Method, apparatus and computer program product for providing an input order independent character input mechanism

A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instruction comprising:

• program code instructions for receiving an input comprising an element corresponding to a portion of a character being entered by a user independent of an order for inputting the element based on the portion of the character corresponding to the element, wherein receiving an input comprises receiving at least one radical;
• program code instructions for retrieving at least one candidate character for the character being entered based at least in part on the received element;
• and
• program code instructions for providing a selection of candidate characters including the at least one candidate character to the user.

An apparatus comprising a processor configured to:

• receive an input comprising an element corresponding to a portion of a character being entered independent of an order for inputting the element based on the portion of the character corresponding to the element, wherein the processor is configured to receive an input by receiving at least one radical;
• retrieve at least one candidate character for the character being entered based at least in part on the received element;
• and
• provide a selection of candidate characters including the at least one candidate character to the user.