Abstract:
A communication device, capable of inputting messages when the communication device is in different orientations, includes an orientation sensing unit configured to detect a current orientation of the communication device, an interface transferring unit configured to invoke corresponding input interface to show on a screen of the communication device according to the current orientation of the communication device when the communication device is in an input mode, and a message handling unit for storing the message contents input in a first input interface and showing the message contents on a second input interface when the communication device is rotated to another orientation.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a communication device and an input method for the communication device using a virtual keyboard. 
         [0003]    2. General Background 
         [0004]    Consumers want digital products that are smaller, lighter, more functions, and bigger screens. One way to help meet the demands is to provide a virtual keyboard for electronic communication products. However, typical virtual keyboards can only be shown on the screens of the digital products in a single orientation for receiving user input. Generally, digital products, such as mobile phones, have a rectangular screen, with the shorter sides of the rectangle corresponding to the top and bottom of the screen which makes for a narrow virtual keyboard that is difficult to operate. 
         [0005]    What is needed, therefore, is a communication device and a convenient input method. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of a communication device, the communication device including an orientation sensing device. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of an orientation sensing device of the communication device. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a first input interface of the communication device. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a second input interface of the communication device. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a method for entering input using different orientations of an input interface. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0011]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , one embodiment of a communication device is provided to input messages regardless of the orientation of the communication device. In illustrated embodiment, the communication device is a mobile phone  10 . An orientation sensing unit  20  is positioned in the mobile phone  10 , which includes a gravity ball  21  and at least four sensing points  23  aligned in a plane parallel to a display of the mobile phone  10 . The sensing points  23  are symmetrically positioned around the gravity ball  21  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). In the illustrated embodiment, the orientation sensing unit  20  comprises eight sensing points  23  to accurately sense a changing orientation of the mobile phone  10 . Each sensing point  23  corresponds to a different orientation. When an orientation of the mobile phone changes, the gravity ball  21  shifts due to gravity and presses against the corresponding sensing point  23 , thereby indicating a new orientation of the mobile phone  10 . The mobile phone  10  further includes an input interface setting unit  30  for setting different input interfaces to be displayed on the mobile phone  10  corresponding to different orientations of the mobile phone  10 , an input interface changing unit  50  for changing the input interface displayed on the mobile phone  10  according to a current orientation of the mobile phone  10 , and a message handling unit  60  for storing messages of a current input interface of the mobile phone  10  and displaying the messages in the next input interface of the mobile phone  10 . The orientation sensing units  20 , the input interface setting unit  30 , the input interface changing unit  50 , and the message handling unit  60  are electrically connected to each other. In the illustrated embodiment, four different input interfaces corresponding to four orientations of the mobile phone  10  are preset in the input interface setting unit  30 . 
         [0012]    Referring also to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the mobile phone  10  may have a rectangular display  11 . For example, when in use, the mobile phone  10  is held in a vertical direction with the keypad facing so that the mobile phone  10  is generally perpendicular to the ground. This causes the bottom sensing point  23  to be pressed by the gravity ball  21  due to gravity. If a user causes the mobile phone  10  to enter a message input mode, and the bottom sensing point  23  senses the pressure caused by the gravity ball  21 , the orientation sensing unit  20  detects the current orientation, for example, a first orientation of the mobile phone  10  according to the sensing point  23  being pressed, and sends information to the interface changing unit  50  to invoke the corresponding input interface to be displayed on the screen of the mobile phone  10 . A virtual keyboard corresponding to a selected input manner is shown on the display  11  of the mobile phone  10  in a first input interface mode conforming to the first orientation. For numerical input, users may select a virtual number keyboard to be displayed, and for letters, a virtual alpha keyboard may be selected, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The user&#39;s selection will be displayed in a manner conforming to the orientation of the mobile phone  10 , for example, a vertical holding direction. If a user prefers to have an interface displayed differently for a more comfortable use, the user need only rotate the mobile phone  10 , for example, to the right or clockwise, until the sensing points  23  sense the new orientation and a different interface conforming to the new orientation is displayed. For example, narrow sides of the rectangular display  11  as top and bottom of the selected virtual keyboard may be inconvenient for use and so the user can change the orientation of the mobile phone  10  so that long sides of the rectangular display  11  are oriented at the top and bottom and the interface changes accordingly. The mobile phone  10  can be rotated 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees from the vertical holding direction in a plane perpendicular to the ground. When the mobile phone  10  is rotated 90 degrees, a second interface is displayed. When the mobile phone  10  is rotated 180 degrees, a third input interface is displayed. A fourth input interface is displayed when the mobile phone  10  is rotated 270 degrees. It is to be understood, that even when the mobile phone  10  is rotated in a plane inclined to the ground, the sensing points  23  can still sense the orientation of the mobile phone due to gravity of the gravity ball  21 , thereby changing the input interface accordingly. When the mobile phone is held in a direction parallel to the ground, such that no sensing point  23  is pressed by the gravity ball  21 , the displayed input interface may be set to be the same as the last input interface or a predetermined interface. 
         [0013]    When the input interface is changed, the message handling unit  60  stores the message contents inputted in the last input interface and displays the message contents in the new input interface. Thus, users can continue to input or edit messages in the new input interface. 
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a method for flexibly inputting messages in different input interfaces. Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps described below may be removed, others may be added, and the sequence of steps may be altered. 
         [0015]    In step S 10 , a plurality of input interfaces corresponding to different mobile phone orientation is set. 
         [0016]    In step S 20 , an item of inputting messages from the main menu of the mobile phone  10  when the mobile phone  10  is in a first orientation is selected. 
         [0017]    In step S 30 , the orientation sensing unit  20  of the mobile phone  10  detects the current orientation of the mobile phone  10 . 
         [0018]    In step S 40 , the interface changing unit  50  invokes a first input interface corresponding to the current mobile phone orientation to display on the mobile phone  10 . 
         [0019]    In step S 50 , messages are inputted in the first input interface. 
         [0020]    In step S 60 , the mobile phone  10  is rotated to a second orientation and message contents inputted in the first input interface are stored. 
         [0021]    In step S 70 , the first input interface to a second input interface corresponding to the second orientation of the mobile phone  10  is changed and the message contents inputted in the first input interface on the second input interface are displayed for users to continue to edit. 
         [0022]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.