frequency, i.e., the likelihood that a user intended a particular output, but various features of the device provide additional variants that are not based solely on frequency and rather are provided by various logic structures resident on the device. The device enables editing during text entry and also provides a learning function that allows the disambiguation function to adapt to provide a customized experience for the user. The disambiguation function can be selectively disabled and an alternate keystroke interpretation system provided. Additionally, the device can facilitate the selection of variants by displaying a graphic of a special <NEXT> key of the keypad that enables a user to progressively select variants generally without changing the position of the user'"'"'s hands on the device.

Claims

1. A method of disambiguating an input into a handheld electronic device having an input device, an output device, and a memory having stored therein a plurality of language objects, the input device including a first input member and a plurality of second input members, each of at least some of the second input members having a plurality of characters assigned thereto, one of the second input members being a <

NEXT>

second input member and including a particular visual appearance, the <

NEXT>

second input member being adapted to provide a selection input, the method comprising;

detecting an ambiguous input;

generating a prefix object corresponding with the ambiguous input;

identifying a language object corresponding with the prefix object;

outputting a default output comprising the prefix object and a variant output; and

outputting a visual indicator representative of the particular visual appearance of the <

NEXT>

second input member as an indication that alternative variant outputs are available.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a plurality of selection inputs from the <

NEXT>

second input member, each said selection input successively selecting a different potential object in the variant output.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member, and outputting as the visual indicator an output representative of the graphic.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing as the graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member a design disposed on the <

NEXT>

second input member.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a rotatable thumbwheel, and detecting a rotational input of the thumbwheel and an actuation of the <

NEXT>

second input member as being substantially identical to one another.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising disposing the <

NEXT>

second input member substantially adjacent another input member, and disposing the thumbwheel at a location spaced from the <

NEXT>

second input member and the another input member.

7. A method of enabling input on a handheld electronic device having a plurality of language objects stored therein, the handheld electronic device including a first input member and a plurality of second input members, at least some of the second input members each having a plurality of characters assigned thereto, one of the second input members being a <

NEXT>

second input member and including a particular visual appearance, the <

NEXT>

second input member being adapted to provide a selection input, the method comprising;

responsive to an ambiguous input, generating a number of prefix objects corresponding with the ambiguous input;

identifying for each of at least two of the prefix objects a corresponding language object;

outputting a default output comprising a preferred one of the prefix objects;

outputting a variant output comprising a number of the prefix objects;

outputting a visual indicator representative of the particular visual appearance of the <

NEXT>

second input member as an indication that alternative variant outputs are available; and

detecting a selection input from either the first input member or the <

NEXT>

second input member as a selection of at least a portion of the variant output.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising detecting a plurality of selection inputs from the <

NEXT>

second input member, each said selection input successively selecting a different prefix object of the variant output.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing a graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member, and outputting as the visual indicator an output representative of the graphic.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing as the graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member a design disposed on the <

NEXT>

second input member.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing as the first input member a rotatable thumbwheel, and detecting a rotational input of the thumbwheel and an actuation of the <

NEXT>

second input member as being substantially identical to one another.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising disposing the <

NEXT>

second input member substantially adjacent another second input member of the plurality of second input members.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising disposing the thumbwheel at a location spaced from the plurality of second input members.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a reduced keyboard including a <

NEXT>

input member;

a display configured to display a visual indicator having an appearance associated with the <

NEXT>

input member;

a memory comprising a plurality of objects and a routine, the routine configured to;

receive ambiguous data from the reduced keyboard wherein the <

NEXT>

input member is used for selection among a number of potential objects, wherein each potential object comprises an alternative variant output corresponding to the ambiguous data; and

detect a plurality of selection inputs from the <

NEXT>

input member, each said selection input successively selecting a different potential object in a variant output.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the routine further comprises providing a graphic for the <

NEXT>

input member, and outputting as the visual indicator an output representative of the graphic.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the routine further comprises providing as the graphic for the <

NEXT>

input member a design disposed on the <

NEXT>

input member.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the apparatus further comprises a rotatable thumbwheel, and wherein the routine further comprises detecting a rotational input of the thumbwheel and an actuation of the <

NEXT>

input member as being substantially identical to one another.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the reduced keyboard is configured to include the <

NEXT>

input member substantially adjacent another input member, and wherein the apparatus includes the thumbwheel at a location spaced from the <

NEXT>

input member and the another input member.