JP2009169451A - Mobile terminal and character input method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mobile terminal and a character input method, allowing an easy changeover of a character kind with a small movement distance of a finger at anytime. <P>SOLUTION: This cellphone terminal 30 has: a display part 33 displaying keys; a touch panel part 35 detecting contact with the key and a contact position of the key; and a character state management part 32 changing the kind of a character displayed on the display part 33 when a change of the contact position of the key is detected in a state that the key is contacted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable terminal and a character input method, and more particularly to an input method in which a character type is switched by moving a finger when touching.

  When typing characters on a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, it is necessary to be aware of the type of characters such as hiragana and English. At this time, it is troublesome to always be aware of the character type. In addition, when inputting a cloud point or a lower case letter in Hiragana, it is necessary to touch a specific key to which the function is assigned.

  Therefore, in conventional portable personal computers (mobile personal computers) and personal digital assistants (PDAs), when keys are displayed on the screen and characters or the like are input by touch, the number of keys displayed on the screen can be reduced. A screen display type key input device with high operability is known.

  This input device is for inputting a key displayed on the screen by touching with a pen or the like, a determination means for determining a difference in touch method, and a character set to each key by the determined touch method And character selection means for selecting and outputting from the symbols.

  The determination means uses the first touch operation in which the XY axis is set with the point S first touched within the key area as the intersection S, and the pen does not move more than a predetermined length while touching the intersection S, and the intersection S The second, third, and fourth touch operations that move more than a predetermined length from the left to the lower left region, the lower right region, and the upper right region are configured to be distinguishable (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In addition, with regard to a character input device, method and program using a virtual keyboard displayed on a touch panel in a portable information terminal, it is possible to easily input characters using a small virtual keyboard and input auxiliary candidate characters such as muddy characters with one click. A method is known.

  In this method, for example, when the position of the key “hi” on the virtual keyboard is tapped, an enlarged key indicating “hi” is displayed on the touch panel, and around the key “hi” on the virtual keyboard, a key “ “C”, “NA”, “NI”, “NU”, “HA”, “HI”, “FU”, etc. are displayed as adjacent enlargement keys. In addition, the auxiliary enlargement keys for the auxiliary candidate characters “pi”, “bi”, “byu”, and “byo” for “hi” are displayed at the periphery of the enlargement key.

  If you tap the center of the magnifying key except the rim, the character “hi” will be a tentative fixed character, and if you move the tap to the rim of the magnifying key, the character of the auxiliary magnifying key where the moved tap is located Is a tentatively confirmed character. If the tap is released, the provisionally confirmed character at that time is input as the confirmed character (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2001-325064 A JP 2005-182487 A

  In the method described in Patent Document 1, a plurality of characters are assigned to one key according to a touch method as a character input method. However, with this method, it is necessary to newly learn how to input characters. The character type switching is assigned to another key.

  Moreover, although the method described in patent document 2 is changing the character inputted by shifting a tap and a tap release position at the time of a tap of a character, since it is limited to the shift in the key of a virtual keyboard to the last. I haven't gotten into changing the character type. An application example is a virtual full keyboard, which is difficult to apply to a numeric keypad of a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone.

  Furthermore, when inputting a character having a cloud point, a portable terminal such as a general mobile phone needs to press a key assigned with a function for adding a cloud point after pressing the character. Also, when inputting different character types such as hiragana and English characters, it is necessary to press a key for changing the mode.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal and a character input method capable of easily and easily switching a finger movement distance at any time. Yes.

  To achieve the above object, a first portable device of the present invention controls a touch panel unit that detects contact and a contact position, a display unit that displays characters, and a type of characters displayed on the display unit. A character state management unit, and the character state management unit is configured to change the character type when a change in a contact position is detected while the touch panel unit is in contact.

  According to the above configuration, the character type is switched by pressing the input key while pressing it with a finger, for example, so that it is not necessary to use a button assigned to another button when inputting characters such as dakuten, semi-dakuten, lowercase, etc. Input is possible by handling the buttons. Further, since it is not necessary to move a finger greatly when inputting a key in changing the character type, it is possible to input characters at a faster speed.

  Moreover, the 2nd portable terminal of this invention is set as the structure by which a key is displayed on the said touch panel part.

  According to the above configuration, the input key is displayed on the touch panel unit, and the character type is switched by pressing the input key, for example, with a finger, so that a button assigned to another button when inputting characters such as a cloud point, a semi-cloudy point, and a small letter It is no longer necessary to use, and input is possible by handling the button currently being operated. Further, since it is not necessary to move a finger greatly when inputting a key in changing the character type, it is possible to input characters at a faster speed.

  In addition, the third portable terminal of the present invention has an information storage unit that manages information on the number of times of contact of the same key and character type change information for changing the type of character displayed on the display unit, The character state management unit is configured to designate a character displayed on the display unit based on information stored in the information storage unit.

  According to the above configuration, it is possible to easily specify a character and a character type simply by operating the touch panel. In addition, since the character type can be changed at any time, it is not necessary to input the character type in consideration of the character type, and an appropriate character type can be input by looking at the displayed character and moving the finger.

  In the fourth portable terminal of the present invention, the character type change information may be displayed on the display unit based on the character type displayed on the display unit and the direction of change in the touch position of the key. The information includes information for changing the type.

  According to the above configuration, it is possible to easily specify a character and a character type simply by operating the touch panel. Further, for example, it is possible to easily select a type after pressing a key before pressing the character type mode. For example, when you want to put out the letter “c”, the number 2 key was pressed 3 times, but even after the mode is “Hiragana Output”, the same key is left again. “C” can be obtained by touching with a slight shift.

  In the fifth portable terminal of the present invention, the character type change information indicates that the character type is changed when the contact position changes in a direction opposite to the change direction after the contact position of the key changes. Information for changing to the character type before the change is included.

  According to the above configuration, it is not necessary to move a finger greatly when returning the character type based on the character type change information, so that it is possible to input characters at a faster speed.

  In the first character input method of the present invention, the portable terminal includes a detection step for detecting contact and a contact position, and a character state management step for controlling the type of character displayed on the display unit for displaying the character. And when the change of the contact position is detected in the contact state in the detection step, the character type is changed in the character state management step.

  According to the above method, the character type is switched by pressing the input key with a finger, for example, so that it is not necessary to use a button assigned to another button when inputting characters such as dakuten, semi-dakuten, lowercase, etc. Input is possible by handling the buttons. Further, since it is not necessary to move a finger greatly when inputting a key in changing the character type, it is possible to input characters at a faster speed.

  As described above, according to the portable terminal and the character input method according to the present invention, it is not necessary to use a button assigned to another button when inputting a dakuten, semi-dakuten, or lowercase character, and the button is always handled. Input is possible. That is, since it is not necessary to move a finger greatly when inputting a key in changing the character type, it is possible to input characters at a faster speed.

  Further, it is possible to easily select the type after pressing the key before pressing the character type mode. For example, when you want to put out the letter “c”, the number 2 key was pressed 3 times, but even after the mode is “Hiragana Output”, the same key is left again. “C” can be obtained by touching with a slight shift.

  Furthermore, the basic character input method follows the conventional character input method of mobile terminals such as mobile phones, and the character input method that has been used so far can be used as it is. In addition, since the character type can be changed at any time, it is not necessary to input the character type in consideration of the character type, and an appropriate character type can be input by looking at the displayed character and moving the finger.

  A portable terminal and a character input method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  In the mobile phone terminal which is an example of the mobile terminal in the embodiment of the present invention, it is assumed that input is performed using a touch panel. (1) The character type mode is switched when a key used for input is pressed. By touching and moving. Specifically, the character type includes hiragana (turbidity, half-dakuten, lowercase), alphanumeric characters (uppercase, lowercase, half-width, full-width), and numbers (half-width, full-width).

  Further, (2) the number of touches of the key is stored, and after the key is touched, an appropriate character in the designated character type can be output by shifting the same key. For example, in the case of F (in FIG. 4, the key 6 is touched three times in the kana mode), if the English character mode is selected, it becomes o (the key 6 in the English character mode is touched three times).

  Further, (3) the character type mode can be switched any number of times at any time until the character is determined. When the finger shift is reversed, the character type is restored.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a mobile phone terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. The mobile phone terminal 30 shown in FIG. 1 includes a character state table 31, a character state management unit 32, a display unit 33, a touch state management unit 34, and a touch panel unit 35.

  The touch panel unit 35 transmits information on the detection state and detection coordinates of the touch panel to the touch state management unit 34. Therefore, it has a function for detecting the contact with the key and the contact position of the key. The touch panel unit 35 can also display keys for performing an input operation.

  The touch state management unit 34 transmits an appropriate event to the character state management unit 32 from the detection state of the touch panel.

  The character state management unit 32 detects the contact state of characters and manages displayed characters based on an event from the touch state management unit. For example, the character state management unit 32 determines the type of character displayed on the display unit 33 when a change in the touch position of the key is detected while the key is touched, that is, when a gesture event described later is detected. It has a function to change. Further, for example, based on the information stored in the character state table 31, it has a function for designating a character displayed on the display unit 33.

  The character state table 31 is a database for managing the number of contacts of the same key and managing a character type transition table. Therefore, the character state table 31 has a function as an information storage unit for managing information on the number of times of touching the same key and character type change information for changing the type of character displayed on the display unit 33. Further, for example, the information of the character type transition table includes, for example, information for changing the character type and the type of the character displayed on the display unit 33 based on the direction of change of the character type and the touch position of the key, When the contact position changes in the direction opposite to the direction of the change after the change of the contact position, information for changing the character type to the character type before the change is included.

  The display unit 33 is a block that displays characters designated by the character state management unit. When the character type is changed by moving the touched finger, the character with the changed character type is displayed by overwriting the same place.

  Next, an example of the operation of the touch panel unit 35 is shown in a flowchart. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the touch panel unit 35.

  The touch panel unit 35 always waits for a change in the detection state of the touch panel, and repeats the subsequent processing at regular intervals (step S11). The touch panel unit 35 detects a change in the detection state (step S12). When a transition is made from an undetected state (no previous detection) to a detected state (currently detected), a touch start event is notified to the touch state management unit 34 (step S16), and step S14 and step described later are performed. The process of S15 is performed. Further, when the touch panel unit 35 transitions from the detected state (previously detected) to the undetected state (not detected this time), the touch completion event is notified to the touch state management unit 34 (step S13). . Further, when there is no change from the detected state (with previous detection) (this time with detection), the touch panel unit 35 acquires information on coordinates touched with a finger or the like (step S14), and manages the touch state. The unit 34 is notified (step S15).

  Next, an example of the operation of the touch state management unit 34 is shown in a flowchart. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the touch state management unit 34.

  When the touch state management unit 34 acquires the touch start event, the touch completion event, and the touch position coordinate information from the touch panel unit 35, the touch state management unit 34 notifies the character state management unit 32 of the following events (step S21).

  When the acquired event is a touch start event, the touch state management unit 34 determines which key is pressed with the touch start event and the touch position coordinate information down (step S22), and selects a specific key. The character state management unit 32 is notified as a key contact start event indicating an event where is pressed (step S23). Then, the touch state management unit 34 turns on the touch detection flag (step S24).

  If the acquired event is a touch completion event, the touch state management unit 34 notifies the character state management unit 32 of a key contact completion event indicating that the touch of a specific key has ended based on the touch completion event. (Step S30). Then, the touch state management unit 34 turns off the touch detection flag (step S31).

  When the touch state management unit 34 has not acquired an event (that is, when the touch panel unit 35 has not detected a change in the detection state of the touch panel), it determines whether the touch detection flag is ON or OFF. Determination is made (step S25). If the touch detection flag is ON, the processes in steps S27 to S28 are repeated until a touch completion event is acquired and the touch detection flag is turned OFF (step S26). In step S <b> 27, the touch state management unit 34 acquires information on the position coordinates of the touch panel unit 35. In step S <b> 28, the touch state management unit 34 notifies the character state management unit 32 as a gesture event based on a change in position coordinate information. Note that an event is waited during the processing of steps S25 to S28.

Here, an example of a gesture event is shown.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a gesture event. In this example, an example is shown in which the unit is shifted 10 units to the right while being touched. Here, events in four directions (up, down, left and right) are defined.

  That is, the touch panel unit 35 is divided into about 100 units in the left-right direction (X-axis) and about 90 units in the up-down direction (Y-axis), and the amount of touch coordinate variation is detected. Then, the touch state management unit 34 raises an upper event when the variation amount ΔY in the Y-axis direction exceeds +10 (ΔY> +10), and when the variation amount ΔY in the Y-axis direction exceeds −10 (ΔY < −10), the lower event is increased, the left event is increased when the amount of variation ΔX in the X-axis direction exceeds −10 (ΔX <−10), and the time point when the amount of variation ΔX in the X-axis direction exceeds +10 (ΔX > +10) Raise the right event.

  Next, an example of the operation of the character state management unit 32 is shown in a flowchart. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the character state management unit 32.

  The character state management unit 32 operates in response to reception of a key contact start event, a key contact completion event, and a gesture event (step S41).

  When receiving the key contact start event, the character state management unit 32 determines whether or not the touched key has been pressed immediately before (step S42). The information on the same number of times of contact exists for each key and indicates how many times the key has been pressed immediately before, and is managed in the character state table 31.

  When the touched key has not been pressed immediately before (NO in step S42), the character state management unit 32 sets the number of touches of the corresponding key to 1, and returns the same number of touches of other keys to 0. (Step S43), the display unit 33 is notified to move the cursor to the left of the currently displayed character (Step S44), and the initial touch flag is set to 1 (ON) (Step S45). The initial touch flag is a flag that stands only when the corresponding key is first touched.

  If the touched key has been pressed immediately before (YES in step S42), the character state management unit 32 sets the initial touch flag to 0 (turns it OFF) (step S47).

  Then, after the processing of step S46 or step S47, the character state management unit 32 notifies the display unit 33 of the output character based on the same contact count as the character type mode (step S46).

  When the gesture event is received, the character state management unit 32 changes the character type mode between the current character type and the gesture event based on the character type transition table (step S48). Then, the character state management unit 32 notifies the display unit 33 of the character according to the output character table from the same key contact count as the touched key and the character type mode (step S49).

  When the key contact completion event is received, the character state management unit 32 is processing the gesture event immediately before (YES in step S50) or when the initial touch flag is 1 (YES in step S51). Then, the same number of contacts is left as it is, and the character according to the output character table is notified to the display unit 33 from the same key contact count as the touched key and the character type mode (step S49).

  If no gesture event has been processed immediately before (NO in step S50), and if the initial touch flag is 0 (NO in step S51), the number of times of the same contact with the corresponding key is incremented by 1 (step In S52, the display unit 33 is notified of the character according to the output character table from the same key contact count as the touched key and the character type mode (step S49).

  As a result, during the gesture, only the character type transition is performed without performing the character transition such as “ka” → “ki”.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of transition at the time of a gesture event, and Table 1 shows a character type transition table corresponding to the example. This is just an example, but it is easy to understand that lowercase letters correspond to lower events and uppercase letters correspond to upper events.

  Referring to FIG. 6 and Table 1, for example, when the holding state being touched is “1. Hiragana / No cloud point”, the upper event transits to “10. Full-width numbers”, and the lower event causes “2. Transition to "Lowercase", transition to "3. Hiragana / Dakuten" by the left event, and transition to "5. Single-byte alphabet / lowercase" by the right event.

  As an example, FIG. 7 shows an example of transition related to “ha” when the “6” key (see FIG. 8) is pressed, and Table 2 shows an output character table when the “6” key is pressed.

  Referring to FIG. 7 and Table 2, when the numeric key “6” is pressed in the character input mode, “ha” is output, and when the number of touches is 2, 3, 4, 5, “1. , FU, HE, HO "is output. In addition, the upper event makes a transition to “10. Full-width numerals — 6”, the left event makes a transition to “3. Hiragana / Maze point_B”, and the right event makes a transition to “5.

Next, an example of display by the display unit 33 is shown.
The display unit 33 displays the character notified by the character state management unit 32. Even when the character type is changed by the gesture, the display position is overwritten on the display position before the character type is changed.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a transition from “ha” to “ba”.
Since the transition from “ha” to “ba” is a transition from “1. Hiragana / Dakuten” to “3. Hiragana / Dakuten”, the transition takes place once in the left event. Therefore, “ha” changes to “ba” by touching the left side while shifting a certain distance.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a transition example from “HI” to “N”.
Since the transition from “Hi” to “N” is from “1. Hiragana / No dull point” to “8. Full-width alphabetic characters / capital letters”, the transition is performed once in the right event and once in the upper event. Therefore, “hi” transitions to “N” by shifting to the right by a certain distance and touching with a certain distance upward.

  There are a plurality of methods for changing the character type as follows. FIG. 10 shows four examples for changing the character type.

(1) First, put “B” with a left-shift tap, and then specify a character. That is, “ha” → (left shift tap) “ba” → (normal tap) “bi” → (normal tap) “bu”.

(2) First put “ha”, then add a cloud point, and then specify the character. That is, (ordinary tap) “ha” → (left shift tap) “ba” → (normal tap) “bi” → (normal tap) “bu”.

(3) At the time of “Hi”, add a muddy point to “B”. That is, (ordinary tap) “ha” → (ordinary tap) “hi” → (left shift tap) “bi” → (ordinary tap) “bu”.

(4) First, specify the letter “fu” and then use the dakuten. That is, (ordinary tap) “ha” → (ordinary tap) “hi” → (ordinary tap) “fu” → (left shift tap) “bu”.

Although the method of (1) is natural as a method of character input, there are cases where the user forgets to specify the character type when inputting characters and taps a key. (2) to (4) and subsequent input methods are also supported. is doing.

  The effect of the above processing performed by the mobile phone terminal 30 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with a specific example.

  FIG. 11 compares the number of taps and the number of finger movements when inputting the word “12”. Here, the number of movements of the finger refers to the number of times of moving from one key to another key.

  Since the mobile phone terminal 30 basically inputs in the “Hiragana” mode, “1” is output with one tap while the “1” key is shifted upward. Subsequently, “2” is output with one tap while the “2” key is shifted upward. Subsequently, “BA” is output with one tap while the “6” key is shifted to the left. Subsequently, “n” is output by tapping the “0” key three times. Subsequently, “Chi” is output by tapping the “4” key twice. In this case, the number of taps is 8 and the number of finger movements is 4.

  On the other hand, in a general mobile phone, first, the mode is changed to the number mode with one tap of “mode switching”. Subsequently, “1” is output by one tap of the “1” key. Subsequently, “2” is output by one tap of the “2” key. Subsequently, the mode is changed to the hiragana mode with one tap of “mode switching”. Subsequently, “ha” is output by tapping the “6” key once. Subsequently, the “*” key is changed to “BA” by adding a cloud point with one tap. Subsequently, “n” is output by tapping the “0” key three times. Subsequently, “Chi” is output by tapping the “4” key twice. In this case, the number of taps is 11 and the number of finger movements is 7. As an effect of the present invention, the number of taps is reduced by 3 times, and the number of finger movements is reduced by 3 times.

  As described above, in the mobile phone terminal 30, it is not necessary to use a button assigned to another button at the time of inputting a muddy point, a semi-turbid point, or a lowercase character, and input is always possible by handling that button. That is, since it is not necessary to move a finger largely when inputting a key when changing the character type, it is possible to input characters at a faster speed.

  Further, in the mobile phone terminal 30, it is possible to easily select a type after pressing a key before pressing the character type mode. For example, in a general mobile phone, the number 2 key is pressed three times to output the letter “c”. However, in the mobile phone terminal 30, the mode is “Hiragana output”, and “ku” appears. After that, “c” can be issued by touching the same key to the left once again.

Furthermore, in the mobile phone terminal 30, the basic character input method follows the general mobile phone character input method, and the character input method used so far can be used as it is. In addition, since the character type can be changed at any time, it is not necessary to input the character type in consideration of the character type, and an appropriate character type can be input by displacing the finger while looking at the displayed display character.
In this embodiment, the character type is changed by shifting the key on the touch panel. However, a two-dimensional touch sensor is mounted under the hardware key, and the finger is shifted when the key is touched. The character type may be changed by detecting.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful as a portable terminal, a character input method, and the like that can switch a finger movement distance and easily at any time.

The figure which shows an example of a structure of the mobile telephone terminal concerning embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows an example of operation | movement of the touch-panel part concerning embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows an example of operation | movement of the touch state management part concerning embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the gesture event concerning embodiment of this invention The flowchart which shows an example of operation | movement of the character state management part concerning embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the transition of the gesture concerning embodiment of this invention The figure which shows an example of the transition regarding "ha" concerning embodiment of this invention The figure which shows an example of the transition from "ha" to "ba" concerning embodiment of this invention The figure which shows an example of the transition from "Hi" to "N" concerning embodiment of this invention The figure which shows four examples for changing the character classification in embodiment of this invention FIG. 6 is a diagram for comparing the number of taps and the number of finger movements when the mobile phone terminal inputs the word “12” in the embodiment of the present invention with a general mobile phone.

Explanation of symbols

30 Cellular phone terminal 31 Character state table 32 Character state management unit 33 Display unit 34 Touch state management unit 35 Touch panel unit

Claims (6)

A touch panel unit for detecting contact and contact position;
A display for displaying characters;
A character state management unit that controls the type of characters displayed on the display unit,
The character state management unit is characterized in that the character type is changed when a change in a contact position is detected in a state where the touch panel unit is touched.
Mobile device. The mobile terminal according to claim 1,
Keys are displayed on the touch panel part.
Mobile device. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:
An information storage unit for managing information on the number of times of contact of the same key and character type change information for changing the type of character displayed on the display unit;
The said character state management part is a portable terminal which designates the character displayed on the said display part based on the information memorize | stored in the information storage part. The mobile terminal according to claim 3,
The character type change information includes information for changing the character type displayed on the display unit based on the type of character displayed on the display unit and the direction of change of the touch position of the key. . The mobile terminal according to claim 4,
The character type change information is information for changing the character type to the character type before the change when the touch position is changed in the opposite direction to the change direction after the touch position of the key is changed. Including mobile devices. On mobile devices,
A detection step for detecting contact and contact position;
A character state management step for controlling the type of characters displayed on the display unit for displaying characters,
In the detection step, when a change in contact position is detected in a contact state, the character type is changed in the character state management step,
Mobile device.