Abstract:
An input apparatus uses a wheel for input operations of a mobile phone. The input apparatus employs a wheel and two function keys for facilitating the input operations, such as number dialing, short-message editing and menu selecting, for user. The input apparatus according to the present invention is advantageously used for compact mobile phone.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an input apparatus for mobile phone with a dial wheel, and more particularly to an input apparatus for mobile phone with a dial wheel and two function keys for facilitating the number dialing, short-message editing and menu selecting for user.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Prior Art  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a prior art mobile phone with a plurality keys. The operations such as number dialing, short-message editing and menu selecting are performed by pressing the keys on the mobile phone. For example, if a number “109” is to be dialed, the user moves his finger to a key “1” and presses the key “1”, then moves his finger to a key “0” and presses the key “0”, and then moves his finger to a key “9” and presses the key “9”. Finally, the user presses a dial key to dial the number “109”.  
         [0005]     The next example is exemplified for editing the message “down”. The user first moves his finger to the key corresponding to the letter “d”, i.e., the key “3” and presses the key consecutively until the letter “d” appears on the screen of the mobile phone. The user then moves his finger to the key corresponding to the letter “o”, i.e., the key “6” and presses the key consecutively until the letter “o” appears on the screen of the mobile phone. Afterward, the user moves his finger to the key corresponding to the letter “w”, i.e., the key “9” and presses the key consecutively until the letter “w” appears on monitor of the mobile phone. Finally, the user moves his finger to the key corresponding to the letter “n”, i.e., the key “6” and presses the key consecutively until the letter “n” appears on the screen of the mobile phone.  
         [0006]     For the operation of menu selecting, the conventional mobile phone provides a specific key to activate a menu. Afterward, a user can use an up-direction key and a down-direction key to move a highlighted bar to a specific menu item and then presses another key to select this item.  
         [0007]     As can be seen from above description, the operations such as number dialing, short-message editing and menu selecting rely on key operation on the mobile phone.  
         [0008]     However, as the mobile phones become more and more compact, the operations through keys thereon may cause problem of typing error.  
         [0009]     In U.S. Pat. No. 6,496,181, a mobile phone having a dial wheel is disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,964, a mobile phone having a dial wheel is disclosed to browse web pages on the mobile phone.  
         [0010]     However, in above-mentioned two patents, the wheel cannot be used alone to input short message and to dial number, which is still inconvenient to users.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     It is the object of the present invention to provide an input apparatus for mobile phone with a dial wheel and two function keys for facilitating more input functions, such as number dialing, short-message editing and menu selecting, for user.  
         [0012]     To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an input apparatus for mobile phone, which has a wheel, a first function key and a second function key. The mobile phone has a screen for showing the operation status and input status. The wheel is rotated either in clockwise direction or in counterclockwise direction, and the screen shows number/symbol 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, #, and ↓ upon the clockwise direction, and shows 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, *, and ↑ upon the counterclockwise direction. The numbers, letters and symbols are input according to the input status, which include input status (for dialing number), edit status (for editing short message) and menu status (for selecting menu).  
         [0013]     In the input status, the user can use wheel to input telephone number. As the user rotates the wheel, a cursor will move with respect to the rotation of the wheel, and locate a number. The wheel is pressed and then released to input the number. A complete telephone number can be input by repeating the above process. The first function key is then used to dial phone call, and the second function key is used to hang up phone call.  
         [0014]     In the edit status, the user can use wheel to input letters. As the user rotates the wheel, a cursor will move with respect to the rotation of the wheel. The wheel is pressed repeatedly until a letter to be input appears on the screen, and then the wheel is released to input the letter. A complete message can be input by repeating the above process. The first function key is then used to send the message and the second function key is used to cancel sending message.  
         [0015]     In menu status, the wheel is rotated in clockwise direction to scroll the menu downward, and rotated in counterclockwise direction to scroll the menu upward. The first function key is pressed to enter a main menu and the wheel is rotated in clockwise direction or in counterclockwise direction to select desired menu. The first function key is pressed to enter the desired menu and the second function key is pressed to cancel the selection of the menu.  
         [0016]     The above summaries are intended to illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention, which will be best understood in conjunction with the detailed description to follow, and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0017]     The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself however may be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, which describes certain exemplary embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a prior art mobile phone with a plurality keys.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic diagram of a mobile phone with the input apparatus according to the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a block diagram of the input apparatus according to the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 4A  shows a top view of screen during input operation.  
         [0022]      FIG. 4B  shows a top view of screen during edit operation.  
         [0023]      FIG. 4C  shows a top view of screen during menu selection operation.  
         [0024]      FIG. 5  shows a flowchart according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 6  shows a flowchart according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 7  shows a flowchart according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic diagram of a mobile phone with the input apparatus according to the present invention. The mobile phone comprises a wheel  10 , a first function key  12   a , a second function key  12   b  and a screen  14 . The user can use the wheel  10  in conjunction with the first function key  12   a  and the second function key  12   b  for input operations such as number dialing, short-message editing and menu selecting.  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  shows a block diagram of the input apparatus according to the present invention. The input apparatus comprises a rotation wheel  30 , a displacement detector  32 , a wheel pressing detector  34 , a wheel controller  36 , a first function key  38 , a second function key  40 , a display  42  and a loudspeaker  44 . The wheel controller  36  comprises a controller unit  360 , a counter  362 , a memory  364 , an operation processor  366  and a display processor  368 .  
         [0029]     During operation, the user rotates the rotation wheel  30  and the displacement detector  32  detects a rotation signal (clockwise or counterclockwise) of the rotation wheel  30 . The displacement detector  32  sends the rotation signal to the controller unit  360  for further processing. When the user presses the wheel pressing detector  34 , a pressing trigger signal is sent to the counter  362  to count the pressing times and the pressing times is saved in the memory  364 . The operation processor  366  calculates a first predetermined time and a second predetermined time in the memory  364  to obtain an operation valve, and sends the operation valve to the controller unit  360 .  
         [0030]     The controller unit  360  receives signal from the first function key  38 , the second function key  40  and processes those signals for operations such as number dialing, short-message editing and menu selecting. The controller unit  360  displays a processing result or a processed result to the display  42  and sends a warming sound to the loudspeaker  44  through an audio processor  370  for alarming user.  
         [0031]      FIG. 4A  shows a top view of screen during input operation. There are forward display region  20   a  and backward display region  20   b .  FIG. 4B  shows a top view of screen during edit operation, wherein a cursor  24  is shown.  FIG. 4C  shows a top view of screen during menu selection operation, there is a counterclockwise key  22   a  for up direction and a counterclockwise key  22   b  for down direction.  
         [0032]      FIG. 5  shows a flowchart according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the mobile phone is in dialing operation for dialing a number “117”. At step S 300 , the wheel is rotated by user finger to a location corresponding to number “1”, and a highlighted bar appears on the screen and locates the number “1”. At step S 302 , the user presses the wheel  10  and then releases the wheel  10  for inputting the number “1” and then the highlighted bar disappears. At step S 304 , the user does not rotate the wheel and directly presses the wheel  10  again and then releases the wheel  10  for inputting the number “1” again. To input the number “7”, the wheel is rotated by user finger to a location corresponding to the number “7”, and a highlighted bar appears on the screen and locates the number “7” at step S 306 . At step S 308 , the user presses the wheel  10  and then releases the wheel  10  for inputting the number “7” and the highlighted bar disappears. Afterward, the user presses the first function key  12   a  to dial this number at step S 310  and has telephony communication at step S 312 . To end the communication, the user presses the second function key  12   b  to hang up phone call.  
         [0033]     The second preferred embodiment is exemplified with editing short message. In conventional mobile phones, the letters a, b, c . . . are generally on location associated with numbers 1, 2, 3 etc. For example, the letters a, b, c are associated with numbers “2” and the letters d, e, f are associated with numbers “3”.  
         [0034]      FIG. 6  shows a flowchart according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the mobile phone is in editing operation for editing a message “GOOD” on screen thereof. For inputting the letter “G”, the wheel is rotated by user finger to a location corresponding to number “4” and then a highlighted bar appears on the screen and locates the number “4” at step S 400 . Afterward, the user presses the wheel  10  repeatedly until the letter “G” appears on screen at step S 402 , and then release the wheel  10  to input the letter “G” and let the highlighted bar disappear at step S 404 . For inputting the letter “O”, the wheel is rotated in clockwise direction by user finger to a location corresponding to number “6” and then a highlighted bar appears on the screen and locates the number “6” at step S 406 . Afterward, the user presses the wheel  10  repeatedly until the letter “O” appears on screen at step S 408 , and then release the wheel  10  to input the letter “O” and let the highlighted bar disappear at step S 410 . To input the letter “O” again, the user does not need to rotate the wheel  10  and only needs to press the wheel  10  again and then releases the wheel  10  to input the letter “O” again at step S 412 . For inputting the letter “D”, the wheel is rotated in counterclockwise direction by user finger to a location corresponding to number “3” and a highlighted bar appears on the screen and locates the number “3” at step S 414 . Afterward, the user presses the wheel  10  repeatedly until the letter “D” appears on screen at step S 416 , and then release the wheel  10  to input the letter “D” and let the highlighted bar disappear at step S 418 . The message “GOOD” can be edited by above steps.  
         [0035]     Before sending this message, the message can be corrected by using the wheel  10  in conjunction with the cursor  24 . In case that the letter to be corrected is placed in front of the cursor  24 , the wheel  10  is rotated in counterclockwise direction (up direction) to move the cursor  24  to the letter to be corrected. In case that the letter to be corrected is placed after the cursor  24 , the wheel  10  is rotated in clockwise direction (down direction) to move the cursor  24  to the letter to be corrected. After the message is corrected, the corrective message is sent by pressing the first function key  12   a.    
         [0036]     The third preferred embodiment is exemplified with menu selection. The menus of mobile phones have different layouts and functions, depending on the firmware developed. The menu generally comprises basic functions like telephone book, short message service and ring tone setting.  
         [0037]      FIG. 7  shows a flowchart according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the mobile phone is in menu selection operation. This preferred embodiment is exemplified with how to access short message menu. The user presses the first function key  12   a  to enter the main menu (step S 500 ). The wheel is rotated upward or downward to select the short message menu at step S 502  and the first function key  12   a  is pressed to enter the short message menu at step S 504 . The user then rotates the wheel upward or downward to select the message-editing menu and then presses the first function key  12   a  to enter the message-editing menu for editing short message at step S 506 . After the message editing is completed, the first function key  12   a  is pressed to send the message at step S 508 . After sending the message, the user can press the second function key  12   b  until the screen is back to the main menu (step S 510 ).  
         [0038]     Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have suggested in the foregoing description, and other will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.