Keyboard with Multi-Symbol Icons

Abstract

A plurality of icons are displayed on a touch-sensitive display. A respective icon in at least a subset of the plurality of icons corresponds to two or more symbols. A first symbol in the two or more symbols belongs to a first subset of symbols and a second symbol in the two or more symbols belongs to a second subset of symbols. The first symbol has a probability of occurrence that is greater than a first pre-determined value and the second symbol has a probability of occurrence that is less than the first pre-determined value. A contact by a user with the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a selection of the respective icon is detected. The contact includes a respective gesture. A respective symbol in the two or more symbols for the respective icon to which the contact further corresponds is determined.

1 . A method, comprising: 
     at a portable electronic device with a touch-sensitive display:
 displaying a plurality of icons on the touch-sensitive display, wherein a respective icon in at least a subset of the plurality of icons corresponds to two or more symbols, a first symbol in the two or more symbols belongs to a first subset of symbols and a second symbol in the two or more symbols belongs to a second subset of symbols, and wherein the first symbol has a probability of occurrence that is greater than a first pre-determined value and the second symbol has a probability of occurrence that is less than the first pre-determined value; 
 detecting a contact by a user with the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a selection of the respective icon, wherein the contact includes a respective gesture; and 
 determining a respective symbol in the two or more symbols for the respective icon to which the contact further corresponds. 
 
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the probability of occurrence is in accordance with a user history. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the probability of occurrence is in accordance with lexicography model. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the lexicography model includes a frequency of usage of symbols in a language. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second symbol has a probability of occurrence immediately following the first symbol that is less than a second pre-determined value. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first symbol is selected using one or more tap gestures and the second symbol is selected using a swipe gesture, and wherein a respective tap includes making contact with the touch-sensitive display for a time interval less than a second pre-determined value. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein two or more consecutive taps correspond to the second symbol if a time interval between two or more corresponding contacts is less than a second pre-determined value. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising modifying the displayed respective icon to indicate that the contact corresponds to the respective symbol. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a visual indicator corresponding to the respective symbol. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first subset of symbols includes e, t, a, o, i, n, s, r and h. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first subset of symbols includes q, e, u, I, o, a, d, g, j, l, z, c, b, n and m. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first subset of symbols includes q, c, e, h, I, l, n, o, r, t, u, w and y. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second subset of symbols includes w, y and j. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second subset of symbols includes w, y, p, g and j. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second subset of symbols includes w, r, t, y, p, s, f, h, k, x and v. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second subset of symbols includes j, v, x and z. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second subset of symbols includes b, d, f, g, j, k, m, p, q, s, v, x and z. 
   
   
       18 . A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, cause the portable electronic device to perform a method comprising:
 displaying a plurality of icons on the touch-sensitive display, wherein a respective icon in at least a subset of the plurality of icons corresponds to two or more symbols, a first symbol in the two or more symbols belongs to a first subset of symbols and a second symbol in the two or more symbols belongs to a second subset of symbols, and wherein the first symbol has a probability of occurrence that is greater than a first pre-determined value and the second symbol has a probability of occurrence that is less than the first pre-determined value;   detecting a contact by a user with the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a selection of the respective icon, wherein the contact includes a respective gesture; and   determining a respective symbol in the two or more symbols for the respective icon to which the contact further corresponds.   
   
   
       19 . A graphical user interface on a portable electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, a memory, and one or more processors to execute one or more programs stored in the memory, the graphical user interface comprising
 a plurality of icons displayed on the touch-sensitive display, wherein a respective icon in at least a subset of the plurality of icons includes two or more symbols, a first symbol in the two or more symbols belongs to a first subset of symbols and a second symbol in the two or more symbols belongs to a second subset of symbols, the first symbol has a probability of occurrence that is greater than a first pre-determined value and the second symbol has a probability of occurrence that is less than the first pre-determined value, and wherein a contact by a user with touch-sensitive display that corresponds to the respective icon and includes a respective gesture is used to select a respective symbol.   
   
   
       20 . A portable electronic device, comprising:
 a touch-sensitive display;   one or more processors;   memory; and   one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including:
 instructions for displaying a plurality of icons on the touch-sensitive display, wherein a respective icon in at least a subset of the plurality of icons corresponds to two or more symbols, a first symbol in the two or more symbols belongs to a first subset of symbols and a second symbol in the two or more symbols belongs to a second subset of symbols, and wherein the first symbol has a probability of occurrence that is greater than a first pre-determined value and the second symbol has a probability of occurrence that is less than the first pre-determined value; 
 instructions for detecting a contact by a user with the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a selection of the respective icon, wherein the contact includes a respective gesture; and 
 instructions for determining a respective symbol in the two or more symbols for the respective icon to which the contact further corresponds.