METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TOUCH INPUT IN PORTABLE TERMINAL

• US 20100275160A1
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: IM, Tae-Soon
• Application Number:
  US12/765,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20100275160A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/018 Input/output arrangements for oriental characters
• 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

An apparatus and method for determining a character that can be combined with a first selected character and then outputting a character obtained by combining the characters so as to enable a fast and quick character input by simplifying a character input process in a portable terminal are provided. The apparatus includes a combination character determination unit for receiving character data selected on a character input screen comprising a plurality of pieces of character data, for determining character data that can be combined with the selected character data, and for outputting a combination character obtained by combining the determined character data with the character data selected on the input screen.

Claims

1. An apparatus for inputting a character in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a combination character determination unit for receiving character data selected on a character input screen comprising a plurality of pieces of character data, and then determining character data that can be combined with the selected character data; and

a controller for outputting a combination character obtained by combining characters determined by the combination character determination unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the combination character determination unit determines the character data that can be combined with the selected character data after receiving the selected character data or after detecting a combination character determination request from a user.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the combination character determination unit determines the character data that can be combined with the selected character data by detecting a touch movement from a position of the selected character data.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein if the touch movement is to right, displaying a plurality of vowel characters can be combined with the selected character data.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein if the touch movement is to downward, displaying a plurality of final consonant characters can be combined with the selected character data.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein if the touch movement is to upward, displaying a plurality of double consonant characters of the selected character for further selection.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein if the touch movement is at an angle, displaying a plurality of all possible characters that can be combined with the selected character data.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the combination character determination unit determines character data that can be combined with the selected character data by determining whether a touch movement occurs from the selected character, by determining a combination character request corresponding to a touch movement direction, and by determining character data corresponding to the determined combination character request.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the combination character request corresponding to the touch movement direction comprises at least one of a request for combining the selected character with a vowel character, a request for combining the selected character with a final consonant character, a request for outputting a double consonant character of the selected character, and a request for combining the selected character and a combination character in a direction corresponding to the touch movement direction.

10. A method of inputting a character in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

receiving character data selected on a character input screen comprising a plurality of pieces of character data, and then determining character data that can be combined with the selected character data; and

outputting a combination character obtained by combining the character data.

11. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining of the character data that can be combined with the selected character data is performed after receiving the selected character data or after detecting a combination character determination request from a user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining of the character data that can be combined with the selected character data is performed by detecting a touch movement from a position of the selected character data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein if the touch movement is to right, displaying a plurality of vowel characters can be combined with the selected character data.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein if the touch movement is to downward, displaying a plurality of final consonant characters can be combined with the selected character data.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein if the touch movement is to upward, displaying a plurality of double consonant characters of the selected character for further selection.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein if the touch movement is at an angle, displaying a plurality of all possible characters that can be combined with the selected character data.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining of the character data that can be combined with the selected character data comprises:

determining whether a touch movement occurs from the selected character;

determining a combination character request corresponding to a touch movement direction; and

determining character data corresponding to the determined combination character request.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the combination character request corresponding to the touch movement direction comprises at least one of a request for combining the selected character with a vowel character, a request for combining the selected character with a final consonant character, a request for outputting a double consonant character of the selected character, and a request for combining the selected character and a combination character in a direction corresponding to the touch movement direction.