Character input device and character input method

• US 8,302,023 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ida, Tomotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadeese
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ulrich, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/895,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20110163962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 715/773, 715/780, 715/835, 715/708, 715/710, 345/169, 345/161, 348/14.05, 348/734
• US Class Current: 715/773
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42214 using alphanumerical characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42216 for quick navigation, e.g. through an EPG

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a character input device is configured as follows. Based on a key operation on a remote controller, any of alphabetic characters displayed on a screen is selected and input. A plurality of graphemes present for the alphabetic character selected based on the key operation on the remote controller are displayed on the screen. Any of the plurality of graphemes displayed on the screen is selected and input.

Claims

1. A character input device comprising:

an input module configured to display a plurality of alphabetic characters on a screen and to select and input any of the plurality of alphabetic characters on the screen to an input field, based on a key operation on a remote controller; and

a controller configured to sequentially and selectively display a plurality of alphabetic characters associated with the alphabetic characters input to the input field by the input module, at positions where the alphabetic characters are input, every time a first key on the remote controller is operated, and to input the alphabetic character displayed in the input field when a second key on the remote controller is operated,

wherein the controller is configured such that if an alphabetic character input to the input field by the input module has no alphabetic character associated therewith, the controller displays a warning to that effect on the screen.

2. The character input device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to disregard an operation of the first key on the remote controller if an alphabetic character input to the input field by the input module has no alphabetic character associated therewith.

3. The character input device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to remove an operation guide for the first key on the remote controller from the screen if an alphabetic character input to the input field by the input module has no alphabetic character associated therewith.

4. A character input method comprising:

displaying a plurality of alphabetic characters on a screen based on a key operation on a remote controller;

selecting and inputting any of the plurality of alphabetic characters on the screen to an input field;

sequentially and selectively displaying a plurality of alphabetic characters associated with an alphabetic character input to the input field by the input module, at positions where the alphabetic characters are input, every time a first key on the remote controller is operated, and inputting the alphabetic character displayed in the input field when a second key on the remote controller is operated; and

if an alphabetic character input to the input field by the input module has no alphabetic character associated therewith, displaying a warning to that effect on the screen.