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 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, is detected. A respective symbol in the two or more symbols for the respective icon to which the contact further corresponds is determined. The respective symbol is a first symbol in the two or more symbols if the respective gesture includes a continuous contact and the respective symbol is a second symbol in the two or more symbols if the respective gesture includes a discontinuous contact.

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; 
 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, wherein the respective symbol is a first symbol in the two or more symbols if the respective gesture includes a continuous contact and the respective symbol is a second symbol in the two or more symbols if the respective gesture includes a discontinuous contact. 
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous contact includes a swipe motion. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the swipe motion includes a horizontal component with displacement from left to right along the touch-sensitive display. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the swipe motion includes a horizontal component with displacement from right to left along the touch-sensitive display. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the swipe motion includes a vertical component with displacement downward along the touch-sensitive display. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the swipe motion includes a vertical component with displacement upward along the touch-sensitive display. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the discontinuous contact includes one or more taps, and wherein a respective tap includes contact with the touch-sensitive display for a time interval less than a first pre-determined value. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , 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. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous contact includes a rolling motion of the contact. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the rolling motion is from left to right along the touch-sensitive display. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the rolling motion is from right to left along the touch-sensitive display. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first symbol is included in a first subset of symbols and the second symbol is included in to a second subset of symbols, and wherein the first subset of symbols has a probability of occurrence that is greater than a first pre-determined value and the second subset of symbols has a probability of occurrence that is less than the first pre-determined value. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the probability of occurrence is in accordance with a user history. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the probability of occurrence is in accordance with a lexicography model. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising modifying the displayed respective icon to indicate that the contact corresponds to a respective symbol. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a visual indicator corresponding to a respective symbol. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the visual illumination includes a band around at least a portion of the respective icon. 
   
   
       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;   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, wherein the respective symbol is a first symbol in the two or more symbols if the respective gesture includes a continuous contact and the respective symbol is a second symbol in the two or more symbols if the respective gesture includes a discontinuous contact.   
   
   
       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, wherein contact by a user with the touch-sensitive display selects a first symbol in the two or more symbols if the contact includes a first gesture having continuous contact and selects a second symbol in the two or more symbols if the contact includes a second gesture having discontinuous contact.   
   
   
       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; 
 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, wherein the respective symbol is a first symbol in the two or more symbols if the respective gesture includes a continuous contact and the respective symbol is a second symbol in the two or more symbols if the respective gesture includes a discontinuous contact.