Apparatus and method for inputting characters in a terminal

A method for inputting characters through a touch screen in a terminal, comprising:

• displaying, on a display of the terminal, a first key set including first letter keys with consonants and a combination lock key for entering a compound consonant by selecting intended consonants from the first key set without using a second key set;
• selecting a first letter key from the first letter key set;
• displaying, on the display of the terminal, the second key set including a first letter selected from the first key set and second letter keys with predetermined vowels combinable with the selected first letter;
• receiving at least one letter from the first key set and the second key set;
• selecting the combination lock key;
• and
• delaying the displaying of the second key set until a last consonant associated with the compound consonant is selected.

An apparatus for inputting characters through a touch screen in a terminal, comprising:

• a touch screen for displaying a first key set and a second key set, the first key set including a plurality of square first letter keys that have predetermined consonants and a square combination lock key for entering a compound consonant by selecting intended consonants from the first key set without using the second key set, and the second key set including a plurality of square second letter keys to which a plurality of second letters related to a first letter corresponding to a first letter key selected from among the plurality of square first letter keys of the first key set are allocated around the selected first letter;
• and
• a controller for, upon selection of the first letter key from the first key set, controlling the touch screen to display the second key set and receiving an input of at least one letter of the second key set,
• wherein upon selection of the square combination lock key, the controller controls the touch screen not to display the second key set until a last consonant associated with the compound consonant is selected.

A character input method of a terminal, comprising:

• displaying a first key set on a touch screen, the first key set including a plurality of square first letter keys that have predetermined consonants and a square combination lock key for entering a compound consonant by selecting intended consonants from the first key set without using a second key set;
• receiving an input of a first letter key from among the plurality of square first letter keys of the first key set;
• displaying the second key set including a plurality of square second letter keys to which a plurality of second letters related to a first letter corresponding to the selected first letter key are allocated around the selected first letter;
• receiving an input of at least one of the second letter keys of the second key set;
• selecting the square combination lock key;
• and
• delaying the displaying of the second key set until a last consonant associated with the compound consonant is selected.