Patent Document ID: 5543818
Application ID: 08457807

Base Claim:
1. A method for entering text into a computer system using an input device having keys, including the steps of: (a) displaying on a display device a character selection menu which includes simultaneously displayed groups of character representations, each of said groups including representations of B characters, where B is a positive integer not less than two and where the characters within each group are arranged in a pattern; (b) highlighting a selected one of the groups in response to actuation of a first set of the keys; and (c) selecting a character representation within the selected one of the groups in response to actuation of one of a second set of the keys, where said second set of the keys consists of B of the keys and where said second set of the keys is separate from the display device and is arranged in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the characters within each group.

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Claim 2:
2. The method of claim 1, also including the step of: (d) displaying a second character selection menu including displayed groups of character representations, each of said groups including representations of B characters, in response to actuation of a shift key of the input device.