JP2006005773A - Device and method for inputting character - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To input a desired character by a small number of operating times. <P>SOLUTION: A portable terminal 1 displays a character group consisting of a plurality of groups on a display part 16. When a user selects one character group through a group selecting part 11, the portable terminal 1 uses a display control part 15 to enlarge a plurality of characters belonging to the selected group and display the enlarged characters on the display part 16. When the user selects one character among the plurality of characters through a character selecting part 12, the portable terminal 1 uses the display control part 15 to display the selected character as an input character on the display part 16. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a character input device and a character input method.

Conventionally, in a device capable of inputting characters, such as a mobile phone, when a user presses a hardware button (hereinafter simply referred to as “button”) that the device has, characters printed on the surface of the pressed button are input. Is done. However, in general, the buttons are configured to be small according to the size of the fingers, and the number of characters that can be printed is limited. For this reason, when the user wants to input special characters (including symbols and numbers) that cannot be printed on the button, a plurality of characters (hereinafter referred to as “character group”) as input candidates are displayed on the screen. It is effective to display a list (for example, see Patent Document 1). The user inputs the character by placing the cursor on the desired character from the character group and selecting it.
JP 2001-51778 A

  However, in the above prior art, the cursor moves with each character displayed as a list as one unit. Therefore, when the number of characters displayed in a list is large, or when the initial position of the cursor is away from the desired character, the number of times the button for moving the cursor to the desired character is increased. That is, there are many operations for inputting a desired character. For example, when a total of 81 types of symbols in 9 columns vertically and horizontally are displayed in a list, in order to move the cursor with the upper left character as the initial position to an arbitrary character, a maximum of 18 operations are required. I need it.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to input a desired character with a small number of operations.

  In order to solve the above problems, a character input device according to the present invention includes a character group display control unit that displays a list of character groups divided into a plurality of groups, and a group that selects one group from the plurality of groups. A selection unit; a character display control unit that displays a list of a plurality of characters belonging to the group selected by the group selection unit; and a character selection unit that selects one character from the plurality of characters.

  The character input method according to the present invention includes a character group display control step in which the character input device displays a list of character groups divided into a plurality of groups, and a group selection step in which one group is selected from the plurality of groups. And a character display control step for displaying a list of a plurality of characters belonging to the group selected in the group selection step, and a character selection step for selecting one character from the plurality of characters.

  According to these inventions, when the user inputs a desired character, a group including the desired character is first selected from the character groups divided into a plurality of groups and displayed in a list. Thereafter, one character (desired character) is selected from a plurality of characters belonging to this group. Therefore, it is not necessary for the user to move the cursor in units of one character in the process of moving the cursor at the initial position to a desired character, and the number of operations is reduced compared to this case. As a result, it is possible to input a desired character with a small number of operations. When the initial position of the cursor is away from the desired character, application of the present invention is particularly effective because a large number of operations are required to move one character unit.

  In the character input device according to the present invention, preferably, the character group display control means displays information for dividing the character group into a plurality of groups together with the character group divided into the plurality of groups.

  Here, the information for dividing facilitates recognition of a group to which each character constituting the character group belongs, and includes, for example, a dividing line (regardless of a type such as a solid line or a broken line), a background color, and the like. , Patterns and so on.

  According to the present invention, the user of the character input device can easily determine which group of characters constituting the character group belongs to the character to be input by referring to the above information. It can be visually recognized. As a result, the user can quickly and accurately select a group including a desired character.

  In the character input device according to the present invention, more preferably, the character display control means enlarges and displays the plurality of characters.

  The user of the character input device first selects a group to which characters to be input belong. For this reason, the character input device displays a plurality of characters belonging to the group in an enlarged manner, whereby the user-desired characters are enlarged and the visibility for the user is improved. As a result, the user can more easily select a character to be input from the plurality of characters. Note that some or all of the character groups that are not included in the selected group may be hidden due to the enlarged display of a plurality of characters, but the user-desired characters are included in the character groups. Because there is no such concern.

  Characters include symbols and numbers in addition to kana and kanji. The characters may be display data such as pictographs, icons, and photos.

  The present invention can be applied to any character input device capable of inputting a user-desired character by selecting a button from the displayed character group, and does not exclude the application target depending on its function and size. However, mobile phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistance), etc. are particularly effective when applied to such portable terminals because the number of arranged buttons is small and character input is not always easy. is there.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to input a desired character with a small number of operations.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings for illustration. First, the structure of the portable terminal 1 in this Embodiment is demonstrated. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the mobile terminal 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile terminal 1 includes a group selection unit 11 (corresponding to group selection means), a character selection unit 12 (corresponding to character selection means), a group table 13, a character table 14, and display control. A unit 15 (corresponding to a character group display control unit and a character display control unit) and a display unit 16 are provided.

  Hereinafter, each component of the portable terminal 1 will be described in detail.

  When the group selection unit 11 detects a button press or a touch operation with a user's finger, the group selection unit 11 selects one group from a plurality of groups displayed on the screen and outputs the identifier to the display control unit 15. The operation for selecting a group is performed by a method in which the user presses or touches the decision button after moving the cursor to the group to be selected, or a button disposed in association with each group directly. It is possible to use a method of pressing or touching. In the present embodiment, the former mode is assumed.

  When the button selection operation by the user's finger is detected, the character selection unit 12 selects one character as an input character from a plurality of characters on the screen, and outputs the identifier to the display control unit 15. Although details will be described later, this identifier includes an identifier of a group to which the character to be identified belongs. In addition, regarding the operation for selecting a character, a method of moving a cursor, a method of pressing a button at a corresponding position, and the like are arbitrary.

  Here, since the group selection unit 11 and the character selection unit 12 have different selection targets, they are individually illustrated and described as functional components, but physically the same input device (for example, the cross cursor key) Needless to say, it can be realized by hardware buttons).

  The group table 13 stores the group identifier and a plurality of characters belonging to the group in association with each other. As a result, the character data belonging to the group of the identifier can be acquired as the group identifier is specified. An example of data storage in the collective table 13 is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the group table 13 has a group identifier storage area 131 and a group storage area 132 inside, and each group identifier “G1, G2, G3, G4,. Are associated with each other. For example, when “G1” is input as a group identifier, nine types of symbols such as “☆, ★, ○, Δ, ▲, ▽, ↓, =, ♂” are read from the table.

  The character table 14 stores the character identifiers and the characters in a one-to-one correspondence. Thereby, along with the specification of the character identifier, it is possible to acquire character data having the identifier. An example of data storage in the character table 14 is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the character table 14 has a character identifier storage area 141 and a character storage area 142 inside, and character identifiers “G1-C1, G1-C2, G1-C3,..., G7-C1, G7-C2,..., G9-C8, G9-C9,. Here, the first half “G1 to G9” of the character identifier is assigned in correspondence with the above-described group identifier, and “C1 to C9” in the second half identifies different characters belonging to the same group. It is attached for this purpose. For example, when “G1-C1” is input as the character identifier, the symbol “☆” is read from the table. Similarly, when “G7-C4” is input, the symbol “∝” is read out.

  The display control unit 15 causes the display unit 16 to display a list of input candidate character groups together with a dividing line and a cursor. Here, the dividing line is a line for dividing the displayed character group into a plurality of groups. Based on the dividing line, the user recognizes which group the desired character belongs to. To facilitate group selection. The display control unit 15 moves and displays the cursor in units of groups so that one group can be selected from a plurality of groups according to the group identifier input from the group selection unit 11. In addition, the group selected by the cursor is enlarged and displayed.

  Similarly, the display control unit 15 moves and displays the cursor in character units so that one character can be selected from a plurality of characters in accordance with the character identifier input from the character selection unit 12. In addition, a character selected by the cursor is displayed in a frame, and when such a character is determined as an input character, it is displayed in an input area on the screen.

  The display unit 16 displays input candidate character groups, dividing lines, cursors, a plurality of characters belonging to the selected group, input characters, and the like in a predetermined display area in accordance with the control contents of the display control unit 15.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 4-6, operation | movement of the portable terminal 1 is demonstrated, and the character input method which concerns on this invention is demonstrated collectively. In the present embodiment, description will be made assuming that the user inputs “∇” from the symbols of 9 columns × 9 rows (81 types in total) shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the character input process executed by the mobile terminal 1.

  First, in S1, the display control unit 15 of the portable terminal 1 monitors the presence / absence of a symbol group display instruction. When the instruction is detected (S1; YES), the symbol group as an input candidate is divided into a dividing line, a cursor, At the same time, a list is displayed on the display unit 16 (S2). As a result, the screen 16b displayed on the display unit 16 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 4B, broken lines L1 to L4 indicate four dividing lines displayed to identify individual symbol groups that are constituent elements of the symbol group. At a point before the moving operation by the user, the cursor C1 is at the upper left position (initial position) of the nine groups partitioned by these dividing lines.

  The initial position of the cursor C1 is arbitrary, such as the upper left corner and the center. However, in view of the gist of the present invention that facilitates character input, the number of operations required to move from the initial position to each character is reduced. Such a position is desirable.

  When the user instructs the movement of the cursor C1 via the group selection unit 11 (S3; YES), the cursor C1 moves on the symbol group in units of groups according to this instruction (S4). FIG. 4C is a diagram illustrating a state in which the cursor C1 located at the initial position moves to the lower left group located further below the symbol group located below the cursor C1. In this case, the cursor C1 can be moved by pressing the button 11c twice.

  In S5, the display control unit 15 waits for a group selection instruction, and upon detecting a group selection instruction via the group selection unit 11 (S5; YES), all symbols belonging to the selected group are displayed. An enlarged display is made on the display unit 16 together with the cursor (S6). A group selection instruction can be made by pressing the button 11e. As a result, a screen 16d displayed on the display unit 16 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 6A, before the user performs a moving operation, the cursor C2 is in the initial position of the upper left corner of the nine input candidate symbols. Note that the initial position of the cursor C2 is arbitrary, such as the upper left corner and the center, like that of the cursor C1.

  When the user instructs to move the cursor C2 via the character selection unit 12 (S7; YES), the cursor C2 moves on the enlarged symbol group in units of one symbol according to this instruction (S8). Such movement of the cursor C2 is possible by pressing the button 11b twice. FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a state in which the cursor C2 at the initial position has moved to the symbol “∇” on the right side through the symbol “∂” located on the right side. .

  In S9, the display control unit 15 waits for a symbol selection instruction, and when a symbol selection instruction is detected via the character selection unit 12 (S9; YES), the selected symbol “∇” is input. (S10). This input instruction can be made by pressing the button 11e.

  As described above, the mobile terminal 1 according to the present embodiment divides the character group displayed in a list on the screen into nine groups having nine characters fixedly. When one group is selected from these groups, one more character can be selected from a plurality of characters included in the group. The user inputs this character by selecting the desired character. In other words, the displayed character group has two layers, a layer for selecting a group (upper layer) and a layer for selecting characters from the group (lower layer). , One group or character is selected from the nine. As a result, the number of operations required to select a desired character can be reduced as compared with the conventional method of directly selecting a character from a character group (without selecting a group).

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, In the range which does not deviate from the meaning, it is also possible to take a deformation | transformation aspect suitably. For example, in the above embodiment, the character group is composed of nine groups and one group is composed of nine characters. However, the number of groups constituting the character group is 12 (= vertical 3 × horizontal 4), The number of characters constituting the group is 9 (= vertical 3 × horizontal 3), and the number of groups and the number of characters can be changed to arbitrary values. Further, the number of hierarchies is not limited to two hierarchies, and it is of course possible to set three or more hierarchies by further hierarchizing the group.

It is a block diagram for demonstrating the functional structure of a portable terminal. It is a figure which shows the example of data storage in a group table. It is a figure which shows the example of data storage in a character table. FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a list of character groups as input candidates, and FIG. 4B is divided into a plurality of groups by dividing lines. FIG. 4C is a diagram illustrating a character group, and FIG. 4C illustrates a state in which the cursor moves on the character group for each group. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of a portable terminal. FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a state where the selected group is displayed in an enlarged manner, and FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a state where the cursor is positioned on the selected group. It is a figure which shows a mode that it moves for every character.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Portable terminal, 11 ... Group selection part, 12 ... Character selection part, 13 ... Group table, 14 ... Character table, 15 ... Display control part, 16 ... Display part

Claims (4)

A character group display control means for displaying a list of character groups divided into a plurality of groups;
A group selection means for selecting one group from the plurality of groups;
Character display control means for displaying a list of a plurality of characters belonging to the group selected by the group selection means;
A character input device comprising: character selection means for selecting one character from the plurality of characters.   The character input device according to claim 1, wherein the character group display control means displays information for dividing the character group into a plurality of groups together with the character group divided into a plurality of groups.   The character input device according to claim 1, wherein the character display control unit displays the plurality of characters in an enlarged manner. The character input device
A character group display control step for displaying a list of character groups divided into a plurality of groups;
A group selection step of selecting one group from the plurality of groups;
A character display control step of displaying a list of a plurality of characters belonging to the group selected in the group selection step;
And a character selection step of selecting one character from the plurality of characters.

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