Patent ID: 6271835
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for operating a touch-screen input device including a touch sensitive screen comprising the steps of:displaying a plurality of input keys on said touch sensitive screen;mapping a plurality of characters to each input key;receiving a user input;determining whether said user input designates a single character;determining whether said user input designates a re-map command;selecting said single character responsive to said input designating said single character; andre-mapping said keys responsive to said input designating a re-map command; wherein the step of selecting said single character includes:inserting an alphanumeric character or symbol into the text stream; orperforming the function represented by the selected character representing said function;wherein said input keys are divided into a plurality of elements; and wherein said mapping step includes initially mapping single characters to particular elements; and wherein said re-map command includes receiving an input of a plurality of elements when single characters are mapped to individual elements; and wherein said re-mapping step includes mapping single characters to input keys; and wherein said input designating a single character includes an input of a particular element when a single character is mapped to said particular element, or an input of any number of elements from the same input key when a single character is mapped to said input key.