Systems and methods for adaptively presenting a keyboard on a touch-sensitive display

• US 10,203,873 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2016
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Marsden, Randal J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Ibrahim A
• Application Number:
  US15/199,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20170003876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960775 Emitter-receiver or "fringe" type detection, i.e. one or more field emitting electrodes and corresponding one or more receiving electrodes

Abstract

Systems and methods for adaptively presenting a keyboard on a touch-sensitive display are disclosed herein. In one aspect, a method includes: monitoring typing inputs received from a user at a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device. The method also includes: determining whether the typing inputs are converging towards a midpoint of the touch-sensitive display or diverging away from the midpoint of the touch-sensitive display. In accordance with a determination that the typing inputs are converging towards the midpoint of the touch-sensitive display, the method includes: providing a first feedback to the user to indicate that the typing inputs are converging. In accordance with a determination that the typing inputs are diverging away from the midpoint of the touch-sensitive display, the method includes: providing a second feedback to the user to indicate that the typing inputs are diverging.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by one or more processors of an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

building a repository of words typed by a user on the touch-sensitive display, wherein each respective character of a respective word is associated with information identifying a finger that was used by the user to select the respective character;

presenting, on the touch-sensitive display, a virtual keyboard with a plurality of keys;

in response to detecting selection of a first key of the plurality of keys of the virtual keyboard, determining a first finger that was used by the user to select the first key;

after detecting selection of at least the first key and in response to detecting an ambiguous selection of an unknown key of the plurality of keys of the virtual keyboard, determining a second finger that was used by the user to select the unknown key;

retrieving information associated with candidate words from the repository of words typed by the user, the information associated with the candidate words including (i) a first character associated with the first key and information identifying the first finger as having selected the first key and (ii) information identifying the second finger as having selected a different key that is distinct from the first key; and

determining that the unknown key is a second key of the plurality of keys of the virtual keyboard based at least in part on the information associated with the candidate words.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

providing baseline rest positions for at least eight of the user'"'"'s fingers on the virtual keyboard.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein each respective character of a respective word is also associated with a respective first distance, relative to the baseline rest position, travelled by the finger that was used by the user to select the respective character.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

eliminating one or more of the candidate words in accordance with a determination that a second distance, relative to the baseline rest position for the second finger, travelled by the second finger to select the unknown key exceeds a threshold distance as compared to a respective first distance travelled by the second finger to select the different key.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the baseline rest positions are determined based on one of the following:

contact with the touch-sensitive display before the user selects the first key, hover detection when the user'"'"'s fingers are within a predefined distance of contacting the touch-sensitive display, or baseline rest positions retrieved from a memory of the electronic device.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for building the repository of words include instructions for building the repository of words during a training session in which the user types a predefined sequence of words.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

while building the repository of words, identifying unique typing characteristics associated with the user and associating the identified unique typing characteristics with the repository of words.

8. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display;

building a repository of words typed by a user on the touch-sensitive display, wherein each respective character of a respective word is associated with information identifying a finger that was used by the user to select the respective character;

presenting, on the touch-sensitive display, a virtual keyboard with a plurality of keys;

in response to detecting selection of a first key of the plurality of keys of the virtual keyboard, determining a first finger that was used by the user to select the first key;

after detecting selection of at least the first key and in response to detecting an ambiguous selection of an unknown key of the plurality of keys of the virtual keyboard, determining a second finger that was used by the user to select the unknown key;

retrieving information associated with candidate words from the repository of words typed by the user, the information associated with the candidate words including (i) a first character associated with the first key and information identifying the first finger as having selected the first key and (ii) information identifying the second finger as having selected a different key that is distinct from the first key; and

determining that the unknown key is a second key of the plurality of keys of the virtual keyboard based at least in part on the information associated with the candidate words.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing baseline rest positions for at least eight of the user'"'"'s fingers on the virtual keyboard.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each respective character of a respective word is also associated with a respective first distance, relative to the baseline rest position, travelled by the finger that was used by the user to select the respective character.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

eliminating one or more of the candidate words in accordance with a determination that a second distance, relative to the baseline rest position for the second finger, travelled by the second finger to select the unknown key exceeds a threshold distance as compared to a respective first distance travelled by the second finger to select the different key.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the baseline rest positions are determined based on one of the following:

contact with the touch-sensitive display before the user selects the first key, hover detection when the user'"'"'s fingers are within a predefined distance of contacting the touch-sensitive display, or baseline rest positions retrieved from a memory of the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

building the repository of words during a training session in which the user types a predefined sequence of words.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

while building the repository of words, identifying unique typing characteristics associated with the user and associating the identified unique typing characteristics with the repository of words.

15. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to;

build a repository of words typed by a user on the touch-sensitive display, wherein each respective character of a respective word is associated with information identifying a finger that was used by the user to select the respective character;

present, on the touch-sensitive display, a virtual keyboard with a plurality of keys;

in response to detecting selection of a first key of the plurality of keys of the virtual keyboard, determine a first finger that was used by the user to select the first key;

after detecting selection of at least the first key and in response to detecting an ambiguous selection of an unknown key of the plurality of keys of the virtual keyboard, determine a second finger that was used by the user to select the unknown key;

retrieve information associated with candidate words from the repository of words typed by the user, the information associated with the candidate words including (i) a first character associated with the first key and information identifying the first finger as having selected the first key and (ii) information identifying the second finger as having selected a different key that is distinct from the first key; and

determine that the unknown key is a second key of the plurality of keys of the virtual keyboard based at least in part on the information associated with the candidate words.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the electronic device to:

provide baseline rest positions for at least eight of the user'"'"'s fingers on the virtual keyboard.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein each respective character of a respective word is also associated with a respective first distance, relative to the baseline rest position, travelled by the finger that was used by the user to select the respective character.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the electronic device to:

eliminate one or more of the candidate words in accordance with a determination that a second distance, relative to the baseline rest position for the second finger, travelled by the second finger to select the unknown key exceeds a threshold distance as compared to a respective first distance travelled by the second finger to select the different key.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the baseline rest positions are determined based on one of the following:

contact with the touch-sensitive display before the user selects the first key, hover detection when the user'"'"'s fingers are within a predefined distance of contacting the touch-sensitive display, or baseline rest positions retrieved from a memory of the electronic device.

20. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein causing the electronic device to build the repository of words includes causing the electronic device to build the repository of words during a training session in which the user types a predefined sequence of words.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the electronic device to:

while building the repository of words, identify unique typing characteristics associated with the user and associate the identified unique typing characteristics with the repository of words.