ELECTRONIC POCKET DEVICE WITH MULTI-AXIS ENTRY DEVICE AND SELECTABLE LANGUAGE INDICATOR FOR LANGUAGE SELECTION, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The concept claimed and described is generally related to electronic devices and, more particularly, to a method to indicate and select a language in an electronic pocket device. Various types of pocket electronic devices are known. Examples of such pocket devices include, for example, personal digital assistants (PDAs), pocket computers, bidirectional pagers, cell phones, and the like. Many pocket electronic devices also have wireless communication capability, although many of these pocket devices are stand-alone devices that are functional without communication with other devices. Electronic pocket devices are used in a variety of language configurations and often, users can find text written in multiple languages. For example, a user can reply to an email message in French and another in English. However, to use the advance features of the electronic pocket device, such as the elimination of ambiguity, the user may select the language that, for example, corresponds to the language of the original message to which he or she is responding. The change between multiple languages can often confuse the user since the user may believe that the language currently selected in the electronic pocket device is a language, but in reality the operating language is another language. Therefore, by mistakenly believing that the language currently selected is the desired language, the user can unconsciously start entering the entry that corresponds to the desired language, fully expecting the ambiguity elimination function of the electronic pocket device to correctly eliminate the Ambiguity of any ambiguous entry that the user enters. However, because the language currently selected is the wrong language, the electronic pocket device will eliminate the ambiguity of ambiguous entries based on the other language. Assuming that the user realizes that the language currently selected in the electronic pocket device is not the desired language before completing the data entry, the steps required to rectify the situation (for example, select the correct language and correct any incorrect data) will consume time. It would be convenient to overcome this deficiency efficiently to make the device easier to use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A complete understanding of the concept claimed and described can be obtained from the following description when read together with the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an improved pocket electronic device according to the claimed and described concept; FIGURE 2 is a schematic representation of the improved pocket electronic device of FIGURE 1; FIGURE 3 is a representation of an output that can be displayed in an improved pocket electronic device output device; FIGURE 4 is a representation of another output that can be displayed in an improved pocket electronic device output device; FIGURE 5 is a representation of another output that can be displayed on an output device of the enhanced pocket electronic device; FIGURE 6 represents an entry mode indicator on the screen; FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of an improved pocket electronic device according to another embodiment of the claimed and described concept;
FIGURE 8 represents an exemplary menu that can be output in the pocket electronic device of FIGURE 7; FIGURE 9 represents another exemplary menu; FIGURE 10 represents an exemplary reduced menu; FIGURE 11 is an exemplary output that could occur during a text entry or a text editing operation; FIGURE 12 is an exemplary output during a text entry operation; FIGURE 13 is an alternative exemplary output during the text entry operation; FIGURE 14 is another exemplary output during a part of the text entry operation; FIGURE 15 is an exemplary output during the data entry operation; FIGURE 16 is a top plan view of an improved pocket electronic device according to another embodiment of the claimed and described concept; and FIGURE 17 is a schematic representation of the improved pocket electronic device of FIGURE 16. Similar numbers refer to similar parts in the specification. The description and annexed figures that are presented below establish the concept claimed and described in its preferred embodiments. However, it is contemplated that people generally familiar with electronic pocket devices will be able to apply the new features of the structures and methods illustrated and described herein in other contexts by changing certain details. Accordingly, the figures and the description will not be taken as limiting the scope of the claimed and described concept, but will be understood as general and broad teachings. By referring to the term "language object" and its variations, such names will broadly refer to any type of object that can be constructed, identified, or otherwise obtained from one or more linguistic elements, which can be used alone or in combination to generate a text, and that would include, for example and without limitation, words, abbreviated methods, symbols, ideograms, and the like. When referring to the term "linguistic element" and its variations, such designations shall refer broadly to any element that may be by itself an object of the language or from which a language object may be constructed, identified, or otherwise obtained. , and in this way would include, but not be limited to, characters, letters, strokes, symbols, ideograms, phonemes, morphemes, digits (numbers), and the like.
When referring to the term "letter" and the variations thereof, such denominations will involve covering all the letters of the Latin alphabet regardless of whether the letter is high (capitalized form) or low (lowercase form). By referring to the term "reduced" and the variations thereof in the context of a keyboard, numeric keypad, or other input member arrangement, such designations will broadly refer to an arrangement in which at least one of the members of input has assigned to it a plurality of linguistic elements such as, for example, characters in the set of Latin letters. By referring to the term "window" and the variations thereof, such designations by way of example, and not limitation, will refer to a displayed layer, title, overlay or other similar variant thereof that appears in a display or screen. When referring to the phrase "default language" and the variations thereof, such designations shall refer to the primary language of the electronic pocket device. Hereinafter, for purposes of description, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "vertical", "horizontal", "upper part", "lower part", and derivatives thereof they will be related to the claimed concept and described as it is oriented in the figures. An improved electronic pocket device 2 is generally indicated in FIGURE 1 and schematically depicted in FIGURE 2. The exemplary pocket electronic device 2 includes a housing 4 on which a processing unit including an apparatus is disposed. 6, an output apparatus 8, a processor 10, and a memory 12. The processor 10 may be, for example, and without limitation, a microprocessor (μ?) And responds to inputs of the input apparatus 6 and provides signals of output to the output apparatus 8. The processor 10 further interconnects with the memory 12. The processor 10 and the memory 12 together form a processor apparatus. As can be understood in FIGURE 1, the input apparatus 6 includes a numeric keypad 14 and a scroll wheel 16. As will be described below in greater detail, the numeric keypad 14 is in exemplary form of a reduced QWERTY keyboard including a plurality of keys 18 that function as input members. However, it is noted that the numeric keypad 14 can be of other configurations, such as an AZERTY keyboard, a QWERTZ keyboard, or other keyboard arrangement, whether currently known, unknown, reduced or not. The keys 18 are located on the front face 20 of the casing 4, and the scroll wheel 16 is located on the side 22 of the casing 4. In addition to the keys 18, the scroll wheel 16 can function as another input member since the scroll wheel 16 is able to rotate, as indicated by the arrow 24, and can be pressed generally towards the housing 4, as indicated by the arrow 26. The rotation of the scroll wheel 16 provides certain inputs to the processor 10, while the pulsation of the scroll wheel 16 provides another input to the processor 10. The system architecture of the electronic pocket device 2 is advantageously organized to operate independent of the specific design of the numeric keypad 14. Consequently, the system architecture of the Electronic pocket device 2 can be used together with virtually any numeric keypad design without requiring any significant change in the architecture the system. It is further noted that certain features set forth herein are used, either in the reduced keyboard or non-reduced keyboard, or in both. The memory 12 is depicted schematically in FIGURE 2. The memory 12 can be any variety of types of internal and / or external storage media such as, without limitation, RAM, ROM, the EPROM, or the EEPROM and the like that provide a storage record for data storage such as in the form of an internal storage area of a computer, and it can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory. As can be seen in FIGURE 2, the memory 12 is in electronic communication with the processor 10. The memory 12 can additionally include one or more routines represented generally with the number 46 for data processing and for carrying out other functions , including a user interface routine 47. When executed by the processor 10, the user interface routine 47, possibly in combination with another one of the routines 46, causes the processor 10 to receive inputs from the numeric keypad 14, the scroll wheel 16 and / or other memory devices. input, and causes the processor 10 to present various output forms in the display 28 and / or other output devices, as will be explained shortly. In other words, when the instruction sequences of the user interface routine 47 are executed by the processor 10, a user of the electronic pocket device 2 is provided with a method for interacting with the electronic pocket device 2. Routines 46 can be of any variety of forms such as, without limitation, software, firmware, and the like. Additionally, the memory 12 may also store and make available a variety of data sources 48 such as, without limitation, one or more languages 50 of input methods (i.e., "language" or "languages") having language objects. associated with them. The input method languages 50 may also have corresponding linguistic sources such as a list of generic words or a set of language rules. FIGURE 2 represents the memory 12 that contains three languages 50 of the input method. The first language 54 of the input method can be English, the second language 56 of the input method can be French, and the third language 58 of the input method can be Spanish. However, it is noted that although FIGURE 2 represents only three languages 54, 56, 58 of the input method stored within the memory 12, the total number of languages 50 of the input method that can be stored in the memory 12 is limited only by the capacity of the memory 12. Once a user selects a language 50 of the input method, the language of the selected input method becomes the language of the operating input method and the preferred data source for the device 2 electronic pocket. The preferred data source is used by the electronic pocket device 2 to eliminate the ambiguity of any ambiguous entries that enter the electronic pocket device 2. However, it is noted that a language of the input method can be a language of the predetermined operating input method, which is thus operative without a user expressly selecting it. Returning to FIGURE 1, the output apparatus 8 includes a display 28 in which an output 30 can be provided. An exemplary output 30 is shown in display 28 in FIGURE 1. The output 30 includes a text component 32 and a window 34 (variant component). As depicted in FIGURE 1, the window 34 extends substantially horizontally throughout the deployment 28. However, this is not limited because the window 34 may also extend throughout the deployment 28 substantially vertically, as it is represented in FIGURE 3, or in other ways. Preferably, the window 34 is generally located near the text component 32. As will be explained, the window 34 includes a number of outputs 36 from which the user can select, and a selection box 38 that provides an indication of what is selected in a given time. As shown in FIGURE 1, the selection frame 38 is in a predetermined position 39, thus indicating that a predetermined one of the outputs 36 is currently selected. As described in the North American Patent Application Serial Number 10/931, 281 entitled "Electronic Pocket Device with Text Ambiguity Elimination", the outputs 36 are language objects selected from the language objects stored in the memory 12 and proposed by the text ambiguity elimination function while they are the interpretation without Most ambiguous ambiguity of ambiguous input that the user provides. As can also be seen in FIGURE 1 and
FIGURE 4, a visual indicator 60 is also provided in the window 34, indicating a preferred data source (eg, grammar rules and / or vocabulary of a language). To facilitate the entry of the text into the pocket electronic device 2 and to avoid confusion of the user in relation to the currently selected language in the pocket electronic device 2, the visual indicator 60 allows the user to quickly identify which language is currently operative. In this particular embodiment, the visual indicator 60 is positioned substantially adjacent the right end 62 of the window 34. However, it is noted that the visual indicator 60 may also be positioned substantially adjacent to the left end 64 of the window 34 or in other positions, such as inside the pointer 44 or in another part of the display 28. The visual indicator 60 provides a visual identifier of a choice of a language to a user of the electronic pocket device 2. The visual indicator 60 may include one or more of the first and second linguistic elements 66 and 68 that form an abbreviation specifying a particular language as depicted in FIGURE 1, a non-abbreviated name of a language as depicted in FIGURE 1. 3, or a symbol 69 representing a flag or other symbol associated with a particular language as represented in FIGURE 4. The visual indicator 60 may be surrounded by a frame 70 and / or may be moved from the outputs 36 to prevent a The user identifies erroneously the visual indicator 60 as an output 36. In addition, the frame 70 may be formed or colored differently from the selection box 38. In the exemplary output depicted in FIGURE 1, the visual indicator 60 includes the letters "F" and "R" which is an abbreviation of "French", together with a linguistic symbol 69 that provides a representation of the flag of France. Accordingly, as shown, the visual indicator 60 alerts the user that French is the currently selected language in the pocket electronic device 2. The selection frame 38 is able to move (i.e., change) from the predetermined position 39 to a number of different positions 40 by pressing or activating the key 42 < NEXT > or when rotating the scroll wheel 16. The display 28 also includes a pointer 44 (cursor) which usually represents where the next output will be displayed. While the selection box 38 moves through different positions 40, the different outputs 36 become selectable by pressing the scroll wheel 16 towards the housing 4, by pressing one of the keys 18 and / or by activating some other form of the input device (not shown) disposed in the housing 4. Upon reaching the last of the outputs 36, the selection frame 38 can move past the last of the outputs 36 and in the visual indicator 60 so that the visual indicator 60 becomes selectable, and substantially similar to that by which each of the outputs 36 may become selectable. In this way, the visual indicator 60 may be selected in place of one of the outputs 36. In addition, when the visual indicator 60 becomes selectable, the additional movement of the selection box 38 beyond the last of the outputs 36 and beyond of the visual indicator 60 results in a "cursor return" of the selection frame 38 towards the predetermined position 39, in some modes. In alternative embodiments, the selection box 38 can not move beyond the visual indicator 60. When the visual indicator 60 becomes selectable, a user of the electronic pocket device 2 can select the visual indicator 60 when activating the key 42 < NEXT > , by pressing the scroll wheel 16 or by activating some other form of the input device arranged in the housing 4. The selection of the visual indicator 60 allows the user to change the currently selected language. In some embodiments, in the selection of the visual indicator 60, the key 42 <may be used.; NEXT > , the scroll wheel 16 and / or some other form of input device arranged in the case 4 to change the currently selected language in its place by changing any of the linguistic elements 66 and 68; the name 65 without abbreviating or the graphic symbol 69 are currently displayed as part of the visual indicator 60. In other embodiments, in selecting the visual indicator 60, a pop-up window 90 is displayed that lists at least a subset of the selectable 96 language options, as depicted in FIGURE 4. The pop-up window 90 may present each 96 language option as one or both of a pair of linguistic characters (as well as the linguistic characters 66 and 68 within the visual indicator 60) or a graphic symbol (like the symbol 60 graphic within the visual indicator 60). Alternatively or additionally, the pop-up window 90 may present each language option 96 as a non-abbreviated name (as well as the name 65 without abbreviating within the visual indicator 60). In still other modalities, in selecting the visual indicator 60, a language selection output 130 is displayed in the display 28 in which a language selection menu 190 is displayed, as depicted in FIGURE 5, instead of the window 34. As in the case of the pop-up window 90, the language selection menu 190 may use one or more of a pair of linguistic characters, a non-abbreviated name and / or a graphic symbol to present each language option 196 In some embodiments, while the selection box 38 moves beyond the outputs 36 and in the visual indicator 60, some form of tactile and / or audible feedback can be provided to a user of the pocket electronic device 2 which matches the selection box 38 moving between one of the outputs 36 and the visual indicator 60. Such tactile and / or audible feedback would warn the user that he or she has progressed beyond the selection of available outputs 36 without the need to see the display at that time. In a possible embodiment where a scroll wheel 16 or a ball of control (not shown) is employed in moving the selection frame 38, a tactile feedback similar to "a projection" and / or a momentary resistance to movement may be provided so that the user can feel through these, which of his fingers are used when operating the trackball 16 or the ball of control. Various scroll wheels and control balls equipped with a mechanism for causing a movement of the wheel or ball in a direction against the tips of the user's fingers are commercially available as will be recognized by those skilled in the art. The scroll wheel or control ball could be controlled so as to provide the user with the feeling that the wheel or ball is "spinning" on a projection and / or that the wheel or ball is momentarily "stuck" at the time the that the selection box 38 moves between one of the outputs 36 and the visual indicator 60. It should be noted that although much of the above discussion has specified that the selection box 38 functions as the indication of which item is selected in the window 34, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that other visual indicators may be employed to know which item in the window is selected. By way of example, various techniques can be employed to highlight a selectable element, including, but not limited to, altering one or more colors of the selectable element, by itself, so that the selectable element is carried out to excel in comparison with one or more non-selectable elements, or altering one or more colors of the background immediately adjacent to a selectable element so that the selectable element is surrounded by a distinctive color. In some modalities, as an alternative to presenting an operating language in a visual indicator as part of a window of selectable outputs as part of an ambiguity elimination process, a visual indicator 260 may be presented as part of an indicator 284 of input mode presented in a portion of the display 28. As depicted in FIGURE 6, the input mode indicator 284 is positioned toward a corner of the display 28 to minimize its obstruction from the remainder of the available space in the display 28 for any use that a user of the device 2 electronic pocket want. The input mode indicator 284 includes a visual indicator 286 that presents information related to other aspects of the current input mode, so that a reduced-size keyboard (e.g., the numeric keypad 14) is currently in a numeric input mode ( as indicated by "123"), a low letter input mode (as indicated by "abe") or a high letter input mode (as indicated variously with an up arrow, or "ABC" or " CHAP") . As was the case with the visual indicator 60 mentioned above, the visual indicator 260 can present the current language option with an abbreviation (eg, "IN" as represented), a graphic symbol (eg, a flag as shown). represented), or a non-abbreviated name of a language (not shown). In other words, the input mode indicator 284 presents one of a selection of possible input modes that combine an option of a text or numeric entry, an option of capitalization, and a language option in each input mode . FIGURE 6 represents some of the available input modes that can be selected. The rest of the space available in the display 28 can be used by one or more of the routines 46, including the routine 47 of the user interface, to allow the entry of text or numbers by the user. Like the visual indicator 60 described above, the indicator 284 of the input mode can be selected, but not as part of a list of selectable outputs generated by an ambiguity elimination routine. In some embodiments, an input device or scroll wheel (not shown) that is provided in the case 4 may be used to make the input mode indicator 284 selectable by moving a focus away from the user interface routine 47. an application that occupies the rest of the space available in the deployment 28 and to the indicator 284 of entry mode. By making the indicator 284 selectable from input mode, and by making the indicator 284 of input mode selected, a different input mode can be selected. In some embodiments, selection of the input mode indicator 284 results in an input mode selection menu equal to the language selection menu 190 described above that occupies at least a portion of the remainder of the available space in the display 28 In other embodiments, selecting the entry mode indicator 284 results in the presentation of a smaller pop-up menu equal to the pop-up window 90 described above. In other embodiments, selecting the entry mode indicator 284 allows the user to change the entry mode indicator 284 instead (and with it, the associated entry mode), possibly by operating the scroll wheel 16 or another device of entry, such as a ball of command. An electronic pocket device 1004 improved in accordance with another embodiment of the claimed and described concept is represented generally in FIGURE 7. As a general matter, the electronic pocket device 1004 is substantially identical in configuration and function to the electronic pocket device 2, except that the electronic pocket device 1004 employs a multi-axis input device in place of or in addition to the wheel. displacement 16. In the exemplary mode represented, the multi-axis input device is a control ball 1032 as will be described below. However, it is noted that multi-axis input devices other than the control ball 1032 can be used without departing from the present concept. For example, other appropriate multi-axis input devices could include mechanical devices such as joysticks and the like and / or non-mechanical devices such as tactile graphics boards, contact pads and the like and / or other devices that detect movement or entry into other forms, such as through the use of optical sensors or piezoelectric crystals. The electronic pocket device 1004 includes a housing 1006 in which there is a processing unit including an input apparatus 1008, an output apparatus 1012, a processor 1016, a memory 1020, and a number of routines 1022. All the operations which can be carried out on or with the electronic pocket device 2 can be carried out on or with the electronic pocket 1004 device. As such, the features of the electronic pocket device 2, which are common with the electronic pocket device 1004 and which would essentially comprise all the features of the pocket electronic device 2, will not generally be repeated. The output apparatus 1012 includes a display 1060 that provides visual output. The exemplary output in FIGURE 7 is a plurality of icons 1062 that the user may select for the purpose of, for example, initiating execution on the processor 1016 of a routine 1022 which is represented by an icon 1062. The input apparatus 1008 it can be said to comprise a numeric keypad 1024 and the control ball 1032, which function as input members. The numeric keypad 1024 and the control ball 1032 are disposed advantageously adjacent to each other. The numeric keypad 1024 comprises a plurality of keys 1028 that can be activated to provide input to the processor 1016. Many of the keys 1028 have assigned to them a plurality of linguistic elements in exemplary form of Latin letters. Other keys 1028 may have assigned to them, functions and / or other characters. For example, one of keys 1028 is a key
1031 < ESCAPE > which, when activated, provides the processor 1016 with an entry that undoes the action that resulted from the immediately preceding entry and / or moves the user to a logically higher position within the logical menu tree managed by a routine 1022 of the graphical interface of the user (GUI). The function provided by the key 1031 < ESCAPE > it can be used in any logical location within any portion of the logical menu tree except, perhaps, in a main screen such as the one depicted in FIGURE 7. The key 1031 < ESCAPE > it is advantageously disposed adjacent to the control ball 1032, thus allowing, for example, an incorrect or inadvertent entry of the control ball 1032 to be quickly undone, ie reversed, by an activation of the key 1031 < ESCAPE > adjacent.
Another key 1028 is a key 1033 < MENU > which, when activated, provides the processor 1016 with an entry that causes GUI 1022 to generate and output a menu in the display 1060 that is appropriate for the current logical location of the user within the logical menu tree. For example, FIGURE 8 depicts an exemplary menu 1035A that would be appropriate if the current logical location of the user within the logical menu tree were viewing an email within a 1022 email routine. That is, the menu 1035A provides selectable options that would be appropriate for a user, since the user is, for example, viewing an email within a 1022 email routine. Similarly, FIGURE 9 represents another exemplary menu 1035B which would be represented if the current logical location of the user within the logical menu tree was within a telephone routine 1022. The control ball 1032 is disposed in the housing 1006 and rotates freely in all directions with respect to the housing 1006. A rotation of the control ball 1032, a predetermined rotational distance with respect to the housing 1006 provides an input to the processor 1016, and such entries may be employed by routines 1022, for example, as navigation entries, scroll entries, selection entries, and other entries.
For example, the control ball 1032 rotates about a horizontal axis 1034A to provide vertical displacement, navigation, selection, or other inputs. Similarly, the control ball 1032 rotates about a vertical axis 1034B to provide horizontal displacement, navigation, selection, or other inputs. Because the control ball 1032 freely rotates with respect to the housing 1006, the control ball 1032 further rotates around any other axis (not expressly depicted herein) lying within the plane of the page of FIG. 7 or FIG. which extends out of plane the page of FIGURE 7. It can be said that the control ball 1032 is a multi-axis input device as it provides displacement, navigation, selection, and other inputs in a plurality of directions or with respect to a plurality of axes, such as providing inputs in both vertical and horizontal directions. It is reiterated that the control ball 1032 is merely one of many multi-axis input devices that could be employed in the electronic pocket device 1004. As such, the mechanical alternatives for the control ball 1032, such as a control lever, could have limited rotation with respect to the housing 1006, and the non-mechanical alternatives could be immobile with respect to the housing 1006; however, all are capable of providing input in a plurality of directions or along a plurality of axes. The control ball 1032 is traditionally rotatable towards the housing 1006, ie, within the plane of the page of FIGURE 7, to provide additional inputs. The control ball 1032 could be moved in such a way by, for example, a user applying an activation force to the control ball 1032 in a direction toward the housing 1006, such as by continuing to press the control ball 1032. The inputs provided in the processor 1016 as a result of a displacement of the control ball 1032 in the manner indicated could be employed by the routines 1022, for example, as selection inputs, delimiter entries, or other inputs. The control ball 1032 is rotatable to provide, for example, navigation entries between the icons 1062. For example, FIGURE 7 depicts the path of an indicator 1066 from the icon 1062A, as indicated by dotted lines with the indicator 1066A , up to icon 1062B, as indicated by dotted lines with indicator 1066B, and forward to icon 1062C, as indicated by indicator 1066C. It is understood that the indicators 1066A, 1066B and 1066C are not necessarily designed to be represented simultaneously in the display 1060, but are designed to represent together a series of situations and to indicate the movement of an indicator 1066 between the icons 1062. The The particular location of the indicator 1066 at any given time indicates to a user the particular icon 1062, for example, that is the subject of a selection focus of the electronic pocket device 1004. Whenever a 1062 icon or other selectable object is the subject of the selection focus, the selection input of processor 116 will result in routine 1022 or another function represented by icon 1062 or another selectable object to be executed or initiated. The movement of indicator 1066 from the icon
1062A, as indicated by the indicator 1066A, to the icon 1062B, as indicated in the indicator 1066B, was achieved by rotating the control ball 1032 around the vertical axis 1034B to provide a horizontal navigation input. As mentioned previously, the rotation of the control ball 1032 at a predetermined rotating distance results in an input to the processor 1016. In the present example, the control ball 1032 would have been rotated about the vertical axis 1034B at an equal rotational distance at three times the predetermined rotating distance because the icon 1062B has three icons 1062 to the right of the icon 1062A. Such rotation of the control ball 1032 would probably have been made in a single movement by the user, however, this need is not necessarily the case. Similarly, the movement of the indicator 1066 from the icon 1062B, as indicated by the indicator 1066B, to the icon 1062C, as indicated by the indicator 1066C, was achieved by the user rotating the control ball 1032 around the axis 1034A horizontal to provide a vertical navigation entry. When carried out in this manner, the control ball 1032 had been rotated at a rotational distance equal to twice the predetermined rotating distance because the icon 1062C has two icons 1062 below the icon 1062B. Such rotation of the ball 1032 demanded would probably have been made in a single movement by the user, however this need is not necessarily the case. In this way, it can be seen that the predetermined ball 1032 is rotatable in various directions to provide various navigations and other inputs to the processor 1016. The rotary inputs by the ball 1032 are typically interpreted by any routine 1022 that is active in the electronic device 1004 of pocket as inputs that can be employed by such routine 1022. For example, GUI 1022 which is active in electronic pocket device 1004 in Figure 7 requires vertical and horizontal navigation entries to move indicator 1066, and thus the selection focus, between the icons 1062. If a user rotated the control ball 1032 about an oblique axis to the horizontal axis 1034A and the vertical axis 1034B, the GUI 1022 would likely resolve such oblique rotation of the control ball 1032 within the vertical and horizontal components that could then be interpreted by GUI 1022 as vertical navigation movements ales and horizontals, respectively. In this situation, for example, if one of the resolved vertical and horizontal navigation movements is of a greater magnitude than the other, the resolved navigation movement that has a greater magnitude would be used by GUI 1022 as a navigation entry in that address to move the indicator 1066 and the selection focus, and the other resolved navigation movement would be ignored by the GUI 1022. When the indicator 1066 is set to the icon 1062C, as indicated by the indicator 1066C, the focus of selection of the 1004 electronic pocket device is on the 1062C icon. As such, the displacement of the control ball 1032 towards the housing 1006 as described above would provide an input to the processor 1016 which would be interpreted by the GUI 1022 as a selection input with respect to the icon 1062C. In response to the selection input, the processor 1016 would begin, for example, to execute a routine 1022 which is represented by the icon 1062C. In this way it can be understood that the control ball 1032 is rotatable to provide navigation and other inputs in multiple directions, assuming that the routine 1022 that is currently active in the electronic pocket device 1004 can employ such navigation or other inputs in a plurality of ways. addresses, and can also be moved to provide a selection entry or other entry. The rotary movement inputs from the control ball 1032 could be used to navigate between, for example, menus 1035A and 1035B. For example, after an activation of the key 1033 <; MENU > and an output by the GUI 1022 of a resulting menu, the user could rotate the control ball 1032 to provide scroll inputs to successively highlight the various selectable options within the menu. Once the desired selectable option is highlighted, that is, it is the subject of the selection focus, the user could move the control ball 1032 to the housing 1006 to provide a selection entry as to the highlighted selectable option. In this regard, it is noted that the key 1033 < MENU > advantageously disposed adjacent to the control ball 1032. This allows, for example, the generation of a menu by an activation of the key 1033 < MENU > , conveniently followed by a rotation of the driving ball 1032 to highlight a desired selectable option, for example, followed by a displacement of the driving ball 1032 towards the housing 1006 to provide a selection input to initiate the operation represented by the option selectable highlighted It is further noted that one of the additional inputs that can be provided by a displacement of the control ball 1032 is an input that causes the GUI 1022 to pull out a reduced menu. For example, a displacement of the control ball 1032 towards the housing 1066 could result in the generation and output of a more limited version of a menu that would have been generated if the key 1033 < MENU > It would have been activated. Therefore, the reduced menu would be appropriate for the user's current logical location within the logical menu tree and would provide those selectable options in which the user would have a high probability to select. The rotary movements of the control ball 1032 would provide scroll inputs to travel between the selectable options within the reduced menu 1035C, and the movement of movement of the control ball 1032 could provide selection inputs to initiate any function that is represented by the selectable option within the reduced 1032 menu that is currently highlighted. As an example, if instead of activating the key 1033 < MENU > to generate the menu 1035A the user will move the control ball 1032, the GUI 1022 would generate and output the reduced menu 1035C which is generally represented in FIGURE 10. The reduced menu 1035C provides as selectable options a number of options selectable from the 1035A menu that the user would most likely select. As such, a user who seeks to perform a relatively routine function could, instead of activating the key 1033 < ENÚ > unfold the entire menu 1035A, move the control ball 1032 to generate and produce the reduced menu 1035C. The user could then conveniently rotate the driving ball 1032 to provide scroll inputs to highlight a desired selectable option, and could then move the driving ball 1032 to provide a selection input that would initiate the function represented by the selectable option. in the reduced 1035C menu that is currently highlighted. In the exemplary embodiment present, many of the menus that could be generated as a result of an activation of the key 1033 < MENU > they could be generated and output in reduced form as a reduced menu in response to a displacement of the control ball 1032 towards the housing 1006. However, it is noted that a reduced menu may not be available for the entire menu that could be generated from an activation of the key 1033 < MENU > . Depending on the specific logical location of the user within the logical menu tree, a displacement of the command ball 1032 can be interpreted as a selection input instead of an entry seeking a reduced menu. For example, a displacement of the control ball 1032 on the initial page represented in FIGURE 7 would result in a selection input as to any of the icons 1062 that is the subject of the input focus. If the key 1033 <; MENU > will be activated on the home page, GUI 1022 would draw an appropriate menu for the home page, such as a full menu of all the functions that are available in the electronic pocket 1004 device, including those that can not be represented by the 1062 icons in the initial page. FIGURE 11 represents a quantity of text that comes out in the display 1060, for example during a text entry operation during a text editing operation. The indicator 1066 is represented in FIGURE 11 initially on the letter "L", as indicated by the indicator 1066D, and has been moved horizontally to the letter "I", as indicated by the indicator 1066E, and later vertically moved. to the letter "W", as indicated by the indicator 1066F. Similar to that of FIGURE 7, the cursor 1066 moved between the letters "L", "I", and "W" through the use of horizontal and vertical navigation entries resulting from the rotations of the 1032 ball. of command. However, in the example of FIGURE 11, each rotation of the control ball 1032 at a predetermined rotational distance would move the indicator 1066 to the next adjacent letter. As such, by moving the indicator 1066 between the letters "L" and "I", the user would have rotated the control ball 1032 around the vertical axis 1034B at a rotational distance equal to nine times the predetermined rotational distance, eg, to which "I" is arranged nine letters to the right of "L". FIGURE 12 depicts an output 1064 in the display 1060 during, for example, a text entry operation employing the ambiguity elimination routine 1022. The output 1064 can be said to comprise a text component 1068 and a variant component 1072. The variant component 1072 comprises a predetermined portion 1076 and a variant portion 1080. FIGURE 12 represents the indicator 1066C in the variant 1080"HAV", which would result from a rotation of the control ball 1032 about the horizontal axis 1034A to provide a downward vertical displacement input. In this regard, it is understood that a rotation of the control ball 1032 at a distance equal to the predetermined rotating distance would have moved the indicator 1066 from a position (not expressly represented herein) disposed in the predetermined portion 1076 to the disposed position in the first variant 1080, as represented in FIGURE 12. Because the rotation of the command ball 1032 resulting in the first variant 1080"HAV" which is highlighted with the indicator 1066G, the text component 1068 also includes the text "HAV" immediately preceding a 1084A cursor. FIGURE 13 depicts an alternative 1064A output having an alternative variant component 1072A having a predetermined portion 1076A and a variant portion 1080A. The variant component 1072A is arranged horizontally, which means that the predetermined portion 1076A and the variants 1080A are arranged horizontally adjacent to each other and can be selected sequentially by the user through the use of horizontal scroll inputs, such as by the user rotating the control ball 1032 at a predetermined rotational distance about the vertical axis 1034B. This contrasts with the component 1072 variant of FIGURE 12 wherein the predetermined portion 1076 and the variants 1080 are arranged vertically, and which can be sequentially selected by the user through the vertical scroll input user with the control ball 1032. . In this regard, it can be understood that the command ball 1032 can provide both vertical displacement inputs together with the output 1064 as well as the horizontal displacement inputs employed in conjunction with the output 1064A. For example, the ambiguity elimination routine 1022 could potentially allow the user to customize the operation of the same by choosing between vertically arranged variant component 1072 and horizontally arranged variant component 1072A. The control ball 1032 can provide displacement inputs in the vertical direction and / or in the horizontal direction, as necessary, and thus operates to provide appropriate scroll inputs regardless of whether the user chooses the variant component or the variant component 1072A. That is, the control ball 1032 can be rotated about the horizontal axis 1034A to provide the vertical displacement inputs employed in conjunction with the variant component 1072, and it can also rotate about the vertical axis 1034B to provide the horizontal displacement inputs that are used together with component 1064A variant. In this way, the control ball 1032 would provide navigation, scrolling, selection and other inputs depending on the needs of the active routine 1022 at any time in the pocket electronic device 1004. The control ball 1032 allows such navigation, displacement, selection, and other inputs to be intuitively generated by the user through rotations of the control ball 1032 in appropriate directions for the active routine 1022, as indicated in the display 1060. Other examples will be apparent. It can further be observed in FIGURE 13 that the variant component 1072A further includes a value 1081 that is indicative of a language within which ambiguity elimination routine 1022 will interpret ambiguous text input. In the example depicted in FIGURE 13, the language is English. As can be seen in FIGURE 14, the value 1081 can be selected by the user to cause the display of a list 1083 of alternative 1085 values. The alternative values 1085 are indicative of selectable alternative languages within which the ambiguity-eliminating routine 1022 can interpret an ambiguous entry. A selection of the value 1081 would have been achieved, for example, by the user providing horizontally shifted inputs with the control ball 1032 to cause (not expressly stated herein) that the indicator 1066 be set to the value 1081, and when moving the control ball 1032 to the housing 1006 to provide a selection input. The alternative values 1085 in the list 1083 are arranged vertically with respect to each other and with respect to the value 1081. As such, the vertical shift input with the control ball 1032 can result in a vertical movement of the indicator 1066 and a position in one of the alternative values 1085 which, in the present example, is the alternative 1085 value "FR", which is representative of the French language. The alternative value "FR" 1085 would be selected by the user in any variety of ways, such as when activating the 1032 command ball again, by continuing to enter the text, or in other ways. Thus, it can be understood, for example, in FIGURE 13 and FIGURE 14 that the control ball 1032 can be rotated to provide horizontal scroll inputs and, where appropriate, additionally provide vertical scroll inputs and, where appropriate, provide additionally selection entries. FIGURE 15 represents another exemplary output in the display 1060 employed by a data entry routine 1022. The exemplary output of FIGURE 15 comprises a plurality of input fields 1087 with corresponding descriptions. A cursor 1084D, when disposed within one of the input fields 1087, indicates to the user that the input focus of the electronic pocket device 1004 is in that input field 1087. That is, the data such as a text, numbers, symbols and the like, will enter any input field 1087 that is active, that is to say that it is the subject of the input focus. It is understood that the electronic pocket device 1004 can perform other operations or take other actions depending on which input field 1087 is the subject of the input focus. The navigation inputs of the control ball 1032 advantageously allow the cursor 1084D, and in this way the input focus, are switched, that is, changed, between the various input fields 1087. For example, input fields 1087 could include fields 1087A, 1087B, and 1087C input. FIGURE 15 represents the cursor 1084D disposed in the input field 1087C, indicating that the input field 1087C is the subject of the input focus of the pocket electronic device 1004. It is understood that the cursor 1084D, and thus the input focus, can be changed from the input field 1087C to the input field 1087A, which is arranged adjacently and vertically over the input field 1087C, by providing a vertical offset input in the direction ascending with the 1032 command ball. That is, the control ball 1032 would rotate the predetermined rotating distance about the horizontal axis 1034. Similarly, the cursor 1084D, and thus the input focus, can change from the input field 1087A to the input field 1087B, which is arranged adjacent to and to the right of the input field 1087A, by providing a horizontal offset input to the right with the 1032 command ball. That is, the horizontal displacement input could be provided by rotating the control ball at a predetermined rotational distance around the vertical axis 1034B. In this way it can be seen that the control ball 1032 is rotatable in a plurality of directions around a plurality of axes to provide navigation, displacement, and other inputs in a plurality of directions between a plurality of input fields 1087. Other types of entries and / or entries in other applications will be apparent. Because the numeric keypad 1024 and the control ball 1032 are disposed advantageously adjacent to each other, the user can operate the control ball 1032 substantially without moving the user's hands away from the keypad 1024 during a text entry operation or other operation. In this way it can be seen that the control ball 1032 combines the benefits of the scroll wheel 16 and the key 40 <; NEXT > . However, it is noted that other embodiments of the electronic pocket device 1004 (not expressly depicted herein) could include the command ball 1032 and the < NEXT > such as the key 40 < NEXT > without moving away from the present concept. An electronic pocket device 2004 improved in accordance with another embodiment of the claimed and described concept is represented generally in FIGURE 16 and FIGURE 17. The pocket electronic device 2004 includes a housing 2006 in which a processing unit including an input device 2008, an output device 2012, a processor 2016, a memory 2020, and a number of routines 2022. All operations that can be carried out in or with the electronic devices 2 and / or 1004 pocket can be carried out in or with the 2004 pocket electronic device. As such, the features of the pocket electronic device 2004 that are common with the pocket electronic devices 2 and / or 1004, and which would essentially comprise all the features of the pocket electronic devices 2 and / or 1004, would not generally be repeated. As a general matter, the electronic pocket device 2004 is substantially identical in configuration and function to the electronic pocket device 1004, except that the electronic pocket device 1004 includes a touch screen 2055 that provides a non-mechanical multi-axis input device 2032 instead of a 1032 ball of command. It can be said that the multi-axis input device 2032 has the shape of a virtual control ball 2032. As is generally understood, the touch screen 2055 includes a liquid crystal layer between a pair of substrates, each substrate includes an electrode. The electrodes form a grid that defines the opening size of the pixels. When a load is applied to the electrodes, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer are generally aligned perpendicular to the two substrates. A 2053 input / output subassembly of the output apparatus 2012 controls the location of the load applied to the electrodes thus allowing the formation of images on the touch screen 2055. Additionally, the touch screen 2055 comprises a sensor assembly 2057 comprising an output device 2059 and a plurality of sensors 2061. The sensors 2061 are shown schematically and are typically too small to be seen by the naked eye. Each detector 2061 is in electrical communication with the output device 2059 and creates an output signal when activated. The detectors 2061 are arranged in a pattern, discussed below, and structured to detect an external object immediately adjacent to or touching the touch screen 2055. The external object is typically a needle or finger of the user (not shown). The output device 2059 and / or the processor 2016 are structured to receive the sensor signals and convert the signals into data representing the location of the external object in relation to the touch screen 2055. As such, while the sensor assembly 2057 is physically a component of the touch screen 2055, it is nevertheless considered to be a logical component of an input apparatus 2008 since it provides an input to the processor apparatus. The 2061 detectors are typically capacitive detectors, optical detectors, resistive detectors, mechanical detectors such as a deformer or a charged grid, although other technologies may be employed without departing from the present concept. Typically, capacitive detectors are structured to detect a change in capacitance caused by the electric field of the external object or a change in capacitance caused by compression of the capacitive detector. The optical detectors are structured to detect a light reflection, for example, light created by the touch screen 2055. The mechanical detectors include a grid loaded with columns that would be arranged on one side of the touch screen 2055 and a corresponding grid without column that would be disposed at another location on the touch screen 2055. In such a configuration, when the touch screen 2055 is compressed, that is, as a result of a user touching it, the columns in the compression area make contact with the opposite grid completing a circuit in this manner. Capacitive detectors can be arranged on a substrate and, although they are small, they require space. In this manner, and any pixel that is disposed adjacent the detector 2061 will have a reduced size, or aperture, to accommodate the adjacent detector 2061. The detectors 2061 are arranged in a pattern, and at least some of the detectors 2061 are preferably arranged in lines forming a grid. A first portion of the detectors 2061 is disposed in a first area 2081 of the touch screen 2055, and a second portion of the sensors 2061 is disposed in a second area 2083 of the touch screen 2055. As can be seen in FIGURE 16, the first area 2081 is essentially each region of the touch screen 2005 different from the second area 2083. The first portion of the detectors 2061 disposed in the first area 2081 of the touch screen 2055 is arranged in a relatively scattered pattern to minimize visual interference that is caused by the presence of detectors 2061 adjacent to the pixels. Preferably, the space of the detectors 2061 in the first area 2081 is about 1.0 millimeters and 10.0 millimeters between the detectors 2061, and more preferably about 3.0 millimeters between the detectors 2061. The second portion of the detectors 2061 is arranged in a relatively dense pattern in the second 2083 area of the 2055 touch screen and is structured to support the function of the 2032 virtual drive ball. The quality of the image in the second area 2083 of the touch screen 2055 is adversely affected due to the dense space of the detectors 2061. However, the second area 2083 is a relatively small area compared to the entire touch screen 2055. Preferably, the density of the detectors 2061 in the second area 2083 is approximately 0.05 millimeters and 3.0 millimeters between the detectors, and more preferably about 0.1 millimeters between the detectors 2061. In addition, because the pixels in the second area 2083 they are dedicated to the virtual control ball 2032, it is acceptable to have a reduced pixel density with larger pixels. Because the size of the pixel would be very long, the aspect ratio would be significantly higher than that of the pixels that are not arranged adjacent to the detector 2061. The pixels in the second area 2083 would likely be special function pixels, such as pixels that would represent the virtual control ball 2032 and which would illuminate the second area 2083 to highlight the virtual control ball 2032. The processor apparatus is structured to create images and to define the limits of the selectable portions of the images on the touch screen 2055. For example, the processor apparatus will create the images of selectable icons or other objects in specific portions of the touch screen 2055. The processor apparatus is further structured to relate the specific detectors 2061 to the specific portions of the touch screen 2055. In this way, when the processor apparatus detects the activation of a specific detector 2061 adjacent to a specific image, for example, a selectable icon, the processor apparatus will initiate the function or routine related to that icon, for example, opening a calendar program . Similarly, the processor apparatus is structured to employ specific detectors 2061 to support the function of the virtual control ball 2032 in the second area 2083 of the touch screen 2055. In this way, the activations of one or more of the detectors 2061 that support the virtual control ball 2032 will be interpreted by the processor apparatus as inputs from the virtual control ball 2032. For example, an activation of a sequential plurality of detectors 2061 extending along a particular direction on the touch screen 2055 in the second area 2083 could be interpreted as a navigation entry, a shift entry, a selection entry, and / or another entry in the particular address. Because the user can freely move a finger, for example, in any direction on the touch screen 2055, the virtual control ball 2032 is a multi-axis input device. Other inputs, such as the non-moving activation of one or more detectors 2061 in the central region of the 2032 virtual ball could be interpreted by the processor apparatus as an activation input of the virtual control ball 2032, generated by an activation of the 1032 control ball of the electronic pocket device 1004 in a direction towards the casing 1006 thereof. It should be understood that other types of activations of the detectors 2061 in the second area 2083 may be interpreted as other entries without departing from the claimed and described concept. The electronic pocket device 2004 thus comprises a multi-axis input device 2032 which is not mechanical but still provides the same advantages and functional characteristics of the operating ball 1032 of the electronic pocket device 1004. It is understood that the virtual control ball 2032 is only one example of many types of multi-axis input devices that could be employed in the 2004 pocket electronic device. Although the specific embodiments of the claimed and described concept have been described in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and alternatives could be made to those details in view of all the teachings of the description. Accordingly, the particular provisions described are illustrative only and are not limited in scope of the claimed and described concept to which the full extent of the appended claims and all and each of the equivalents thereof are given.