Patent · US Expired

Method for inputting different characters by multi-directionally pressing a single key more than one time

US6857800B2 · kind B2 · utility

191Cited by
7References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 28, 2002
Grant dateFeb 22, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 12, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F3/0234
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The invention is to provide a method for inputting different characters by multi-directionally pressing one single key of a portable electronic device more than one time, the key having a plurality of protuberances on an underside and a circuit board having a plurality of pads being equal in number to the protuberances and disposed correspondingly thereto, the method comprises determining the conduction periods of time by a control circuit, while one key being multi-directionally pressed a plurality of times to cause the protuberances to contact the corresponding pads at different conduction periods of time; reading a corresponding character sequentially from a built-in character database based on a longer one of the conduction periods of time; and displaying the read character. By utilizing this method, it is possible of effecting a fast input on the keypad.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.