Interface for processing of an alternate symbol in a computer device

• US 8,976,108 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hawkins, Jeffrey C., Rees, William B., Chyi, Debbie O., Haitani, Robert Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAGALLA, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US11/112,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20050179654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,609 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-173, 345/863, 341 22- 26, 455/556.1, 455/566, 704 1- 8, 715531-536
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

Described herein is a computer-implemented system and method for processing one or more alternate symbols associated or linked to a base symbol. A base symbol is a symbol to which at least one alternate symbol is linked. A base symbol commonly appears on a key of a keyboard or a display of a keyboard, or is a handwritten symbol recognized by handwriting entry software. Examples of alternate symbols are accented characters and punctuation marks that do not appear on a keyboard or are not commonly recognized by a handwriting entry program, and short symbol sequences. An example of a common short symbol sequence is an emoticon used in e-mail messages to convey tone or feelings. An example of a computer device that may embody the system or method is a hand-held computing device.

Claims

1. In a mobile computing device having a telephone functionality, a computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving keyed input requesting a base symbol for insertion into textual content on a display of the computing device;

receiving keyed input requesting one or more alternate symbols associated with the base symbol, wherein the one or more alternate symbols are accented versions of the base symbol;

displaying, simultaneously on the display, the one or more alternate symbols and the base symbol; and

responsive to a user selection of one of the displayed alternate symbols, replacing the base symbol with the selected alternate symbol in the textual content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying comprises:

displaying a menu in a portion of the display, the menu including the one or more alternate symbols.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying the menu comprises:

determining a location of the base symbol; and

displaying the menu, wherein at least a portion of the menu is adjacent to the location of the base symbol.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more alternate symbols are displayed in the menu according to one or more grouping criteria.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying comprises:

displaying a first group of the alternate symbols; and

responsive to a user request to view additional alternate symbols, displaying a second group of the alternate symbols.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying comprises:

receiving a selected base symbol;

determining a plurality of alternate symbols associated with the selected base symbol; and

displaying the plurality of alternate symbols associated with the selected base symbol.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving keyed input requesting the one or more alternate symbols comprises:

maintaining contact with the display for a designated amount of time.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving keyed input requesting the one or more alternate symbols comprises:

holding down a key representing the base symbol for a designated amount of time.

2. A mobile computing device having telephone functionality for providing one or more alternate symbols associated with a base symbol, the mobile computing device comprising:

a display;

a memory;

a processor coupled to the display and the memory;

a user input mechanism; and

a computer program stored in the memory, the computer program including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile computing device to;

receive, through the user input mechanism, a request to display the base symbol for insertion at a cursor location;

receive, through the user input mechanism, a request to display the one or more alternate symbols associated with the base symbol, wherein the one or more alternate symbols are accented versions of the base symbol;

display the one or more alternate symbols and the base symbol at the same time on the display; and

responsive to a user selection of one of the displayed alternate symbols, replace the base symbol with the selected alternate symbol.

9. The mobile computing device of claim 2, wherein execution of the instructions to display the one or more alternate symbols on the display causes the computing device to:

display a menu in a portion of the display, the menu including the one or more alternate symbols.

10. The mobile computing device of claim 9, wherein execution of the instructions to display the menu causes the computing device to further:

determine a location of the base symbol; and

display the menu, wherein at least a portion of the menu is adjacent to the location of the base symbol.

11. The mobile computing device of claim 9, wherein the one or more alternate symbols are displayed on the menu according to one or more grouping criteria.

12. The mobile computing device of claim 2, wherein execution of the instructions to display the one or more alternate symbols causes the computing device to:

display a first group of the alternate symbols; and

responsive to a user request to view additional alternate symbols, display a second group of the alternate symbols.

13. The mobile computing device of claim 2, wherein execution of the instructions to display the one or more alternate symbols causes the computing device to:

receive, from the user input button, a selection identifying a selected base symbol;

determine a plurality of alternate symbols associated with the selected base symbol; and

display the plurality of alternate symbols associated with the selected base symbol.

14. The mobile computing device of claim 2, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a mobile telephone.

22. The mobile computing device of claim 2, wherein the user input mechanism comprises the display, and the request to display the one more or more alternate symbols comprises:

maintaining contact with the display for a designated amount of time.

23. The mobile computing device of claim 2, wherein the user input mechanism comprises a keypad, and the request to display the one more or more alternate symbols comprises:

holding down a key representing the base symbol for a designated amount of time.

3. A computer-useable non-transitory medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile computing device, cause the mobile computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, through a user input mechanism, a request to display a base symbol for insertion into textual content on a display of the computing device;

receiving, through the user input mechanism, a request to display one or more alternate symbols associated with the base symbol, wherein the one or more alternate symbols are accented versions of the base symbol;

displaying the one or more alternate symbols and the base symbol at the same time on the display; and

responsive to a user selection of one of the displayed alternate symbols, replacing the base symbol with the selected alternate symbol.

15. The computer-useable medium of claim 3, wherein displaying the one or more alternate symbols comprises:

displaying a menu in a portion of a display device, the menu including the one or more alternate symbols.

16. The computer-useable medium of claim 15, wherein displaying the menu comprises:

determining a location of the base symbol; and

displaying the menu, wherein at least a portion of the menu is adjacent to the location of the base symbol.

17. The computer-useable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more alternate symbols are displayed in the menu according to one or more grouping criteria.

18. The computer-useable medium of claim 3, wherein displaying the one or more alternate symbols comprises:

displaying a first group of the alternate symbols; and

responsive to a user request to view additional alternate symbols, displaying a second group of the alternate symbols.

19. The computer-useable medium of claim 3, wherein displaying the one or more alternate symbols comprises:

receiving a selected base symbol;

determining a plurality of alternate symbols associated with the selected base symbol; and

displaying the plurality of alternate symbols associated with the selected base symbol.

24. The computer-useable medium of claim 3, wherein the user input mechanism comprises the display, and the request to display the one more or more alternate symbols comprises:

maintaining contact with the display for a designated amount of time.

25. The computer-useable medium of claim 3, wherein the user input mechanism comprises a keypad, and the request to display the one more or more alternate symbols comprises:

holding down a key representing the base symbol for a designated amount of time.