System and method for associating characters to keys in a keypad in an electronic device

1. A method of navigating through a layout of a keyboard in a keypad in an electronic device, the method comprising:

associating a first set of characters in a QWERTY keyboard layout with a segment of programmable keys in the keypad, the QWERTY keyboard layout comprising at least a left and a right column of keys;

navigating through the QWERTY keyboard layout for the programmable keys using first and second directional keys providing upper and lower navigation controls for the segment of programmable keys when the first set of characters is from the right column of keys in the QWERTY keyboard layout;

associating the segment of keys with a second set of characters in the QWERTY keyboard layout based on a signal received from the first and second direction keys; and

when either the first or second directional key is activated as an activated directional key and implementing a direction associated with the activated directional key would map the programmable keys to the left column of keys, taking the second set of characters in the QWERTY keyboard from the left column of keys.

2. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second directional keys are located at opposite ends of the segment of programmable keys.

3. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

one key of the programmable keys is simultaneously associated with at least two characters; and

the method further comprises selecting one character from the at least two characters by disambiguating a word currently being entered that includes either character of the at least two characters.

4. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a set of icons is generated on a display in the device identifying the set of characters.

5. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein an alternative set of characters is associated with the programmable keys when an alternative layout key is activated.

6. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein an alternative set of icons is generated on a display in the device identifying the set alternative of characters when the alternative layout key is activated.

7. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

navigating through the QWERTY keyboard layout for the programmable keys using third and fourth directional keys providing upper and lower navigation controls for the segment of programmable keys when the first set of characters is from the left column of keys in the QWERTY keyboard layout.

8. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein:

the first and second directional keys provide access to the right column of keys when the first set of characters is from the left column of keys; and

the third and fourth directional keys provide access to the left column of keys when the first set of characters is from the right column of keys.

9. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the first set of characters mapped to the segment of programmable keys includes at least the characters “H”, “J”, “K” and “L”.

10. The method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the second set of characters mapped to the segment of programmable keys includes at least the characters “A”, “S”, “D” and “G”.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a keypad having a set of a programmable keys in the keypad;

a microprocessor;

a memory device;

data stored in the memory device identifying a QWERTY keyboard layout for mapping against the programmable keys, the QWERTY keyboard layout comprising at least a left and a right column of keys;

a mapping module providing instructions stored on the memory device for execution on the microprocessor to associate a first set of characters including at least the characters “H”, “J”, “K” and “L” in a QWERTY keyboard layout with a segment of programmable keys in the keypad and with a second set of characters in the QWERTY keyboard layout based on a signal received from the first and second direction keys;

first and second directional keys located at opposite ends of the segment of programmable keys; and

a keyboard navigation module providing instructions stored on the memory device for execution on the microprocessor to

navigate through the QWERTY keyboard layout for the programmable keys using first and second directional keys providing upper and lower navigation controls for the segment of programmable keys when the first set of characters is from the right column of keys in the QWERTY keyboard layout; and

take the second set of characters in the QWERTY keyboard from the left column of keys when

the first or second directional key is activated; and

implementation of a direction the associated with the first or the second directional key would map the programmable keys to the left column of keys.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first and second directional keys are located at opposite ends of the segment of programmable keys.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:

one key of the programmable keys is simultaneously associated with at least two characters; and

the mapping module provides further instructions stored on the memory device for execution on the microprocessor to select one character from the at least two characters by disambiguating a word currently being entered that includes either character of the at least two characters.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a set of icons is generated on a display in the device identifying the set of characters.

15. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the keyboard navigation module provides further instructions stored on the memory device for execution on the microprocessor to:

navigate through the QWERTY keyboard layout for the programmable keys using third and fourth directional keys providing upper and lower navigation controls for the segment of programmable keys when the first set of characters is from the left column of keys in the QWERTY keyboard layout.

16. The electronic device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein:

the first and second directional keys provide access to the right column of keys when the first set of characters is from the left column of keys; and

the third and fourth directional keys provide access to the left column of keys when the first set of characters is from the right column of keys.

17. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first set of characters mapped to the segment of programmable keys includes at least the characters “H”, “J”, “K” and “L”.

18. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the second set of characters mapped to the segment of programmable keys includes at least the characters “A”, “S”, “D” and “G”.