Patent ID: 8319733

Claim:
A character input method executable by an electronic device system connectable to a display, comprising: receiving a first operation on a first key among a plurality of keys displayable by the electronic device system, wherein each key of the plurality of keys is operable as a toggle key and is associated with a sequence of character candidates that comprises optional characters arranged in a specific arrangement for character input to the electronic device system, and two different keys in the plurality of keys are respectively associated with different sequences of character candidates; displaying by the electronic device system a first graphical user interface element operable to present a sequence of character candidates associated with the first key, wherein the presented sequence of character candidates is arranged in a first arrangement in the graphical user interface element along a specific direction; presenting a first character in the presented sequence of character candidates associated with the first key as a currently selected character in response to a first instance of a short press on the first key in a condition that the first operation comprises the short press operation conforming to a first input pattern; and presenting a first subsequent character in the presented sequence of character candidates associated with the first key as the currently selected character in response to a second instance of a short press on the first key conforming to the first input pattern after the first short press operation; and displaying a second graphical user interface operable to present the sequence of character candidates associated with the first key in response to a second operation conforming to a second input pattern, wherein the presented sequence of character candidates is arranged in a second arrangement in the second graphical user interface along the specific direction, wherein at least two characters in the sequence of character candidates associated with the first key in the first arrangement is reversed in the second arrangement, and the currently selected character is operable to be input to a text area of the electronic device system.