Method and device for entering text

• US 20040067762A1
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Inventors: Balle, Henrik
• Application Number:
  US10/434,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20040067762A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• 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: 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 method of text entry in a mobile communication device includes highlighting a representation of a key on a display and scrolling through a predetermined sequence of representations of a plurality of keys and highlighting one of the representations. If the device is operating in a first mode, the method includes selecting the highlighted representation of a key, generating a key identifier sequence, and providing the key identifier sequence as input to a software application which associates each key identifier sequence with a set of words whose spellings correspond to the key identifier sequence and which presents on the display at least one word whose spelling corresponds to the input key identifier sequence. If the device is operating in a second mode, the method includes selecting a character of the set of characters associated with the highlighted representation of a key, and presenting the selected character on the display.

Claims

1. A method of text entry in a mobile communication device comprising a non-keypad text user input device with a rotating mechanism and a selection mechanism, comprising the steps of:

a) highlighting on a display a representation of a key of a keypad having a plurality of keys wherein each key is associated with a different set of characters and the displayed representation of any one of the plurality of keys identifies a portion of the set of characters associated with the one key;

b) scrolling using the rotating mechanism of the non-keypad text user input device through, on the display, a predetermined sequence of representations of the plurality of keys to highlight a chosen representation of one of the plurality of keys;

then if the device is operating in a first user selected mode, in which a text disambiguating software application is used for text entry, performing the steps of;

i) selecting the highlighted representation of a key using the selection mechanism of the non-keypad text user input device;

ii) generating a key identifier sequence each time a highlighted representation of a key is selected; and

iii) providing the key identifier sequence as input to the text disambiguating software application which stores a plurality of key identifier sequences and, associates with each key identifier sequence, a set of words whose spellings correspond to the key identifier sequence and which presents on the display at least one of the words from the set of words whose spelling corresponds to the inputted key identifier sequence;

or, alternatively, if the device is operating in a second user selectable mode, performing the steps of;

i) selecting a character of the set of characters associated with the highlighted representation of a key using the non-keypad user input device; and

ii) presenting on the display the selected character.

2. A method of text entry using a text disambiguating software application for a device with a key-pad user input device, in a mobile communication device with a non-keypad user input device with a rotating dial and a selection mechanism, comprising the steps of:

a) highlighting on a display a set of characters from a plurality of different sets of characters where each of the displayed sets of characters identifies a portion of the characters included in the set of characters;

b) scrolling using the rotating dial of the non-keypad user input device through, on the display, a predetermined sequence of the different sets of characters to highlight a chosen set of characters;

c) selecting the highlighted set of characters using the selection mechanism of the non-keypad user input device;

d) generating an identifier sequence each time a highlighted set of characters is selected; and

e) providing the identifier sequence as input to the text disambiguating software application which stores a plurality of identifier sequences and, associates with each identifier sequence, a set of words whose spellings correspond to the identifier sequence and which presents on the display at least one of the words from the set of words whose spelling corresponds to the inputted identifier sequence.

3. A hand-portable mobile communication device for user entry of text comprising:

a non-keypad text user input device with a rotating mechanism and a selection mechanism;

a display;

a processor;

a first memory storing a plurality of key identifier sequences and, associated with each key identifier sequence, a set of words whose spellings correspond to the key identifier sequence;

a second memory containing a set of processor instructions which cause the processor;

to highlight on the display a representation of a key of a keypad having a plurality of keys wherein each key is associated with a different set of characters and the displayed representation of any one of the plurality of keys identifies a portion of the set of characters associated with the one key;

to respond to input via the rotating mechanism to scroll through on the display a predetermined sequence of representations of the plurality of keys and to highlight a chosen representation of one of the plurality of keys;

and, when the processor is operating in a first user selectable mode, cause the processor;

to respond to input via the selection mechanism of the non-keypad text user input device to select the highlighted representation of a key;

to generate a key identifier sequence each time a highlighted representation of a key is selected; and

to present on the display at least one of the words from the set of words whose spelling corresponds to the generated key identifier sequence;

and, when the processor is operating in a second user selectable mode, cause the processor;

to respond to input via the non-keypad text user input device to select a character of the set of characters associated with the highlighted key; and

to present on the display the selected character.

4. A hand portable mobile communication device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first memory also contains associated with each set of words, whose spellings correspond to the sequence, an indication of which word in the set is most frequently used, and, when the processor is operating in the first user selectable mode, cause the processor to present the most frequently used corresponding to the generated key identifier sequence.

5. A method of text entry in a mobile communication device comprising a non-keypad user input device with a browsing mechanism and a selection mechanism, comprising the steps of:

a) presenting on a display one or more groups of characters wherein each group is associated with a different set of characters;

b) browsing using the non-keypad user input device to select a chosen group of characters;

c) generating an identifier sequence each time a group of characters is selected;

d) providing the identifier sequence as input to a database storing a plurality of identifier sequences and, associating with each identifier sequence, a set of words whose spellings correspond to the identifier sequence; and

e) presenting on the display at least one of the words from the set of words whose spelling corresponds to the inputted identifier sequence.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 having as an alternative to steps c), d) and e) the steps of:

i) selecting one of the characters of the highlighted group of characters; and

ii) presenting on the display the selected character.

7. A method of text entry using a text disambiguating software application for a device with a key-pad text user input device, in a mobile communication device with a non-keypad text user input device, comprising the steps of:

a) presenting on a display one or more representations of the keys of a keypad having a plurality of keys wherein each key is associated with a different set of characters and the displayed representation of any one of the plurality of keys identifies at least a portion of the set of characters associated with the one key;

b) browsing using the non-keypad text user input device to select a chosen representation of one of the plurality of keys;

c) generating a key identifier sequence each time a highlighted representation of a key is selected; and

d) providing the key identifier sequence as input to the text disambiguating software application which stores a plurality of key identifier sequences and, associates with each key identifier sequence, a set of words whose spellings correspond to the key identifier sequence and which presents on the display at least one of the words from the set of words whose spelling corresponds to the inputted key identifier sequence.

8. A hand-portable mobile communication device for text entry comprising:

a non-keypad text user input device,

a display;

a processor;

a first memory storing a plurality of identifier sequences and, associated with each key identifier sequence, a set of words whose spellings correspond to the identifier sequence;

a second memory containing a set of processor instructions which cause the processor;

to present on the display one or more groups of characters wherein each group is associated with a different set of characters;

to respond to input via the non-keypad text user input device to enable browsing and selection of a chosen group of characters;

to generate an identifier sequence each time a group of characters is selected;

to provide the identifier sequence as input to a database storing a plurality of identifier sequences and, associating with each identifier sequence, a set of words whose spellings correspond to the identifier sequence; and

to enable presentation on the display at least one of the words from the set of words whose spelling corresponds to the inputted identifier sequence.

9. A storage medium embodying computer program instructions that cause a processor:

to highlight on a display a representation of a key of a keypad having a plurality of keys wherein each key is associated with a different set of characters and the displayed representation of any one of the plurality of keys identifies a portion of the set of characters associated with the one key;

to respond to a first user input command to scroll through on the display a predetermined sequence of representations of the plurality of keys and to highlight a chosen representation of one of the plurality of keys;

to respond to a second user input command to select the highlighted representation of a key;

to generate a key identifier sequence each time a highlighted representation of a key is selected; and

to enable presentation on the display of at least one word whose spelling corresponds to the generated key identifier sequence.