JP4371909B2 - Mobile phone - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a mobile phone capable of inputting characters.

  In order to create a message for e-mail on a mobile phone, most of the input keys such as a numeric keypad, “*”, “#”, etc. are used when inputting characters. . As shown in the enlarged view of the input key section 14 in FIG. 14, each of these input keys is displayed with a kana in addition to numbers, and is associated with a character group composed of a plurality of characters that can be input with the input key. . For example, the input key 1 is associated with 5 characters in that line, and the input key 2 is associated with 5 characters in that line so that input can be made. Furthermore, there are cases where the input key 1 can be used to input five lowercase letters in the same line, such as “A” and “I”. That is, each input key is associated with a character group composed of a plurality of characters, such as line A, line A, line A, and the like.

When the same input key is repeatedly pressed, the characters of the character group corresponding to the input key are displayed one by one on the display and can be selected. For example, if you press the input key 2 of the line once, “ka” and “ki” will be displayed if you press the key twice. Each time you press the input key 2, “ka” → “ki” → “ku” → “ke” → “K” → “K” is displayed repeatedly. Then, when a character to be input appears, the character can be selected by pressing a determination key different from the input key 2.
JP 2003-258977 A

In the above method, the input key must be repeatedly pressed until the character to be selected appears. For example, in the case of “O”, since the input key 1 of that line has to be pressed five times, it takes time and effort to reach the desired character. In addition, if the user presses the input key quickly in order to quickly reach the target character, the user often presses too much and passes the target character. In that case, there was a problem that it was impossible to return, and the input key had to be pressed many times. For example, in order to select “E”, it is necessary to press the input key 1 of that row four times. However, when “O” is displayed after pressing it five times, it is not possible to return to “E”. Therefore, it must be pushed again from “A” four times.
An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile phone that eliminates the above-described complicated work and allows a user to input characters with a more intuitive operation.

This invention relates to telephone body, with and an input key and a display, it is assumed the mobile phone that associates character group to individual input keys.
Based on the above mobile phone, the present invention includes an input key and a display, and in a mobile phone in which a character group is associated with each input key, a plurality of character groups are associated with a specific input key, and The telephone body is equipped with a computer, and an angle sensor and an acceleration sensor connected to the computer. The computer stores the angle of the telephone body when the input key is pressed as a reference angle, and the input key has when pressed Rutotomoni telephone main body is swung, depending on the acceleration acceleration sensor detects from a plurality of character groups corresponding to the input key, a function of specifying a character group to be displayed in the character selection area, identified The function to display the character group in the character selection area on the display and when the input key is pressed During this time, a function for identifying the angle of the telephone body with respect to the reference angle and marking a specific character displayed at a position corresponding to the angle of the telephone body from the character group displayed in the character selection area And a function of selecting a marked character and displaying it in a character input area on the display when the input key is released.

According to this invention, when inputting characters using the mobile phone, since the character selection operation becomes intuitively understandable work for the user, spear easily input errors is reduced. Further, the time and labor required for input work can be omitted.
Particularly, in the invention of this, so that it is selected in the input character by a simple operation of tilting the telephone body.

In addition, even when a plurality of character groups are associated with one input key, characters can be input with a simple procedure .

1 to 4 show a first reference example of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is an external view of a cellular phone according to the present invention, which is a general shape in which a telephone body 13 includes an input key portion 14 and a display 16. In the input key section 14, input keys 1 to 12 for inputting characters and symbols are arranged as in the conventional example shown in FIG. Note that reference numeral 15 in the figure is a determination key for confirming the selection of characters when inputting characters.
Further, the lower side surface of the telephone body 13 in the figure is A, the right side surface is B, the straight line parallel to the side surface A is the x axis, and the straight line perpendicular to this is the y axis.

As shown in FIG. 2, the telephone main body 13 has a processing unit 17 that is a computer of the present invention and an angle sensor 18 connected thereto. The processing unit 17 is a processing unit having a function for controlling character input separately from a part for controlling a communication function as a telephone, and the input keys 1 to 12 of the input key unit 14; The display 16 is also linked.
Each of the input keys 1 to 12 of the input key unit 14 is associated with a character group composed of a plurality of characters. For example, the input key 1 is associated with a character group of 5 characters in that row, and the input key 2 is associated with a character group of 5 characters in that row, and the processing unit 17 stores this correspondence. However, data such as the correspondence between each input key and a character group may not be stored by the processing unit 17 but may be stored by a storage unit linked to the processing unit 17. Further, FIG. 14 shows input keys that are generally used at present, but any character group may be associated with any input key.
The input keys 1 to 12 are used when inputting not only kana characters but also alphabets and symbols. Here, input of kana characters will be described.

The angle sensor 18 has a function of detecting the angle of the telephone body 13 and inputting the detection signal to the processing unit 17. In the first reference example , the rotation angle a based on the x axis and the rotation angle b based on the y axis shown in FIG. 1 are detected as the angle of the telephone body 13. The angle a and the angle b are angles in a plane orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1, and assuming that the paper surface and the display 16 surface are parallel, the angles a and b are based on the display 16 surface. It can be thought of as a rotation angle.
As described above, since the angle sensor 18 detects the angles a and b in one plane that is orthogonal to the display 16 and orthogonal to each other, the processing unit 17 determines the display 16 according to the detection result of the angle sensor 18. And the inclination of the telephone body 13 can be detected.

On the other hand, when the input keys 1 to 12 are pressed when a message is created, that is, in a state where the message creation screen is displayed on the display 16 in advance, a signal for specifying the pressed input keys 1 to 12 is displayed on the processing unit. 17 is input.
When the input key specifying signal is input from the input key unit 14, the processing unit 17 specifies a character group corresponding to the input key and causes the display 16 to display characters included in the character group. I have. At the time of message creation, the display 16 includes a character input area 19 and a character selection area 20 as shown in FIG. 3, and the processing unit 17 determines the character group specified based on the signal from the input key unit 14 as described above. The character selection area 20 is displayed in a cross shape. This cross corresponds to the x-axis and the y-axis.
However, the processing unit 17 displays the character group in the character selection area 20 while any of the input keys 1 to 12 is kept pressed.

Further, when the input keys 1 to 12 are pressed, the processing unit 17 detects the angle of the telephone body 13 at that time and stores it as a reference angle. After that, when the telephone body 13 is tilted, the angle is specified by the tilt from the reference angle.
In FIG. 3, a plane that includes the x axis and is orthogonal to the surface of the display 16 is shown below the display 16, and a plane that includes the y axis and is orthogonal to the surface of the display 16 is illustrated on the right side.
Then, assuming that the counterclockwise rotation angle is positive, when the angle a is a positive value, the inclination of the telephone body 13 is such that the character “O” side in the character selection area 20 is lowered and the character “U” is raised. When the angle b is a positive value, the character “I” rises and the character “E” falls.

Thus, when the telephone body 13 is tilted with the character group displayed in the character selection area 20, the processing unit 17 specifies the angle and displays the character displayed at the position corresponding to the angle. It has a function to mark as a character selected by the user. In the first reference example , a character displayed at a position lower than the reference angle is marked. For example, the angle a1 is set as the threshold value of the angle a. When the angle a ≧ a1 (> 0), the character “o” is marked. When the angle a ≦ {−a1}, the character “u” is marked. When {−a1} <a <a1, the character “A” is marked.
Further, if the threshold value of the angle b is the angle b1, the character “e” is marked when the angle b ≧ b1 (> 0), and the character “i” is marked when the angle b ≦ {−b1}. Otherwise, the character “A” is marked.

If the inclination of the telephone body 13 changes while the input key 1 is pressed, the processing unit 17 changes the character to be marked according to the angle, and the marked character can be seen in the character selection area 20. The display is different from other characters. For example, as shown in the display 16 on the left side of FIG. 4, the character “I” is marked by being enclosed in a double frame.
Then, when the input key being pressed is released in a state where a specific character is marked, the processing unit 17 detects that and selects the character that was marked at that time to input the character. It is displayed in the area 19.

Note that any method may be used for the processing unit 17 to detect that the input keys 1 to 12 have been released. For example, another input signal may be output when the pressed input keys 1 to 12 are released, or the input key specifying signal is continuously output while the pressed state continues. In this way, it may be detected that the input keys 1 to 12 have been released by the interruption.
When the user wants to input the marked character, the user can input the character by releasing the pressed input key.

FIG. 4 shows that the input key 1 is released with the character “I” marked, as shown on the right side of the dotted arrow. When the pressed input key 1 is released, the processing unit 17 displays the character “I” in the character input area 19. Thus, when a character is displayed in the character input area 19, “I” can be confirmed by the decision button 15 (see FIG. 1) or can be deleted by a clear button (not shown). Furthermore, the above procedure can be repeated to input other characters into the character input area 19.
In the right diagram of FIG. 4, a lowercase letter “I” is displayed in the character selection area 20 together with the letter “I”. However, when a lowercase letter “I” is desired to be input, the telephone body as described above. When the mark 13 is tilted to mark 13 and the enter key 15 is pressed, the previous “I” is canceled and the lower case letter “I” is determined.

As described above, since the user can change the marking position by tilting the telephone body 13 in the direction of the target character among the characters displayed in the character selection area 20, it is intuitively understood. Easy to select and fewer mistakes.
In the above example, the telephone body 13 is tilted in the direction of the target character by the user from among the characters arranged in a cross shape. Therefore, the threshold values of both the angle a and the angle b are hardly exceeded at the same time. Unthinkable, but if both thresholds are exceeded at the same time, for example, if the threshold is tilted diagonally in the direction between the letters "O" and "I" Regardless of the absolute value, priority may be set in the direction so that one of the characters is marked.

Further, the character arrangement in the character selection area 20 is determined according to the frequency of use. For example, frequently used characters are arranged in the y-axis direction, and the threshold of the angle b in the y-axis direction is set to the angle a in the x-axis direction. The character arranged in the y-axis direction can be preferentially selected by making it smaller than the threshold value.
However, when the phone body 13 is tilted with the hand in hand, if there is a tendency to tilt depending on the direction, the threshold value in the easy tilting direction is set large, and the threshold value in the difficult tilting direction is reduced. This makes it easier to select characters.

  In addition, when displaying the character marked by the processing unit 17 in the character selection area 20, not only the method of surrounding with the double frame as described above, but if the character that is marked is known, Such a display method may be used. For example, users who are not good at seeing small characters can be highlighted by highlighting only the marked characters, changing the color, or making them larger or darker than other characters. It will be easier to use. In particular, since the display 16 of the mobile phone is small and has a limited display space, the size of characters is also limited. However, by doing so, mistakes in viewing can be reduced and input errors can be prevented.

Moreover, the arrangement | sequence when displaying the character group corresponding to the input keys 1-12 in the character selection area 20 is not restricted to a cross shape. For example, the second reference example shown in FIG. 5 is an example of being arranged in a straight line.
The appearance and configuration of the mobile phone of the second reference example are the same as those of the first reference example shown in FIGS. The configuration of the message creation screen is the same as that in FIG. Therefore, FIGS. 1 to 3 are also used to explain the second reference example . However, in the second reference example , the character arrangement displayed in the character selection area 20 of FIG. 3 is different, and the angle sensor 18 only needs to detect the angle a.

In FIG. 5, among the five characters, the character “A” is marked and displayed with a double frame, but the angle “a” is adjusted, and the telephone body 13 is tilted toward the character “O” side, that is, on the x axis. In contrast, the processing unit 17 marks other characters by tilting the angle a in the negative direction.
In the second reference example , since all the characters are arranged in a straight line, the character to be marked by the processing unit 17 is distinguished by the size of the angle a. That is, four threshold values, for example, a1, a2, a3, a4, are set on the −a side with respect to the reference angle when the input keys 1 to 12 are initially pressed, and the angle a is a1. The character “I” may be marked when the symbol reaches “2”, and the character “U” may be marked when the symbol “a2” is reached.
Also in this case, the user can select the character by tilting the telephone body 13 in the target direction, so that the character selection work is performed as compared with the conventional case where the character is changed by repeatedly pressing the same input key. Is easy to understand intuitively, and without a doubt, you can easily enter characters.

The third reference example shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 includes a processing unit 17 that is a computer of the present invention and an acceleration sensor 21 (see FIG. 7) in the telephone main body 13, and in the first and second reference examples described above. The feature is that the acceleration is used instead of specifying the character by the angle. However, the same components as those in the first reference example are given the same reference numerals. The details of the input keys 1 to 12 of the input key unit 14 in FIG. 6 are the same as those in the conventional example of FIG.
The acceleration sensor 21 has a function of detecting the acceleration α in the x-axis direction and the acceleration β in the y-axis direction shown in FIG.

The processing unit 17 displays a character group corresponding to the input key in the character selection area 20 when any of the input keys 1 to 12 is pressed and an input key specifying signal is input from the input key unit 14. It is the same as the other reference examples in that it has a function to make it. Thereafter, the processing unit 17 detects the acceleration of the telephone body 13 from the detection result input from the acceleration sensor 21, and marks characters displayed at positions corresponding to the acceleration.
FIG. 8 shows a state in which the five characters in the line are displayed in a cross shape in the character selection area 20. In this state, the telephone body 13 displays the direction of a specific character. If it is shaken, the processing unit 17 marks a character located in the shake direction.

In FIG. 8, the character “A” is displayed in a double frame. From this state, when the telephone body 13 is shaken in the direction of the character “O”, the acceleration sensor 21 increases the acceleration α in the x-axis direction. Since it is detected and output to the processing unit 17, the processing unit 17 specifies and marks the character “o” from the direction, and displays the marked character in a double frame.
When the telephone body 13 is shaken by the acceleration β in the y-axis direction, the processing unit 17 specifies and marks the character “I” or the character “E” depending on the direction.
Note that a threshold value for the magnitude of acceleration is set in the processing unit 17, and when the detection result of the acceleration sensor 21 reaches the threshold value, it is recognized that the telephone body 13 is swung in each direction. I have to.

When the determination key 15 is pressed in a state where the marked character is displayed surrounded by a double frame in the character selection area 20 of the display 16, the character is displayed in the character input area 19.
In this cellular phone, characters are specified by the acceleration of the telephone body 13 and can be input into the character input area 19, so that the user can see the plurality of characters displayed in the character selection area 20 while looking at the object. If the telephone body 13 is shaken in the direction of the character, the character can be selected. Compared to the case where the same input key is repeatedly pressed to change the character as in the prior art, it is easier to intuitively understand the character selection operation, and it is possible to easily enter the character without fail.

Next, a fourth reference example will be described with reference to FIG. 9 as an example of selecting a character in a line with a semi-voiced sound or a cloudy sound, such as a line. The mobile phone of the fourth reference example has the same configuration as that of the first reference example shown in FIGS. Therefore, FIGS. 1 and 2 are also used in the following description.
FIG. 9 shows character groups displayed in the character selection area 20 of the display 16 during the character input operation on the mobile phone. In this character group, a total of 15 characters are displayed as one character group, including 5 characters in the line, 5 characters of the semi-voiced sound, and 5 characters of the clouded sound. If the character group consisting of these 15 characters is associated with one input key, for example, the input key 6 shown in FIG. 14, when the input key 6 is pressed, the processing unit 17 enters the character selection area 20. This character group is displayed in a matrix.

In addition, the processing unit 17 has a function of storing an angle corresponding to each position of the character group matrix and marking a character displayed at the position according to the angle of the telephone body 13. . Each position of the matrix is specified by the angle a and the angle b detected by the angle sensor 18.
For example, when the character “ha” is tilted from the marked state toward the character “ho” side, the character “hi” → “fu” → “to” → “ The character to be marked changes. That is, the position in the x-axis direction can be selected by adjusting the angle a, and the position in the y-axis direction, that is, a semi-voiced character or a muddy character can be selected by the angle b.

When the user selects a target character, the phone main body 13 may be set at an angle corresponding to the target character, and thus does not need to be selected in the displayed order as described above. Since the angle of the telephone body 13 and the character position are associated with each other, the point that the character selection operation is easy to understand intuitively for the user is the same as in the other embodiments.
In practice, however, it may be difficult to tilt the telephone body 13 to an angle corresponding to the target character in one operation. Even in that case, the tilt angle can be adjusted with reference to the display of marking characters such as a double frame displayed in the character selection area 20. For example, when it is tilted too much, it can be returned, and there is an advantage that labor and time can be reduced as compared with the case where the selected character has to be changed in a certain order as in the prior art.

The cellular phone according to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is different from the other embodiments described above in that the phone body is provided with an angle sensor 17 and an acceleration sensor 21 connected to the processing unit 17 in the phone body 13.
A plurality of character groups are associated with one input key.
The input keys constituting the input key unit 14 of FIG. 10 have the configuration shown in FIG. 14. Of these input keys 1 to 12, for example, the input key 6 consists of five characters in a line. Three character groups, a first character group, a second character group made up of these semi-voice characters, and a third character group made up of phonetic characters are associated with each other. However, it is not necessary to associate a plurality of character groups with every input key.

The angle sensor 18 and the acceleration sensor 21 detect the angle and acceleration of the telephone body 13 and output the detection result to the processing unit 17.
When any of the input keys 1 to 12 is pressed while the message creation screen is displayed on the display 16, the processing unit 17 displays a character group corresponding to the input key in the character display area 20 (see FIG. 3). And the function of detecting the angle of the telephone body 13 at that time and specifying the character at a position corresponding to the angle of the telephone body 13 thereafter. This is the same as the first reference example .
However, in the first embodiment, since the input key 6 is associated with a plurality of character groups, the processing unit 17 is one of the associated character groups when the character group is pressed. One, here, five characters of the first character group are displayed in a cross shape in the character selection area 20.

Then, as shown in FIG. 11, when the phone body 13 is shaken from the state where the first character group is displayed and a predetermined acceleration α1 is given, the second character group is displayed, and the acceleration α1 is further increased. If given, the third character group is displayed. That is, the processing unit 17 has a function of switching a character group to be displayed in the character selection area 20 based on the detection result of the acceleration α input from the acceleration sensor 21. Further, when an acceleration α2 different from the acceleration α1 is applied, the first character group can be switched to the third character group.
If the telephone body 13 is tilted in a state where each character group is displayed, the processing unit 17 marks characters according to the angles a and b.
That is, the switching of the character group displayed in the character selection area 20 is performed by the acceleration α, and the characters in the character group are specified by the angles a and b.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a second embodiment in which the arrangement of characters to be displayed in the character selection area 20 is straight, but otherwise is exactly the same as the first embodiment.
That is, the switching of the character group displayed in the character selection area 20 is performed by the acceleration α, and the marking of the specific character in the character group is performed by the angle a.

The fifth reference example shown in FIG. 13 is an example in which character groups are switched based on an angle b when the telephone body 13 is tilted, and marking of specific characters in each character group is performed with an acceleration α.
The first, second embodiment, and fifth reference example described above correspond to a case where a plurality of character groups are associated with one key, and the acceleration or the telephone body 13 (see FIGS. 1 and 6) The character group is switched according to the angle, and a specific character within each character group is marked according to the angle or acceleration. For this purpose, the angle sensor 18 and the acceleration sensor 21 are mounted on the telephone body 13.

Also in the first, second embodiment, and fifth reference example , when inputting characters, it is easier for the user to intuitively understand the character selection work than when using the conventional method. It becomes possible to input.
Note that the angle, the magnitude, direction, and combination of acceleration used for switching character groups are not limited to the above example .

Furthermore, the arrangement of characters to be displayed in the character selection area 20 is not limited to a cross shape or a straight line shape as described above, and any arrangement may be used. An arrangement that allows the user to easily tilt or shake the telephone body 13 may be used. For example, the direction in which the telephone body 13 is held with the right hand is different from the direction in which the telephone body 13 is held with the left hand.
Also, a plurality of arrangement patterns may be prepared, and the user may be selected in advance from them.
However, since the display area of the display can be used more effectively in the straight arrangement than in the cross shape, individual characters can be displayed in a larger size, or the area of the character input area can be increased.

In the above-described embodiment , examples of a character group having no muddy point, a semi-voiced sound, and a muddy sound character group are shown as a plurality of character groups associated with one input key. However, the types of character groups are not limited thereto. Absent. For example, the input key corresponding to the line may be associated with a group of normal characters and a lower case group such as “A” or “I”, or any other combination of characters. You may make it comprise.
However, if the correspondence between the input key of the currently used mobile phone and the character group is used as it is, the user can immediately use the mobile phone of the present invention.

It is an external view of the mobile phone of the first reference example . It is a block diagram of the 1st reference example . It is a top view of the display of the 1st reference example . It is the top view which showed the state in which the specific character was marked in the 1st reference example . It is the figure which showed the character arrangement in the character selection area of a 2nd reference example . It is an external view of the mobile phone of the third reference example . It is a block diagram of the 3rd reference example . It is a top view of the display of the 3rd reference example . It is the figure which showed the character arrangement in the character selection area of a 4th reference example . It is a block diagram of 1st Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the display in the character selection area of 1st Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the display in the character selection area of 2nd Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the display in the character selection area of a 5th reference example . It is an enlarged view of the input key part of a general mobile phone.

Explanation of symbols

1 to 12 Input key 13 Telephone body 16 Display 17 Processing unit 18 Angle sensor 19 Character input area 20 Character selection area 21 Acceleration sensor a, b Angle α, β Acceleration

Claims (1)

In the mobile phone that includes an input key and a display on the telephone body, and that associates character groups with individual input keys, a plurality of character groups are associated with specific input keys, and the telephone body includes a computer, implement angle sensor and an acceleration sensor connected to the computer, this computer has a function of storing an angle of the phone body at the time when the input key is pressed as a reference angle, the input key pressed Rutotomoni telephone body vibration when it is, depending on the acceleration acceleration sensor detects from a plurality of character groups corresponding to the input key, a function of specifying a character group to be displayed in the character selection area, the character selection on the display the identified character group The function to display in the area and the above reference angle while the input key is pressed. A function for specifying the angle of the telephone body, a function for marking a specific character displayed at a position corresponding to the angle of the telephone body from the character group displayed in the character selection area, and an input key. A mobile phone having a function of selecting a marked character and displaying it in a character input area on a display when released.

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