JP2004228960A - Character input mechanism and character input method of portable radio telephone set, and portable radio telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a character input method of a portable radio telephone set in which the moving distance of a finger is short and movement vectors are matched in a narrow space. <P>SOLUTION: On the side of a slide groove 122 provided on the upper surface of a lower case body 112, the position marks of 1-0 and the row names of Kana (Japanese syllabary) and alphabets allocated to respective numerals are displayed. A knob 121 can be slid between the display of 1-0 along the slide groove 122 and a response accompanied by a click feeling is felt so as to confirm a position at the respective positions. Also, the knob 121 for an operation can be inclined to the left and right. By inclination to a left side, the Kana of the respective columns of the row of the Kana or the alphabet allocated to the numeral at the position of the knob 121 for the operation according to the input mode is successively selected corresponding to the number of times of the inclination. By the inclination to a right side after the selection, the selected Kana or alphabet is established. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a character input mechanism of a portable radio telephone, and more particularly to a character input mechanism and a character input method of a portable radio telephone capable of inputting a character without a keystroke by a key, and a portable radio telephone.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, there has been a remarkable technological advance in mobile phones, starting with voice calls as telephones, using the numeric keys for telephone calls of mobile wireless telephones for character input, and displaying enlarged images containing characters. Is displayed, for example, it is possible to transmit and receive an image including the Internet which has spread as the I mode. More recently, mobile phones have been introduced that can transmit a captured image by incorporating a camera.
[0003]
When the telephone call key of the mobile radiotelephone is also used for character input, there are ten numeric keys for telephone call, from 0 to 9, so that the kana is usually 10 keys and the alphabet is 8 characters. Keys, and numbers, kana, and alphabets are selected by switching modes. In addition, a symbol is assigned to the “#” key, and a control function is assigned to the “*” key.
[0004]
For the input of kana, the kana is assigned to the numeric keys in order of each line in an arrangement of the well-known kana syllabary, and for the input of the English alphabet, the kana is arranged in the well-known ABC order. An alphabet is assigned to each numeric key. However, since there are ten numeric keys, a plurality of kana characters or alphabets are overlapped on one key. Therefore, since a plurality of types of characters need to be input separately from one key, in the method of the related art, different characters assigned to the line are input according to the number of consecutive key presses of the same key. For example, in the case of kana character input, the [2] key assigned to the “KA” line is repeatedly pressed five times, and the [4] key assigned to the “TA” line is pressed once, and is a control key. When the [→] key is pressed, the [4] key assigned to the “ta” line is pressed three times in succession, and when the confirm key is pressed, a character string [kotatsu] is input. Here, by pressing the [→] key, it is considered that the continuous keying of the same key has been temporarily stopped, and the character is determined in the same manner as when shifting to keying of another key. In the case of the English alphabet, a maximum of four different alphabets are assigned to the same key. However, as in the case of the kana character, the type of each character is distinguished by the number of consecutive key strokes. Various symbols are input according to the number of consecutive key presses of the symbol key [#].
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-6-152711 [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-8-79360
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, with regard to the character input of the current portable radio telephone, input is performed using a combination of a plurality of keys in a limited space, and a certain degree of familiarity is required, and it is not always easy for the user to use. I can't say.
[0007]
FIG. 7 is a schematic external view showing an example of a conventional portable radio telephone, in which 700 is a portable radio telephone, 711 is an upper housing, 712 is a lower housing, 720 is a key input unit, 721 is a numeric keypad, 722. Is a four-way key or jog dial, 723 is a control key, and 760 is an image display unit.
[0008]
In the commonly used character input method of a portable radio telephone as described above, input is performed by a combination of a numeric keypad 721 and a control key including a four-way key (or a jog dial) 722, and character input is performed from character candidates. When deciding an input character, an operation via the four-direction key 722 is always performed, and the moving distance for the operation becomes long. In addition, since the finger frequently moves on the numeric keypad 721, the movement vector of the finger also varies, so that there is a problem that input efficiency is not good and finger fatigue is large.
[0009]
As a method for saving this input method, a telephone provided with one slide means, a plurality of characters are sequentially displayed on the screen by reciprocating operation of the slide means, and a character information input means for selecting and confirming with a selection confirming key Is disclosed in JP-A-6-152711. The present invention is for inputting character information such as a destination name for telephone use, and is not efficient for inputting text such as mail.
[0010]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-79360 discloses a disc-shaped jog dial that can be operated independently in the circumferential direction and the radial direction on the side surface. By rotating the jog dial, the cursor of the list displayed on the screen can be moved and the selection can be confirmed by pressing in the radial direction, but characters cannot be directly input.
[0011]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a character input method of a portable radio telephone in which a moving distance of a finger is short in a small space and a moving vector is uniform.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The character input mechanism of the portable radio telephone according to the present invention includes:
A sliding part provided on the housing of the portable radio telephone can be moved so as to be able to designate each of the numbers 0 to 9 to which a pseudonym and an alphabet are assigned, and the sliding part is a moving direction of the sliding part. The input operation for specifying in the left and right direction perpendicular to is possible, and in the one-way input operation, it is assigned to the number specified by the sliding position of the sliding part corresponding to the number of input operations One character in the given kana or alphabet is selected, and the input operation in the other direction allows the selected character to be confirmed and input.
[0013]
The sliding part is slidable in a linear direction, and the sliding part has a protruding part in the left-right direction orthogonal to the sliding direction, and an input operation is performed by rotating the sliding part by pressing the protruding part. Preferably, the sliding portion is slidable with respect to a swing shaft held in the housing so as to be swingable in the rotation direction, and is fixed and held in the rotation direction. The position of the numeral is designated by the contact between the contact provided corresponding to the numeral position of No. 9 and the contact provided on the sliding portion, and the right and left push switches by the rotation of the left and right overhangs provided at the tip of the oscillating shaft. The selection and determination of one character may be performed by the operation of.
[0014]
The sliding portion is slidable in a linear direction, and the sliding portion has operation levers provided so as to protrude in left and right directions orthogonal to the sliding direction, and the sliding portion is pressed by the operation lever. It is preferable that the input operation is performed by the operation of a press switch provided in the housing, and the sliding portion can slide in a guide block fixed to the housing, and the guide block is provided with a numerical position of 0 to 9 in the guide block. The contact between the corresponding contact and the contact for transmitting the operation of the press switch, and the contact provided on the corresponding sliding part, allows the information on the numeric position and the selection and determination of one character to be externally provided. It may be transmitted to.
[0015]
It is preferable that the holding member of the sliding portion has a concave portion provided corresponding to the numeral positions of 0 to 9, and that a ball provided on the sliding portion and pressed by a spring slides while contacting the concave portion. .
[0016]
The character input method of the portable radio telephone according to the present invention comprises:
A sliding portion provided on a housing of a portable radio telephone which can be moved so that a number from 0 to 9 to which a kana or an alphabet is assigned can be specified, and which can perform an input operation in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the moving direction. This is a character input method used, in which a sliding portion is slid to designate a desired kana or a number from 0 to 9 to which an alphabet is assigned, and the sliding portion is slid by the number of input operations in a predetermined direction. It is characterized in that one character in the kana or alphabet assigned to the number specified by the moving position is selected, and the character selected by an input operation in another direction is definitely input.
[0017]
The portable wireless telephone of the present invention
It has the character input mechanism described above.
[0018]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic external view of a portable radio telephone provided with a character input mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 100 is a portable radio telephone, 111 is an upper case, 112 is a lower case, 120 is a character input mechanism, 121 is an operation knob, 122 is a slide groove, 150 is a control key, and 160 is an image display unit.
[0019]
Next to the slide groove 122 provided on the upper surface of the lower housing 112, the position marks 1 to 0, the line names of the kana assigned to the respective numbers, and the alphabet are displayed. The operation knob 121 is slidable along a slide groove 122 between the display of 1 to 0, and at each position, a response with a click feeling can be felt so that the position can be easily confirmed. The operation knob 121 can be tilted left and right. In the left tilt, the kana or alphabet in each row of the kana row assigned to the numeral at the position of the operation knob 121 is determined according to the input mode according to the number of times of tilt. The selected kana or alphabet is determined by tilting to the right after the selection. That is, the operation of selecting a numeric key to which a desired character is assigned, tapping the selected numeric key a predetermined number of times, and confirming by pressing a confirm key performed by a conventional portable wireless telephone is performed by sliding the operating knob 121. Can be executed by selecting the number assigned to the number by the leftward tilt of the operation knob 121, and by determining the character by the rightward tilt of the operation knob 121. It can be performed continuously without separating from 121.
[0020]
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the character input mechanism 120, FIG. 3 is a partial view of the character input mechanism 120, (a) is an AA cross section of the operation knob 121 of FIG. 2, (b) FIG. 4 is a partial view of the character input mechanism 120 in FIG. 4, which is a partial view of the vicinity of the substrate 131 in FIG. FIG. 3B is a partially enlarged view of a cross section taken along the line CC of FIG.
[0021]
The operation knob 121 is engaged with the swing shaft 123 so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction of the swing shaft 123 and fixed in the rotational direction. And is slidable and swingable by an operator's finger.
[0022]
Both ends of the swing shaft 123 are swingably held by a first holding portion 124 and a second holding portion 125 fixed to the lower housing 112, and the movement in the axial direction is fixed by the collar 129. I have. The oscillating shaft 123 is formed in a cylindrical shape whose lower surface is cut flat, and the cylindrical portion is slidably engaged with a cylindrical surface portion inside the sliding knob 121 in the axial direction. Reciprocal movement in the rotation direction is prevented by an engagement portion 127 protruding from the 121 to the plane portion of the swing shaft 123.
[0023]
A recess 128 is provided on the upper surface of the oscillating shaft 123 corresponding to the position mark of 1 to 0 displayed on the surface of the lower housing 112, while a recess 128 is provided at the top of the inside of the circular shape of the sliding knob 121. Is provided with a spring hole 141, and a spring 142 is housed in the spring hole 141, and presses the ball 140 toward the upper surface of the sliding shaft 123 at the tip. Therefore, when the sliding knob 121 is slid, the click feeling is given to the operator at the position where the ball 140 coincides with the recess 128, and the position of the position marks 1 to 0 can be easily selected.
[0024]
Substrates 131 are provided on the lower flat portion of the oscillating shaft 123, and on both sides of the positions of the substrates 131 corresponding to the positions of the position marks 1 to 0 displayed on the surface of the lower housing 112, respectively. A contact 139 is provided, and is connected to the CPU (not shown) from the first holding unit 124 via the inside of the substrate and via the wiring 138. On the other hand, a contact piece 132 is provided on a surface of the operation knob 121 facing the substrate 131 via a spring 133. When the operation knob 121 is slid, the operation knob 121 slides on the contact 139 of the substrate 131, By conducting between the contacts on both sides of the position, the position information of the operation knob 121 is transmitted to the CPU.
[0025]
At the position corresponding to the first holding portion 123 of the swinging shaft 123, levers 134 project from both sides in the horizontal direction, and the tip of the lever 134 is pressed by the spring 137 from the first holding portion 123. The contact 135 and the contact 136 are provided on the lower surface of the lever 134 and the inner surface of the corresponding first holding portion 124, respectively. In a normal state, the contacts are not in contact, but the contact knob 121 is inclined. Then, the lever 134 on the side thereof rotates against the spring 137 to make contact between the contact 135 and the contact 136, and the inclination information of the contact knob 121 is transmitted to the CPU via the wiring 138.
[0026]
Based on the information from the contacts 139 and 135 and 136, the same operation corresponding to the conventional key input of the character input key and the key input of the confirmation key is performed. The operation after the processing of the information from the contact point is the same as that of the prior art, and the description is omitted here.
[0027]
Next, a character input mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Since the portable radio telephone body is the same as that of the first embodiment, reference is made to FIG. 5A and 5B are schematic partial views of the vicinity of the operation knob 220 of the character input mechanism. FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view, FIG. 5B is a top view, and FIG. 5C is a top view without the operation lever. FIG. 2D is an enlarged side sectional view showing the vicinity of the substrate.
[0028]
The operation knob 220 includes a sliding block 221 and a first operating lever 222 and a second operating lever 223 that are attached to the left and right of the sliding block 221 so as to swing downward. The first operation lever 222 and the second operation lever 223 are respectively attached to the slide block 221 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction via a shaft 224 with a rib provided on the upper surface of the slide block 221, and are always on. Is held at an upper position by a spring (not shown), and presses a pressing switch 230 attached to the sliding block 221 when rotated downward.
[0029]
The slide block 221 is engaged with a guide block 241 fixed to the lower surface of the slide groove 122 so as to be slidable in the slide groove direction. Projections are provided on both lower sides of the sliding block 221, and are engaged with grooves provided on both lower sides of the guide block 241.
[0030]
A recess 238 is provided on the inside of the bottom surface of the guide block 241 corresponding to the position mark of 1 to 0 displayed on the surface of the lower housing 112, while a spring hole is provided on the bottom surface of the slide block 221. A spring 252 is housed in the spring hole 251 and presses the ball 250 toward the bottom surface of the guide block 241 at the tip. Therefore, when the sliding block 221 is slid, the click feeling is given to the operator at the position where the ball 250 coincides with the depression 238, and the selection of the position marks 1 to 0 is facilitated.
[0031]
Boards 242 are provided on both inner side surfaces on the upper inside of the guide block 241, and each board 242 has a first contact 233, a second contact 234, a third contact 235, and a fourth contact on the upper and lower sides, respectively. 236 are provided along the longitudinal direction, and the second contact points 234 are provided in the longitudinal direction corresponding to the positions of the 1 to 0 position marks displayed on the surface of the lower housing 112, The position signal is transmitted via wiring inside the board 242. The first contact 233 and the third contact 235 transmit the respective operation signals of the press switch 230 provided on the sliding block 221 and detecting the inclination of the operation levers 222 and 223, and the fourth contact 236 Is connected to an external power supply and supplies power to the second contact piece 226 and the pressing switch 230 via the fourth contact piece 228. The first, third and fourth contacts may be continuous in the longitudinal direction.
[0032]
On the other hand, both surfaces of the sliding block 221 facing the first contact 233, the second contact 234, the third contact 235, and the fourth contact 236 of the substrate 242 on both surfaces are respectively connected to the first contact via a spring 229. Are provided with a contact piece 225, a second contact piece 226, a third contact piece 227, and a fourth contact piece 228. When the sliding block 221 is slid, the respective contact points of the substrate 242 are opposed to each other. Slide. The first contact piece 225 is connected to one pressing switch 230 on the sliding block 221, the third contact piece 227 is connected to the other pressing switch 230 on the sliding block 221, and the second contact piece Power is supplied to the 226 from the fourth contact piece 228, and the fourth contact piece 228 is further connected to both the push switches 230 to supply power.
[0033]
Based on information from the second contact point 234, the first contact point 233, and the third contact point 235, a similar operation corresponding to the conventional key input of the character input key and the key input of the confirmation key is performed. The operation after the processing of the information from the contact point is the same as that of the prior art, and the description is omitted here.
[0034]
Next, a character input mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 6 is a schematic external view of a portable wireless telephone having a character input mechanism according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the first and second embodiments, a description has been given of an example in which a character input mechanism is provided on a keyboard portion of a conventional portable wireless telephone. In the third embodiment, a character input mechanism is provided on a side surface of a screen display unit. It is a form.
[0035]
In the figure, reference numeral 300 denotes a portable wireless telephone, 310 denotes a housing, 320 denotes a character input mechanism, 321 denotes an operation knob, 322 denotes a slide groove, 350 denotes a control key, 351 denotes a four-directional key, and 360 denotes an image display unit. The character input mechanism 320 is configured by a mechanism similar to that of the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and the description is omitted. By arranging the character input mechanism 320 beside the image display unit 460, it is possible to further reduce the size of the portable wireless telephone.
[0036]
Heretofore, the character input mechanism of the portable radio telephone has been described by taking the three embodiments as examples. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be widely applied to portable terminals that require character input. The sliding part can be moved so that the mechanism can specify a number from 0 to 9 to which a kana and an alphabet are assigned. In the selection operation of, one character of the kana or alphabet assigned to the number designated by the number of selection operations is selected, and in the selection operation of the other, a mechanism that can confirm the selected character may be used.
[0037]
In the embodiment, the selection operation in the left and right directions with respect to the movement direction of the sliding portion for designation is rotation in both directions. However, the switch mechanism is replaced with a non-contact sensor or the like, and input is performed simply by holding a finger up.・ It is also possible to select things, even if the scales arranged in a vertical line are arranged in a fan shape and the operation knob is changed from sliding movement to dial type rotation movement, even if it has design features The character input mechanism may be provided on the side surface of the lower housing.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention has an effect that the character input method of the portable wireless telephone can be easily performed in a narrow space, the moving distance of the finger is short, and the moving vectors are uniform. This is because a slide mechanism having selection / decision means is used instead of the conventional numeric keypad composed of independent keys.
[0039]
Further, since the input mechanism becomes compact, it is advantageous for miniaturization of a mobile phone.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic external view of a portable wireless telephone provided with a character input mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a character input mechanism.
FIG. 3 is a partial view of a character input mechanism.
(A) is AA section of the operation knob of FIG.
FIG. 3B is a view of the first holding unit in FIG. 2 as viewed in the direction of arrow B.
FIG. 4 is a partial view of a character input mechanism.
FIG. 3A is a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of the substrate in FIG.
FIG. 3B is a partially enlarged view of a cross section taken along line CC of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a schematic partial view of the vicinity of an operation knob of the character input mechanism.
(A) is a sectional view.
(B) is a top view.
(C) is a top view in a state where the operation lever is removed.
(D) is an enlarged side sectional view showing the vicinity of the substrate.
FIG. 6 is a schematic external view of a portable wireless telephone provided with a character input mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic external view showing an example of a conventional portable radio telephone.
[Explanation of symbols]
100, 600, 700 Portable radiotelephone 111, 711 Upper housing 112, 212, 712 Lower housing 120, 320 Character input mechanism 121, 220, 321 Operating knob 122, 322 Sliding groove 123 Swing shaft 124 First holding Part 125 Second holding part 126 Sliding surface 127 Engagement part 128 Recess 129 Collar 131 Substrate 132 Contact piece 133 Spring 134 Lever 135, 136 Contact 137 Spring 139 Contact 140, 250 Ball 141, 251 Spring hole 142, 252 Spring 150, 350, 723 Control keys 160, 360, 760 Image display unit 221 Sliding block 222 First operating lever 223 Second operating lever 224 Shaft 225 First contact piece 226 Second contact piece 227 Third contact Piece 228 fourth contact piece 29 spring 230 press switch 233 first contacts 234 second contact 235 third contact 236 fourth contact 241 guide block 242 substrate 310 housing 351 four-direction key 720 key input unit 721 numeric keypad 722 four-direction key or the jog dial

Claims (8)

The sliding portion provided on the housing of the portable radio telephone can be moved so as to be able to designate each of the numbers 0 to 9 to which the pseudonym and the alphabet are assigned, and the sliding portion moves the sliding portion. An input operation for designation in the left-right direction perpendicular to the direction is possible, and in an input operation in one direction, a number designated by the sliding position of the sliding portion corresponding to the number of input operations A character input mechanism for a portable radio telephone, wherein one character in a kana or alphabet assigned to a character is selected, and the input character in the other direction can input the selected character in a fixed manner. The sliding portion is slidable in a linear direction, the sliding portion has a projecting portion in the left-right direction orthogonal to the sliding direction, and the input operation is performed by rotating the sliding portion by pressing the projecting portion. The character input mechanism of the portable wireless telephone according to claim 1, wherein the character input is performed. The sliding portion is slidable with respect to a swing shaft held in the housing so as to be swingable in the rotation direction, and is fixed and held in the rotation direction. The number position is designated by the contact between the contact provided corresponding to the number position and the contact provided on the sliding portion, and the left and right by the rotation of the left and right overhangs provided at the tip of the swing shaft. 3. The character input mechanism for a portable wireless telephone according to claim 2, wherein said one character is selected and determined by an operation of a press switch. The sliding portion is slidable in a linear direction, and the sliding portion has operation levers provided so as to protrude in left and right directions orthogonal to the sliding direction, and the sliding portion is pressed by the operation lever. The character input mechanism of the portable radio telephone according to claim 1, wherein the input operation is performed by an operation of a press switch provided in the portable telephone. The sliding portion is slidable in a guide block fixed to the housing, and transmits the operation of the contacts and the press switches provided on the guide block corresponding to the numerical positions of 0 to 9 respectively. 5. The information according to claim 4, wherein the information of the numeral position and the selection and determination of the one character is transmitted to the outside by contact between the contact for performing the operation and the contact provided on the corresponding sliding portion. Character input mechanism for mobile radio telephones. The holding member of the sliding portion has a concave portion provided corresponding to the numeral positions of 0 to 9, and a ball provided on the sliding portion and pressed by a spring slides while contacting the concave portion. The character input mechanism of the portable wireless telephone according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein A sliding portion provided on a housing of a portable radio telephone which can be moved so as to be able to designate a number from 0 to 9 to which a kana and an alphabet are assigned, and which can perform an input operation in a left-right direction orthogonal to the moving direction. The character input method used,
By sliding the sliding portion, a desired pseudonym, a number from 0 to 9 to which an alphabet is assigned is designated, and the number of the input operation in a predetermined direction is designated by the sliding position of the sliding portion. A character input method for a portable radio telephone, comprising: selecting one character in a kana or alphabet assigned to a number and confirming and inputting the character selected by an input operation in another direction. A portable radio telephone comprising the character input mechanism according to claim 1.

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