KR20170019811A - Apparatus and method for inputting characters - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention includes a display, a rotatable wheel, and a processor electrically coupled to the display and the wheel. The processor outputs user interface including a first region in which a plurality of characters are outputted, a second region in which inputted characters are outputted, and a third region in which a preset function key is outputted, to the display, and sets and changes at least some of the plurality of characters outputted to the first region based on the rotation of the wheel. Various other embodiments in the specification are also possible. So, a user can accurately input the characters to the electronic device.

Description

[0001] APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INPUTTING CHARACTERS [0002]

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to a technique for providing a user interface for inputting characters in an electronic device.

Various types of electronic products are being developed and distributed by the development of electronic technology. Particularly, interest in wearable electronic devices such as smart watch and smart glass has recently been expanded.

A wearable electronic device includes a touch screen display such as an electronic device such as a smart phone or a tablet PC. In addition, the wearable electronic device provides a function of inputting characters through a SIP (Soft Input Panel) output on a touch screen display.

A wearable electronic device typically uses a smaller touch screen display compared to electronic devices such as smart phones or tablet PCs. Therefore, when a character is input through the touch screen display of the wearable electronic device, it may be difficult for the user to accurately apply the touch input to the character to be input. In addition, when outputting a soft keyboard including a plurality of character keys and function keys on a small touch screen display, the screen becomes complicated and it may be difficult for the user to identify the characters displayed on the screen during movement.

The embodiments disclosed herein provide a user interface for enabling the user to correctly input characters in a wearable electronic device equipped with a small touch screen display in order to solve the above-mentioned problems and the problems raised in this document And to provide an electronic apparatus and method that can be used in a portable electronic device.

An electronic device according to an embodiment disclosed herein includes a display, a rotatable wheel, and a processor electrically coupled to the display and the wheel, the processor including a first region in which a plurality of characters are output, Outputting a user interface including a third area in which a preset function key is output to a display and changing at least a part of a plurality of characters output to the first area based on the rotation of the wheel Can be set.

In addition, the method according to the embodiment disclosed in this document may include an operation for activating a character input function, a first area for outputting a plurality of characters, a second area for outputting an input character, Outputting a user interface including a third region, and changing at least a portion of the plurality of characters output to the first region based on the rotation of the wheel.

In addition, the storage medium according to the embodiment disclosed herein may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, which is executed by at least one processor and stores computer-readable instructions, wherein the instructions include activating a character input function, Outputting a user interface including a first area, a second area in which an input character is output, and a third area in which a preset function key is output, and outputting a plurality of characters output to the first area based on the rotation of the wheel Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > at least < / RTI >

According to the embodiments disclosed in this document, by outputting only a part of the character set to be input to the display, the interval between the character keys output to the display can be increased to improve the accuracy of character input.

Further, by changing a character key output by using a wheel included in the electronic device, the user can quickly search for and output a character key to be input.

In addition, by inputting a character through touch input to one of a plurality of characters selected through rotation of the wheel, it is possible to prevent a speed reduction of a character input that may occur when a character is input using the wheel.

In addition, various effects can be provided that are directly or indirectly understood through this document.

Figure 1 illustrates an environment in which an electronic device operates in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing a notification of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4A and 4B illustrate an exemplary user interface provided by an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing a notification of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
6A-6B illustrate an exemplary user interface provided by an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 illustrates an exemplary user interface provided by an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8 illustrates an exemplary user interface provided by an electronic device in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.
9 illustrates an electronic device in a network environment in accordance with various embodiments.
10 shows a block diagram of an electronic device according to various embodiments.
11 shows a block diagram of a program module according to various embodiments.

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments, but includes various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives of the embodiments of the invention. In connection with the description of the drawings, like reference numerals may be used for similar components.

In this document, the expressions "have," "may," "include," or "include" may be used to denote the presence of a feature (eg, a numerical value, a function, Quot ;, and does not exclude the presence of additional features.

In this document, the expressions "A or B," "at least one of A and / or B," or "one or more of A and / or B," etc. may include all possible combinations of the listed items . For example, "A or B," "at least one of A and B," or "at least one of A or B" includes (1) at least one A, (2) Or (3) at least one A and at least one B all together.

The expressions "first," " second, "" first, " or "second ", etc. used in this document may describe various components, It is used to distinguish the components and does not limit the components. For example, the first user equipment and the second user equipment may represent different user equipment, regardless of order or importance. For example, without departing from the scope of the rights described in this document, the first component can be named as the second component, and similarly the second component can also be named as the first component.

(Or functionally or communicatively) coupled with / to "another component (eg, a second component), or a component (eg, a second component) Quot; connected to ", it is to be understood that any such element may be directly connected to the other element or may be connected through another element (e.g., a third element). On the other hand, when it is mentioned that a component (e.g., a first component) is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component (e.g., a second component) It can be understood that there is no other component (e.g., a third component) between other components.

As used herein, the phrase " configured to " (or set) to be "adapted to, " To be designed to, "" adapted to, "" made to, "or" capable of ". The term " configured (or set) to "may not necessarily mean " specifically designed to" Instead, in some situations, the expression "configured to" may mean that the device can "do " with other devices or components. For example, a processor configured (or configured) to perform the phrases "A, B, and C" may be a processor dedicated to performing the operation (e.g., an embedded processor), or one or more software programs To a generic-purpose processor (e.g., a CPU or an application processor) that can perform the corresponding operations.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the other embodiments. The singular expressions may include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, may have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The general predefined terms used in this document may be interpreted in the same or similar sense as the contextual meanings of the related art and are intended to mean either ideally or in an excessively formal sense It is not interpreted. In some cases, even the terms defined in this document can not be construed as excluding the embodiments of this document.

An electronic device in accordance with various embodiments of the present document may be, for example, a smartphone, a tablet personal computer, a mobile phone, a video phone, an e-book reader, Such as a desktop PC, a laptop PC, a netbook computer, a workstation, a server, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP) A camera, or a wearable device. According to various embodiments, the wearable device may be of the type of accessory (e.g., a watch, a ring, a bracelet, a bracelet, a necklace, a pair of glasses, a contact lens or a head-mounted-device (HMD) (E. G., Electronic apparel), a body attachment type (e. G., A skin pad or tattoo), or a bioimplantable type (e.g., implantable circuit).

In an alternative embodiment, the electronic device may be any of a variety of medical devices (e.g., various portable medical measurement devices such as a blood glucose meter, a heart rate meter, a blood pressure meter, or a body temperature meter), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) Navigation system, global navigation satellite system (GNSS), event data recorder (EDR), flight data recorder (FDR), infotainment (infotainment) ) Automotive electronic equipment (eg marine navigation systems, gyro compass, etc.), avionics, security devices, head units for vehicles, industrial or home robots, automatic teller's machines (ATMs) Point of sale, or internet of things (eg, light bulbs, various sensors, electrical or gas meters, sprinkler devices, fire alarms, thermostats, street lights, A toaster, a fitness equipment, a hot water tank, a heater, a boiler, and the like).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An electronic apparatus according to various embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this document, the term user may refer to a person using an electronic device or a device using an electronic device (e.g., an artificial intelligence electronic device).

Figure 1 illustrates an environment in which an electronic device operates in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the electronic device 100 may include a display 110 and a wheel 120. The electronic device 100 may be a smart watch and the wheel 120 may be a rotatable bezel wheel. A user interface including the first area 111, the second area 112, and the third area 113 may be displayed on the display 110.

In the first area 111, an input panel (e.g., a soft keyboard) including a plurality of character keys may be output. As shown in Fig. 1, in the first area 111, for example, five character keys capable of inputting characters a, b, c, d, or e may be output. Characters can be input through the character keys output to the first area 111. [ By outputting only five character keys without outputting a key capable of inputting all alphabetic characters in the first area, a sufficient interval between character keys can be ensured so as to minimize the occurrence of erroneous input upon inputting the character keys. In accordance with the rotation of the wheel 120, a plurality of characters output to the first area 111 can be changed. The user can input characters after rotating the wheel 120 to input another character not outputted to the first area 111. [

Characters input through the first area 111 can be output to the second area 112. [ In the second area 112, input characters can be sequentially output.

In the third area 113, a soft keyboard including one or more function keys may be output. At least one function key corresponding to, for example, a shift key, a character switching key, a backspace key, an enter key, or a space key may be output to the third area 113. The function key displayed in the third area 113 can be maintained even if a plurality of characters output to the first area 111 are changed in accordance with the rotation of the wheel 120. [

2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, an electronic device 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a display 210, a touch panel 215, a wheel 220, and a processor 230.

The display 210 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, or a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) Display. The display 210 may be a circular display, as shown in Fig. According to one embodiment, a user interface may be output to the display 210. The user interface output to the display 210 may include a first area in which a plurality of characters are output, a second area in which input characters are output, and a third area in which the function keys are output. According to one embodiment, the user interface may further include a fourth area in which a recommendation word is output.

The touch panel 215 may receive touch, gesture, proximity, or hovering input using an electronic pen or a portion of the user's body. According to one embodiment, the touch panel 215 may receive an input for one of a plurality of characters output in the first area. The touch panel 215 can receive the flicking input for the first area. The touch panel 215 may be configured as one module with the display 210 according to an implementation method.

The wheel 220 can be arranged to be rotatable by a user's operation. The wheel 220 may be a bezel wheel arranged to annularly surround the display 210, as shown in Fig. A sensor for sensing the rotation of the wheel 220 may be disposed on one side of the wheel 220 to process the rotation of the wheel 220 as an input. The processor 230 may change at least one character output to the first region in response to the degree of rotation detected when the rotation of the wheel 200 is sensed.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the case where the wheel 220 is embodied as a bezel wheel, the present invention is not limited thereto. The wheel 220 may be operated by a user, such as a crown wheel disposed on the housing side wall of the electronic device 200 And can be implemented in various configurations that can rotate and generate an input signal by rotation.

The processor 230 may be electrically connected to the display 210, the touch panel 215, and the wheel 220. Processor 230 may perform calculations and data processing related to control or communication of display 210, touch panel 215, and wheel 220.

The processor 230 may output the user interface via the display 210. For example, the processor 230 may output the user interface including the first area, the second area, and the third area via the display 210. [ According to one embodiment, the processor 230 may output a user interface that further includes a fourth area.

The processor 230 may sense the rotation of the wheel 220. In particular, the processor 230 may receive a signal generated by a sensor that senses the rotation of the wheel 220. The processor 230 may obtain the amount of rotation of the wheel 220 (e.g., rotation angle, number of teeth of rotation, etc.) based on the received signal.

According to one embodiment, the processor 230 may change a plurality of characters output to the first area of the user interface based on the rotation of the wheel 220. Specifically, the processor 230 may change some or all of the characters output to the first area according to the rotated direction and the rotated angle of the wheel 220.

The plurality of characters output to the first area can be scrolled according to the rotation of the wheel 220. [ If the characters output in the first area are alphabets, the characters may be arranged in alphabetical order. Characters may be arranged in a circular fashion such that the letter a appears after the letter z. An embodiment related to this is shown in FIG. 4A.

The processor 230 can scroll the characters output in the first area in alphabetical order when the wheel 220 is rotated clockwise. For example, when the characters a, b, c, d, and e are displayed in the first area and the wheel 220 is rotated in the clockwise direction, the characters 230, You can scroll the characters so that they appear.

The processor 230 can scroll the characters output in the first area in reverse alphabetical order when the wheel 220 is rotated counterclockwise. For example, if the characters a, b, c, d, and e are displayed in the first area and the wheel 220 is rotated in the clockwise direction, the characters 230, You can scroll the characters so that they appear.

According to one embodiment, when the wheel 220 is rotated by a predetermined unit angle, the processor 230 may scroll a predetermined number of characters output in the first area. For example, when the characters a, b, c, d, and e are displayed in the first area and the wheel 220 is rotated by 6 degrees in the clockwise direction, the processor 230 reads the characters b, c, d, e And one character can be scrolled so that f is displayed. The processor 230 may change the scroll speed according to the user's setting. For example, the processor 230 may change the number of characters to be scrolled when the wheel 220 is rotated by a unit angle.

According to one embodiment, the processor 230 may change a plurality of characters when a flicking input for a first region of the user interface is received. That is, the processor 230 can change a plurality of characters displayed in the first area even when the flicking input for the first area is received through the touch panel 215 instead of the rotation of the wheel 220.

Processor 230 may receive input via a user interface output to display 210. According to one embodiment, the processor 230 may receive input for one of the plurality of characters output to the first area of the user interface. The processor 230 may receive the touch input via the touch panel 215.

The processor 230 may output the characters input by the user through the user interface output on the display 210. [ According to one embodiment, the processor 230 may output characters input through the first area of the user interface through the second area. For example, the processor 230 may output the letter a in the second area when the touch input is received with respect to the letter a in the first area.

The processor 230 can obtain and output a recommendation word for an input character. According to one embodiment, the processor 230 may obtain a recommendation word based on input characters output to a second region of the user interface. For example, the processor 230 may obtain a recommendation word by searching for words included in the dictionary database based on the characters output in the second area. As another example, the processor 230 may obtain a recommendation word through machine learning. In particular, the processor 230 may build a database by storing words entered by a user. The processor 230 can obtain a recommended word by searching for a word frequently used among the words stored in the database based on the characters output in the second area.

According to one embodiment, the processor 230 may output a suggestion word through a fourth area of the user interface. The processor 230 may receive an input for a recommendation word output in the fourth region. The processor 230 may output the inputted recommended word to the second area when the touch input for the recommended word is received.

According to one embodiment, the processor 230 may output different sizes of characters according to positions of a plurality of characters output in the first area. In particular, the processor 230 may adjust the size of each of the plurality of characters based on the distance between the center of the display 210 and each of the plurality of characters. For example, if the characters a, b, c, d, and e are sequentially displayed in the first area, the processor 230 outputs c in 12 point size, b and d in 10 point size, and a and e Can be output in 8 point size.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing a notification of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4A and 4B illustrate an exemplary user interface provided by an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4A and 4B, the electronic device 400 may include a display 410 and a wheel 420, and a user interface including a first area 411, a second area 412, and a third area 413 may be output to the display 410 have. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, FIG. 3, FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B will be described together.

The flowchart shown in FIG. 3 may be configured with operations that are processed in the electronic device 200 shown in FIG. Therefore, the contents described with respect to the electronic device 200 with reference to Fig. 2 can be applied to the flowchart shown in Fig. 3, even if omitted from the following description.

Referring to FIG. 3, at operation 310, the electronic device 400 may activate a character input function. For example, the electronic device 400 can activate the character input function when a user input for text input occurs via the display (or touch panel). The electronic device 400 may activate the character input function when an application capable of entering characters, such as an SMS application, a messenger application, a search application, or a memo application, is executed. The character input function can basically provide a user interface in which the entire keyboard is displayed on the display. When the designated input is generated in the first user interface in which the entire keyboard is displayed, the electronic device 400 can change the first user interface to a second user interface corresponding to one of the above-described embodiments. However, according to one embodiment, a rotatable user interface as shown in FIG. 1 may be provided.

At operation 320, the electronic device 400 may output the user interface including the first area 411, the second area 412 and the third area 413 through the display 410.

4A, when the character input function is activated, the electronic device 400 includes a first area 411 for outputting a plurality of characters, a second area 412 for outputting input characters, and a third area 413 for outputting function keys The user interface can be output through the display 410.

The electronic device 400 may output a first area 411 that provides a soft keyboard corresponding to a portion of the character to be input. The electronic device 400 may provide a key for entering a, b, c, d, and e, which are part of the alphabetic characters, in the first area 411. As shown in FIG. 4A, alphabetic characters displayed in the first area 411 may be arranged in alphabetical order, and may be arranged cyclically so that the letter z and the letter a are concatenated.

Although FIG. 4A illustrates electronic device 400 as providing an alphabetic key in first area 411, electronic device 400 may provide a key for entering numbers, special characters, or other language characters .

The electronic device 400 may output a second area 412 that displays characters input through the first area 411. [

The electronic device 400 may output a third area 413 that provides a function key including a shift key, a character switch key, a backspace key, an enter key, and a space key.

At operation 330, the electronic device 400 may sense rotation of the wheel 420.

Referring to FIG. 4B, the electronic device 400 may sense the rotation of the wheel 420 when the wheel 420 is rotated through a user operation. The electronic device 400 can sense the rotation of the wheel 420 via the sensor. The electronic device 400 may sense the direction of rotation and the angle of rotation of the wheel 420.

In FIGS. 4A and 4B, the wheel 420 is shown as a bezel wheel. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The wheel 420 may be implemented in various configurations such as a crown wheel.

At operation 340, the electronic device 400 may change a plurality of characters output to the first region 411 based on the rotation of the wheel 420.

4B, when the clockwise rotation of the wheel 420 is sensed, the electronic device 400 scrolls rightward the characters a, b, c, d, and e output to the first area 411 to generate characters h, i, j , k, and l. The characters output after scrolling may differ depending on the direction in which the wheel 420 is rotated and the angle at which the wheel 420 is rotated. For example, when the counterclockwise rotation of the wheel 420 is sensed, the electronic device 400 scrolls the characters a, b, c, d, and e output to the first area 411 to the left to obtain characters v, w, x, y, and z, respectively. In another example, when the wheel 420 is rotated clockwise by 6 degrees, the electronic device 400 scrolls the characters a, b, c, d, and e output to the first area 411 to the right, , d, e, and f.

The electronic device 400 can maintain the function key output to the third area 413 as it is even if the character output to the first area 411 is changed.

According to some embodiments, the electronic device 400 can change a plurality of characters output to the first area 411 even when a flicking input to the first area 411 is detected. For example, when the flicking input from the right to the left in the first area 411 is sensed, the electronic device 400 scrolls the characters a, b, c, d, and e output to the first area 411 rightward, h, i, j, k and l.

4A and 4B illustrate that the second region 412 is disposed on the first region 411 and the third region 413 is disposed on the lower portion of the first region 411. However, 2 < / RTI > region 412 and the third region 413 may be located at various locations on the display 410. [

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing a notification of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 6A-6B illustrate an exemplary user interface provided by an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 6A and 6B, the electronic device 600 may include a display 610 and a wheel 620, and the display 610 may include a first area 611, a second area 612, a third area 613, and a fourth area 614, The interface can be output. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, FIG. 3, FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B will be described together.

The flowchart shown in FIG. 5 may be configured with operations that are processed in the electronic device 200 shown in FIG. Therefore, the contents described with respect to the electronic device 200 with reference to FIG. 2 can be applied to the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, even if omitted from the following description.

Referring to FIG. 5, at operation 510, the electronic device 600 may activate a character input function.

In operation 520, the electronic device 600 may output the user interface including the first area 611, the second area 612, the third area 613 and the fourth area 614 on the display 610. When the character input function is activated, the electronic device 600 may output a fourth area 614 for outputting a recommendation word based on the characters output to the second area 612. [

At operation 530, the electronic device 600 may sense the rotation of the wheel 620.

At operation 540, the electronic device 600 may change a plurality of characters output to the first region 611 based on the rotation of the wheel 620. [

At operation 550, the electronic device 600 may receive an input for one of a plurality of characters output to the first area 611.

Referring to FIG. 6A, the electronic device 600 can receive a touch input for one of the characters h, i, j, k, and l output on the first area 611 through a display (or a touch panel). For example, electronic device 600 may receive a touch input for character i. The electronic device 600 may receive the touch input for the function key output to the third area 613 through a display (or a touch panel).

At operation 560, the electronic device 600 may output the character corresponding to the input to the second area 612.

Referring to FIG. 6A, the electronic device 600 may output a character to which the touch input is received in the second area 612. For example, when a touch input for the character i is received, the electronic device 600 may output the character i to the second area 612. Then, when a touch input for the character l is received, the electronic device 600 can output the character l to the right of the character i output in the second area 612. [

At operation 570, the electronic device 600 may obtain a recommendation word based on the input character output in the second area 612. For example, the electronic device 600 may obtain a recommendation word based on the letter i when the letter i is output to the second area 612. [ For example, the electronic device 600 may search for words beginning with the letter i among the words stored in the database to obtain a recommendation word. The electronic device 600 may acquire, as a recommendation word, three words that are frequently used among words starting with the letter i.

At operation 580, the electronic device 600 may output a recommendation word to the fourth area 614.

Referring to FIG. 6B, the electronic device 600 may output a recommendation word obtained based on the letter i input to the second area 612 to the fourth area 614. For example, the electronic device 600 may output words I, in and interest beginning with the letter i to the fourth area 614.

The electronic device 600 may receive the touch input for the recommended word output in the fourth area 614 through a display (or a touch panel). When the touch input for the word interest output in the fourth area 614 is received, the electronic device 600 may output the word interest to the second area 612.

6A and 6B, a first region 611 is displayed above the third region 613, a fourth region 614 is displayed above the first region 611, and a second region 612 is displayed above the fourth region 614 The first region 611, the second region 612, the third region 613, and the fourth region 614 may be disposed at various positions on the display 610. [

Figure 7 illustrates an exemplary user interface provided by an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, an electronic device 700 according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a display 710 and a wheel 720. A user interface including the first area 711, the second area 712, and the third area 713 may be output to the display 710.

The electronic device 700 can determine the size of each character based on the position at which each of the plurality of characters is output in the first area 711. [ For example, the electronic device 700 can determine the size of a character based on the distance between the center of the display 710 and each character. The electronic device 700 outputs the character c having the closest distance to the center of the display 710 as the largest size and outputs the characters a and e having the largest distance from the center of the display 710 as the smallest size. When the character 720 is rotated and the character output to the first area 711 is changed, the electronic device 700 outputs the character positioned at the center of the changed character at the largest size and outputs the character positioned at the peripheral area at the smallest size have.

As described above, it is possible to improve the readability of the characters to be input by the user in the display 710 to a limited size by outputting the characters located at the center portion larger.

Figure 8 illustrates an exemplary user interface provided by an electronic device in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.

According to the first embodiment, when the wheel of the electronic device is rotated by a unit angle in a clockwise direction, the electronic device can change the character of one of the characters output to the first area. For example, when the wheel of the electronic device is rotated 30 degrees clockwise, the electronic device rotates the letters a, b, c, d, and e output to the first area one space to the right, , e, and f.

According to the second embodiment, when the wheel of the electronic device is rotated by a unit angle in the clockwise direction, the electronic device can change all of the characters output to the first area. For example, if the wheel of the electronic device is rotated 30 degrees clockwise, the electronic device rotates the letters a, b, c, d and e output in the first area to produce the letters a, b, c, d and e The characters f, g, h, i, and j, which are five characters located on the right side of the character string, can be outputted.

In FIG. 8, when the wheel is rotated by a unit angle, one of the characters output to the first region is changed or all of the characters output to the first region are changed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, The number of characters to be changed can be set to various numbers by the user.

Figure 9 shows an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments.

9, electronic devices 901, 902, 904, or servers 906 in various embodiments may be interconnected via network 962 or local area communication 964. [ The electronic device 901 may include a bus 910, a processor 920, a memory 930, an input / output interface 950, a display 960, and a communication interface 970. In some embodiments, the electronic device 901 may omit at least one of the components, or may additionally include other components.

The bus 910 may include, for example, circuitry to connect components 910-170 to each other and to communicate communications (e.g., control messages and / or data) between the components.

Processor 920 may include one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), or a communications processor (CP). The processor 920 may perform, for example, operations or data processing related to control and / or communication of at least one other component of the electronic device 901.

Memory 930 may include volatile and / or non-volatile memory. The memory 930 may store instructions or data related to at least one other component of the electronic device 901, for example. According to one embodiment, the memory 930 may store software and / or programs 940. The program 940 may include, for example, a kernel 941, a middleware 943, an application programming interface (API) 945, and / or an application program (or "application" At least a portion of the kernel 941, middleware 943, or API 945 may be referred to as an Operating System (OS).

The kernel 941 may include, for example, system resources (e.g., bus 910, processor 920, or the like) used to execute an operation or function implemented in other programs (e.g., middleware 943, API 945, or application program 947) Memory 930, etc.). In addition, the kernel 941 can provide an interface that can control or manage system resources by accessing individual components of the electronic device 901 in the middleware 943, API 945, or application program 947.

The middleware 943, for example, can act as an intermediary so that the API 945 or the application program 947 can communicate with the kernel 941 to exchange data.

Further, the middleware 943 can process one or more task requests received from the application program 947 according to the priority order. For example, middleware 943 may prioritize the use of system resources (e.g., bus 910, processor 920, or memory 930, etc.) of electronic device 901 in at least one of application programs 947. For example, the middleware 943 may perform scheduling or load balancing of the one or more task requests by processing the one or more task requests according to the priority assigned to the at least one task.

The API 945 is, for example, an interface for the application 947 to control the functions provided by the kernel 941 or the middleware 943, and includes at least one interface for file control, window control, image processing, Or functions (e.g., commands).

The input / output interface 950 may serve as an interface through which commands or data input from, for example, a user or other external device can be communicated to another component (s) of the electronic device 901. Output interface 950 can output commands or data received from other component (s) of the electronic device 901 to a user or other external device.

Display 960 can be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) displays, or electronic paper displays. Display 960 may display various content (e.g., text, image, video, icon, or symbol, etc.) to a user, for example. Display 960 may include a touch screen and may receive touch, gesture, proximity, or hovering input using, for example, an electronic pen or a portion of the user's body.

The communication interface 970 may establish communication between, for example, the electronic device 901 and an external device (e.g., the first external electronic device 902, the second external electronic device 904, or the server 906). For example, the communication interface 970 can be connected to the network 962 via wireless or wired communication to communicate with the external device (e.g., the second external electronic device 904 or the server 906).

Wireless communication is, for example, a cellular communication protocol such as Long-Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) Telecommunications System), WiBro (Wireless Broadband), or Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). The wireless communication may also include local communication 964, for example. The local area communication 964 may include at least one of, for example, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), magnetic stripe transmission (MST), or GNSS.

The MST generates a pulse according to the transmission data using an electromagnetic signal, and the pulse can generate a magnetic field signal. The electronic device 901 transmits the magnetic field signal to a point of sale (POS), the POS detects the magnetic field signal using an MST reader, and converts the detected magnetic field signal into an electric signal can do.

The GNSS may be implemented by a GPS (Global Positioning System), Glonass (Global Navigation Satellite System), Beidou Navigation Satellite System (Beidou), or Galileo (European Global Satellite-based navigation system) Or the like. Hereinafter, in this document, "GPS" can be interchangeably used with "GNSS ". The wired communication may include at least one of, for example, a universal serial bus (USB), a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a recommended standard 232 (RS-232) or a plain old telephone service (POTS). Network 962 may include at least one of a telecommunications network, e.g., a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN), the Internet, or a telephone network.

Each of the first and second external electronic devices 902, 904 may be the same or a different kind of device as the electronic device 901. According to one embodiment, the server 906 may include one or more groups of servers. According to various embodiments, all or a portion of the operations performed in the electronic device 901 may be performed in one or more other electronic devices (e.g., electronic device 902, 904, or server 906). According to one embodiment, in the event that the electronic device 901 has to perform some function or service automatically or upon request, the electronic device 901 may, instead of or in addition to executing the function or service itself, To another device (e.g., electronic device 902, 904, or server 906). Other electronic devices (e.g., electronic device 902, 904, or server 906) may execute the requested function or additional function and forward the results to electronic device 901. The electronic device 901 can directly or additionally process the received result to provide the requested function or service. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, or client-server computing technology may be used.

10 shows a block diagram 1000 of an electronic device 1001 according to various embodiments.

Referring to Fig. 10, the electronic device 1001 may include all or a part of the electronic device 901 shown in Fig. 9, for example. The electronic device 1001 includes one or more processors (e.g., AP) 1010, a communication module 1020, a subscriber identification module 1024, a memory 1030, a sensor module 1040, an input device 1050, a display 1060, an interface 1070, an audio module 1080, a camera module 1091, A module 1095, a battery 1096, an indicator 1097, and a motor 1098.

The processor 1010 may, for example, operate an operating system or an application program to control a number of hardware or software components coupled to the processor 1010, and may perform various data processing and computations. The processor 1010 may be implemented with, for example, a system on chip (SoC). According to one embodiment, the processor 1010 may further include a graphics processing unit (GPU) and / or an image signal processor. Processor 1010 may include at least some of the components shown in FIG. 10 (e.g., cellular module 1021). The processor 1010 may load and process instructions or data received from at least one of the other components (e.g., non-volatile memory) into volatile memory and store the various data in non-volatile memory.

The communication module 1020 may have the same or similar configuration as the communication interface 970 of FIG. The communication module 1020 includes, for example, a cellular module 1021, a Wi-Fi module 1022, a Bluetooth module 1023, a GNSS module 1024 (e.g., a GPS module, a Glonass module, a Beidou module, or a Galileo module), an NFC module 1025, an MST module 1026 , And a radio frequency (RF) module 1027.

The cellular module 1021 can provide voice calls, video calls, text services, or Internet services, for example, over a communication network. According to one embodiment, cellular module 1021 may utilize a subscriber identity module (e.g., SIM card) 1029 to perform the identification and authentication of electronic device 1001 within the communication network. According to one embodiment, the cellular module 1021 may perform at least some of the functions that the processor 1010 may provide. According to one embodiment, the cellular module 1021 may include a communications processor (CP).

Each of the Wi-Fi module 1022, the Bluetooth module 1023, the GNSS module 1024, the NFC module 1025, or the MST module 1026 may include a processor for processing data transmitted and received through the corresponding module, for example. At least some (e.g., two or more) of the cellular module 1021, the Wi-Fi module 1022, the Bluetooth module 1023, the GNSS module 1024, the NFC module 1025, or the MST module 1026, Or an IC package.

The RF module 1027 can, for example, transmit and receive communication signals (e.g., RF signals). The RF module 1027 may include, for example, a transceiver, a power amplifier module (PAM), a frequency filter, a low noise amplifier (LNA), or an antenna. According to another embodiment, at least one of the cellular module 1021, the Wi-Fi module 1022, the Bluetooth module 1023, the GNSS module 1024, the NFC module 1025, and the MST module 1026 can transmit and receive RF signals through separate RF modules.

The subscriber identity module 1029 may include, for example, a card containing a subscriber identity module and / or an embedded SIM, and may include unique identification information (e.g., an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) (E.g., international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)).

Memory 1030 (e.g., memory 930) may include, for example, internal memory 1032 or external memory 1034. The internal memory 1032 may be a volatile memory such as a dynamic RAM (DRAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), or a synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), a non-volatile memory such as an OTPROM one time programmable ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable and programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM), mask ROM, flash ROM, flash memory (e.g., NAND flash, or NOR flash), a hard drive, or a solid state drive (SSD).

The external memory 1034 may be a flash drive, for example, a compact flash (CF), a secure digital (SD), a micro-SD, a mini-SD, an extreme digital (xD), a multi- a memory stick, and the like. The external memory 1034 may be functionally and / or physically connected to the electronic device 1001 through various interfaces.

The security module 1036 may be a module including a storage space having a relatively higher security level than the memory 1030, and may be a circuit that ensures secure data storage and a protected execution environment. The security module 1036 may be implemented as a separate circuit and may include a separate processor. The security module 1036 may include an embedded secure element (eSE), for example, in a removable smart chip, a secure digital (SD) card, or embedded within a fixed chip of the electronic device 1001 . In addition, the security module 1036 may be operated with an operating system different from the operating system (OS) of the electronic device 1001. For example, the security module 1036 may operate based on a Java card open platform (JCOP) operating system.

The sensor module 1040 can, for example, measure a physical quantity or sense the operating state of the electronic device 1001 and convert the measured or sensed information into an electrical signal. The sensor module 1040 includes a gyro sensor 1040A, a gyro sensor 1040B, an air pressure sensor 1040C, a magnetic sensor 1040D, an acceleration sensor 1040E, a grip sensor 1040F, a proximity sensor 1040G, a color sensor 1040H , A temperature / humidity sensor 1040J, an illuminance sensor 1040K, or an ultraviolet (UV) sensor 1040M. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor module 1040 may be, for example, an E-nose sensor, an EMG (electromyography) sensor, an EEG (electroencephalogram) sensor, an ECG (electrocardiogram) sensor, an IR And / or a fingerprint sensor. The sensor module 1040 may further include a control circuit for controlling at least one sensor included therein. In some embodiments, the electronic device 1001 may further include a processor configured to control the sensor module 1040, either as part of the processor 1010 or separately, to control the sensor module 1040 while the processor 1010 is in a sleep state .

The input device 1050 may include, for example, a touch panel 1052, a (digital) pen sensor 1054, a key 1056, or an ultrasonic input device 1058. The touch panel 1052 can employ, for example, at least one of an electrostatic type, a pressure sensitive type, an infrared type, and an ultrasonic type. Further, the touch panel 1052 may further include a control circuit. The touch panel 1052 may further include a tactile layer to provide a tactile response to the user.

 (Digital) pen sensor 1054 may be, for example, part of a touch panel or may include a separate sheet of identification. The key 1056 may include, for example, a physical button, an optical key, or a keypad. The ultrasonic input device 1058 can sense the ultrasonic wave generated by the input tool through the microphone (e.g., the microphone 1088) and confirm the data corresponding to the ultrasonic wave detected.

Display 1060 (e.g., display 960) may include a panel 1062, a hologram device 1064, or a projector 1066. Panel 1062 may include the same or similar configuration as display 960 of FIG. The panel 1062 can be implemented, for example, flexible, transparent, or wearable. The panel 1062 may be composed of a touch panel 1052 and one module. The hologram apparatus 1064 can display a stereoscopic image in the air using the interference of light. The projector 1066 can display an image by projecting light onto a screen. The screen may be located, for example, inside or outside the electronic device 1001. According to one embodiment, the display 1060 may further include control circuitry for controlling the panel 1062, the hologram device 1064, or the projector 1066.

The interface 1070 may include, for example, an HDMI 1072, a USB 1074, an optical interface 1076, or a D-sub (D-subminiature) 1078. The interface 1070 may be included, for example, in the communication interface 970 shown in FIG. Additionally or alternatively, the interface 1070 may include, for example, a mobile high-definition link (MHL) interface, an SD card / MMC interface, or an infrared data association (IrDA) interface.

Audio module 1080 can, for example, convert sound and electrical signals in both directions. At least some of the components of the audio module 1080 may be included, for example, in the input / output interface 950 shown in FIG. The audio module 1080 can process sound information input or output through, for example, a speaker 1082, a receiver 1084, an earphone 1086, a microphone 1088, or the like.

The camera module 1091 is, for example, a device capable of capturing still images and moving images, and according to one embodiment, one or more image sensors (e.g., a front sensor or a rear sensor), a lens, an image signal processor And may include a flash (e.g., LED or xenon lamp).

The power management module 1095 can manage the power of the electronic device 1001, for example. According to one embodiment, the power management module 1095 may include a power management integrated circuit (PMIC), a charger integrated circuit ("IC"), or a battery or fuel gauge. The PMIC may have a wired and / or wireless charging scheme. The wireless charging scheme may include, for example, a magnetic resonance scheme, a magnetic induction scheme, or an electromagnetic wave scheme, and may further include an additional circuit for wireless charging, for example, a coil loop, a resonant circuit, have. The battery gauge can measure, for example, the remaining amount of the battery 1096, the voltage during charging, the current, or the temperature. The battery 1096 may include, for example, a rechargeable battery and / or a solar battery.

The indicator 1097 may indicate a particular state of the electronic device 1001 or a portion thereof (e.g., processor 1010), such as a boot state, a message state, or a state of charge. The motor 1098 can convert an electrical signal into mechanical vibration, and can generate vibration, haptic effects, and the like. Although not shown, the electronic device 1001 may include a processing unit (e.g., a GPU) for mobile TV support. The processing device for mobile TV support can process media data conforming to standards such as DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting), DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting), or MediaFLO ( ^TM ).

Each of the components described in this document may be composed of one or more components, and the name of the component may be changed according to the type of the electronic device. In various embodiments, the electronic device may comprise at least one of the components described herein, some components may be omitted, or may further include additional other components. In addition, some of the components of the electronic device according to various embodiments may be combined into one entity, so that the functions of the components before being combined can be performed in the same manner.

11 shows a block diagram of a program module according to various embodiments.

According to one embodiment, the program module 1110 (e.g., program 940) includes an operating system (OS) that controls resources associated with an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 901) Program 947). The operating system may be, for example, android, iOS, windows, symbian, tizen, or bada.

The program module 1110 may include a kernel 1120, a middleware 1130, an API 1160, and / or an application 1170. At least a portion of the program module 1110 may be preloaded on an electronic device or downloaded from an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 902, 904, server 906, etc.).

The kernel 1120 (e.g., kernel 941) may include, for example, a system resource manager 1121 or a device driver 1123. The system resource manager 1121 can perform control, assignment, or recovery of system resources. According to one embodiment, the system resource manager 1121 may include a process management unit, a memory management unit, or a file system management unit. The device driver 1123 may include, for example, a display driver, a camera driver, a Bluetooth driver, a shared memory driver, a USB driver, a keypad driver, a Wi-Fi driver, an audio driver, or an inter-process communication .

The middleware 1130 can provide various functions to the application 1170 through the API 1160, for example, to provide the functions that the application 1170 needs in common, or to allow the application 1170 to efficiently use the limited system resources inside the electronic device have. According to one embodiment, the middleware 1130 (e.g., middleware 943) includes a runtime library 1135, an application manager 1141, a window manager 1142, a multimedia manager 1143, a resource manager 1144 A power manager 1145, a database manager 1146, a package manager 1147, a connectivity manager 1148, a notification manager 1149, a location manager 1150, A graphic manager 1151, a security manager 1152, or a payment manager 1154.

The runtime library 1135 may include, for example, a library module used by the compiler to add new functionality via a programming language while the application 1170 is running. The runtime library 1135 can perform input / output management, memory management, or functions for arithmetic functions.

The application manager 1141 can manage the life cycle of at least one of the applications 1170, for example. The window manager 1142 can manage GUI resources used on the screen. The multimedia manager 1143 can recognize the format required for playback of various media files and can encode or decode a media file using a codec suitable for the format. The resource manager 1144 can manage resources such as source code, memory, or storage space of at least one of the applications 1170.

The power manager 1145 operates in conjunction with, for example, a basic input / output system (BIOS) or the like to manage a battery or a power source and provide power information and the like necessary for the operation of the electronic device. The database manager 1146 may create, retrieve, or modify a database for use in at least one of the applications 1170. The package manager 1147 can manage installation or update of an application distributed in the form of a package file.

The connection manager 1148 can manage wireless connections, such as, for example, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The notification manager 1149 may display or notify events such as arrival messages, appointments, proximity notifications, etc. in a way that is not disturbed to the user. The location manager 1150 can manage the location information of the electronic device. The graphic manager 1151 may manage the graphical effect to be presented to the user or a user interface associated therewith. The security manager 1152 can provide all security functions necessary for system security or user authentication. According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (e.g., electronic device 901) includes a telephone function, the middleware 1130 may further include a telephony manager for managing the voice or video call capabilities of the electronic device.

The middleware 1130 may include a middleware module that forms a combination of various functions of the above-described components. The middleware 1130 can provide a module specialized for each type of operating system in order to provide differentiated functions. In addition, the middleware 1130 can dynamically delete some existing components or add new ones.

API 1160 (e.g., API 945) is, for example, a collection of API programming functions, and may be provided in different configurations depending on the operating system. For example, for Android or iOS, you can provide one API set per platform, and for tizen, you can provide more than two API sets per platform.

The application 1170 (e.g., the application program 947) may include a home 1171, a dialer 1172, an SMS / MMS 1173, an instant message 1174, a browser 1175, a camera 1176, an alarm 1177, a contact 1178, 1180, a calendar 1181, a media player 1182, an album 1183, or a clock 1184, a health care (such as measuring a momentum or blood sugar), or providing environmental information And the like) capable of performing the functions of the < / RTI >

According to one embodiment, an application 1170 is an application that supports the exchange of information between an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 901) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 902, 904) "). The information exchange application may include, for example, a notification relay application for communicating specific information to an external electronic device, or a device management application for managing an external electronic device.

For example, the notification delivery application may send notification information generated by other applications (e.g., SMS / MMS applications, email applications, healthcare applications, or environmental information applications) of the electronic device to external electronic devices (e.g., 904, respectively. Further, the notification delivery application can receive notification information from, for example, an external electronic device and provide it to the user.

The device management application may include, for example, at least one function (e.g., turn-on / turn-off) of an external electronic device (Eg, install, delete, or update) services provided by an external electronic device or external electronic device (eg, call service or message service) can do.

According to one embodiment, the application 1170 may include an application (e.g., a healthcare application of a mobile medical device) that is designated according to attributes of an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 902, 904). According to one embodiment, application 1170 may include an application received from an external electronic device (e.g., server 906 or electronic device 902, 904). According to one embodiment, application 1170 may include a preloaded application or a third party application downloadable from a server. The names of the components of the program module 1110 according to the illustrated embodiment may vary depending on the type of the operating system.

According to various embodiments, at least some of the program modules 1110 may be implemented in software, firmware, hardware, or a combination of at least two of them. At least some of the program modules 1110 may be implemented (e.g., executed) by, for example, a processor (e.g., processor 1010). At least some of the program modules 1110 may include, for example, modules, programs, routines, sets of instructions or processes, etc., to perform one or more functions.

As used in this document, the term "module" may refer to a unit comprising, for example, one or a combination of two or more of hardware, software or firmware. A "module" may be interchangeably used with terms such as, for example, unit, logic, logical block, component, or circuit. A "module" may be a minimum unit or a portion of an integrally constructed component. A "module" may be a minimum unit or a portion thereof that performs one or more functions. "Modules" may be implemented either mechanically or electronically. For example, a "module" may be an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or programmable-logic devices And may include at least one.

At least a portion of a device (e.g., modules or functions thereof) or a method (e.g., operations) according to various embodiments may include, for example, computer-readable storage media in the form of program modules, As shown in FIG. When the instruction is executed by a processor (e.g., processor 920), the one or more processors may perform a function corresponding to the instruction. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, a memory 930.

The instructions stored in the computer recording medium according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include an operation to activate a character input function, a first area in which a plurality of characters are displayed, a second area in which input characters are output, Displaying a user interface including a third area in which a set function key is displayed on the display, and changing at least a part of a plurality of characters displayed in the first area based on the rotation of the wheel.

The computer-readable recording medium may be a hard disk, a floppy disk, a magnetic media such as a magnetic tape, an optical media such as a CD-ROM, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) May include magneto-optical media (e.g., a floppy disk), a hardware device (e.g., ROM, RAM, or flash memory, etc.) Etc. The hardware devices described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the various embodiments. And vice versa.

Modules or program modules according to various embodiments may include at least one or more of the elements described above, some of which may be omitted, or may further include additional other elements. Operations performed by modules, program modules, or other components in accordance with various embodiments may be performed in a sequential, parallel, iterative, or heuristic manner. Also, some operations may be performed in a different order, omitted, or other operations may be added.

And the embodiments disclosed in this document are provided for the explanation and understanding of the disclosed technical contents, and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of this document should be interpreted to include all modifications based on the technical idea of the present invention or various other embodiments.

Claims (20)

display;
A rotatable wheel; And
And a processor electrically coupled to the display and the wheel,
The processor comprising:
Outputting to the display a user interface including a first area for outputting a plurality of characters, a second area for outputting an input character, and a third area for outputting a preset function key,
And to change at least a part of a plurality of characters output to the first area based on rotation of the wheel. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the wheel is a bezel wheel arranged to annularly surround the display. The method according to claim 1,
The processor comprising:
And to receive an input for one of the plurality of characters output in the first area. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the processor is configured to output the one character to the second region in response to receiving the input. The method according to claim 1,
The processor comprising:
And outputting the user interface further including a fourth area in which a recommendation word is output. The method of claim 5,
The processor comprising:
Acquiring the recommendation word based on the input character output to the second region,
And to output the recommendation word to the fourth region. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein a plurality of characters output in the first area are scrolled based on an angle at which the wheel is rotated. The method of claim 7,
Wherein a plurality of characters output in the first area are scrolled by a specified number when the wheel is rotated by a unit angle. The method of claim 7,
The processor comprising:
And is set to change the scroll speed according to the setting of the user. The method according to claim 1,
The processor comprising:
And to change at least a portion of the plurality of characters output to the first region when a flicking input for the first region is received. The method according to claim 1,
The processor comprising:
And to determine a size of each of the characters based on a position at which each of the plurality of characters is output in the first area. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the wheel is a crown wheel disposed on a side wall of the electronic device. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the electronic device is a wearable device. In a character input method of an electronic device,
Activating a character input function;
Outputting a user interface including a first area for outputting a plurality of characters, a second area for outputting an input character, and a third area for outputting a preset function key; And
And changing at least a portion of the plurality of characters output to the first region based on rotation of the wheel. 15. The method of claim 14,
Further comprising receiving an input for one of the plurality of characters output in the first region. 16. The method of claim 15,
And outputting the character corresponding to the input to the second area. 15. The method of claim 14,
The above-
And outputting the user interface further including a fourth area in which a recommendation word is output. 18. The method of claim 17,
Obtaining the recommendation word based on the input character output to the second area; And
And outputting the recommendation word to the fourth region. 15. The method of claim 14,
Further comprising changing at least a portion of the plurality of characters output to the first region based on a flicking input for the first region. A computer-readable recording medium having computer-readable instructions executed by at least one processor,
Wherein the command comprises:
Activating a character input function;
Outputting a user interface including a first area for outputting a plurality of characters, a second area for outputting an input character, and a third area for outputting a preset function key; And
And to change at least a part of a plurality of characters output to the first area based on the rotation of the wheel.

Images