Character input method and apparatus in portable terminal having touch screen

• US 8,872,784 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Hee-Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US14/026,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20140009427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/168, 345/160, 345/418
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A character input method and apparatus in an electronic terminal are provided. The character input method includes displaying a virtual keypad having at least one key area to which a plurality of characters are associated, displaying a plurality of areas when a touch is detected on the at least one key area, detecting whether the touch includes a drag and inputting, after the drag is detected, a character mapped to an area corresponding to a point where the drag is released.

Claims

1. An input method in an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

displaying a virtual keypad having at least one key area to which a plurality of characters are allocated;

displaying a plurality of areas when a touch is detected on the at least one key area;

detecting whether the touch includes a drag; and

inputting, after the drag is detected, a character mapped to an area corresponding to a point where the drag is released.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a different set of characters is mapped to each area of the plurality of areas.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed virtual keypad changes layout according to a quantity of characters allocated to the at least one key area.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, in a character input window, the character mapped to the area corresponding to the point where the drag is released.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a sum of the plurality of areas is equivalent to a number of characters allocated to the touched key area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed plurality of areas are distinguished using one of lines and colors.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising inputting, when the touch is maintained for a predetermined time without a drag being detected, a character allocated to the touched at least one key area.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting audio signal indicating detection of the touch and outputting another audio signal indicating drag release.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein inputting the character comprises:

determining a length of the drag from a point where the touch is detected to the point where the drag is released;

identifying a concentric circle corresponding to the point where the touch is detected and the point where the drag is released;

determining a character mapped to the identified concentric circle; and

inputting the character mapped to the identified concentric circle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the concentric circle is identified by a radius of the length of the drag.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a plurality of concentric circles arranged around the touched key area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a different character is mapped to each of the plurality of concentric circles.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein an uppercase character is mapped to one circle of the plurality of concentric circles and a lower case character is mapped to another circle of the plurality of concentric circles.

14. A character input apparatus comprising:

a touch screen configured to detect a touch and a drag; and

a controller configured to control display on the touch screen of a virtual keypad having at least one key area to which a plurality of characters are allocated, control display of a plurality of areas when a touch is detected on the at least one key area, and, after the drag is detected, control input of a character mapped to an area corresponding to a point where the drag is released.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein, wherein a different set of characters is mapped to each area of the plurality of areas.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the displayed virtual keypad changes layout according to a quantity of characters allocated to the at least one key area.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a character input window configured to display the character mapped to the area corresponding to the point where the drag is released.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a sum of the plurality of the areas is equivalent to a number of characters allocated to the touched key area.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the displayed plurality of areas are distinguished using one of lines and colors.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein, when the touch is maintained for a predetermined time without a drag being detected, a character allocated to the touched at least one key area is input.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a speaker configured to output an audio signal indicating detection of the touch and to output another audio signal indicating drag release.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a length of the drag is determined from a point where the touch is detected to the point where the drag is released, a concentric circle is identified corresponding to the point where the touch is detected and the point where the drag is released, a character mapped to the identified concentric circle is determined, and the character mapped to the identified concentric circle is input.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the concentric circle is identified by a radius of the length of the drag.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a plurality of concentric circles arranged around the touched key area are displayed.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a storage unit for storing mapping information, wherein a different character is mapped to each of the plurality of concentric circles.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein an uppercase character is mapped to one circle of the plurality of concentric circles and a lower case character is mapped to another circle of the plurality of concentric circles.

27. A character input apparatus comprising:

a virtual keypad configured to display at least one key area to which a plurality of characters are allocated; and

a detector configured to detecting whether a touch on the virtual keyboard includes a drag,

wherein, if a touch is detected on the at least one key area, a plurality of areas are displayed, with a set of characters mapped to each area of the plurality of areas and, if drag is detected with the touch, a character is mapped to an area corresponding to a point where the drag is released.