Patent ID: 7084858

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for enabling a user to input characters on a computing device having a directional pad configured to generate directional inputs, the method comprising: creating mappings, wherein each of the mappings associates at least one of the directional inputs with at least one of the characters; ranking the mappings; ranking the directional inputs; associating the directional inputs with the mappings based on the ranking of the mapping and the ranking of the directional inputs, wherein the directional input that is second easiest to select is associated with the mapping that includes common consonants; activating a base state, wherein the base state is configured to display a mapping on the display upon a directional input associated with the mapping; activating a mapping state when the mapping is displayed, wherein at least one of the characters is associated with a directional input of the directional pad, wherein the mapping state is configured to select one of the characters upon a directional input associated with the character; and automatically reactivating the base state upon selection of the character.