Reduced keypad for multi-tap input

• US 8,890,719 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Salman, Majeed D., Engstrom, G. Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghayour, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): MURPHY, JEROLD B
• Application Number:
  US12/637,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20100156677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,800 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

An apparatus (625) with a first plurality of input keys (635). Some of the first input keys may be associated with both a numeric value and a first set of alphabetic values and arranged in a first alphabetic keypad layout. The apparatus (625) is further provided with a second plurality of input keys (645), positioned adjacent to the first plurality of input keys (635), and being associated with at least one alphabetic value. Some of the input keys of the second plurality of input keys (645) may be arranged in a second alphabetic keypad layout different from the first alphabetic keypad layout. Further, in various embodiments, at least some input keys of the first plurality of input keys (635) have a second set of alphabetic values that is used as part of the second alphabetic keypad layout. Additionally, in various embodiments, at least some of the alphabetic values of the second keyboard layout are arranged at least partially based on a frequency of use of such alphabetic values.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a keypad having a plurality of input keys with each of the plurality of input keys assigned a first alphabetic value, and each of a subset of the input keys assigned a second alphabetic value, wherein, for each of the input keys having both a first alphabetic value and a second alphabetic value;

each of the assigned second alphabetic values has a lower frequency of use than the corresponding assigned first alphabetic value of the corresponding input key;

each of the assigned first alphabetic values is substantially positioned in a first location on respective faces of their respective corresponding input keys of the subset of input keys;

each of the assigned second alphabetic values is substantially positioned in a second location on respective faces of their respective corresponding input keys of the subset of input keys;

the first alphabetic values and the second alphabetic values together form substantially a standard QWERTY keyboard layout wherein;

at least a first key from the plurality of input keys represents first two alphabetic values that are transposed from their orientation on a QWERTY keyboard layout; and

at least a second key from the plurality of input keys represents second two alphabetic values that are maintained from their orientation on a QWERTY keyboard layout;

a single activation of a selected input key of the subset of input keys results in selection of the first alphabetic value of the selected input key and

an additional activation of the selected input key results in selection of the corresponding second alphabetic value of the selected input key; and

a processor, coupled to the keypad to receive a signal indicating the selection of the alphabetic value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least some of the plurality of input keys are arranged to split digrams representing commonly used pairs of alphabetic values between adjacent input keys of the keypad, and wherein the plurality of input keys includes at least one input key having only a single alphanumeric value wherein a single activation of the at least one key results in selection of the single alphanumeric value.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a portable electronic device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a wireless mobile communication device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first location is positioned below the second location on the face of the input key.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first location is further positioned diagonally relative to the second location.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein at least one of the subset of input keys is assigned a third alphabetic value positioned at a third location, the third location being below the second location on the face of the input key, the corresponding second alphabetic value having a higher frequency of use than the third alphabetic value, and wherein a third activation of the input key results in a selection of the third alphabetic value.

8. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a single activation of an input key of a keypad of a mobile computing device, wherein;

the keypad has a plurality of input keys with each of the plurality of input keys assigned a first alphabetic value, and each of a subset of the input keys assigned a second alphabetic value, wherein, on each of the subset of the input keys, the first alphabetic value is substantially positioned at a first location on the faces of the subset of input keys and the second alphabetic value is substantially positioned at a second location on the faces of the subset of input keys, the activated input key being a member of the subset of the input keys; and

for each of the input keys having both a first alphabetic value and a second alphabetic value, each of the assigned second alphabetic values positioned at the second location has a respective lower frequency of use than a respective frequency of use for a corresponding assigned respective first alphabetic value positioned at the first location;

in response to the single activation, selecting, by the mobile computing device, the first alphabetic value of the activated input key;

receiving a double activation of the input key separate from the single activation of the input key; and

in response to the double activation, selecting, by the mobile computing device, the corresponding second alphabetic value of the activated input key;

wherein;

the first and second alphabetic values of the keypad form substantially a QWERTY keypad layout on the mobile computing device;

at least a first key from the plurality of input keys represents first two alphabetic values that are transposed from their orientation on a QWERTY keyboard layout; and

at least a second key from the plurality of input keys represents second two alphabetic values that are maintained from their orientation on a QWERTY keyboard layout.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first alphabetic values and the second alphabetic values of the keypad together form substantially a standard keyboard layout on the mobile computing device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the activated input key is assigned a third alphabetic value positioned at a third location and having a lower frequency of use than the second alphabetic value assigned to the key; and

the method further comprises;

receiving a triple activation of the input key separate from the single activation and the double activation; and

in response to the triple activation, selecting, by the mobile computing device, the corresponding third alphabetic value of the activated input key.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein at least some of the plurality of input keys are arranged to split digrams representing commonly used pairs of alphabetic values between adjacent input keys of the keypad, and wherein the plurality of input keys includes at least one input key having only a single alphanumeric value.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a wireless mobile communication device.

13. One or more computer-readable media including instructions written thereon that are configured, in response to execution on a mobile computing device, to cause the mobile computing device to:

receive a single activation of an input key of a keypad of the mobile computing device, wherein;

the keypad has a plurality of input keys with each of the plurality of input keys assigned a first alphabetic value, and each of a subset of the input keys assigned a second alphabetic value, wherein, on each of the subset of the input keys, the first alphabetic value is substantially positioned at a first location on the faces of the subset of input keys and the second alphabetic value is substantially positioned at a second location on the faces of the subset of input keys, the activated input key being a member of the subset of the input keys; and

for each of the input keys having both a first alphabetic value and a second alphabetic value, each of the assigned second alphabetic values positioned at the second location has a respective lower frequency of use than a respective frequency of use for a corresponding assigned respective first alphabetic value positioned at the first location;

in response to the single activation, select the first alphabetic value of the activated input key;

receive a double activation of the input key separate from the single activation of the input key; and

in response to the double activation, select the corresponding second alphabetic value of the activated input key;

wherein;

the first and second alphabetic values of the keypad form substantially a QWERTY or a Dvorak keypad layout on the mobile computing device

at least a first key from the plurality of input keys represents first two alphabetic values that are transposed from their orientation on a QWERTY keyboard layout; and

at least a second key from the plurality of input keys represents second two alphabetic values that are maintained from their orientation on a QWERTY keyboard layout.

14. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the first alphabetic values and the second alphabetic values of the keypad together form substantially a standard keyboard layout on the mobile computing device.

15. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein:

the activated input key is assigned a third alphabetic value positioned at a third location and having a lower frequency of use than the second alphabetic value assigned to the key; and

the instructions are further configured to cause the mobile computing device to;

receive a triple activation of the input key separate from the single activation and the double activation; and

in response to the triple activation, select the corresponding third alphabetic value of the activated input key.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein at least some of the plurality of input keys are arranged to split digrams representing commonly used pairs of alphabetic values between adjacent input keys of the keypad, and wherein the plurality of input keys includes at least one input key having only a single alphanumeric value.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the instructions are configured to be executed on a wireless mobile communication device.