System for inputting information by utilizing extension key and method thereof

• US 10,936,086 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Issued: 03/02/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T&P Company Limited
• Original Assignee: T&P Company Limited
• Inventors: Park, Taeun, Shim, Sangjung, Ro, Hee-Myong, Park, Eun-soo, Shim, Minsub
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Larsen, Carl V
• Application Number:
  US14/208,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20140375569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,546 Days
• Field of Search: 463 35, 463 40, 463 42, 463 43
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/018 Input/output arrangements for oriental characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• 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
• 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 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• 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

A system for inputting information by utilizing an extension key. The system includes: an input unit having multiple division areas and detecting a division area selected by a user from among the multiple division areas; and an input analysis unit for allocating corresponding information to the multiple division areas and analyzing that if the input unit detects any of the multiple division areas being selected, information allocated to the selected division area is input, wherein multiple characters are allocated to each of the multiple division areas, when one or more of the division areas are selected, predicted words that are generated by combining characters allocated to the selected division area or areas according to an sequential order of the selected division area or areas are extracted and allocated to each of the division areas, and when a division area to which the predicted word is applied is selected by a predetermined method, the input analysis unit analyzes that the predicted word allocated to the division area which has been selected by the predetermined method is input.

Claims

1. A system used in a hand-held device for inputting information, comprising:

an input unit comprising a keypad or at least one touch sensor having multiple key areas for inputting characters, the input unit being configured to detect a key area selected from among the multiple key areas assigned with characters; and

an input analysis unit configured to allocate corresponding information to the multiple key areas and analyze information allocated to the selected key area when the input unit detects a press or a touch of any of the multiple key areas,

wherein multiple characters are invariably allocated to each of the multiple key areas,

wherein the input analysis unit is configured to;

when one key area of the keypad or the at least one touch sensor is pressed or touched allocate the characters of the one key area to each of the key areas and display the characters on the key areas of a screen along with the invariably allocated multiple characters or on a separate area of the screen corresponding to each key area,

when two or more key areas of the keypad or the at least one touch sensor are sequentially pressed or touched generate predicted words by combining one of characters allocated to firstly selected key area and one of characters allocated to secondly selected key area with continuation of the combining for the subsequently selected key areas and allocate the predicted words to each of the key areas and display the predicted words on the key areas of a screen along with the invariably allocated multiple characters or on a separate area of the screen corresponding to each key area,

when the key area to which one of the predicted words is allocated is pressed or touched by the user in a predetermined manner without an additional conversion step or procedure of an additional touch or press, select the one of the predicted words allocated to the key area, and determine that the one of the predicted words is input,

wherein an extension key is allocated to one of the multiple key areas for selection of the predicted words in a character input mode, and

wherein the input analysis unit is further configured to;

determine that a first one-point touch is performed when the extension key is pressed or touched;

upon determining that the first one-point touch is performed, extract and allocate the predicted words to an extension area including the key areas adjacent to the key area to which the extension key is allocated;

determine that a second one-point touch is performed when a key area of the extension area is selected by a pressing or touching operation after the first one-point touch is completed; and

upon determining that the second one-point touch is performed, determine that the predicted word allocated to the selected key area is input.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the input unit comprises the at least one touch sensor, the at least one touch sensor is configured to detect a touch operation, and the input analysis unit is configured to determine that the predicted word allocated to a touched key area is input when the key area to which the predicted word is allocated is touched, and a dragging operation of at least a predetermined distance is performed.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the input analysis unit is configured to:

if two or more of the key areas are selected, then the extension key is selected, which allocates predicted words to the key areas, and one of the key areas is selected, determine that the predicted word allocated to the selected key area is input along with a space input after the predicted word.

4. The system of claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the input unit comprises the at least one touch sensor, and the at least one touch sensor is configured to detect a touch operation and a dragging operation, and selection of the extension key and selection of the key area performed after selecting two or more of the key areas from among the multiple key areas in order to extract the predicted words are performed as one dragging operation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein if after two or more of the key areas are selected, the extension key, a key area included in the extension area and the extension key are selected sequentially, the predicted word allocated to the selected key area is input with a space input after the predicted word.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the input unit comprises the at least one touch sensor, the at least one touch sensor is configured to detect a touch operation and a dragging operation, and after two or more of the key areas are selected and the predicted words are allocated to the extension area, a series of selection processes including the selection of the extension key, the selection of the key area, and the selection of the extension key is to be performed by one dragging operation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein after one or more of the key areas are selected, the predicted words are allocated to the extension area, and a series of selection processes including selection of the extension key, selection of a key area included in the extension area, and selection of the extension key is performed, the predicted word allocated to the selected key area is input and then symbols are newly allocated to the extension area to be selected.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the input unit comprises the at least one touch sensor, the at least one touch sensor is configured to detect a touch operation and a dragging operation, and a series of selecting processes including the selection of the extension key, the selection of a key area, and the selection of the extension key is performed by one dragging operation.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a method of selecting the characters allocated to the key area and a method of selecting the predicted word allocated to the key area are different from each other, and when the characters allocated to the key area are selected, characters are allocated to the extension key.

10. A system used in a hand-held device for inputting information, comprising:

an input unit comprising a keypad or a touch sensor having multiple key areas for inputting characters, the input unit being configured to detect a key area selected by a user from among the multiple key areas assigned with characters; and

an input analysis unit configured to allocate corresponding information to the multiple key areas and analyze information allocated to the selected key area when the input unit detects a press or a touch of any of the multiple key areas,

wherein multiple characters are invariably allocated to each of the multiple key areas,

when one key area of the keypad or the touch sensor is pressed or touched by the user, the input analysis unit allocates the characters of the one key area to each of the key areas and display the characters on the key areas of a screen along with the invariably allocated multiple characters or on a separate area of the screen which corresponds to each key area,

when two or more key areas of the keypad or the touch sensor are sequentially pressed or touched by the user, the input analysis unit generates predicted words by combining one of characters allocated to firstly selected key area and one of characters allocated to secondly selected key area with continuation of the combining for the subsequently selected key areas and allocates the predicted words to each of the key areas and display the predicted words on the key areas of a screen along with the invariably allocated multiple characters or on a separate area of the screen which corresponds to each key area,

when the key area to which one of the predicted words is allocated is pressed or touched by the user in a predetermined method without an additional conversion step or procedure of an additional touch or press, the input analysis unit selects the one of the predicted words allocated to the key area, rather than the multiple characters invariably allocated to the key area, and the one of the predicted words is to be input,

wherein an extension key is allocated to at least one of the multiple key areas, and

if two or more of the key areas are selected, then the extension key is selected, which allocates predicted words to the key areas, and one of the key areas is selected, the input analysis unit analyzes that the predicted word allocated to the selected key area is input along with a space input after the predicted word,

wherein the input unit comprises the touch sensor, the touch sensor being configured to determine the user'"'"'s touch, and selection of the extension key and selection of the key area which are performed after selecting two or more of the key areas from among the multiple key areas in order to extract the predicted words are made as one dragging operation,

wherein in a state where no key area is selected from among the key areas and none of the predicted words has been allocated to the key areas, a dragging operation which corresponds to the selection of the extension key and the selection of the key area acts as if a shift key is pressed so that the character set corresponding to the selected key area may be input in capital form instead of inputting any of the predicted words.

11. A system used in a hand-held device for inputting information, comprising:

an input unit comprising a keypad or a touch sensor having multiple key areas for inputting characters, the input unit being configured to detect a key area selected by a user from among the multiple key areas assigned with characters; and

an input analysis unit configured to allocate corresponding information to the multiple key areas and analyze information allocated to the selected key area when the input unit detects a press or a touch of any of the multiple key areas,

wherein multiple characters are invariably allocated to each of the multiple key areas,

when one key area of the keypad or the touch sensor is pressed or touched by the user, the input analysis unit allocates the characters of the one key area to each of the key areas and display the characters on the key areas of a screen along with the invariably allocated multiple characters or on a separate area of the screen which corresponds to each key area,

when two or more key areas of the keypad or the touch sensor are sequentially pressed or touched by the user, the input analysis unit generates predicted words by combining one of characters allocated to firstly selected key area and one of characters allocated to secondly selected key area with continuation of the combining for the subsequently selected key areas and allocates the predicted words to each of the key areas and display the predicted words on the key areas of a screen along with the invariably allocated multiple characters or on a separate area of the screen which corresponds to each key area,

when the key area to which one of the predicted words is allocated is pressed or touched by the user in a predetermined method without an additional conversion step or procedure of an additional touch or press, the input analysis unit selects the one of the predicted words allocated to the key area, rather than the multiple characters invariably allocated to the key area, and the one of the predicted words is to be input,

wherein the input unit comprises the touch sensor so as to determine the user'"'"'s touch, and the input analysis unit allocates an extension key to at least one key area from among the multiple key areas so that the following cases perform different functions

(1) a dragging operation of selecting the key area and selecting the extension key;

(2) a dragging operation of selecting the key area, selecting the extension key, and selecting the key area included in the extension area;

(3) a dragging operation of selecting the extension key and selecting the key area; and

(4) a dragging operation of selecting the extension key, selecting the key area, and selecting the extension key.