Portable computing device

A method for operating a portable computing device having a touch screen associated with a display, the method comprising:

• displaying on a first predetermined display region of the display a keyboard image that includes a plurality of character key images respectively representing a plurality of characters to be input into a character display field of the display,
• displaying on a second predetermined display region of the display at least one command graphic,
• storing information concerning the second predetermined display region of the display,
• detecting a position on the touch screen that was touched by a user and generating touch position information,
• determining from the touch position information and from the stored information concerning the second predetermined display region whether the at least one command graphic has been touched,
• in response to a determination that the at least one command graphic has been flicked, moving a cursor displayed within the keyboard image in one or more discrete key image units in a direction of movement specified by the flicking of the at least one command graphic and by a distance corresponding to a distance of the flicking of the at least one command graphic, and
• in response to a determination that the at least one command graphic has been touched in a manner different from flicking, displaying on the character display field the character of the character key image that the displayed cursor is currently superimposed upon.

A portable computing device comprising:

• a display,
• a touch screen associated with the display,
• a memory and
• a controller configured to:
• display on a first predetermined display region of the display a keyboard image that includes a plurality of character key images respectively representing a plurality of characters to be input into a character display field of the display,
• display on a second predetermined display region of the display a command graphic that contains (i) a direction-specifying area for selecting a direction of movement of a displayed cursor that is movable within the keyboard image and (ii) a selection input area, wherein the direction-specifying area is located at a periphery of the command graphic and the selection input area is located at a center of the command graphic such that the direction-specifying area surrounds the selection input area,
• store in the memory information concerning the second predetermined display region of the display,
• detect a position on the touch screen that was touched by a user and generate touch position information,
• determine from the touch position information and from the stored information concerning the second predetermined display region whether the direction-specifying area or the selection input area has been touched,
• in response to a determination that the direction-specifying area has been touched, move the displayed cursor shown within the keyboard image in one or more discrete key image units in a direction of movement indicated by a portion of the direction-specifying area that was touched, and
• in response to a determination that the selection input area has been touched, display on the character display field a character of the character key image that the displayed cursor is currently superimposed upon.

A portable computing device comprising:

• a display,
• a touch screen associated with the display,
• a memory and
• a controller configured to:
• display on a first predetermined display region of the display a keyboard image that includes a plurality of character key images respectively representing a plurality of characters to be input into a character display field of the display,
• display on a second predetermined display region of the display a command graphic,
• store in the memory information concerning the second predetermined display region of the display,
• detect a position on the touch screen that was touched by a user and generate touch position information,
• determine from the touch position information and from the stored information concerning the second predetermined display region whether the command graphic has been touched,
• in response to a determination that the command graphic has been flicked, move a cursor displayed within the keyboard image in one or more discrete key image units in a direction of movement specified by the flicking of the command graphic and by a distance corresponding to a distance of the flicking of the command graphic, and
• in response to a determination that the command graphic has been touched in a manner different from flicking, display on the character display field the character of the character key image that the displayed cursor is currently superimposed upon.

A method of operating a portable computing device comprising:

• a display,
• a touch screen associated with the display,
• a memory and
• a controller
• the method comprising:
• displaying on a first predetermined display region of the display a keyboard image that includes a plurality of character key images respectively representing a plurality of characters to be input into a character display field of the display,
• displaying first and second command graphics on a second predetermined display region of the display, the first command graphic containing (i) a direction-specifying area for selecting a direction of movement of a first displayed cursor that is movable within the keyboard image and (ii) a selection input area and the second command graphic containing (i) a direction-specifying area for selecting a direction of movement of a second displayed cursor that is movable within the keyboard image and (ii) a selection input area, wherein the direction-specifying area of the first command graphic is located at a periphery of the first command graphic and the selection input area of the first command graphic is located at a center of the first command graphic such that the direction-specifying of the first command graphic area surrounds the selection input area of the first command graphic, and wherein the direction-specifying area of the second command graphic is located at a periphery of the second command graphic and the selection input area of the second command graphic is located at a center of the second command graphic such that the direction-specifying of the second command graphic area surrounds the selection input area of the second command graphic,
• storing information concerning the second predetermined display region of the display in the memory,
• detecting a position on the touch screen that was touched by a user and generate touch position information,
• determining from the touch position information and from the stored information concerning the second predetermined display region whether the direction-specifying area or the selection input area of the first or the second command graphic has been touched,
• in response to a determination that the direction-specifying area of the first command graphic has been touched, moving the first displayed cursor shown within the keyboard image in one or more discrete key image units in a direction of movement indicated by the direction-specifying area of the first command graphic that was touched,
• in response to a determination that the direction-specifying area of the second command graphic has been touched, moving the second displayed cursor shown within the keyboard image in one or more discrete key image units in a direction of movement indicated by the direction-specifying area of the second command graphic that was touched,
• in response to a determination that the selection input area of the first command graphic has been touched, displaying on the character display field the character of the character key image that the first displayed cursor is currently superimposed upon, and
• in response to a determination that the selection input area of the second command graphic has been touched, displaying on the character display field the character of the character key image that the second displayed cursor is currently superimposed upon.

A method of operating a portable computing device comprising:

• a display,
• a touch screen associated with the display,
• a memory and
• a controller
• the method comprising:
• displaying, on a first predetermined display region of the display, a keyboard image that includes a plurality of character key images respectively representing a plurality of characters to be input into a character display field of the display,
• displaying first and second command graphics on a second predetermined display region of the display,
• storing information concerning the second predetermined display region of the display in the memory,
• detecting a position on the touch screen that was touched by a user and generate touch position information,
• determining from the touch position information and from the stored information concerning the second predetermined display region whether the first or the second command graphic has been touched,
• in response to a determination that the first command graphic has been flicked, moving a first cursor displayed within the keyboard image in one or more discrete key image units in a direction of movement specified by the flicking of the first command graphic and by a distance corresponding to a distance of the flicking of the first command graphic,
• in response to a determination that the second command graphic has been flicked, moving a second cursor displayed within the keyboard image in one or more discrete key image units in a direction of movement specified by the flicking of the second command graphic and by a distance corresponding to a distance of the flicking of the second command graphic, and
• in response to a determination that the first command graphic has been touched in a manner different from flicking, displaying on the character display field the character of the character key image that the first displayed cursor is currently superimposed upon;
• in response to a determination that the second command graphic has been touched in a manner different from flicking, displaying on the character display field the character of the character key image that the second displayed cursor is currently superimposed upon.