Patent Document ID: 5457454
Application ID: 08123996

Base Claim:
1. An input device utilizing a virtual keyboard, which enables data to be input by designating at least one input-position corresponding to at least one key indicated in an image of a key arrangement displayed on a display means, by using a designating means, said input device comprising: an input-symbol defining means for defining a form and a meaning of each of input-symbols drawn by said designating means across said image of said key arrangement; and a symbol recognition means for discriminating said input-position and related input-symbol drawn across said image of said key arrangement said input-position on the basis of information defined by said input-symbol defining means and for generating at least one input-code corresponding to at least one input-code in a real keyboard, wherein said input device is operative to generate a specified input-code in accordance with a combination of said input-position and said related input-symbol discriminated by said symbol recognition means, and wherein said input device is operative to display characters or symbols corresponding to said specified input-code on said display means.

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Claim 6:
6. An input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said meaning of each input-symbol defined by said input-symbol defining means includes information about a correspondence between said form of each of input-symbols and a method in which at least one key in said real keyboard is depressed.