Patent ID: 8738644

Claim:
A method for searching a remote server using a portable device comprising an ambiguity keyboard, the ambiguity keyboard having a plurality of keys, at least one key corresponding to more than one symbol, the method comprising: selecting a remote server instead of a local database of the portable device before a database in the remote sever is utilized to match an ambiguity string to at least an existing keyword in the database in the remote sever; automatically changing an input method of the ambiguity keyboard from multi-tap to single-tap when the remote server is selected; according to a single-tap input of at least one key of the ambiguity keyboard, generating the ambiguity string including at least a symbol corresponding to the key; sending the ambiguity string to the remote server; utilizing the database in the remote server to match the ambiguity string to at least an existing keyword in the database, wherein the ambiguity string and each existing keyword matched to the ambiguity string have a same number of symbols; and sending the existing keyword back to the portable device.