Method of mapping a traditional touchtone telephone keypad on a handheld electronic device and associated apparatus

Abstract

A method of mapping a traditional touchtone telephone keypad on a handheld electronic device having a disambiguation function, and an associated apparatus comprises outputting a representation of a remapped character layout and generating a disambiguated interpretation of an input.

1 . A method of enabling input on a handheld electronic device having a disambiguation routine, the handheld electronic device including an input apparatus and an output apparatus, the input apparatus including a keypad with a plurality of input members, a subset of the plurality of input members each having a single digit assigned thereto and configured as a touchtone telephone keypad,
 the subset of the plurality of input members each having a first character assignment comprising a first set of letters, wherein the first character assignment is not configured as a touchtone telephone keypad, and a second character assignment comprising a second set of letters, wherein the second character assignment is configured as a touchtone telephone keypad, the method comprising:
 detecting a predetermined first input; 
 responsive to the detecting a predetermined first input, displaying a representation of the subset of the plurality of input members comprising a plurality of keys having the second character assignment; 
 altering the first character assignments of at least some of the input members of the subset to each correspond with the second character assignment; 
 subsequent to the altering, detecting an ambiguous second input of an input member in the subset; 
 employing the disambiguation routine to generate a linguistic interpretation of the second input; and 
 outputting the linguistic interpretation. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising generating as the representation a representation of a touchtone telephone keypad. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising detecting as the first input an input that initiates a telephone routine. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising detecting as the first input a vocal command that initiates a telephone routine. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising generating as the linguistic interpretation at least a portion of a word stored on the handheld electronic device. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising generating as the linguistic interpretation a word stored on the handheld electronic device. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising detecting another predetermined input, responsive to the detecting another predetermined input, altering the character assignments of at least some of the input members of the subset to each correspond with the first character assignment, and terminating the displaying of the representation. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, for at least some of the input members, the first character assignment further comprises a digit, and wherein subsequent to the altering, the first character assignment still comprises the digit. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising detecting as at least a portion of the second input a vocal command, the vocal command being one of the digits of the first characters assignments. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising detecting as the second input a number of actuations of a number of input members in the subset. 
     
     
         11 . A handheld electronic device, comprising:
 a keyboard having a plurality of input members, a subset of the plurality of input members each having a single digit assigned thereto and configured as a touchtone telephone keypad, the subset further having a first character assignment comprising a first set of letters, wherein the first character assignment is not configured as a touchtone telephone keypad, and a second character assignment comprising a second set of letters, wherein the second character assignment is configured as a touchtone telephone keypad;   a display;   a processor apparatus comprising a processor and a memory in electronic communication with one another, the processor apparatus having stored therein a number of routines, including a disambiguation routine, which, when executed on the processor, cause the handheld electronic device to perform operations comprising:
 detecting a predetermined first input; 
 responsive to the detecting a predetermined first input, displaying a representation of the subset of the plurality of input members comprising a plurality of keys having the second character assignment; 
 altering the first character assignments of at least some of the input members of the subset to each correspond with the second character; 
 subsequent to the altering, detecting an ambiguous second input; 
 employing the disambiguation function to generate a linguistic interpretation of the second input; and 
 outputting the linguistic interpretation. 
   
     
     
         12 . The handheld electronic device according to  claim 11 , wherein the representation is a representation of a touchtone telephone keypad. 
     
     
         13 . The handheld electronic device according to  claim 11 , wherein the first input is an input that initiates a telephone routine. 
     
     
         14 . The handheld electronic device according to  claim 11 , wherein the linguistic interpretation is at least a portion of a word stored on the handheld electronic device. 
     
     
         15 . The handheld electronic device according to  claim 11 , wherein the linguistic interpretation is a word stored on the handheld electronic device. 
     
     
         16 . The handheld electronic device according to  claim 11 , wherein the number of routines cause the handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:
 detecting another predetermined input; and   responsive to the detecting another predetermined input, altering the first character assignments of at least some of the input members of the subset to each correspond with the first set of letters, and terminating the displaying of the representation.   
     
     
         17 . The handheld electronic device according to  claim 11 , wherein, for at least some of the input members, the first character assignment further comprises a digit, and wherein subsequent to the altering, the first character assignment still comprises the digit. 
     
     
         18 . The handheld electronic device according to  claim 17 , wherein the number of routines cause the handheld electronic device to perform operations further comprising:
 detecting as at least a portion of the second input a vocal command, the vocal command being one of the digits of the first characters assignments.   
     
     
         19 . The handheld electronic device according to  claim 11 , wherein the second input is a number of actuations of a number of input members in the subset. 
     
     
         20 . The handheld electronic device according to  claim 11 , wherein the second input is a vocal command that initiates a telephone routine.