Patent ID: 6980200

Claim:
A device for use in inputting a set of characters, comprising: a first set of control input mechanisms each of which has one first character displayed thereon and each of which first character is associated with a respective subset of more than one character, wherein the first characters of said first set of control input mechanisms are from an ordered set of characters, and wherein each said respective subset of characters is from the same ordered set of characters, and wherein the first character is the first character in each respective ordered subset associated with such first character and wherein the character in each respective subset of characters is also from the ordered set of characters; multiple subsets of secondary input mechanisms, each of which is comprised of more than one secondary input mechanism, wherein each of said multiple subsets of said secondary input mechanisms is associated with a respective control input mechanism of said first set, wherein each of said secondary input mechanisms represents a single character from the ordered set of characters in said respective subset of characters for data entry of said single character, and wherein a respective set of more than one of said secondary input mechanisms is displayable in response to selection of one of said control input mechanisms; a display area for display of a user-selectable character associated with each of said selected control input mechanisms and said secondary input mechanisms, wherein the totality of characters of said first set and said multiple subsets are not displayable on said display area at any one time, and wherein in response to selecting one of said control input mechanisms said subset of characters appears on said display area; and an input source for user selection of anyone of said control input mechanisms and anyone of said secondary input mechanisms.