Patent ID: 6204848
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: G06F,H04M

Abstract:
In a data entry apparatus having a graphical user interface, a n-gram database and a keypad having a limited number of character keys, a method comprising:assigning letters to the character keys on the keypad in a sequential order;receiving a first character key from the keypad;displaying a first set of characters associated with the first character key;receiving a second character key from the keypad, wherein a second set of characters is associated with the second character key;combining each character from the first set of characters with each character from the second set of characters;displaying a set of alternative n-grams, derived from the step of combining, in descending order based on a probability of frequency of use in a given language;detecting that an n-gram is actively highlighted;locking the n-gram that was actively highlighted to create a locked n-gram; andvarying a character associated with subsequent character key entries in its combination with respect to the locked n-gram.