Patent ID: 7312410
Filing Date: 2007-12-25
Classification: G06F,H01H

Abstract:
1. A method of enabling input into a handheld electronic device, said handheld electronic device having a keyboard assembly, an output device, and a processor, said processor being in electronic communication with said output device and said keyboard assembly and structured to receive an input from said keyboard assembly and provide an output to said output device, said keyboard assembly having a printed circuit board with a plurality of electrical contacts, each contact structured to create an input signal when engaged, a conductor assembly having primary and secondary conductors structured to engage said contacts, and having at least two sets of keys, a first set of keys and a second set of keys, each key in said first set of keys being elongated relative to each key in said second set of keys and being coupled to, and structured to engage, a first number of conductors, each key in said second set of keys being coupled to, and structured to engage, a second number of conductors which is different than the number of conductors engaged by the first set of keys, each key in said first set of keys being associated with at least two indicia and at least one of said two indicia being associated with said at least one secondary conductor, said processor structured to create an output on said output device in response to said input signal created by said keyboard assembly, wherein said processor includes a disambiguation routine adapted to propose likely combinations of indicia, and said method comprising the steps of: detecting a first input from a key on said keyboard assembly; determining that said first input resulted from engaging a secondary conductor; outputting a list of characters corresponding to said indicia on said key and, favoring outputting the character corresponding to said indicia associated with said secondary conductor by placing said character corresponding to said indicia associated with said secondary conductor on the top of said list; determining whether said first input resulted from engaging a secondary conductor and if so, assigning additional weight to said indicia corresponding to said indicia associated with said at least one secondary conductor; detecting a second input from a key on said keypad; determining whether said second input resulted from engaging said secondary conductor and if so, assigning additional weight to said indicia corresponding to said indicia associated with said at least one secondary conductor; and utilizing said disambiguation routine to propose a likely combination of characters selected from the indicia disposed on said first and second input keys and, where either, or both, said first and second input resulted from engaging said secondary conductor, outputting a list of combined characters weighted to favor a combination including said characters corresponding to said indicia associated with said at least one secondary conductor.