Character specification system and method that uses a limited number of selection keys

• US 9,880,638 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2014
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael William Murphy
• Original Assignee: Michael William Murphy
• Inventors: Murphy, Michael William
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US14/511,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20150022455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 345157, 345168, 345173, 341 23, 704 1, 715769, 715863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

A method and apparatus of identifying and selecting characters from among a plurality of characters. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a computer processor electronically enables identification of each of a plurality of characters arranged in a one-dimensional array. Each character is identified by an integer value that corresponds to the number of positions the character is offset from a reference position of the one-dimensional array. The computer processor electronically enables selection of any of the characters by receiving input resulting from activation of selection keys that specify the integer value of a character desired for selection. In one further embodiment, each selection key has an assigned integer value, and the integer value that identifies the selected character is calculated by summing the assigned integer values of each selection key activated for each instance that each selection key is activated within a selectable-length time period.

Claims

1. A method in a text entry machine, the method comprising:

electronically enabling identification of characters arranged within a one-dimensional array, each character identified by an integer value equal to how many positions the character is offset from a reference position of the one-dimensional array; and

electronically enabling selection of a character from the array by receiving input indicative of an integer value that corresponds to a position of the selected character in the one-dimensional array.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving input indicative of the integer value includes receiving input of more than one integer, the sum of the received input of more than one integer corresponding to the position of the selected character.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the receiving input indicative of the integer value includes receiving input resulting from activation of selection keys on a user interface of the text entry machine, each of the selection keys assigned an integer for input, wherein the integers assigned to the selection keys and all the possible sums of any two of those integers assigned to the selection keys is a sequence of consecutive integers.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the sequence of consecutive integers includes one or fewer duplicate integers.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the integers assigned to the selection keys are −

3, −

2, +2 and +3.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the sequence of consecutive integers is from −

6 to +6.

7. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a display;

a plurality of selection buttons, each button of the plurality of selection buttons having an assigned integer value; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the selection keys and the display, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive an inputted integer resulting from activation of one of the plurality of selection buttons, the inputted integer corresponding to the assigned integer value of the one activated button of the plurality of selection buttons; and

select from a one-dimensional array a character whose position in the array is offset from a reference position of the array by a number of positions that corresponds to the inputted integer.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor is configured to:

receive inputted integers resulting from activation of multiple selection buttons of the plurality of selection buttons, each inputted integer corresponding to the assigned integer value of a respective activated button of the plurality of selection buttons; and

select from the one-dimensional array the character whose position in the array corresponds to the sum of the inputted integers.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 8 wherein the plurality of selection buttons are arranged in a row.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 8 wherein a number of buttons in the plurality of selection buttons is four.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 10 wherein the plurality of selection buttons has the assigned integer values −

3, −

2, +2 and +3.

12. The electronic apparatus of claim 8 further comprising one or more additional pluralities of selection buttons, each plurality of selection buttons associated with a different one-dimensional array of characters.

13. The electronic apparatus of claim 12 wherein the pluralities of selection buttons are arranged in parallel rows.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions thereon that, when executed by a text entry machine processing unit, cause the text entry machine processor to perform:

electronically enabling identification of characters arranged within a one-dimensional array, each character identified by an integer value equal to how many positions the character is offset from a reference position of the one-dimensional array; and

electronically enabling selection of a character from the array by receiving input indicative of an integer value that corresponds to a position of the selected character in the one-dimensional array.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the receiving input indicative of the integer value includes receiving input of more than one integer, the sum of the received input of more than one integer corresponding to the position of the selected character.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the receiving input indicative of the integer value includes receiving input resulting from activation of selection keys on a user interface of the text entry machine, each of the selection keys assigned an integer for input, wherein the integers assigned to the selection keys and all the possible sums of any two of those integers assigned to the selection keys is a sequence of consecutive integers.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein the sequence of consecutive integers includes one or fewer duplicate integers.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein the integers assigned to the selection keys are −

3, −

2, +2 and +3.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein the sequence of consecutive integers is from −

6 to +6.