JP2010191537A - Portable terminal, character input method thereof, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve smooth character input by the minimum screen touch operations without requiring screen transition in character retrieval or character determination, with respect to a portable terminal having a touch panel display mounted thereon. <P>SOLUTION: The portable terminal is provided with: a character information storage means for storing title characters and input character information for character input in association with each other; a position detection means for detecting the contact position between a user and a display; a display control means for arranging and displaying the title characters in the right and left opposite end regions of the display, and for reading and displaying the input character information from the character information holding means based on the detection result of the position detection means on a display; and a character input means for, when the position detection means determines that there is no contact between the display and the user at the display position of the input character information displayed by the display control means, inputting the input character information at the display position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, a character input method, a program, and a recording medium, and more particularly to a technique preferably applied to character input in a mobile terminal equipped with, for example, a touch panel display.

  In recent years, various mobile terminals such as mobile phones, PHS (Personal Handy-phone System), and PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) have been provided in the market. These portable terminals include a display unit such as a liquid crystal display, a plurality of switches (for example, digit keys), and an operation unit such as a touch panel as an input / output interface, and a user can easily refer to and input information on the go. It is configured as follows.

  In the character input using the digit key, it is necessary to press the same key a predetermined number of times in order to display the character intended by the user. Since the displayed character is determined by the number of times the key is pressed, a character that is different from the intended character is displayed if the number of times the key is pressed is large, and the key must be pressed more times to display the desired character. I will have to. In addition, when inputting a stuttering sound, a prompt sound, and a muddy sound, the number of input steps is increased as compared with the keyboard input of the QWERTY layout. As described above, character input using the digit key is a simple operation method but can be said to be a relatively time-consuming method.

  On the other hand, character input by the touch panel is generally performed by displaying all 50 hiragana characters on the display and allowing the user to select a desired character. For this reason, character input using a touch panel may enable intuitive terminal operation for the user, and portable terminals equipped with a touch panel display having a display function and an input function are attracting attention. However, it is difficult to display all 50 hiragana characters in a character size that can be easily touched with a user's finger on a screen in a portable terminal that has a limited display size due to its structure.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a portable terminal that can minimize the display of keys for character input from hindering the display of other information while ensuring efficient character input. In the portable terminal, the first letter of each line of 50 sounds is displayed on the left and right ends of the display, and when the initial letter arranged on one side is touched, the hiragana of the line to which the initial letter belongs is on the other side. Is displayed.

JP 2006-148536 A

  The invention of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-133867 is to display the minimum necessary characters in a limited area without displaying all 50 hiragana characters on the entire display, and to require the user to input characters. There is a redundant part in the operation, and it cannot be said that smooth character input is realized. In other words, when trying to input a plurality of characters in succession, the initial screen (in the state where the first letter of each line of 50 sounds is displayed) and the character selection screen (all the characters in the line to which the desired character belongs are displayed. The screen transition occurs in character search and character determination. Further, it is necessary to touch the screen every time the screen is shifted.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to enable smooth character input with a minimum screen contact operation without involving screen transition in character search and character determination in a portable terminal equipped with a touch panel display. To do.

  In the portable terminal of the present invention, a character information holding unit that holds an entry character and input character information that is a target of character input in association with each other, a position detection unit that detects a contact position of a user on the display, and the display face each other. Displayed by the display control means for displaying and displaying the input character information from the character information holding means based on the detection result by the position detection means and displaying the heading characters in the left and right end regions. And a character input means for inputting the input character information at the display position when the position detection means detects that the user has made contact with the display at the display position of the input character information.

  According to the character input method of the portable terminal of the present invention, the user touches the heading character display step in which the heading character is arranged and displayed in the opposite left and right end regions of the display and the heading character displayed in the heading character display step. A first position detecting step for detecting a position on the display, and an input character from a storage means that holds the headline character and the input character information to be character input in association with each other based on the detection result in the first position detecting step. An input character information display step of reading information and displaying it on the display; a second position detection step of detecting a position on the display where the user has canceled contact with the input character information displayed in the first input character information display step; Based on the detection result in the second position detection step, the input character information displayed at the position where the contact is canceled is input. A character information input step of, a.

  The program of the present invention is based on a heading character display process in which heading characters are arranged and displayed in opposite left and right end regions of a display on a computer, and a detection result of a user's contact position with respect to the heading character displayed in the character display process. The input character information display process for reading out the input character information from the storage means that holds the heading character and the input character information that is the target of character input in association with each other, and the input displayed by the input character information display process. Based on the detection result of the contact position of the user with respect to the character information, a character information input process for inputting the input character information displayed at the position where the contact is canceled is executed.

  The recording medium of the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium on which the above program is recorded.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to perform a smooth character input by the minimum screen contact operation | movement, without accompanying a screen transfer by character search and character determination in the portable terminal carrying a touch panel type display.

It is the figure which showed the structure of the portable terminal which concerns on this invention. It is the figure which showed the hardware constitutions of the mobile telephone which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the flowchart which showed the flow of the character input process of the mobile telephone which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the character conversion table (correspondence table of an alphabet and hiragana) in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the character conversion table (correspondence table of an alphabet and hiragana) in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the character conversion table (correspondence table of an alphabet and hiragana) in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the character conversion table (correspondence table of an alphabet and hiragana) in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the character conversion table (correspondence table of an alphabet and hiragana) in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the character conversion table (correspondence table of an alphabet and hiragana) in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the character conversion table (correspondence table of an alphabet and hiragana) in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the character conversion table (correspondence table of an alphabet and hiragana) in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the character conversion table (correspondence table of an alphabet and hiragana) in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the character conversion table (correspondence table of an alphabet and hiragana) in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the character conversion table (correspondence table of an alphabet and hiragana) in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the character conversion table (correspondence table of an alphabet and hiragana) in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the example of a character input in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the example of a character input in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the example of a character input in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the example of a character input in embodiment of this invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the portable terminal to which the present invention is applied includes character information holding means 2, position detection means 3, display control means 4, and character input means 5.

  The character information holding means 2 holds the heading character and the input character information that is the target of character input in association with each other. The heading character is a character used for searching for input character information, and includes, for example, an alphabet used in addition to vowels when hiragana is written in Roman letters, or an initial of each line of 50 hiragana characters. The position detection means 3 detects the contact position of the user on the display.

  The display control means 4 arranges and displays a heading character in the area | region of the right-and-left both ends which oppose on a display. Further, the display control means 4 reads the input character information associated with the heading character at the detected position from the character information holding means 2 based on the detection result of the position detection means 3 and displays it on the display. The character input means 5 uses the position detection means 3 to confirm that the user's contact with the display has been eliminated (the user's finger has been released from the display) at the display position of the input character information displayed by the display control means 4. If it is detected, the input character information displayed at the released position is input.

  In the present invention, the display control means 4 displays heading characters on the left and right ends of the display for character search, and displays input character information associated with the heading characters touched on the screen without performing screen transition. . Further, the character input means 5 performs character input by finally determining the input character information displayed at the position where the contact is canceled, with the cancellation of the screen contact as a trigger while continuing the character selection by the screen contact. . For this reason, screen transition and predetermined operation are not required for each character search and character determination, and smooth character input can be performed with a minimum screen contact operation.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the mobile phone according to the embodiment of the present invention. The cellular phone according to the present embodiment includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 20, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 30, a display 40, and a storage unit 50.

  The CPU 10 controls the overall operation of the mobile phone according to a program stored in the ROM 20. The CPU 10 reads a program for performing a character input operation unique to the present invention from the ROM 20, and configures means corresponding to the display control means 4 and the character input means 5 in FIG.

  The ROM 20 stores a control program for the entire mobile phone and a dedicated program for performing character input processing unique to the present invention. The RAM 30 has a temporary storage area that is used in the overall control and character input processing by the CPU 10.

  The display 40 is configured to include a display unit 41 and a touch panel 42, and is an input / output device having a display function and an input function. The display unit 41 displays various information on the display 40 on the screen. The touch panel 42 has a configuration corresponding to the position detection unit 3 in FIG. 1 and detects position information on the display touched by the user's finger.

  The storage unit 50 has a configuration corresponding to the character information holding unit 2 in FIG. 1 and holds the alphabet as a heading character for character search and a hiragana to be character input in association with each other. In the present embodiment, the storage unit 50 holds a character conversion table that is a correspondence table between alphabets and hiragana as shown in FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of character input processing of the mobile phone according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, alphabets are used as heading characters for searching for hiragana characters for inputting characters, and the alphabets are divided into areas on the left and right ends of the display based on the QWERTY layout. That is, as shown in FIG. 16, A, W, R, T, S, D, F, G, Z, X, V, B are displayed in order from the top on the left end of the display, and U, Y, P on the right end. , H, J, K, N, M,-(long note) are displayed in order from the top. Arranging alphabets based on the QWERTY layout can reduce the number of input steps compared to character input using digit keys (especially in the case of stuttering, prompting, and muddy sounds), and it is similar to character input using a keyboard for the user. This is to allow smooth character input.

  First, the CPU 10 as the display control unit 4 causes the display unit 41 to display alphabets in the QWERTY array in the left and right end regions of the display (step S1). Then, in response to an input operation to the display 40 by the user, the touch panel 42 as the position detection unit 3 detects the contact position of the user's finger on the display (step S2). The CPU 10 acquires information on the contact position detected by the touch panel 42.

  The CPU 10 monitors the match between the contact position of the user acquired from the touch panel 42 and the display position of the alphabet, and when the finger contact position and the alphabet display position match (step S3 / YES), the display that matches the touch position is displayed. The hiragana character group associated with the position alphabet is read from the storage unit 50 as the character information holding means 2 (step S4). The CPU 10 may be configured to hold information on the alphabet display position when monitoring the match between the finger contact position and the alphabet display position, or may be configured to refer to the display position information held in the RAM 30. May be.

  Next, the CPU 10 sends information on the hiragana character group read from the storage unit 50 to the display unit 41, and causes the display unit 41 to display the hiragana character group related to the alphabet (step S5).

  Subsequently, in response to the character selection of hiragana by the user, the touch panel 42 detects the contact position and contact state of the user's finger and sends the information to the CPU 10. When the CPU 10 receives from the touch panel 42 information on the released state and the position of the user's finger (step S6 / YES), the CPU 10 determines the hiragana displayed at the released position as an input character (step S7). Character input is performed (step S8). When the position where the user's finger is released is a position other than the display position of the hiragana character group (step S6 / NO), the CPU 10 does not input a character as an error (step S9).

  A more specific description will be given with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, as described above, when characters are input, A, W, R, T, S, D, F, G, Z, X, V, and B are displayed in order from the top at the left end of the display. Then, U, Y, P, H, J, K, N, M, and-(long note) are displayed in order from the top on the right end. Touching one of the alphabets will display the related characters with the touched letters displayed as the first input (the leftmost alphabet is touched) or the left (the rightmost alphabet is touched). Is displayed. Then, any character displayed while being touched is selected, and the character is determined when the finger is released.

  The letters displayed when you touch the left alphabet are “alphabet touched” + “Y”, “H” (only when there is a corresponding letter) + “vowel (“ A ”,” I "," U "," E "," O "(the vowels are arranged in the order shown on the left)). However, when “A” is touched, “A” and “E” are displayed in order toward the right side of “A” (see FIG. 16). The characters displayed when the right alphabet is touched are “alphabet touched” + “Y”, “H” (only when there is a corresponding character) ”+“ vowel (“O”). , “E”, “U”, “I”, “A” (the vowels are arranged in the order shown on the left)). However, when “U” is touched, “I”, “U”, and “O” are displayed in order toward the left side of “U”.

  For example, A, W, R, T, S, D, F, G, Z, X, V, B in order on the left end of the display, U, Y, P, H, J, K, N, M, In the state displayed in the order of-(long notes), character input is started and "A" is touched (FIG. 16 (1)). When “A” is selected from the left and right alphabets, “A” and “E” are displayed on the right side of “A” according to the character conversion table shown in FIG. At this time, the user's finger remains touched at the position “A”. When the user's finger is touched and moved to “A”, “A” is selected as the input character (FIG. 16 (2)). When the user's finger is released in this state, “A” is confirmed as the input character (FIG. 16 (3)). In this way, since the input character is determined when it is released, if the display is touched as shown in FIG. 16 (2), the finger is moved to “E” and “E” is selected. It is possible.

  Also, for example, A, W, R, T, S, D, F, G, Z, X, V, B in order of the left end of the display, U, Y, P, H, J, K, N, M on the right end When “U” is touched in the order of “−” (long note), “O”, “U” and “I” are placed on the left side of “U” according to the character conversion table shown in FIG. "Is displayed (FIG. 17 (1)). When the user's finger is touched and moved to “U”, “U” is selected as the input character (FIG. 17B), and the user's finger is released in this state. "A" is confirmed as the input character (FIG. 17 (3)).

  For example, A, W, R, T, S, D, F, G, Z, X, V, B in order on the left end of the display, U, Y, P, H, J, K, N, M, -When “T” is touched in the order of (long notes), according to the character conversion table shown in FIG. 7A, “T”, “Chi”, “T” on the right side of “T”. , “Te”, “to” are displayed. In addition, since there are Hiragana characters when “R” is input as “T” + “H” + vowel ”and“ T ”+“ Y ”+ vowel”, “T”, “T”, “ "Teo", "Cha", "Chi", "Chu", "Che", "Cho" are displayed above and below "Ta", "Chi", "Tsu", "Te", "To". (FIG. 18 (1)). When the user's finger is touched and moved to “Che”, “Che” is selected as the input character (FIG. 18 (2)), and the user's finger is released in this state. In this case, “Che” is confirmed as the input character (FIG. 18 (3)).

  For example, A, W, R, T, S, D, F, G, Z, X, V, B in order on the left end of the display, U, Y, P, H, J, K, N, M, -When "H" is touched in the order of (long notes), according to the character conversion table shown in FIG. 7B, "H", "To", "F" on the left side of "H" , “Hi” and “ha” are displayed. In addition, since there is a hiragana character in the case of “H” + “Y” + vowel input, there is a hiragana character, so “Hyo”, “Hee”, “Hyu”, “Hii”, “Hya” Are displayed under “H”, “F”, “F”, “H”, “H” (FIG. 19 (1)). When the user's finger is touched and moved to “Hee”, “Hee” is selected as the input character (FIG. 19 (2)), and the user's finger is released in this state. In this case, “hi” is determined as the input character (FIG. 19 (3)).

  According to the present embodiment, characters can be input simply by securing one row of character display areas on the left side and one row on the right side, so that displays other than character input can be performed efficiently. Moreover, since it is in a single row, there is no need to take into consideration such as increasing the distance between the left and right sides.

  According to the present embodiment, for a user familiar with a QWERTY keyboard, the left alphabet can be recognized as a key pressed with the left hand, the right alphabet can be recognized as a key pressed with the right hand, and the arrangement order follows the QWERTY layout. Therefore, smooth input is possible.

  According to the present embodiment, when the left alphabet is selected, the vowels “a”, “i”, “u”, “e”, “o” are displayed in order from the left, and the right alphabet is selected. In this case, the vowels “A”, “I”, “U”, “E”, “O” are displayed in order from the right side, so that the distance to the same vowel will be the same regardless of whether it is selected from the left or right Therefore, smooth input becomes possible.

  According to the present embodiment, it is possible to easily input a stuttering sound, a prompt sound, and a muddy sound like a keyboard input of a QWERTY layout. In addition, it is always possible to input characters with two actions (touch + release).

  The above-described embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment alone, and various modifications are made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Implementation is possible.

  That is, the program executed by the mobile phone in the present embodiment has a module configuration including the above-described means (display control means 4 and character input means 5), and is concretely performed using actual hardware. Realize the means. That is, when the computer (CPU) reads a program from a predetermined recording medium and executes it, the above-mentioned means are loaded onto the main storage device and generated.

  The program executed by the mobile phone according to the present embodiment may be configured to be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. Further, the program may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

  The program is a file in an installable or executable format, such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, DVD, nonvolatile memory card, or the like. It may be configured to be provided by being recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Further, the program may be provided by being incorporated in advance in a ROM or the like.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the recording medium or loaded and executed through the communication line realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments. And the recording medium which recorded the program code comprises this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Portable terminal 2 Character information holding means 3 Position detection means 4 Display control means 5 Character input means 10 CPU
20 ROM
30 RAM
40 display 41 display unit 42 touch panel 50 storage unit

Claims (9)

A character information holding means for holding the heading character and the input character information to be input in association with each other;
Position detecting means for detecting a contact position of the user on the display;
Display control means for arranging and displaying the heading characters in opposite left and right end regions of the display, and reading out the input character information from the character information holding means based on the detection result by the position detection means and displaying it on the display; ,
When the position detecting unit detects that the user has made contact with the display at the display position of the input character information displayed by the display control unit, the input character information of the display position is input. Character input means;
A portable terminal characterized by comprising:   The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit arranges and displays alphabets in opposite left and right end regions of the display based on a QWERTY array.   3. The portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein the character information holding unit holds, as the heading character, an alphabet indicating a vowel and an alphabet used in addition to a vowel when a hiragana is written in Roman letters. 4.   The character information holding means holds, as the input character information, a group of hiragana characters obtained by converting Roman characters from alphabets used as the heading characters in association with each alphabet. The portable terminal of Claim 1.   The character input means inputs the input character information when it is detected by the position detection means that the user has touched the display before displaying the input character information by the display control means. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal is not provided.   The character input means, when the position detection means detects that the user's contact with the display has been canceled at a position other than the display position of the input character information displayed by the display control means, the input The mobile terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein character information is not input. A heading character display step for arranging and displaying heading characters in opposite left and right end regions of the display;
A first position detecting step of detecting a position on a display where a user touches the heading character displayed in the heading character display step;
Based on the detection result in the first position detection step, the input character information that reads the input character information from the storage means that holds the heading character and the input character information that is the target of character input in association with each other and displays the input character information on the display A display step;
A second position detection step of detecting a position on the display where the user has canceled contact with the input character information displayed in the first input character information display step;
Based on the detection result in the second position detection step, the character information input step for inputting the input character information displayed at the position where the contact has been canceled,
The character input method of the portable terminal characterized by having. On the computer,
Heading character display processing for placing and displaying heading characters in opposite left and right end areas of the display,
Based on the detection result of the contact position of the user with respect to the heading character displayed in the character display process, the input character information is read from a storage unit that associates and holds the heading character and input character information that is a target of character input. Input character information display processing to be displayed on the display,
Character information input processing for inputting the input character information displayed at the position where the contact is canceled based on the detection result of the contact position of the user with respect to the input character information displayed in the input character information display processing;
A program characterized by having executed.   A recording medium which records the program according to claim 8 and is readable by a computer.

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