Method for transferring characters especially to a computer and an input device which functions according to this method

An input device having a positioning element and a circuit for transferring characters from a pre-determined character selection menu, whereby the character selection menu includes characters displayed as elements on a display surface that is subdivided into a plurality of fields, and whereby the elements are selected by a mark on the display surface and said mark is moved by applying external pressure to a positioning element before the transfer of the thereby selected characters is initiated;

• the fields contain each a central element and there are arranged next to it additional elements, one of the fields designated as a central field beside which additional fields are arranged, the selection of a character occurring in a manner whereby the mark may be moved, each time in the direction designated by the positioning element, at first in a first direction from the central element of the central field to a central element of an adjacent field and immediately after that in a second direction to an adjacent element on said field that is in turn adjacent to the central element, whereby the transfer of said character is generated and assigned to this last reached element, and whereby the marking automatically jumps back into the central element of the central field,
• the circuit effecting the transfer of the last jumped-on character as soon as the pressure which is applied externally on the positioning element during movement in the second direction drops;
• or at the latest, when the movement of the pressure element in the second direction has exceeded a pre-determined time period.

An input device having a positioning element and a circuit for transferring characters from a pre-determined character selection menu, whereby the character selection menu includes characters displayed as elements on a display surface that is subdivided into a plurality of fields, and whereby the elements are selected by a mark on the display surface and said mark is moved by applying external pressure to a positioning element before the transfer of the thereby selected characters is initiated;

• the fields contain each a central element and there are arranged next to it additional elements, one of the fields designated as a central field beside which additional fields are arranged, the selection of a character occurring in a manner whereby the mark may be moved, each time in the direction designated by the positioning element, at first in a first direction from the central element of the central field to a central element of an adjacent field and immediately after that in a second direction to an adjacent element on said field that is in turn adjacent to the central element, whereby the transfer of said character is generated and assigned to this last reached element, and whereby the marking automatically jumps back into the central element of the central field,
• wherein the character set of a conventional computer keyboard is displayed in a matrix-shaped group of 3×3 fields on which there are elements arranged around a central element, plus there is an additional matrix-shaped group of 3×1 fields for function keys.

An input device having a positioning element and a circuit for transferring characters from a pre-determined character selection menu, whereby the character selection menu includes characters displayed as elements on a display surface that is subdivided into a plurality of fields, and whereby the elements are selected by a mark on the display surface and said mark is moved by applying pressure to a positioning element before the transfer of the thereby selected characters is initiated;

• the fields contain each a neutral central element and there are arranged next to it additional output elements, one of the fields designated as a central field beside which additional fields are arranged, the selection of a character occurring in a manner whereby the mark may be moved, each time in the direction designated by the positioning element, at first in a first direction from the central element of the central field to a central element of an adjacent field and immediately after that in a second direction to an adjacent element on said field that is in turn adjacent to the central element, whereby the transfer of said character is generated and assigned to this last reached element, and whereby the marking automatically jumps back into the central element of the central field,
• wherein the character set of a conventional computer keyboard is displayed in a matrix-shaped group of 3×3 fields on which there are elements arranged around a central neutral element.