Method and apparatus for alphabet input

• US 8,928,592 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shelko Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Shelko Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Oh, Jong Min, Oh, Jong Hyok
• Primary Examiner(s): Pappas, Claire X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ghafari, Sepideh
• Application Number:
  US14/070,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20140055362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method and apparatus for inputting letters by combining basic elements obtained by separating and symbolizing strokes of letters, so as to provide excellent letter intuitiveness and recognition. According to the present invention, a letter may be input by pressing one of or sequentially pressing two of keys to which basic elements , , , , , , , , , , and obtained by separating and symbolizing strokes of letters are assigned, and letters may be rapidly and conveniently input by minimizing key pressing paths.

Claims

1. A method of generating letters, the method comprising:

pressing, at a keypad device, one of or sequentially pressing two of basic elements , , , , , , , , , and obtained by separating and symbolizing strokes of letters;

generating, by the keypad device, a letter corresponding to the pressed basic element or the sequentially pressed basic elements; and

displaying the determined letter,

wherein the basic element is used as a center element,

wherein the basic elements , , , and are respectively assigned directly to top, bottom, left and right sides of the center element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the determined letter comprises at least one of:

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter a;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter b;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter c;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter d;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter e;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter f;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter g;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter h;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter i;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter j;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter k;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter l;

recognizing double pressing of the basic element as m;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter n;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter o;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter p;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter q;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter r;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter s;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter t;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter u;

recognizing double pressing of the basic element as the letter v;

recognizing double pressing of the basic element as the letter w;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter x;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter y; and

recognizing double pressing of the basic element as the letter z.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the displaying of the determined letter further comprises at least one of:

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter f;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter t;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter y; and

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter y.

4. The method of claim 2,

wherein the letters a, b, d, k, p, and q are recognized by sequentially pressing two neighboring keys in the same direction and order as the writing direction and order thereof.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the basic elements and are respectively assigned to left and right sides of the basic element ,

wherein the basic elements and are respectively assigned to left and right sides of the basic element , and

wherein the letters h, g, and y are recognized by sequentially pressing two neighboring keys in the same direction and order as the writing direction and order thereof.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the basic elements and are respectively assigned to left and right sides of the basic element ,

wherein the basic elements and are respectively assigned to left and right sides of the basic element , and

wherein the letters g and y are recognized by sequentially pressing two neighboring keys.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein a first key is comprised in addition to keys to which the basic elements , , , , , , , , , and are assigned, and

wherein double key pressing is determined for each letter by pressing the first key after a single key is pressed.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein a second key is comprised in addition to keys to which the basic elements , , , , , , , , , and are assigned,

wherein, if the second key is repeatedly pressed after the letter a is recognized, the letter a is sequentially changed into at least one of “

A, á

, Á

, ä

, Ä

”

,

wherein, if the second key is repeatedly pressed after the letter e is recognized, the letter e is sequentially changed into at least one of “

E, é

, É

”

, ,

wherein, if the second key is repeatedly pressed after the letter i is recognized, the letter i is sequentially changed into at least one of “

I, í

, Í

”

,

wherein, if the second key is repeatedly pressed after the letter o is recognized, the letter o is sequentially changed into at least one of “

O, ó

, Ó

, ö

, Ö

”

,

wherein, if the second key is repeatedly pressed after the letter u is recognized, the letter u is sequentially changed into at least one of “

U, ú

, Ú

, ü

, Ü

”

, and

wherein, if the second key is repeatedly pressed after the letter n is recognized, the letter n is sequentially changed into at least one of “

N, ñ

, Ñ

”

.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein, if a single key is pressed, a letter is recognized if a predetermined period of time passes after the single key is pressed.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein subsequent basic elements that are available to be pressed to input letters after an initial basic element is pressed are visually identified from other non-available basic elements.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein subsequent basic elements that are available to be pressed to input letters after an initial basic element is pressed are visually identified from other non-available basic elements.

12. A keypad apparatus for generating letters, the keypad apparatus comprising a plurality of keys to which basic elements , , , , , , , , , and obtained by separating and symbolizing strokes of letters are separately assigned, and the keypad apparatus recognizing letters by using a method comprising at least one of:

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter a;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter b;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter c;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter d;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter e;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter f;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as alphabet g;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter h;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter i;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter j;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter k;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter l;

recognizing double pressing of the basic element as the letter m;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter n;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter o;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter p;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter q;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter r;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter s;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter t;

recognizing single pressing of the basic element as the letter u;

recognizing double pressing of the basic element as the letter v;

recognizing double pressing of the basic element as the letter w;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter x;

recognizing sequential pressing of the basic elements and as the letter y; and

recognizing double pressing of the basic element as the letter z,

wherein the basic element is used as a center element,

wherein the basic elements , , , and are respectively assigned directly to top, bottom, left and right sides of the center element.

13. The keypad apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the letters a, b, d, k, p, and q are recognized by sequentially pressing two neighboring keys in the same direction and order as the writing direction and order thereof.

14. The keypad apparatus of claim 12, wherein the basic elements and are respectively assigned to left and right sides of the basic element ,

wherein the basic elements and are respectively assigned to left and right sides of the basic element , and

wherein the letters h, g, and y are recognized by sequentially pressing two neighboring keys in the same direction and order as the writing direction and order thereof.

15. The keypad apparatus of claim 12, wherein the keypad apparatus is a touchpad apparatus.