US 6,392,640 B1 · Entry of words with thumbwheel by disambiguation

Abstract

An improved method and apparatus for entering words with a menu and thumbwheel. A menu and thumbwheel is an effective user interface for certain specialized miniature information appliances, including personal digital assistants, two-way pagers, and handheld wireless Web access devices. However, entering text can be rather tedious. In the present invention, the average entry speed is increased by using menus in which each item contains more than one letter. The user enters the first few letters of a word ambiguously, with the system retrieving from a dictionary those words consistent with the letters and displaying them as part of the menu. When the user sees the desired word, that word is selected. The system can also learn which words a particular user is likely to enter, further speeding up entry. The approach is applicable to the entry of words to compose natural language text as well as the entry of names, electronic mail, and Web addresses for use with electronic mail, directory lookup, and Web browsing.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for entering words into a computer system, comprising the steps of:

displaying an ordered sequence of items, wherein at least two of the items comprise two or more characters, and wherein one item in the ordered sequence is designated by displaying it in a manner different from the others;
moving the designation of an item in response to the movement of a rotating cylinder until a desired character is contained in the item being designated, with the force required for the movement of the rotating cylinder varying depending upon the relationship of the cylinder position with an item;
selecting the designated item, thus ambiguously selecting one of the two or more characters, by pressing a button;
adding the group of characters corresponding to the selected item to a sequence of groups of characters that ambiguously describe the beginning sequence of characters of a desired word;
retrieving at least one word from a memory consistent with the sequence of selected groups of characters;
adding the at least one word to the ordered sequence of items;
displaying the at least one word added;
selecting the desired word by moving the cylinder so as to designate the desired word and pressing the button.

5 more elements

An apparatus for entering text into a computer system, comprising:

a display for displaying an ordered sequence of items, wherein at least two of the items comprise an alphabetic input item, each alphabetic input item comprising two or more letters, thus allowing an ambiguous selection of one of the two or more letters, and in which one of the items in the ordered sequence is designated by displaying it in a manner different from the others;
a cylinder that, when rotated, moves the designation of the item in the ordered sequence, with the force required for the movement of the rotating cylinder varying depending upon the relationship of the cylinder position with an item;
a button that, when pressed, selects the alphabetic input item currently designated;
a memory containing a list of words that can be entered into the computer system;
a microprocessor connected to the display, cylinder, and button, the microprocessor adding the selected alphabetic input items to a sequence of selected alphabetic input items that ambiguously describe the beginning letters of a desired word, retrieve at least one word from memory based on the sequence of selected alphabetic input items, adding the at least one word retrieved from memory to the ordered sequence of items, and displaying the at least one word retrieved from memory.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Entry of words with thumbwheel by disambiguation

Life of this patent

Entry of words with thumbwheel by disambiguation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20