US 6,307,541 B1Granted

Method and system for inputting chinese-characters through virtual keyboards to data processor

AssigneeInventec Corporation

InventorsChi-Yu Ho, Chun Jiang, Chang Wang

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Abstract

A Chinese-character input method and system is provided to allow users to input Chinese characters to a data processor with a reduced keyboard, such as a mobile-phone handset with a CCITT-compliant (Consultative Committee in International Telegraphy and Telephony) keyboard having only 12 keys. This Chinese-character input method and system allows the user to input Chinese characters to the data processor through a plurality of virtual keyboards which collectively display a set of phonetic symbols, such as those in the Mandarin Phonetic Symbol Set or the Roman Symbol Set, so that the user can perform the input operation through a pronunciation-based input scheme. The Chinese-character input method and system arranges the virtual keyboards in relational layers in accordance with the Mandarin Phonetic-Symbol Combination Rules or the Chinese Roman-Symbol Combination Rules, so that the user can perform the task of Chinese-character input to the data processor more conveniently and efficiently than the prior art.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A Chinese-character input method for use on a data processor having a display screen and a keyboard, for the purpose of allowing user-input of Chinese characters to the data processor through the keyboard;

the Chinese-character input method comprising the steps of:
(1) establishing a Chinese-character database, which stores a set of Chinese characters and the mapping between each Chinese character and its phonetic-symbol combination based on a selected phonetic-symbol set;
(2) establishing a virtual-keyboard table, which includes a plurality of virtual keyboards arranged in relational layers in accordance with a phonetic-symbol combination rule of the selected phonetic-symbol set, each virtual keyboard including a number of virtual keys mapped in one-to-one correspondence to the physical keys on the keyboard of the data processor, the plurality of virtual keyboards collectively displaying all the phonetic symbols in the selected phonetic-symbol set, with each virtual keyboard displaying a specified part of the phonetic-symbol set;
(3) when inputting a Chinese character having a specific phonetic-symbol combination is requested, displaying one of the plurality of virtual keyboards in a first layer that includes a first phonetic symbol in the phonetic-symbol combination for the intended Chinese character for user selection;
(4) displaying one of the plurality of virtual keyboards in a second layer that includes a second phonetic symbol in the phonetic-symbol combination for the intended Chinese character, if the second phonetic-symbol is a non-tone symbol;
or otherwise going to step (6) if not;
(5) displaying one of the plurality of virtual keyboards in a third layer that includes a third phonetic symbol in the phonetic-symbol combination for the intended Chinese character, if the third phonetic-symbol is a non-tone symbol;
or otherwise going to step (6), if not;
(6) displaying one of the plurality of virtual keyboards in a fourth layer that includes a fourth phonetic symbol, which is subject to a tone symbol in the phonetic-symbol combination for the intended Chinese character;
and
(7) in response to the phonetic-symbol combination obtained through the steps (3) to (6), retrieving, from the Chinese-character database, a set of Chinese characters corresponding to the user-inputted phonetic-symbol combination;
and displaying this set of Chinese characters on the display screen for user selection of the intended Chinese character.

9 more elements

A Chinese-character input system for use on a data processor having a display screen and a keyboard including a number of physical keys thereon, for the purpose of allowing user-input of Chinese characters to the data processor through the keyboard;

the Chinese-character input system comprising:
(a) a Chinese-character database, which stores a set of Chinese characters and the mapping between each Chinese character and its phonetic-symbol combination based on the Mandarin Phonetic Symbol Set;
(b) a virtual-keyboard table, which includes a plurality of virtual keyboards arranged in relational layers in accordance with a phonetic-symbol combination rule of the selected phonetic-symbol set, each virtual keyboard including a number of virtual keys mapped in one-to-one correspondence to the physical keys on the keyboard of the data processor, the virtual keyboards collectively displaying all the phonetic symbols in the Mandarin Phonetic Symbol Set, with each virtual keyboard displaying a specified part of the Mandarin Phonetic Symbol Set;
(c) a user-input service module, coupled to the keyboard of the data processor, for keycode reception from the physical keys on the keyboard;
(d) a virtual-keyboard service module, which performs, in response to keycode input received by the user-input service module from the keyboard of the data processor, the steps of:
(d1) retrieving, from the virtual-keyboard table, one of the plurality of virtual keyboards in a first layer that includes a first phonetic symbol in the phonetic-symbol combination that represents the pronunciation of the intended Chinese character that is to be input to the data processor, and displaying the retrieved virtual keyboard on the display screen for user-selection of the required phonetic symbol;
(d2) retrieving, from the virtual-keyboard table, one of the plurality of virtual keyboards in a second that includes a second phonetic-symbol in the intended phonetic-symbol combination, if the second phonetic-symbol is a non-tone symbol and displaying the retrieved virtual keyboard on the display screen for user-selection of the required phonetic symbol;
or otherwise going to step (d4), if not;
(d3) retrieving, from the virtual-keyboard table, one of the plurality of virtual keyboards in a third layer that includes a third phonetic symbol in the intended phonetic-symbol combination, if the third phonetic-symbol is a non-tone symbol, and displaying the retrieved virtual keyboard on the display screen for user-selection of the required phonetic symbol;
or otherwise going to step (d4), if not;
(d4) retrieving, from the virtual-keyboard table, one of the plurality of virtual keyboards in a fourth layer that includes a fourth phonetic symbol for the tone of the intended Chinese character;
and displaying the retrieved virtual keyboard on the display screen for user-selection of the required phonetic symbol;
and
(d5) in response to the phonetic-symbol combination obtained through steps (d1) to (d4), retrieving, from the Chinese-character database, a set of Chinese characters corresponding to the phonetic-symbol combination;
and displaying this set of Chinese characters on the display screen for user-selection of the intended Chinese character.

12 more elements

the Chinese-character input system comprising:
(a) a Chinese-character database, which stores a set of Chinese characters and the mapping between each Chinese character and its phonetic-symbol combination based on the Roman Symbol Set;
(b) a virtual-keyboard table, which includes a plurality of virtual keyboards arranged in relational layers in accordance with a phonetic-symbol combination rule of the selected phonetic-symbol set, each virtual keyboard including a number of virtual keys mapped in one-to-one correspondence to the physical keys on the keyboard of the data processor, the virtual keyboards collectively displaying all the phonetic symbols in the roman symbols in the Roman Symbol Set, with each virtual keyboard displaying a specified part of the Roman Symbol Set;
(c) a user-input service module, coupled to the keyboard of the data processor, for keycode reception from the physical keys on the keyboard;
(d) a virtual-keyboard service module, which performs, in response to keycode input received by the user-input service module from the keyboard of the data processor, the steps of:
(d1) retrieving, from the virtual-keyboard table, one of the plurality of virtual keyboards in a first layer that includes a first Roman symbol in the phonetic-symbol combination that represents the pronunciation of the intended Chinese character that is to be input to the data processor, and displaying the retrieved virtual keyboard on the display screen for user-selection of the required Roman symbol;
(d2) retrieving, from the virtual-keyboard table, one of the plurality of virtual keyboards in a second that includes a second Roman-symbol in the intended phonetic-symbol combination, if the second phonetic-symbol is a non-tone symbol and displaying the retrieved virtual keyboard on the display screen for user-selection of the required Roman symbol;
or otherwise going to step (d4), if not;
(d3) retrieving, from the virtual-keyboard table, one of the plurality of virtual keyboards in a third layer that includes a third Roman symbol in the intended phonetic-symbol combination, if the third phonetic-symbol is a non-tone symbol, and displaying the retrieved virtual keyboard on the display screen for user-selection of the required Roman symbol;
or otherwise going to step (d4), if not;
(d4) retrieving, from the virtual-keyboard table, one of the plurality of virtual keyboards in a fourth layer that includes a fourth phonetic symbol for the tone of the intended Chinese character;
and displaying the retrieved virtual keyboard on the display screen for user-selection of the required Roman symbol;
and
(d5) in response to the phonetic-symbol combination obtained through steps (d1) to (d4), retrieving, from the Chinese-character database, a set of Chinese characters corresponding to the phonetic-symbol combination;
and displaying this set of Chinese characters on the display screen for user-selection of the intended Chinese character.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/348,899Filed 7 Jul 1999
Priority: TW 8810692129 Apr 1999
Granted: 23 Oct 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G06F 3/0236
Character input methods: using selection techniques to select from displayed items
B41J 3/01
Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed: for special character, e.g.…
G06F 3/018
Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer: input/output arrangements for oriental…
G06F
Computing and data processing