Data entry apparatus having a limited number of character keys and method

In a data entry apparatus having a graphical user interface, a n-gram database and a keypad having a limited number of character keys, a method comprising:

• assigning letters to the character keys on the keypad in a layout found on standard telephone keypads;
• receiving a first character key from the keypad;
• displaying a first set of characters associated with the first character key;
• receiving a second character key from the keypad, wherein a second set of characters is associated with the second character key;
• combining a character from the first set of characters with a character from the second set of characters;
• displaying a set of alternative n-grams, derived from the step of combining, in descending order based on a probability of frequency of use in a given language;
• detecting that an n-gram is actively highlighted;
• receiving a third character key from the keypad;
• and
• displaying an updated set of alternative n-grams wherein a left-most portion of each alternative n-gram in the updated set begins with the n-gram that was actively highlighted, and varying only a combination of characters associated with the third character key with respect to the left-most portion.

In a data entry apparatus having a graphical user interface, a n-gram database and a keypad having a limited number of character keys, a method comprising:

• assigning letters to the character keys on the keypad in a sequential order;
• receiving a predetermined number of character keys from the keypad;
• displaying a set of characters associated with a character key received, wherein this step of displaying combines a character associated with a most recently received character key with characters associated with previous character keys to create a set of alternative n-grams;
• and
• providing graphical feedback in connection with an alternative n-gram to suggest availability of various completions for the alternative n-gram.

A data entry apparatus having a limited number of character keys comprising:

• a keypad having a set of character keys wherein each character key represents a plurality of characters and wherein the plurality of characters is in a sequential order;
• a display having a character display area and a character entry cursor;
• a disambiguation engine selecting, for a character key received, a character most likely to be represented by that character key, and selectively changing, for a previous character key, a character most likely to be represented by the previous character key;
• a text entry mode of operation in which activation of a sequence of character keys causes generation and display of sequential characters at the character entry cursor;
• and
• an editing mode of operation in which a text editing cursor is displayed with the sequential characters, wherein the text editing cursor delineates locked characters from non-locked characters within a continuous character string, such that further activation of character keys causes generation and display of new characters selected by the disambiguation engine at the character entry cursor within the non-locked characters and such that automatic changing of locked characters by the disambiguation engine is suppressed.

A storage medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which, when loaded into a microprocessor, causes the microprocessor to perform the following functions:

• receive a first character key from a keypad, the keypad comprising a plurality of character keys wherein each character key is assigned a plurality of letters in a sequential order;
• display a first set of characters associated with the first character key;
• receive a second character key from the keypad, wherein a second set of characters is associated with the second character key;
• combine a character from the first set of characters with a character from the second set of characters;
• display a set of alternative n-grams, derived from the step of combining, in descending order based on a probability of frequency of use in a given language;
• detect that an alternative n-gram is actively highlighted;
• locking the alternative n-gram that was actively highlighted to create a locked n-gram;
• and
• varying characters associated with subsequent character keys in their combinations with respect to the locked n-gram.