|
Mobile Phone Patent Abstract
A wireless mobile phone, is provided with an input keypad having
a number of touch sensitive keys, and complementary logic to facilitate
entry of alphanumeric data through stroking of the touch sensitive
keys of the input keypad. Alphanumeric data or commands are entered
through selected ones of down, up, right, left, and a number of
other patterns of stroking of the touch sensitive keys. As a result,
a user may enter alphanumeric data or commands in a much more user
friendly manner.
Mobile Phone Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A wireless mobile phone comprising: an input keypad having a
plurality of touch sensitive keys; and means coupled to the input
keypad to interpret key stroking patterns of said touch sensitive
keys by a user to facilitate entry of alphanumeric data or commands,
wherein each key stroking pattern is composed of one or more stroke
pattern directions with each stroke pattern direction defined by
a stroking of two or more adjacent ones of said touch sensitive
keys.
2. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said wireless
mobile phone further comprises a transceiver to send and receive
signals, including signals encoded with said alphanumeric data/commands
entered through stroking of said touch sensitive keys.
3. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said wireless
mobile phone further comprises a display, and said means further
echoes on said display said alphanumeric data entered through stroking
of said touch sensitive keys.
4. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a downward stroking pattern where the user strokes
two or more of said touch sensitive keys in a downward direction.
5. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include an upward stroking pattern where the user strokes
two or more of said touch sensitive keys in an upward direction.
6. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a right stroking pattern where the user strokes
two or more of said touch sensitive keys in a rightward direction.
7. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a left stroking pattern where the user strokes
two or more of said touch sensitive keys in a leftward direction.
8. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a down right stroking pattern where the user strokes
a plurality of said touch sensitive keys first in a downward direction
then in a rightward direction.
9. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a down left stroking pattern where the user strokes
a plurality of said touch sensitive keys first in a downward direction
then in a leftward direction.
10. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include an up right stroking pattern where the user strokes
a plurality of said touch sensitive keys first in an upward direction
then in a rightward direction.
11. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include an up left stroking pattern where the user strokes
a plurality of said touch sensitive keys first in an upward direction
then in a leftward direction.
12. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a right down stroking pattern where the user strokes
a plurality of said touch sensitive keys first in a rightward direction
then in a downward direction.
13. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a right up stroking pattern where the user strokes
a plurality of said touch sensitive keys first in a rightward direction
then in an upward direction.
14. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a left down stroking pattern where the user strokes
a plurality of said touch sensitive keys first in a leftward direction
then in a downward direction.
15. The wireless of keys of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a left up stroking pattern where the user strokes
a plurality of said touch sensitive keys first in a leftward direction
then in an upward direction.
16. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a diagonal stroking pattern where the user strokes
a plurality of said touch sensitive keys in a top to bottom, left
to right direction.
17. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a diagonal stroking pattern where the user strokes
a plurality of said touch sensitive keys in a top to bottom, right
to left direction.
18. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a diagonal stroking pattern where the user strokes
a plurality of said touch sensitive keys in a bottom to top, left
to right direction.
19. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said key stroking
patterns include a diagonal stroking pattern where the user strokes
a plurality of said touch sensitive keys in a bottom to top, right
to left direction.
20. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said input keypad
is a touch pad, and said touch sensitive keys are logically partitioned
regions of said touch pad.
21. In a wireless mobile phone, a method of operation comprising:
monitoring one or more of a user's key stroking patterns of touch
sensitive keys of an input keypad, wherein each said key stroking
pattern is composed of one or more stroke pattern directions with
each stroke pattern direction defined by a stroking of two or more
adjacent ones of said touch sensitive keys; and in response, determining
alphanumeric data or commands corresponding to the stroking pattern,
and generating digital representations of the determined alphanumeric
data/commands.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein said method further comprises
transmitting said alphanumeric data/commands.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein said method further comprises
visually echoing on a display, said alphanumeric data.
24. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a downward stroking pattern where the user strokes two or
more of said touch sensitive keys in a downward direction.
25. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include an up stroking pattern where the user strokes two or more
of said touch sensitive keys in an upward direction.
26. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a right stroking pattern where the user strokes two or more
of said touch sensitive keys in a rightward direction.
27. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a left stroking pattern where the user strokes two or more
of said touch sensitive keys in a leftward direction.
28. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a down right stroking pattern where the user strokes a plurality
of said touch sensitive keys first in a downward direction then
in a rightward direction.
29. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a down left stroking pattern where the user strokes a plurality
of said touch sensitive keys first in a downward direction then
in a leftward direction.
30. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include an up right stroking pattern where the user strokes a plurality
of said touch sensitive keys first in an upward direction then in
a rightward direction.
31. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include an up left stroking pattern where the user strokes a plurality
of said touch sensitive keys first in an upward direction then in
a leftward direction.
32. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a right down stroking pattern where the user strokes two
or more of said touch sensitive keys first in a rightward direction
then in a downward direction.
33. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a right up stroking pattern where the user strokes two or
more of said touch sensitive keys first in a rightward direction
then in an upward direction.
34. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a left down stroking pattern where the user strokes a plurality
of said touch sensitive keys first in a leftward direction then
in a downward direction.
35. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a left up stroking pattern where the user strokes a plurality
of said touch sensitive keys first in a leftward direction then
in an upward direction.
36. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a diagonal stroking pattern where the user strokes a plurality
of said touch sensitive keys in a top to bottom, left to right direction.
37. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a diagonal stroking pattern where the user strokes a plurality
of said touch sensitive keys in a top to bottom, right to left direction.
38. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a diagonal stroking pattern where the user strokes a plurality
of said touch sensitive keys in a bottom to top, left to right direction.
39. The method of claim 21, wherein said key stroking patterns
include a diagonal stroking pattern where the user strokes a plurality
of said touch sensitive keys in a bottom to top, right to left direction.
40. The method of claim 21, wherein said input keypad is a touch
pad, and said touch sensitive keys are logically partitioned regions
of said touch pad; further, said monitoring comprises monitoring
stroking of said logically partitioned regions of said touch pad.
41. A wireless mobile phone comprising: an input keypad having
a plurality of physical touch sensitive keys, each having one or
more light emitting diodes (LED); and means coupled to the input
keypad to interpret key stroking patterns of said touch sensitive
keys by a user to facilitate entry of alphanumeric data or commands,
wherein said means further lights said LEDs of said touch sensitive
keys to visually echo the key stroking patterns being imparted by
a user of said wireless mobile phone.
42. In a wireless mobile phone, a method of operation comprising:
monitoring one or more of a user's key stroking patterns of physical
touch sensitive keys of an input keypad, each of said touch sensitive
keys having one or more light emitting diodes (LED); and in response,
determining alphanumeric data or commands corresponding to the stroking
pattern, generating digital representations of the determined alphanumeric
data/commands, and lighting said LEDs of said touch sensitive keys
to visually echo an observed key stroking pattern.
43. In a wireless mobile phone, a method of operation comprising:
performing a first operation associated with an ancillary function
of said wireless mobile phone including entry of a first data or
command by imparting a first stroking pattern of one or more touch
sensitive keys of an input keypad of said wireless mobile phone;
and performing a second operation associated with said ancillary
function of said wireless mobile phone including entry of a second
data or command by imparting a second stroking pattern of one or
more touch sensitive keys of said input keypad of said wireless
mobile phone, wherein at least one of said first and second stroking
patterns is composed of one or more stroke pattern directions with
each stroke pattern direction defined by a stroking of two or more
adjacent ones of said touch sensitive keys.
44. The method of claim 43, wherein the method further comprises:
performing a second operation associated with a second ancillary
function of said wireless mobile phone including entry of a second
data or command by imparting a second stroking pattern of one or
more touch sensitive keys of said input keypad of said wireless
mobile phone.
45. The method of claim 43, wherein said ancillary function is
a selected one of telephone directory, calendar, email and web browsing
function.
46. A wireless mobile phone comprising: an input keypad having
a plurality of touch sensitive keys; and a micro-controller and
associated memory, including programming instructions stored therein,
coupled to the input keypad to interpret stroking patterns of said
touch sensitive keys by a user to facilitate entry of alphanumeric
data or commands, wherein at least one of said first and second
stroking patterns is composed of one or more stroke pattern directions
with each stroke pattern direction defined by a stroking of two
or more adjacent ones of said touch sensitive keys.
47. In a wireless mobile phone, a method of operation comprising:
monitoring one or more of a user's key stroking patterns of physical
touch sensitive keys of an input keypad, each of said touch sensitive
keys having one or more light emitting diodes (LED); and in response,
lighting said LEDs of said touch sensitive keys to visually echo
an observed key stroking pattern.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of wireless mobile phones.
More specifically, the present invention relates to the data entry
features of these devices.
2. Background Information
Advances in integrated circuit and telecommunication technology
have led to wide spread adoption of wireless mobile client devices,
in particular, wireless mobile telephones. Wireless mobile phones
offer the advantage of enabling their users to be communicatively
reachable by their business associates, friends and family members,
wherever the users may be, as long as they are within the reach
of the service networks. Thus, even non-professionals are increasingly
dependent on their wireless mobile phones to meet their communication
needs.
Many late model mobile phones also include a wide variety of ancillary
functions, including but not limited to calendar, games, emails,
web browsing, and so forth. Thus, users of wireless mobile phones,
especially the late models, increasingly find themselves having
to enter alphanumeric data. However, as those skilled in the art
would appreciate, most mobile phones, because of space limitations,
merely include a 12-key "numeric" keypad. Entry of alphabets
require well timed pressing of the "numeric" keys. A quick
press of the "2" key followed by a pause is necessary
to enter the letter "a", a quick double press of the "2"
key followed by a pause is required to enter the letter "b",
and so forth. Thus, alphanumeric data entry under the prior art
is cumbersome, and not user friendly.
Accordingly, a more user friendly approach to facilitating alphanumeric
data entry into a wireless mobile phone, is desired.
Note: The term "wireless mobile phone" as used in herein
(in the specification and in the claims) refers to the class of
telephone devices equipped to enable a user to make and receive
calls wirelessly, notwithstanding the user's movement, as long as
the user is within the communication reach of a service or base
station. The term "wireless mobile phone" is to include
the analog subclass as well as the digital subclass (of all signaling
protocols).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A wireless mobile phone, is provided with an input keypad having
a number of touch sensitive keys, and complementary logic to facilitate
entry of alphanumeric data by stroking the touch sensitive keys
of the input keypad. Alphanumeric data or commands (including menu
selections) are entered through selected ones of down, up, right,
left, and a number of other patterns of stroking the touch sensitive
keys. As a result, a user may enter alphanumeric data or commands
(including menu selections) in a much more user friendly manner.
In one embodiment, the complementary logic further facilitates
echoing on a display, alphanumeric data corresponding to the stroking
patterns imparted. Additionally, the touch sensitive keys include
light emitting diodes (LEDs), and the LEDs are lit to visually echo
the stroking patterns being imparted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments,
but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in
which like references denote similar elements, and in which:
FIGS. 1a-1b illustrate a wireless mobile phone of the present invention,
having incorporated with the key stroking based data entry facilities
of the present invention, in accordance with two embodiments;
FIGS. 1c-1d illustrate two additional alternate embodiments to
the wireless mobile phones of
FIGS. 1a-1b;
FIG. 2 illustrates the operational flow of the relevant aspects
of the key stroking pattern logic provided to the wireless mobile
phones of FIGS. 1a-1d, in accordance with one embodiment;
FIG. 3 illustrates an internal component view of the wireless mobile
phones of FIGS. 1a-1d, in accordance with one embodiment;
FIGS. 4a-4p illustrate the various key stroking patterns that may
be recognized under various stroking directions to facilitate data
entry; and
FIG. 5 summarizes the number of key stroking patterns recognized
under each of the stroking directions illustrated by FIGS. 4a-4p.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the following description, various aspects of the present invention
will be described. However, it will be apparent to those skilled
in the art that the present invention may be practiced with only
some or all aspects of the present invention. For purposes of explanation,
specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in
order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention.
However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that
the present invention may be practiced without the specific details.
In other instances, well known features are omitted or simplified
in order not to obscure the present invention. The phrase "in
one embodiment" will be used repeatedly, however the phrase
does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may.
Referring now to FIGS. 1a-1d, wherein four embodiments of a wireless
mobile phone, incorporated with the teachings of the present invention
are shown. As illustrated, in accordance with the present invention,
wireless mobile phone 100/100'/100"/100'" is provided
with an input keypad 102/102'/102"/102'" having touch
sensitive keys, and complementary logic (shown as ref. 330 in FIG.
3) to facilitate a user of phone 100/100'/100"/100'" to
enter alphanumeric data, e.g. a name search criteria, a text message
to be transmitted, or a command, through stroking patterns imparted
on the touch sensitive keys of keypad 102/102'/102"/102'".
That is, various alphabets, punctuations, as well as commands are
assigned corresponding key stroking patterns, and whenever the assigned
key stroking pattern is imparted by a user, the corresponding alphabet,
punctuation or command is deemed to have been entered by the user,
and generated internally accordingly.
The "keys" of keypad 102/102'/102"/102'" are
touch sensitive in the sense that the complementary logic is able
to discern a user's stroking or gliding pattern over the "keys"
(with his/her thumb or other fingers), without requiring the user
to depress the keys. For examples, the complementary logic is able
to discern the user stroking or gliding over keys [1, 4] in a downward
direction, [0, 8] in an upward direction, [1, 2, 3] in a rightward
direction, [9, 8, 7] in a leftward direction, and so forth.
Note that all directional movements are objectively determined
with the layout of the keypad as reference. Movement of a user's
finger from a key of row [1, 2, 3] towards another key of the same
column of row [*, 0, #] is moving in a downward direction, while
movement in the reverse direction is moving in an upward direction.
Movement of a user's finger from a key of column [1, 4, 7, *] towards
another key of the same row of column [3, 6, 9, #] is moving in
a rightward direction, while movement in the reverse direction is
moving in a leftward direction.
In the embodiments of FIGS. 1a-1b, each of keypads 102 and 102'
includes a plurality of actual physical keys. These physical keys
may be made touch sensitive using anyone of a number of touch sensitive
techniques known in the art, e.g. via embedded capacitors. For the
illustrated embodiments, in addition to being touch sensitive, keys
of different geometric shapes, or different surface smoothness,
or other different attributes, are employed as corner keys, keys
103a-103d/103a'-103d', to enable a user to have a better feel of
his/her thumb or other fingers' position on input keypad 102/102'
when imparting a stroking pattern. Further, keys of keypad 102/102'
are provided with light emitting diodes (LED). The LEDs are employed
to provide feedback to the user with respect to the stroking pattern
being imparted. That is, the LEDs of the keys being stroked or glided
over by the user are lit.
In the embodiments of FIGS. 1c-1d, input keypads 102" and
102'" are formed using touch pads. That is, each of key pads
102" and 102'" are logically partitioned into e.g. at
least twelve regions, and the logically partitioned regions are
correspondingly assigned to represent the conventional "buttons"
or "keys" [1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9], [*, 0, #] (going
left to right and top to bottom). Numeric entries and entry of the
symbols * and # are effectuated by "tapping" the corresponding
regions or "keys". Thus, unless the context requires otherwise,
in general, the term "key" as used hereafter (including
in the claims) include "real" physical keys (as those
of the embodiments of FIGS. 1a-1b) and "soft" keys (as
those of the embodiments of FIGS. 1c-1d). Beside touch sensitive
keypad 102/102'/102"/102'" and the complementary logic,
mobile phone 100/100'/100"/100'" is otherwise intended
to represent a broad range of mobile phones known in the art. In
addition to touch sensitive keypad 102/102'/102"/102'"
and the complementary logic, mobile phone 100/100'/100"/100'"
further includes, "talk" and "end talk" buttons
104, cursor control buttons 106, display screen 108/108', antenna
110/110', ear speaker 112 and microphone 114. Mobile phone 100/100'/100"/100'"
also includes body casing 116/116' with top end 118a and bottom
end 118b.
The embodiments of FIGS. 1a and 1c differ from the embodiments
of FIGS. 1b and 1d in the relative disposition of antenna 110/110'
to ear speaker 112, and the relative disposition of keypad 102/102'/102"/102'"
to display 108/108'. In the embodiments of FIGS. 1a and 1c, similar
to conventional prior art mobile phones, antenna 110 and ear speaker
112 are both disposed near top end 118a, whereas in the embodiments
of FIGS. 1b and 1d, unlike conventional prior art mobile phones,
antenna 110' is disposed near bottom end 118b while ear speaker
112 is disposed near top end 118a. In the embodiments of FIGS. 1a-1c,
similar to conventional prior art mobile phones, keypad 102/102"
is disposed in the lower half of phone 100/100" beneath display
108, whereas in the embodiments of FIGS. 1b-1d, unlike conventional
prior art mobile phones, keypad 102'/102' is disposed in the upper
half of phone 100'/100'" above display 108. Disposition of
antenna 110' near bottom end 118b, and disposition of display 108'
beneath keypad 102'/102'", are the subject matters of co-pending
application Ser. No. 09/767,526, contemporaneously filed herewith,
entitled "A Wireless Mobile Phone with Inverted Placement of
Antenna and Input Keypad", which is hereby fully incorporated
by reference.
FIGS. 4a-4p illustrate hundreds of key stroking or gliding patterns
under various stroking directions, recognized by one embodiment
of the present invention. FIG. 4a illustrates the key stroking patterns
recognized under a downward stroking direction. As illustrated,
the recognized downward key stroking patterns include [1], [2],
[3], [1, 4], [2, 5], [3, 6], [1, 4, 7], and so forth. A "down"
row of table 500 of FIG. 5, a total of 21 downward key stroking
patterns, 3 of length one, 9 of length two, 6 of length three, and
3 of length four are recognized. FIG. 4b illustrates the key stroking
patterns recognized under an upward stroking direction. As illustrated,
the recognized upward key stroking patterns include [*], [0], [#],
[*, 7], [0, 8], [#, 9], [*, 7, 4], and so forth. As summarized in
the "up" row of table 500 of FIG. 5, similarly, a total
of 21 upward key stroking patterns, 3 of length one, 9 of length
two, 6 of length three, and 3 of length four are recognized. In
other words, the mere employment of two stroking directions is already
sufficient to represent the 26 letters of the English alphabet,
with 16 additional key stroking patterns available to represent
selected number of punctuations and commands.
FIG. 4c illustrates the key stroking patterns recognized under
a rightward stroking direction. As illustrated, the recognized rightward
stroking patterns include [1, 2], [1, 2, 3], [2, 3], and so forth.
As summarized in the "right" row of table 500 of FIG.
5, a total of 12 key stroking patterns, 8 of length two, and 4 of
length three are recognized. Similarly, FIG. 4d illustrates the
key stroking patterns recognized under a leftward stroking direction.
As illustrated, the recognized leftward stroking patterns include
[3, 2], [3, 2, 1], [2, 1], and so forth. As summarized in the "left"
row of table 500 of FIG. 5, a total of 12 stroking patterns, 8 of
length two, and 4 of length three are recognized.
FIGS. 4e and 4f illustrate the key stroking patterns recognized
under a first down then right (down right) stroking direction, and
a first down then left (down left) stroking direction. As illustrated,
the recognized down right stroking patterns include [1, 4, 5], [1,
4, 5, 6], [1, 4, 7, 8], and so forth, whereas the recognized down
left stroking patterns include [3, 6, 5], [3, 6, 5, 4], [3, 6, 9,
8], and so forth. As summarized in the "down right" and
the "down left" rows of table 500 of FIG. 5, in each case,
a total of 18 key stroking patterns, 6 of length three, 7 of length
four, 4 of length five, and 1 of length six are recognized. Similarly,
FIGS. 4g and 4h illustrate the key stroking patterns recognized
under a first up then right (up right) stroking direction, and a
first up then left (up left) stroking direction. As illustrated,
the recognized up right stroking patterns include [*, 7, 8], [*,
7, 8, 9], [*, 7, 4, 5], and so forth, whereas the recognized up
left stroking patterns include [#, 9, 8], [#, 9, 8, 7], [#, 9, 6,
5], and so forth. As summarized in the "up right" and
the "up left" rows of table 500 of FIG. 5, in each case,
a total of 18 stroking patterns, 6 of length three, 7 of length
four, 4 of length five, and 1 of length six are recognized.
Thus, with the further employment of these additional six stroking
directions, right, left, down right, down left, up right and up
left, more than a hundred total alphabets, punctuations, commands
and strings may be easily entered by a user.
FIGS. 4i and 4j illustrate the key stroking patterns recognized
under a first left then down (left down) stroking direction, and
a first right then down (right down) stroking direction. As illustrated,
the recognized left down stroking patterns include [3, 2, 5], [3,
2, 5, 8], [3, 2, 1, 4], and so forth, whereas the recognized right
down stroking patterns include [1, 2, 5], [1, 2, 5, 8], [1, 2, 3,
6], and so forth. As summarized in the "left down" and
the "right down" rows of table 500 of FIG. 5, in each
case, a total of 18 key stroking patterns, 6 of length three, 7
of length four, 4 of length five, and 1 of length six are recognized.
Similarly, FIGS. 4k and 4l illustrate the key stroking patterns
recognized under a first left then up (left up) stroking direction,
and a first right then up (right up) stroking direction. As illustrated,
the recognized left up stroking patterns include [#, 0, 8], [#,
0, 8, 5], [#0, *, 7], and so forth, whereas the recognized right
up stroking patterns include [*, 0, 8], [*, 0, 8, 5], [*0, #, 9]
and so forth. As summarized in the "left up" and the "right
up" rows of table 500 of FIG. 5, in each case, a total of 18
key stroking patterns, 6 of length three, 7 of length four, 4 of
length five, and 1 of length six are recognized.
FIGS. 4m and 4n illustrate the key stroking patterns recognized
under a diagonal, top to bottom, left to right (DTBLR) stroking
direction, and a diagonal, top to bottom, right to left (DTBRL)
stroking direction. As illustrated, the recognized diagonal top
to bottom, left to right, key stroking patterns include [1, 2, 5,
6], [1, 2, 5, 8, 9], and so forth, whereas the recognized diagonal,
top to bottom, right to left key stroking patterns include [3, 2,
5, 4], [3, 2, 5, 8, 7], and so forth. As summarized in the "DTBLR"
and the "DTBRL" rows of table 500 of FIG. 5, in each case,
a total of 6 key stroking patterns, 3 of length four, 2 of length
five, and 1 of length six are recognized. Similarly, FIGS. 4o and
4p illustrate the key stroking patterns recognized under a diagonal,
bottom to top, left to right (DBTLR) stroking direction, and a diagonal,
bottom to top, right to left (DTBRL) stroking direction. As illustrated,
the recognized diagonal bottom to top, left to right, key stroking
patterns include [*, 0, 8, 9], [*, 0, 8, 5, 6], and so forth, whereas
the recognized diagonal, bottom to top, right to left key stroking
patterns include [#, 0, 8, 7], [#, 0, 8, 5, 4], and so forth. As
summarized in the "DBTLR" and the "DBTRL" rows
of table 500 of FIG. 5, in each case, a total of 6 key stroking
patterns, 3 of length four, 2 of length five, and 1 of length six
are recognized.
Thus, with the further employment of these additional eight stroking
directions, left down, right down, left up, right up, DTBLR, DTBRL,
DBTLR, and DBTRL, as many as another hundred total commands and
strings, totally over two hundred, may be easily entered by a user.
Tables I and II below illustrate one example assignment of some
of the earlier described key stroking patterns to represent the
26 letters of the English alphabet and four punctuations.
TABLE I Key Stroking Patterns for Letters Stroking Key Stroking
Letters Direction Pattern A Down [2] B Down [2, 5] C Down [2, 5,
8] D Down [3] E Down [3, 6] F Down [3, 6, 9] G Up [4, 1] H Down
[4, 7] I Down [4, 7, 1] J Up [5, 2] K Down [5, 8] L Down [5, 8,
0] M Up [6, 3] N Down [6, 9] O Down [6, 9, #] P Down [7, *] Q Up
[7, 4] R Up [7, 4, 1] S Right [7, 8] T Down [8, 0] U Up [8, 5] V
Up [8, 5, 2] W Down [9, #] X Up [9, 6] Y Up [9, 6, 3] Z Left [9,
8]
TABLE II Key Stroking Patterns for Punctuations Stroking Key Stroking
Punctuations Direction Pattern / (slash) Right [1, 2, 3] , (comma)
Left [3, 2, 1] . (period) Right [4, 5, 6] ? (question mark) Left
[6, 5, 4]
Thus, it can be seen from the above description, a user of phone
100/100'/100"/100'" may advantageously use the key stroking
based input facilities provided to enter alphanumeric data, commands
and/or strings in a much more user friendly manner. The key stroking
based input facilities are especially useful when working with "ancillary"
functions of phone 100/100'/100"/100'", such as performing
a name search, updating a phone directory or calendar, replying
to an email, or browsing a web page.
Before further describing the present invention, it should be noted
that the above described key stroking patterns of the various stroking
directions are not necessarily the only key stroking patterns that
can be recognized of the stroking directions. Further, the described
stroking directions are not the only stroking directions that can
be imparted either. The present invention may be practiced with
additional key stroking patterns along the described stroking directions,
as well as additional stroking directions. In particular, with additional
key stroking patterns and/or directions, or combinations of the
above described patterns (e.g. using the single button length stroking
patterns (such as up [#]) as conjunctions to join the described
patterns to form compound patterns (such as joining right [4, 5]
and right [5, 6]), even more key stroking patterns may be formed.
Referring now to FIG. 2, wherein the operational flow of the relevant
aspects of the complementary logic is shown. As illustrated, during
operation, upon start up, the complementary logic continuously monitors
for the touching of a key of keypad 102/102'/102"/102'"
denoting the potential start of a stroking pattern (or after a pause
denoting completion of a previously completed stroking pattern).
Upon detecting the touching of a key, the complementary logic monitors
if the user begins to impart a stroking or gliding pattern, block
202. Upon detection of movement, the complementary logic logs or
records the keys stroked or glided by the user (e.g. in a working
buffer or other storage locations of phone 100/100'/100"/100'"),
block 204. In one embodiment, the complementary logic further lights
up the LEDs of the key touched by the user to provide feedback to
the user.
Upon logging the key stroked (and optionally, lighting the key's
LED), the complementary logic determines if the stroking continues
or is terminated, block 206. If continuous movement is detected,
the process returns to block 204. On the other hand, if cessation
or termination of movement is detected, the process continues at
block 208, where an alphabet, a punctuation, a command or a string
corresponding to the sensed stroking or gliding pattern is considered
entered, and its entry is simulated by the complementary logic.
That is, the binary code representing the corresponding alphabet,
punctuation, command or string is generated, and placed onto the
input data path, as in devices where a user may employ a full keyboard
to enter the alphabet, punctuation, command or string. Termination
of a stroking or gliding pattern may be determined in accordance
with a predetermined time interval, where no further movement is
detected. In one embodiment, the complementary logic further causes
the entered alphabet, punctuation, command or string to be echoed
on display 108/108' of phone 100/100'/100"/100'".
In alternate embodiments, where compound stroking patterns (i.e.
stroking patterns formed by joining the above described stroking
patterns) are utilized, the complementary logic may determine if
a stroking pattern is immediately followed by a stroking pattern
(preferably of length one) designated as a conjunction, before concluding
the entry of an "alphabet". If the stroking pattern is
immediately followed by a "conjunction" stroking pattern,
the complementary logic would interpret the two stroking patterns
in combination (and not separately). To streamline operation, such
additional decision making is made only if phone 100/100'/100"/100'"
has been configured to support "compound stroking patterns",
e.g. via a system profile setting.
FIG. 3 illustrates an architecture view of a wireless mobile phone
300, in accordance with one embodiment. As illustrated, wireless
mobile phone 300 includes elements found in conventional mobile
client devices, such as micro-controller/processor 302, digital
signal processor (DSP) 304, non-volatile memory 306, general purpose
input/output (GPIO) interface 308, transmit/receive (TX/RX) 312
(also referred to as a transceiver), coupled to each other via bus
314, and disposed on a circuit board 320. Except for the use of
non-volatile memory 306 to host complementary logic 330, the elements
are used to perform their conventional functions known in the art.
In particular, TX/RX 312 may support one or more of any of the known
signaling protocols, including but are not limited to CDMA, TDMA,
GSM, and so forth. Their constitutions are known. Accordingly, the
elements will not be further described.
Thus, a wireless mobile phone enhanced to enable its user to enter
alphanumeric data, punctuations, commands, strings, and the like,
through key stroking or gliding patterns has been described. While
the present invention has been described in terms of the above illustrated
embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention
is not limited to the embodiments described. The present invention
can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit
and scope of the appended claims. Thus, the description is to be
regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive on the present invention.
|