Mobile phone and method

Abstract

A method for inputting characters to a mobile communication apparatus is disclosed. The method includes enabling input of strokes representing a first character in a first area of a touch sensitive display; determining the first character from the strokes; determining one or more candidates of characters for word association with the first character; presenting the one or more candidates on the display; and enabling selection among the one or more candidates. A mobile communication apparatus includes means for inputting characters is also disclosed.

1 . A method for inputting characters to a mobile communication apparatus, comprising:
 detecting an input of strokes representing a first character in an input area of a touch sensitive display;   determining the first character from the strokes; and   detecting if further characters are input within a predetermined time period, and if no further characters are detected within the time period:
 determining one or more candidates of associated characters for word association with the first character; 
 presenting the one or more associated candidates on the display; and 
 enabling selection among the one or more associated candidates. 
   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the input area comprises a first and a second input area, wherein the input method further comprises:
 enabling input of further characters in the first and second areas alternately; and   enabling correction of a character by inputting a character in the same of the first and second areas as the preceding character.   
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising enabling each of the first and second input areas to receive a new character after detecting a selection from the one or more associated candidates corresponding to a respective one of the first and second input areas. 
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein an input is determined to be a stroke if the input is within the input area, and determined to be a selection if the input is outside the input area. 
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein determining the first character from the strokes comprises:
 determining one or more candidates of characters likely to be the input character;   presenting the one or more candidates on the display; and   enabling selection among the one or more candidates.   
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the presenting of candidates of likely characters is performed in a presentation area of the display, and wherein the selection is performed by detecting a pointing at a character to be selected in the presentation area. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 detecting a selection of an associated candidate; and   displaying the first character and the selected associated candidate.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising that the selected associated candidate is a word. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising that the one or more associated candidates are presented in a second input area of the display. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising that the second input area is a separate display field within the input area. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising providing a third input field associated with the input area and second input area, the third input field enabling a selection of associated candidates. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising, after detecting a selection of an associated candidate, presenting one or more additional associated candidates on the display, the additional associated candidates corresponding to a combination of the first character and the selected associated candidate. 
   
   
       13 . A method comprising:
 detecting an input of a character in a first input field of a display;   detecting an input of another character in a second input field of the display;   presenting a default character in a display area of the display corresponding to the character inputted in the first input field;   determining if an further character is inputted in the first input field prior to expiration of a pre-determined time period from detection of the input of the another character; and   presenting one or candidate characters in a third input field of the display, the one or more candidate characters corresponding to characters associated with the another character.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising highlighting a candidate character from the one or more candidate characters that is most closely associated with the another character as a default candidate selection. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising detecting a selection of the one or more candidate characters in the third input field and presenting the selected candidate in the display area with the presented default character. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising, after detecting the input of the character, detecting an expiration of a pre-determined time period prior to detecting an input of the another character, and presenting one or candidate characters in a third input field of the display, the one or more candidate characters corresponding to characters associated with the character. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising enabling each of the first input field and the second input field to receive a new character input after a selection of a candidate character corresponding to a character inputted in each field, respectively. 
   
   
       18 . A computer program configured to execute the method of  claim 13  when downloaded and run on a mobile communication apparatus. 
   
   
       19 . An apparatus comprising:
 a display including at least one input area and display area; and   at least one processor coupled to the display, the at least one processor being configured to:
 detect an input of a character in a first input field of the display; 
 detect an input of another character in a second input field of the display; 
 present a default character in a display area of the display corresponding to the character inputted in the first input field; 
 determine if an further character is inputted in the first input field prior to expiration of a pre-determined time period from detection of the input of the another character; and 
 present one or candidate characters in a third input field of the display, the one or more candidate characters corresponding to characters associated with the another character. 
   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein the processor is further configured to, after detecting the input of the character, detect an expiration of a pre-determined time period prior to detecting an input of the another character, and presenting one or candidate characters in a third input field of the display, the one or more candidate characters corresponding to characters associated with the character.