Device and method of inputting characters

• US 8,922,492 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2009
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony China Ltd (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony China Ltd (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Zhu, Leiping, Lu, Chengjia
• Primary Examiner(s): Lubit, Ryan A
• Application Number:
  US12/497,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20100001958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,007 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/018 Input/output arrangements for oriental characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items

Abstract

A method of inputting characters includes: generating a character display area, displaying characters in a first direction sub-region or a second direction sub-region of the character browsing region according to a direction indicating action in a first direction or a second direction, upon detecting a change in directions indicated by two successive direction indicating actions, displaying, in an input character display region, the character currently displayed in the character browsing region, switching between the first direction sub-region and the second direction sub-region of the character browsing region according to the direction indicated by the latter direction indicating action, and performing an action of selecting a next character corresponding to the latter direction indicating action in the switched direction sub-region. The invention also provides a device of inputting characters. With the invention, the number of times key pressing may be reduced and the efficiency of character inputting may be increased.

Claims

1. A character inputting device comprising:

a display unit; and

circuitry configured to

receive an input for selecting a current character;

perform direction indicating actions in a first direction and in a second direction to change the current character selected into a character candidate; and

generate a character display area through the display unit, the character display area including an input display region and a character browsing region, the character browsing region including a first direction sub-region corresponding to a first direction indicating action and a second direction sub-region corresponding to a second direction indicating action, and the first direction sub-region for displaying character candidates in response to the first direction indicating action and the second direction sub-region for displaying character candidates in response to the second direction indicating action, wherein

the character browsing region is highlighted in the first direction sub-region according to the first direction indicating action,

the character browsing region is highlighted in the second direction sub-region according to the second direction indicating action,

in the character browsing region, the character candidates surround the current character selected and vary according to the current character selected,

a size of a display area displaying the current character selected is substantially the same as that of the first direction sub-region and the second direction sub-region, and

when two successive direction indicating actions indicate different directions, the second of the two successive direction indicating actions both confirms the current character indicated by the first of the two successive direction indicating actions to complete the input of the current character and selects a next character after the current character.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to display the character candidates surrounding the current character selected in any of four directions, including up, down, left, and right, of the current character selected.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to generate the character display area to include a candidate word display region that displays changing candidate words or phrases according to the character candidate selected.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to

switch between character types, and

control the display unit to display characters of a switched type.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a cell phone, a video and audio player, or a hand held game machine.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to control the display unit to display characters that are input and confirmed.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive the input of characters one-by-one.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to generate the character display area such that the character browsing region returns to an initial state when one or more input characters are canceled.

9. The character inputting device according to claim 1, wherein

character candidates displayed in the first direction sub-region are synchronized with character candidates displayed in the second direction sub-region, and

character candidates displayed in the second direction sub-region are synchronized with character candidates displayed in the first direction sub-region.

10. The character inputting device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to generate the character display area so that the first direction sub-region is perpendicular to the second direction sub-region and the first direction sub-region overlaps with the second-direction sub-region in a candidate word display region that displays the current character selected.

19. The device according to claim 3, wherein the circuitry is further configured to adjust an order of the candidate words or phrases according to a probability of being selected by a user.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which when executed cause a computer to perform a process, the process comprising:

receiving an input for selecting a current character;

performing direction indicating actions in a first direction and in a second direction to change the current character selected into a character candidate; and

generating a character display area, the character display area including an input display region and a character browsing region, the character browsing region including a first direction sub-region corresponding to a first direction indicating action and a second direction sub-region corresponding to a second direction indicating action, and the first direction sub-region for displaying character candidates in response to the first direction indicating action and the second direction sub-region for displaying character candidates in response to the second direction indicating action, wherein

the character browsing region is highlighted in the first direction sub-region according to the first direction indicating action,

the character browsing region is highlighted in the second direction sub-region according to the second direction indicating action,

in the character browsing region, the character candidates surround the current character selected and vary according to the current character selected,

a size of a display area displaying the current character selected is substantially the same as that of the first direction sub-region and the second direction sub-region, and

when two successive direction indicating actions indicate different directions, the second of the two successive direction indicating actions both confirms the current character indicated by the first of the two successive direction indicating actions to complete the input of the current character and selects a next character after the current character.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the process further comprises displaying the character candidates surrounding the current character selected in any of four directions, including up, down, left, and right, of the current character selected.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the process further comprises displaying a candidate word display region displaying changing candidate words or phrases according to the character candidate selected in the character display area.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the process further comprises:

switching between character types; and

displaying characters of a switched type.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the process performed by a cell phone, a video and audio player, or a hand held game machine.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the process further comprises displaying characters that are input and confirmed in the input character display region.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the process further comprises receiving an input of characters one-by-one.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the process further comprises returning the character browsing region to an initial state when one or more input characters are cancelled.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the process further comprises adjusting an order of the candidate words or phrases according to a probability of being selected by a user.