Patent EA-004159-B1 (EA)
Title: Apparatus and method for inputting alphabet characters using small keypad
IPC: G06F3/00
Filed: 2000-06-09
Abstract: 1. A method of inputting alphabet characters on a keypad, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a lattice on the surface of each button on the keypad such that the lattice elements or areas occupied by imaginary lattice elements ("lattice elements"), correspond to the buttons on the keypad, and defining a lattice element on each button, which corresponds to the position of the button on the keypad, as a base lattice element of the button; (b) grouping characters or controls, that should be set for each button; (c) setting characters or controls on each button on the keypad; (d) distribution of characters or controls to lattice elements on each button of the keypad; and (e) sensing the selection of first and second buttons and inputting a selected character or a selected control, wherein it is recognized that the first button corresponding to the lattice element containing the character ("target character") to be input is pressed, or control to be input ("target control) and it is recognized that a button designating a lattice element corresponding to the target character or target control to be input is pressed. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the buttons on the keypad is provided with a lattice corresponding to some of the buttons of the keypad, the lattice including a base lattice element. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein in the step (d) characters having higher use frequency are allocated to lattice elements for which it is more convenient to combine the first button and the second button. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein for English, about 3 characters are sequentially assigned to each of [1]- [9] buttons and arranged in a 3x1 lattice on the button, and the characters are input according to horizontal straight combination. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the 3 characters sequentially assigned to each button are arranged in the lattice such that a character having higher use frequency is allocated to a lattice element for which it is more convenience to combine the buttons. 6. The method of claim 2, wherein for alphabets derived from the Roman alphabet, affixed characters and additional characters are assigned to each button, to which a basic character corresponding to them is assigned, and allocated to available lattice elements on the button. 7. A method of inputting alphabet characters on a keypad, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a lattice on the surface of each button on the keypad such that the lattice elements or areas occupied by imaginary lattice elements ("lattice elements"), correspond to the buttons on the keypad, and defining a lattice element on each button, which corresponds to the position of the button on the keypad, as a base lattice element of the button; (b) grouping characters or controls, that should be set for each button; (c) setting characters or controls on each button on the keypad; (d) distribution of characters or controls to lattice elements on each button of the keypad; and (e) sensing one or more selection of the first button and the input of selected character or selected control, wherein the priority is set for characters and controls, located on the lattice elements of the first button, said priority is set according to predetermined standard, based on basic lattice element, and the selected character or selected control is character, corresponding to the number of repeated selections of button, or control, corresponding to the number of repeated selections of the button. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the buttons on the keypad is divided with a lattice corresponding to some of the buttons of the keypad, the lattice including a base lattice element. 9. A method of inputting alphabet characters on a keypad, comprising the steps of: (a) classifying a plurality of alphabet characters to be input into a predetermine number of groups, assigning the groups of characters to character input buttons, respectively, determining representative characters (basic characters) in the respective groups, inscribing the representative characters on the surfaces of the character input buttons, and determining the order of succeeding characters (affixed characters) in each group; (b) allocating one or more controls to control buttons; and (c) sensing the selection of a character input button and the repeated selection of a control button to input a selected character, wherein the selected character is selected from a group of characters assigned to the selected character input button depending on the number of repeated selection of the control button. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the repeated selection of the control button is performed before the selection of the character input button. 11. The method of claim 18, wherein the repeated selection of the control button is performed after the selection of the character input button. 12. The method of claim 19 or 20, wherein in inputting an affixed character formed such that an affix is attached to a basic character, the basic character corresponding to the affixed character is combined with a control.