Patent Application
20080024449
A full understanding of the disclosed and claimed concept can be gained from the following Description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which
An improved handheld electronic device 4 in accordance with the disclosed and claimed concept is depicted generally in
The processor apparatus 16 interfaces with the input apparatus 12 and the output apparatus 20. The processor apparatus 16 comprises a processor 32, a memory 36, and a number of routines 40. The routines 40 are stored in the memory 36 and are executable on the processor 32.
As can be understood from
The keys 44 generally each serve as input members that are actuatable to provide input to the processor apparatus 16. When a particular one of the routines 40 is being executed on the processor 32, an actuation of one of the keys 44 causes, for instance, the Latin character 52 assigned thereto to be input to the processor apparatus 16. When another of the routines 40, for example, is being executed on the processor 32, the non-Latin character assigned to such key 44 is input to the processor apparatus 16. It is understood, however, that various other types of routines 44 may be employed wherein either of the Latin and non-Latin characters 52 and 56 assigned to a particular key 44 can be input to the processor apparatus 16, such as with the use of a particular key actuation method, a preceding keystroke as an <ALT> key actuation, or other such methodology.
In the present exemplary embodiment of the handheld electronic device 4, the non-Latin characters 56 assigned to the various keys 44 are letters from the Greek alphabet. While the numeral 56 will hereafter be used interchangeable both for the elements “non-Latin character” and “Greek character”, it is understood that such use is not intended to limit the definition of “non-Latin character” to Greek characters, and rather can comprise characters from other alphabets, as indicated above.
Advantageously, many of the keys 44 have both a Latin character 52 and a Greek character 56 assigned thereto wherein the Latin and Greek characters 52 and 56 phonetically correspond with one another. That is, such characters can be used to form substantially the same spoken sound. For instance, the Greek character 56 <A> (alpha) and the Latin character 52 <A> share the same key 44. Similarly, the Greek character 56 <Σ> (sigma) and the Latin character 52 <S> share the same key 44. In some instances, the Latin character 52 and the non-Latin character 56 which share the same key 44 can be selected based on visual similarity rather than phonetic similarity, in appropriate circumstances. For instance, the Greek character 56 <χ> (chi) and the Latin character 52 <X> share the same key 44. In this particular example, no single Latin letter phonetic corresponds with the Greek character <χ> (chi), and thus the Greek character 56 <χ> (chi) and the Latin character 52 <X> share the same key 44 based upon visual similarity. Other combinations will be apparent from the teachings herein.
It also can be seen that many of the Greek characters 56, at least about one-half of them in the present exemplary embodiment, are arranged to phonetically correspond with the positioning of the Latin characters of a QWERTY keyboard. For example, the Greek characters 56 <A> (alpha), <Σ> (sigma), <Δ> (delta), and <φ> (phi) are disposed sequentially adjacent one another at the left side of a middle row of the keypad 24, and so forth. Such arrangement phonetically and positionally corresponds with the Latin letters <A> <S> <D> <F> of a QWERTY keyboard. Such a phonetic positioning of the non-Latin characters 56, and/or the arrangement of the various characters for visual similarity with other characters, advantageously generates an association in a user's mind which facilitates the inputting of text. For instance, a user familiar with the placement of the Latin letters in a QWERTY format will more readily be able to input text comprising the non-Latin characters 56 of the keypad 24 due to the phonetic and/or visual similarity between the placement of the non-Latin characters 56 and the known QWERTY format. In this regard, it is understood that the handheld electronic device 4 may be comprised of keys 44 that do not have Latin characters 52 assigned thereto. For instance, the keypad 24 may be comprised of Greek characters 56 that are arranged, to the extent reasonably possible, in a phonetically QWERTY format. This advantageously facilitates the input of text in multiple languages and/or text comprising characters in multiple alphabets.
While specific embodiments of the disclosed and claimed concept have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the disclosed and claimed concept which is to be given the full breadth of the claims appended and any and all equivalents thereof.
