Method of indicating additional character combination choices on a handheld electronic device and associated apparatus

• US 8,493,328 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Scott, Sherryl Lee Lorraine, Somani, Zaheen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDIN, SHAHEDA A
• Application Number:
  US13/539,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20120268383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-172, 345173-179, 715810-818, 715/856, 455/566
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques

Abstract

A method and associated apparatus for indicating additional character combination choices from a disambiguation function on a handheld electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of enabling input on a handheld electronic device having at least one processor, comprising:

generating, using the at least one processor, a set of character combination choices based, at least in part, on a first input;

outputting a variant component and a first indicator, said variant component comprising a first subset of said set of character combination choices, said first indicator being representative of the availability of a second subset of said set of character combination choices in response to a first directional input; and

responsive to detecting a directional input associated with said first directional input, outputting said second subset and a second indicator, said second indicator being representative of the availability of a third subset of said set of character combination choices in response to a directional input associated with said first directional input, and said second indicator also being representative of the availability of said first subset for output in response to a second directional input.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting another directional input associated with said first directional input;

outputting said third subset; and

outputting a third indicator representative of the availability of said second subset in response to a third directional input associated with said second directional input, and said third indicator also being representative of at least a portion of said third subset being a final choice of said character combination choices.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

detecting another directional input; and

outputting at least a portion of said first subset in place of at least a portion of said third subset, and outputting said first indicator.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising outputting a language indicator representative of a language that is currently operative on said handheld electronic device.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising outputting said language indicator substantially adjacent an end of said variant component.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising outputting said third indicator substantially adjacent an end of said third subset.

7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising outputting as said third indicator a graphic having a pointing portion pointing associated with said second directional input corresponding to the second directional input.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising outputting as said first indicator a graphic having a pointing portion pointing in a first direction.

9. A handheld electronic device, comprising;

a keyboard having a plurality of input members;

a display;

a disambiguation function; and

a processor apparatus comprising a processor and a memory in electronic communication with one another, said processor apparatus having stored therein a set of routines which, when executed on said processor, cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations comprising;

generating a set of character combination choices based, at least in part, on a first input;

outputting a variant component and a first indicator, said variant component comprising a first subset of said set of character combination choices, said first indicator being representative of the availability of a second subset of said set of character combination choices in response to a first directional input; and

responsive to detecting a directional input associated with said first directional input, outputting said second subset and a second indicator, said second indicator being representative of the availability of a third subset of said set of character combination choices in response to a directional input associated with said first directional input, and said second indicator also being representative of the availability of said first subset for output in response to a second directional input.

10. The handheld electronic device according to claim 9, wherein said set of routines cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:

detecting another directional input associated with said first directional input;

outputting said third subset; and

outputting a third indicator representative of the availability of said second subset in response to a third directional input associated with said second directional input, and said third indicator also being representative of at least a portion of said third subset being a final choice of said character combination choices.

11. The handheld electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said set of routines cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:

detecting another directional input; and

outputting at least a portion of said first subset in place of at least a portion of said third subset, and outputting said first indicator.

12. The handheld electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said set of routines cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:

outputting said third indicator substantially adjacent an end of said third subset.

13. The handheld electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said set of routines cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:

outputting as said third indicator a graphic having a pointing portion pointing associated with said second directional input corresponding to the second directional input.

14. The handheld electronic device according to claim 9, wherein said set of routines cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:

outputting a language indicator representative of a language that is currently operative on said handheld electronic device.

15. The handheld electronic device according to claim 14, wherein said set of routines cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:

outputting said language indicator substantially adjacent an end of said variant component.

16. The handheld electronic device according to claim 9, wherein said set of routines cause said handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:

outputting as said first indicator a graphic having a pointing portion pointing in a first direction.