KR20030030563A - Character input apparatus and method using pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A character inputting system and method is provided to simply input characters by using a pointing stick for selecting plural direction keys so that a user can adapt to more complex user display interface of a mobile phone. CONSTITUTION: The system comprises a key input device(12), a stick pointer input device(14), a character pattern storage(16), and an MPU(Main Processing Unit, 10). The key input device(12), including plural keys, generates key data corresponding to input keys. The stick pointer input device(14) includes a pointing stick and plural switches. The pointing stick is for inputting a character pattern, and the switches are for generating data corresponding to the directions selected by the pointing stick. The MPU(10) controls a process of inputting characters corresponding to the key data generated by the key input device(12), and a process of comparing the data, input by the stick pointer input device(14), with the character patterns, stored at the character pattern storage(16), and inputting corresponding key data corresponding to the matched character pattern.

Description

CHARACTER INPUT APPARATUS AND METHOD USING POINTING DEVICE}

The present invention relates to a portable information device including a portable telephone, and more particularly, to a text input device and method using a pointing device.

In a conventional portable telephone, a limited number of keys are arranged on the main body of the cellular phone, and numbers, Korean and English are assigned to each of the keys. The controller of the cellular phone determines the input key according to each language mode, obtains each numeric code, Korean code, and English code corresponding to the kit value and processes them internally or outputs them to the screen. On the other hand, in the case of a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), which has less space constraint than a mobile phone, only a few keys are generally provided on the main body, and the remaining space provides a liquid crystal display (LCD). The LCD and the touch screen superimposed on the LCD are used as input tools. The function of each key on the PDA main body acts as a shortcut to perform a certain function in software. In order to input various codes or values, the PDA controller displays a keyboard screen on the touch screen according to a user's request. When the user looks at the keyboard screen and inputs a desired letter or number using a stylus (an input tool commonly used for touch screen input), the PDA controller receives the input position and processes the letter or number. And when the user inputs a character shape like a picture in the shape defined by the user using a stylus in a certain area of the input screen with high input resolution, the PDA controller performs a text input function. An example of such technology is Palm OS, which is basically installed in all models sold by Palm, which supports English input with English graffiti (simple character input). In addition, Korea's RaySolution Co., Ltd. "Hantip 3.0 for Palm" software supports Hangul input with Korean graffiti.

As described above, in the case of the character input of the mobile phone, the character element assigned to each key (for example, in the input method of Samsung Electronics, the fourth key, 'a' and 'ㅋ "are assigned to Korean) Since the letter elements assigned to each key are not intuitive because the letters must be formed by combining them, there is a problem in that the numbers input to each key must be known.

As the functions of the portable telephone are advanced, the demand for multimedia functions is increasing. Therefore, the character-based processing by the current four-way navigation keys (moving in the up, down, left, and right directions) meets these requirements. Since it is difficult to meet, the processing about the movement of a variety of directions and unit pixel units is needed.

In addition, the touch screen method of the PDA, which is another method described above, has various tolerances for keyboard and text input that can be implemented in software by a wide LCD and a touch screen, while the touch screen is very weak to impact. There is a problem that is easily broken. Therefore, there is still a problem to be applied to the portable information device, which often carries such a touch screen.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved text input device and method in a portable information device including a portable telephone.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a character input device and method using a pointing device in a portable information device including a portable telephone.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pointing device that requires introduction for a variety of multimedia applications, not a touch screen method that is less portable due to problems such as damage in applying a character (graffiti) input used in a touch screen method. The present invention provides a character input device and method capable of intuitively simplified character input.

In accordance with the above object, the present invention is a character input device in a portable information device, comprising a key input unit for generating a key data corresponding to the key input, a plurality of keys, a pointing stick for inputting a character pattern and And a stick pointer input unit including a plurality of switches pressed by applying a predetermined direction pressure by the pointing stick to generate corresponding data, a character pattern storage unit storing a plurality of character patterns, and the character input mode in the character input mode. Character input processing corresponding to key data generated from a key input unit is performed, and the input contents are compared with a plurality of character patterns stored in the character pattern storage unit based on data generated from the stick pointer input unit, and the pattern is matched. The character input processing corresponding to the key data corresponding to the character pattern, if any; It is characterized by being composed of fishermen.

In addition, the present invention comprises a key input unit which includes a plurality of keys and generates key data corresponding to a key input, a pointing stick for inputting a character pattern, and is pressed by application of a predetermined direction pressure by the pointing stick. A character input method in a character input apparatus in a portable information device having a stick pointer input unit including a plurality of switches for generating corresponding data and a character pattern storage unit for storing a plurality of character patterns, wherein the character input mode is used. Performing a character input process corresponding to the key data generated from the key input unit in the step; storing the input contents in an internal memory based on data generated from the stick pointer input unit in the character input mode; Compare and match the input contents with a plurality of character patterns stored in the character pattern storage unit. If there is a match the pattern and the process, which determines whether the turn is characterized by constituted by any procedure of the character input process corresponding to the input information, the key data for the corresponding character patterns.

1 is a block diagram of a character input device for character input applied to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a structural diagram of a stick pointer device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is an operation principle and a functional diagram of the stick pointer;

4 is a view showing a change in the actual movement direction and the movement expression table of the stick pointer device,

5 is a control flowchart for character input processing by a stick pointer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a simplified character table configuration diagram for Hangul recognition;

7 is a simplified character table configuration diagram for English recognition,

8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a simple character input using a stick pointer.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the same elements in the figures are represented by the same numerals wherever possible. In addition, detailed descriptions of well-known functions and configurations that may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention will be omitted.

1 is a hardware configuration diagram of a character input apparatus for character input applied to an embodiment of the present invention. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a character input device includes an MPU (Main Processing Unit) 10 which is a hardware part for processing a character input by a key input and a pointing device (hereinafter referred to as a "pointing stick"), and a key input unit ( 12), a stick pointer input unit 14, a storage unit 16 for storing character input patterns, and a software portion for driving them and for organizing the inputted information into characters. The MPU 10 receives a value input by a user through the key input unit 12 and the stick pointer input unit 14 as data.

In this operation, when the MPU 10 detects a change in the key value from the key input unit 12 and the stick pointer from the stick pointer input unit 14, the MPU 10 analyzes the values of the data by inputting the corresponding data. In case of key input, the action corresponding to the input value is taken. In the case of a pointing stick input, the input values are stored in an internal memory 18 such as a buffer, compared with the character input pattern stored in the storage unit 16, and the corresponding case is processed. Operation of the simple character input control by the pointing stick performed by the MPU 10 will be described later in detail with reference to FIG. 5.

2 is a structural diagram of the stick pointer device according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the pressure is applied in eight directions (front, rear, left, right, front right, rear right, front left, rear left) and downward by the pointing stick 20. It consists of nine switches that are pressed. As shown in FIG. 2, the pointing stick 20 is formed in an upright shape, and the pointing stick is positioned in the space between the upper panel 22 and the lower panel 24 having an opening. A male flat end is entered, through which the rod of pointing stick 20 rises. The switch ⑤⑥⑦⑧①②③④ of the eight-direction clockwise direction is provided in the peripheral position of the lower surface of the upper panel 22 of the stick pointer device, and the stick pointer 20 of the upper surface of the lower panel 24 is located. The switch ⑨ is provided in the center position in the form of a dome contact. In FIG. 2, reference numeral “F” denotes a forward direction of the pointing stick 20, and “B” denotes a backward direction of the pointing stick 20. "L" means the left direction of the pointing stick 20, and "R" means the right direction of the pointing stick 20. And, "D" means the downward direction of the pointing stick (20).

3 is a view for explaining the operation principle and function of the stick pointer device. An operation principle and a function of the stick pointer device will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, "F" means forward of the pointing stick 20, and "B" means backward of the pointing stick 20. "L" means the left direction of the pointing stick 20, and "R" means the right direction of the pointing stick 20. "D" means the downward direction of the pointing stick (20).

When the user moves the pointing stick 20 in the rearward direction (B), the fifth switch ⑤ is pressed to be "on". Naturally, if the pointing stick 20 is moved to the left, the seventh switch ⑦ will be turned on. As can be seen in the configuration shown in the lower part of FIG. 3, when the pointing stick 20 is vertically pressed (downward D), the switch No. 9 located below the pointing stick 20 is pressed to "on". Becomes Since the moving direction of the pointing stick 20 and the positions of the actual switches ⑤⑥⑦⑧①②③④⑨ are shown symmetrically, the embodiment of the present invention introduces a transformation as shown in FIG. 4 for convenience of description and design.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method of converting the actual movement direction of the pointing stick 20 and the movement expression table 40 in the stick pointer device. As shown in FIG. 4, the movement expression 40 is made to coincide with the actual movement direction of the pointing stick 20. That is, the switch of the stick pointer device which is "on" when the pointing stick 20 actually moves in the moving direction in which the pointing stick 20 is to be moved is written at the corresponding position of the movement expression table 40.

Referring again to the configuration of FIG. 1, the key input unit 12 and the stick pointer input unit 14 share the same input and output, which is an input / output of the MPU 10 used in the storage unit 16 of the portable information device. Because this is not relaxed. Thus, two input devices can share the input and output of the MPU (10). The existing key input unit is implemented in such a manner that the MPU checks the key input from the key input unit by a key scan of a certain period, and when there is a key input, the signal is transmitted from the key input unit to the MPU side. The embodiment of the present invention extends this scheme to partially extend the MPU 10's constant key scan. The key scanning area is allocated to the existing key input unit and divided into the key input unit 12 and the stick pointer input unit 14. Thus, the MPU 10 receives and processes the key data corresponding to the key input of the key input unit 12 and the data corresponding to the character pattern input of the stick pointer input unit 14. That is, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the character pattern input of the stick pointer input unit 14 may be processed as one part of the existing key input unit on the MPU 10 side, without much modification in the existing product.

5 is a control flowchart for character input processing by a stick pointer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

And, Figure 6 is a simplified character table configuration diagram for Hangul recognition according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 7 is a simplified character table configuration diagram for English recognition according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to an embodiment of the present invention, each of the character patterns of the simplified character table for Korean recognition and the simplified character table for English recognition shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is stored in the storage unit 16 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the character patterns of the simplified character table have a characteristic that they are expressed almost similarly to the corresponding characters so that a more intuitive input is possible than the keys provided on the main body. That is, the user can move and input the character as if writing by hand with the pointing stick 20. The character patterns of the character table for the Korean recognition and the simplified character table for the English recognition are stored in the storage unit 16 so that the character patterns are compared with the input of the pointing stick 20 and replaced with actual characters.

Hereinafter, the operation of the MPU 18 of the present invention for recognizing an input by a pointing stick as a character will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the character input mode, the MPU 10 checks every preset period in the input standby state as in step 100 of FIG. 5 and checks whether there is a key input in step 102. If there is a key input, the flow proceeds to step 104, and it is determined whether the key input is an input by a key being pressed by the key input unit 12 or an input by the pointing stick 20 of the stick pointer input unit 14. If the input is generated by the key being pressed by the key input unit 12, the controller proceeds to step 106 to delete the input contents stored in the internal memory 10, and then proceeds to step 108 to perform an existing key input processing routine. do. That is, the character input processing corresponding to the corresponding key press is performed. However, if the input is made by the pointing stick 20 rather than the input by the key pressed in the determination of step 104 of FIG. 5, the MPU 10 proceeds to step 110 of FIG. 5 and indicates the input content of the pointing stick 20. The conversion is performed based on the actual moving direction of the moving expression and the conversion method of the movement expression table 40 and then stored in the internal memory 18. This is because the simplified character by the pointing stick 20 is determined as the input character by successive input values of the pointing stick 20, not by one input. When the input contents stored in the internal memory 18 are stored as described above, the MPU 10 compares the input contents stored in the internal memory 18 with the character patterns previously stored in the storage 16 in step 112. Thereafter, in step 114, it is determined whether there is a matching character pattern. If there is a matching character pattern, the corresponding character is recognized as input, and the flow proceeds to step 116 to be processed in the same manner as the key pressed corresponding to the corresponding character. In other words, it replaces the kit value corresponding to the character pattern. In the determination of step 114 of FIG. 5, if there is no matching pattern, the process returns to step 100 and the operation therefrom is performed again. That is, when additional input is input by the pointing stick 20 while waiting for the additional input by the pointing stick 20, it is continuously determined whether input contents stored in the internal memory 18 correspond to character patterns previously stored in the storage unit 16. Perform the process. When the input by the key press of the key input unit 12 is input during the process, the input contents of the pointing stick 20 stored in the internal memory 18 may be changed by the MPU 10. Cleared by the performance of the step. This is for the character input by the key press of the key input unit 12 to be prioritized over the input by the pointing stick 20.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the character input by the key input unit 12 and the stick pointer input unit 14 coexist as described above, thereby giving the user a choice about the character input method.

8 illustrates an example of inputting a 'ga' character using the pointing stick 20. As in the above example, when an input by the pointing stick 20 occurs as '8,1,2,3,4,1,5,9', '8,1,2,3,4' is 'A' '1,5' corresponds to 'ㅣ', and '9' corresponds to '·', so it can be seen that 'A' is formed by a combination thereof.

In the above description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described, but various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be defined by the described embodiments, but should be determined by the equivalent of claims and claims.

As described above, the present invention enables the user to more efficiently cope with an increasingly complex user interface of a portable phone by using a pointing stick that can be selected in eight directions and downwards. The complexity of these devices will also increase their utilization in applications, making them a good application for moving games and using menus on portable devices. In addition, when using the simple character input using the pointing stick, it is expected to be more intuitive than the keys provided on the main body, and coexist with the case of using the keyboard input to give the user a choice of input method. have.

Claims (5)

In the character input device in a portable information device, A key input unit including a plurality of keys and generating key data corresponding to key inputs; A stick pointer input unit including a pointing stick for inputting a character pattern, and a plurality of switches pressed by applying a predetermined direction pressure by the pointing stick to generate corresponding data; Character pattern storage unit for storing a plurality of character patterns, In the character input mode, character input processing corresponding to key data generated from the key input unit is performed, and a plurality of character patterns and patterns stored in the character pattern storage unit based on the data generated from the stick pointer input unit. And a control unit that performs character input processing corresponding to key data corresponding to the character pattern, if there is a pattern to compare and match. The character input apparatus of claim 1, wherein the character pattern storage unit stores character patterns of a simple character table for Korean recognition and a simple character table for English recognition. The pointing stick device of claim 1, wherein the pointing stick device of the stick pointer input part has a flat end portion of the T-shaped pointing stick in a space between the upper panel and the lower panel in which the pointing stick is opened. In the periphery of the lower surface, switches in eight directions (front, rear, left, right, front right, rear right, front left, rear left) are provided in the form of a dome contact, and are located downward in the center of the upper surface of the lower panel where the pointing stick is located. Character input device using a pointing device, characterized in that provided in the form of a switch dome contact. A plurality of keys including a plurality of keys, the key input unit generating key data corresponding to key input, a pointing stick for inputting a character pattern, and a plurality of keys pressed to generate corresponding data by applying a predetermined direction pressure by the pointing stick A character input method in a character input apparatus in a portable information device comprising a stick pointer input unit including switches of a character and a character pattern storage unit for storing a plurality of character patterns. Performing character input processing corresponding to key data generated from the key input unit in a character input mode; Storing input contents in an internal memory based on data generated from the stick pointer input unit in the character input mode; Comparing the stored input contents with a plurality of character patterns stored in the character pattern storage unit and determining whether there is a matching pattern; And if there is a matching pattern, performing character input processing corresponding to the key data corresponding to the corresponding character pattern. The character input method of claim 4, further comprising deleting input contents stored in the internal memory before performing character input processing corresponding to key data generated from the key input unit.