Method and apparatus for providing character input interface

• US 9,886,191 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Sung Wook, Park, Se Hwan, Kim, Ji Hoon, Lee, Ji Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Azari, Sepehr
• Application Number:
  US13/436,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20120313858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,139 Days
• Field of Search: 345171, 345173, 345181, 382181, 704 3, 704 4, 715773
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/018 Input/output arrangements for oriental characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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 method and an apparatus for providing a character input interface are provided. The method for providing a character input interface in a terminal having a touchscreen, includes simultaneously displaying a first keyboard on a first region and a second keyboard including second keyboard language selection keys on a second region by the touchscreen in a character inputting mode; and changing a language of the second keyboard to a language corresponding to a second touched keyboard language selection key touched while maintaining a language of the first keyboard when input touching the second keyboard language key is received.

Claims

1. A method for providing a character input interface in an electronic device having a touchscreen, the method comprising:

displaying, on the touchscreen, a first keyboard interface including a single keyboard for inputting characters;

based at least on identifying, while displaying the first keyboard interface, that the electronic device is in a landscape mode, displaying together a character input area and a second keyboard interface on the touchscreen, wherein the second keyboard interface includes a first keyboard and a second keyboard, wherein the first keyboard and the second keyboard comprise a first type of character keys and a second type of character keys, respectively, and wherein the second keyboard further comprises a plurality of character-type selection keys comprising a language selection key for selecting a type of character keys for a spoken language;

based on receiving, through the touchscreen, a user touch input for one of the plurality of character-type selection keys of the second keyboard while displaying the first type of character keys and the second type of character keys, replacing the second type of character keys of the second keyboard with a third type of character keys while displaying the first type of character keys of the first keyboard; and

displaying a plurality of characters in the character input area, wherein one character of the plurality of characters is inputted with a character key of the first type of character keys and another of the plurality of characters is inputted with a character key of the third type of character keys,

wherein the first type of character keys is for a first spoken language and the second type of character keys is for a second spoken language, and

wherein the first spoken language is different from the second spoken language.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of character-type selection keys are maintained after replacing the second type of character keys of the second keyboard with the third type of character keys.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an area for displaying the second type of character keys is different from an area for displaying the third type of character keys.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first keyboard and the second keyboard are disposed side-by-side and are oriented in a same direction.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying characters in the character input area,

wherein the characters are inputted with at least one character key of the first type of character keys and at least one character key of the second type of character keys.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing a location of at least one of the first keyboard and the second keyboard, based on a touch and move input received through the touchscreen.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, on the touchscreen, the first keyboard with a size changed based on another touch and move input received through the touchscreen.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying together the character input area and the second keyboard interface comprises automatically displaying together the character input area and the second keyboard interface.

9. An electronic device for providing a character input interface, the electronic device comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the stored instructions to at least control to;

display, on a touchscreen of the electronic device, a first keyboard interface including a single keyboard for inputting characters,

based at least on identifying, while displaying the first keyboard interface, that the electronic device is in the landscape mode, display together a character input area and a keyboard interface on the touchscreen, wherein the second keyboard interface includes a first keyboard and a second keyboard,

wherein the first keyboard and the second keyboard comprise a first type of character keys and a second type of character keys, respectively, and wherein the second keyboard further comprises a plurality of character-type selection keys comprising a language selection key for selecting a type of character keys for a spoken language,

based on receiving, through the touchscreen, a user touch input for one of the plurality of character-type selection keys of the second keyboard while displaying the first type of character keys and the second type of character keys, replace the second type of character keys of the second keyboard with a third type of character keys while displaying the first type of character keys of the first keyboard, and

display a plurality of characters in the character input area, wherein one character of the plurality of characters is inputted with a character key of the first type of character keys and another of the plurality of characters is inputted with a character key of the third type of character keys,

wherein the first type of character keys is for a first spoken language and the second type of character keys is for a second spoken language, and

wherein the first spoken language is different from the second spoken language.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to execute the stored instructions further to control to maintain the plurality of character-type selection keys after replacing the second type of character keys of the second keyboard with the third type of character keys.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein an area for displaying the second type of character keys is different from an area for displaying the third type of character keys.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first keyboard and the second keyboard are disposed side-by-side and are oriented in a same direction.

13. The electronic device of claim 9,

wherein the processor is configured to execute the stored instructions further to control to display characters in the character input area displayed on the touchscreen, and

wherein the characters are inputted with at least one character key of the first type of character keys and at least one character key of the second type of character keys.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, the processor is configured to execute the stored instructions further to control to change a location of at least one of the first keyboard and the second keyboard based on a touch and move input in received through the touchscreen.

15. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to execute the stored instructions further to control to display, on the touchscreen, the first keyboard with a size changed based on another touch and move input received through the touchscreen.

16. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to execute the stored instructions to control to display together the character input area and the second keyboard interface by controlling to automatically display together the character input area and the second keyboard interface.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with instructions stored thereon, the instructions executable by a processor of an electronic device having a touchscreen to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

displaying, on the touchscreen, a first keyboard interface including a single keyboard for inputting characters;

based at least on identifying, while displaying the first keyboard interface, that the electronic device is in the landscape mode, displaying together a character input area and a second keyboard interface including on the touchscreen, wherein the second keyboard interface includes a first keyboard and a second keyboard, wherein the first keyboard and the second keyboard comprise a first type of character keys and a second type of character keys, respectively, and wherein the second keyboard further comprises a plurality of character-type selection keys comprising a language selection key for selecting a type of character keys for a spoken language;

based on receiving, through the touchscreen, a user touch input for one of the plurality of character-type selection keys of the second keyboard while displaying the first type of character keys and the second type of character keys, replacing the second type of character keys of the second keyboard with a third type of character keys while displaying the first type of character keys of the first keyboard; and

displaying a plurality of characters in the character input area, wherein one character of the plurality of characters is inputted with a character key of the first type of character keys and another of the plurality of characters is inputted with a character key of the third type of character keys,

wherein the first type of character keys is for a first spoken language and the second type of character keys is for a second spoken language, and

wherein the first spoken language is different from the second spoken language.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of character-type selection keys are maintained after replacing the second type of character keys of the second keyboard with the third type of character keys.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein an area for displaying the second type of character keys is different from an area for displaying third type of character keys.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the first keyboard and the second keyboard are disposed side-by-side and are oriented in a same direction.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17,

wherein the operations further comprise displaying characters in the character input area, and

wherein the characters are inputted with at least one character key of the first type of character keys and at least one character key of the second type of character keys.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein a location of at least one of the first keyboard and the second keyboard is changed based on a touch and move input received through the touchscreen.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the displaying together the character input area and the second keyboard interface comprises automatically displaying together the character input area and the second keyboard interface.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of clam 17,

wherein the operations further comprise displaying, on the touchscreen, the first keyboard with a size changed based on another touch and move input received through the touchscreen.

25. A method for providing a character input interface in an electronic device having a touchscreen, the method comprising:

controlling to display, on the touchscreen, a first keyboard interface including a single keyboard for inputting characters;

based at least on identifying, while displaying the first keyboard interface, that the electronic device is in the landscape mode, controlling to display together a character input area and a second keyboard interface on the touchscreen, wherein the second keyboard interface comprises a first keyboard and a second keyboard, wherein the first keyboard and the second keyboard comprise a first type of character keys and a second type of character keys, respectively, and wherein the second keyboard further comprises a plurality of character-type selection keys comprising a language selection key for selecting a type of character keys for a spoken language;

based on receiving, through the touchscreen, a user touch input for one of the plurality of character-type selection keys of the second keyboard while displaying the first type of character keys and the second type of character keys, controlling to replace the second type of character keys of the second keyboard with a third type of character keys while displaying the first type of character keys of the first keyboard; and

controlling to display a plurality of characters in the character input area, wherein one character of the plurality of characters is inputted with a character key of the first type of character keys and another of the plurality of characters is inputted with a character key of the third type of character keys,

wherein the first type of character keys is for a first spoken language and the second type of character keys is for a second spoken language, and

wherein the first spoken language is different from the second spoken language.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the plurality of character-type selection keys are maintained after replacing the second type of character keys of the second keyboard with the third type of character keys.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein an area for displaying the second type of character keys is different from an area for displaying the third type of character keys.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the first keyboard and the second keyboard are disposed side-by-side and are oriented in a same direction on the touchscreen.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

controlling to display characters in the character input area,

wherein the characters are inputted with at least one character key of the first type of character keys and at least one character key of the second type of character keys.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein a location of at least one of the first keyboard and the second keyboard is changed based on a touch and move input received through the touchscreen.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising controlling to display, on the touchscreen, the first keyboard with a size changed based on another touch and move input received through the touchscreen.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the controlling to display together the character input area and the second keyboard interface comprises controlling to automatically display together the character input area and the second keyboard interface.