Patent ID: 6616703
Filing Date: 2003-09-09
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A character input apparatus, comprising: a character string dictionary which stores a number of character strings each including at least one character and having a predetermined meaning, in a predetermined storage order; and an operation input unit which generates various instructing signals in accordance with an operation of an operator, the apparatus selecting a character string from the character string dictionary based on the instructing signal and inputting the character string, the apparatus comprising:display means having a display screen for displaying the selected character string and listing candidate character strings from which the character string is selected; a candidate character string extracting portion including selection means for selecting a predetermined character string from a plurality of the listed candidate character strings, based on a selection instructing signal generated by an operation in the operation input unit, and extraction threshold value changing means for continuously changing an extraction threshold value of character strings, based on a threshold value change instructing signal generated by an operation in the operation input unit, the candidate character string extracting portion extracting character strings from all the character strings stored in the character string dictionary as the candidate character strings, based on comparison between extraction priorities of the character strings and the extraction threshold value(s); and display control means for controlling the display means in such a manner that the candidate character strings extracted from the candidate character string extracting portion are listed and the character string selected by the selecting means is displayed on the display screen, wherein the operation input unit has a position specifying number for specifying a position on the display screen, and is designed in such a manner that the threshold value changing signal is generated by an operation of the position specifying member, and the display control means controls the display means in such a manner that, in regions on both sides of the position specified by the position specifying member on the display screen, the listed candidate character strings are shifted in an opposite direction to each other with respect to the specified position, when the number of the candidate character strings is increased or decreased in accordance with a change in the extraction threshold value.