Method for inputting different characters by multi-directionally pressing a single key more than one time

• US 6,857,800 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Wen, Zhang, Shen, Shen, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAU, MINH H
• Application Number:
  US10/155,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20030223798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 400472-474, 400476-481, 400/485, 400/492, 400/100, 400/414, 400/489, 400/490, 341 21- 22, 341/168, 345168-172, 235/145.A, 235/145.R, 235/146, 200/4, 200 5 A- 5 D, 200 6 A- 6 D, 361679-680, 434227-233
• US Class Current: 400/473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions

Abstract

The invention is to provide a method for inputting different characters by multi-directionally pressing one single key of a portable electronic device more than one time, the key having a plurality of protuberances on an underside and a circuit board having a plurality of pads being equal in number to the protuberances and disposed correspondingly thereto, the method comprises determining the conduction periods of time by a control circuit, while one key being multi-directionally pressed a plurality of times to cause the protuberances to contact the corresponding pads at different conduction periods of time; reading a corresponding character sequentially from a built-in character database based on a longer one of the conduction periods of time; and displaying the read character. By utilizing this method, it is possible of effecting a fast input on the keypad.

Claims

1. A method for inputting different characters by multi-directionally pressing one of a plurality of keys of a keypad of a portable electronic device more than one time, each key having a pair of protuberances on an underside and a circuit board of the portable electronic device having a plurality of pads equal in number to the number of said protuberances and disposed correspondingly thereto, the method comprising:

determining the conduction periods of time by a control circuit of the portable electronic device, while one key is multi-directionally pressed a plurality of times to cause the protuberances to contact the corresponding pads at different conduction periods of time; and

reading a corresponding character sequentially from a built-in character database by a storage device of the portable electronic device based on a longer one of the conduction periods of time,

wherein said plurality of pads includes a first pad and a second pad, said first and second pads being disposed correspondingly to respective left and right protuberances of said pairs of protuberances such that a right portion of said one key moves upwardly when a left portion thereof is pressed and, in response, the left protuberance contacts the first pad for a first duration and the right protuberance contacts the second pad for a second duration which is shorter than the first duration, thereby generating a first conduction period of time of the first pad that is longer than a second conduction period of time of the second pad, said corresponding character being sequentially read from the built-in character database by the storage device of the portable electronic device based on the first conduction period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the protuberances of the key contact the pads substantially at the same time when a central portion of the key is pressed, thereby generating a third conduction period of time of the first pad that is substantially the same as a fourth conduction period of time of the second pad, said corresponding character being read sequentially from the built-in character database by the storage device of the portable electronic device based on one of the third and the fourth conduction periods of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the left portion of the key moves upwardly when the right portion thereof is pressed and, in response, the left protuberance contacts the first pad for a third duration and the right protuberance contacts the right second pad for a fourth duration which is shorter than the third duration, thereby generating a fifth conduction period of time of the first pad that is shorter than a sixth conduction period of time of the second pad, said corresponding character being read sequentially from the built-in character database by the storage device of the portable electronic device based on the sixth conduction period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising an arcuate elastic projection on the underside of each key, each projection having three spaced protuberant members and three pad members on the circuit board wherein each pad member is disposed correspondingly to the protuberant member.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the keys are electrically activated keys.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the keys are non-electrically activated keys.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a cellular phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the character is a symbol.