Efficient entry of characters from a large character set into a portable information appliance

• US 20020000978A1
• Filed: 04/11/2001
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cirque Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cirque Corporation
• Inventors: Gerpheide, George
• Granted Patent: US 6,639,586 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• 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

Abstract

A system for entering characters from a large character set into a small and portable information appliance such as a mobile telephone, wherein the information appliance includes a touchpad having a touch-sensitive surface, wherein the touchpad is used to enter alphanumerical data into the information appliance, wherein the characters can come from small or large character sets, and wherein characters are entered by providing a plurality of character groups, each group having a head character assigned to a specific region, and selecting a head character enables the user to cycle forwards or backwards through each of the characters within the selected character group, and selecting the desired character by raising a finger from off the touchpad surface when the desired character is found.

Claims

1. A method for entering alphanumerical characters from a character set into a portable information appliance, said method including the steps of:

1) disposing a touch-sensitive touchpad within the portable information appliance so that it functions as a data entry device therefor;

2) providing a plurality of first regions on a surface of the touch-sensitive touchpad, wherein each of the first regions corresponds to a character group;

3) representing each character group by a head character which is part of the character group;

4) selecting a character group; and

5) selecting a character from within the character group.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of providing a second region that enables selection of the character from within the character group, wherein the second region includes a linear sliding region that enables cycling forwards and backwards through the character set, depending upon a direction in which the finger slides along a surface within the second region.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the method further comprises the step of providing the second region as a continuous region that extends from a top edge of the touchpad to a bottom edge of the touchpad.

4. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the method further comprises the step of providing the second region as a continuous region that extends from a left side edge of the touchpad to a right side edge of the touchpad.

5. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

1) touching one of the plurality of first regions on the touchpad with a finger to thereby select a character group;

2) maintaining contact with the surface of the touchpad until a desired character from the selected character group appears on a display of the portable information appliance; and

3) lifting the finger from the surface of the touchpad to thereby select the desired character that appears on the display.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

1) touching one of the plurality of first regions on the touchpad with a finger to thereby select a character group;

2) sliding the finger horizontally to the second region;

3) sliding the finger to an opposite top or bottom edge of the touchpad;

4) sliding the finger to a first column adjacent to the second region;

5) sliding the finger upwards or downwards, depending upon the desired direction of scrolling through the character set; and

6) lifting the finger from the surface of the touchpad to thereby select the desired character that appears on the display.

7. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

1) tapping one of the plurality of first regions on the touchpad with a finger to thereby select a character group;

2) moving the finger to the second region;

3) placing the finger back on the touchpad;

4) sliding the finger up or down within the second region to scroll through the character set;

5) lifting the finger off the second region, and moving to an opposite edge of the second region when an edge is reached if the desired character is not displayed within the display;

6) repeating steps

     3) through

     5) until the desired character is displayed; and

7) tapping any one of the plurality of first regions to complete selection of the displayed character.

8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

1) tapping a desired region of the plurality of first regions on the touchpad with a finger to thereby select a head character that represents an associated character set;

2) repeatedly tapping the desired region of the plurality of first regions to thereby cycle through a plurality of different head characters, each having a different associated character set; and

3) cycling through a character set when the desired head character is shown in the display.

9. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of providing a second region that enables selection of the character from within the character group, wherein the second region includes circular sliding region that enables cycling forwards and backwards through the character set, depending upon a direction in which the finger slides along the circular sliding region.

10. The method as defined in claim 9 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

1) touching one of the plurality of first regions on the touchpad with a finger to thereby select a character group;

2) maintaining contact with the surface of the touchpad until a desired character from the selected character group appears on a display of the portable information appliance; and

3) lifting the finger from the surface of the touchpad to thereby select the desired character that appears on the display.

11. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

1) touching one of the plurality of first regions on the touchpad with a finger to thereby select a character group;

2) sliding the finger horizontally to the circular sliding region;

3) sliding the finger in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to scroll forwards or backwards through the character set; and

4) lifting the finger from the surface of the touchpad to thereby select the desired character that appears on the display.

12. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

1) tapping one of the plurality of first regions on the touchpad with a finger to thereby select a character group;

2) moving the finger to the circular sliding region;

3) placing the finger back on the touchpad;

4) sliding the finger in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to scroll forwards or backwards through the character set until the desired character is displayed; and

5) tapping any one of the plurality of first regions to complete selection of the displayed character.

13. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

1) tapping a desired region of the plurality of first regions on the touchpad with a finger to thereby select a head character that represents an associated character set;

2) repeatedly tapping the desired region of the plurality of first regions to thereby cycle through a plurality of different head characters, each having a different associated character set; and

3) cycling through a character set when the desired head character is shown in the display.

14. A system for entering alphanumerical characters from a character set into a portable information appliance, said system comprising:

a touch-sensitive touchpad disposed within the portable information appliance, wherein the touchpad provides alphanumerical input thereto;

a plurality of first regions that are defined on a surface of the touch-sensitive touchpad, wherein each of the plurality of first regions corresponds to a character group, wherein each of a plurality of character groups is represented by a head character that is part of the character group; and

a sliding region disposed on the surface of the touch-sensitive touchpad.

15. The system as defined in claim 14 wherein the sliding region is a linear sliding region that enables a user to maintain contact with the touchpad without changing a selected character of a selected character group.

16. The system as defined in claim 14 wherein the sliding region is a linear sliding region that enables a user to move along the surface of the touchpad and change a selected character of a selected character group.

17. The system as defined in claim 14 wherein the sliding region is a circular sliding region comprising a circular touch-sensitive track on the touchpad, wherein movement around the circular track changes a selected character of selected character group.