Morphology-based text entry system

• US 20030030573A1
• Filed: 04/09/2001
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael J Ure
• Original Assignee: Michael J Ure
• Inventors: Ure, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/829,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20030030573A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0235 using chord techniques G06F3/0234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items

Abstract

The present invention, generally speaking, provides a text entry system that uses a relatively small number of keys and that is well-adapted to memorization and skill-building. In one aspect of the invention, the text entry system is based on a set of well-chosen, “morphologically significant” symbols, related in pairs, with one such symbol assigned per key. A letter is entered unambiguously by sequentially pressing multiple keys, preferably exactly two keys. In another aspect of the invention, the number of symbols in the set is fewer than the number of keys in a telephone keypad. “Extra” keys are assigned to other characters or actions, such as “space,” “period,” backspace,” and return. Different modes of operation are provided, allowing for the entry of numbers, the entry of punctuation, cursoring, etc.

Claims

1. A method of text input comprising:

for each of multiple letters of an alphabet, representing that letter by a sequence of multiple non-alphabetic symbols, the symbols being suggestive of the form of the letter;

a user manually inputting a sequence of said symbols; and

outputting a code designating a corresponding letter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alphabet is the English alphabet, and wherein for a majority of the letters, the sequences of symbols used to represent those letters are as follows:

3. The method of claim 2, wherein for a substantial portion of the letters, the sequences of symbols used to represent those letters are as stated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the symbols appear on keys of a keypad.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the numbers 0-9 also appear on the keys of the keypad.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein multiple ones of the following modes are provided:

text mode;

capitalization mode;

punctuation mode;

numeric mode; and

cursor mode.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising a user switching modes by pressing multiple keys at once.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the keys are arranged in three columns, and mode-switching is performed by the user pressing two adjacent keys located in adjacent columns.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein a numeric mode is provided in which the user enters a number by pressing a single key.

10. The method of claim 4, comprising a user pressing the keys using the user'"'"'s thumbs.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein a pointing device is provided in close proximity to the keypad, further comprising the user operating the pointing device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the symbols include pairs of symbols of related form.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the symbols include at least three pairs of symbol.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the symbols include four pairs of symbols.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the symbols includes at least one of the following pairs of symbols:

<

, >

;

_, |;

/, \; and

, .

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the symbols includes multiple ones of the following pairs of symbols:

<

, >

;

_, |;

/, \; and

, .

17. The method of claim 16, wherein one or more separate keys, on which none of the symbols appears, are assigned one or more of the following functions:

space, backspace, period and return.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the symbols includes a majority of the following pairs of symbols:

<

, >

, _;

|, /, \; and

, .

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the symbols includes the following pairs of symbols:

<

, >

;

_, |, /, \; and

, .

20. The method of claim 19, wherein symbols of each pair of symbols appear on keys situated within a same row or a same column of the keypad.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein symbols of the pair , appear on keys situated within the same column.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein symbols of the other pairs of symbols appear on keys situated within the same row.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein symbols of each pair of symbols appear on keys situated within a same row or a same column of the keypad.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein symbols of each pair of symbols appear on non-adjacent keys.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein a key centrally situated on the keypad is assigned the space function.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein capitalization is performed by the user keeping selecting an initial symbol of a sequence of symbols corresponding to a desired letter and keeping the initial symbol selected for a perceptibly longer time than when a corresponding lower-case letter is intended.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein punctuation is performed by entering an initial letter of a name of a desired punctuation mark.

28. A text entry apparatus using a system in which, for each of multiple letters of an alphabet, that letter is represented by a sequence of multiple non-alphabetic symbols, the symbols being suggestive of the form of the letter, comprising:

means for a user to manually input a sequence of said symbols; and

a controller for outputting a code designating a corresponding letter.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising pointing means, coupled to the controller, for producing a position indication in response to user input.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the alphabet is the English alphabet, and wherein for a substantial portion of the letters, the sequences of symbols used to represent those letters are as follows:

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein for a majority of the letters, the sequences of symbols used to represent those letters are as stated.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the symbols appear on keys of a keypad.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the numbers 0-9 also appear on the keys of the keypad.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein multiple ones of the following modes are provided:

text mode;

capitalization mode;

punctuation mode;

numeric mode; and

cursor mode.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising a user switching modes by pressing multiple keys at once.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the keys are arranged in three columns, and mode-switching is performed by the user pressing two adjacent keys located in adjacent columns.

37. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein a numeric mode is provided in which the user enters a number by pressing a single key.

38. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the symbols include pairs of symbols of related form.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the symbols include at least three pairs of symbol.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the symbols include four pairs of symbols.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the symbols includes at least one of the following pairs of symbols:

<

, >

;

_, |;

/, \; and

, .

42. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the symbols includes multiple ones of the following pairs of symbols:

<

, >

;

_, |;

/, \; and

, .

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein one or more separate keys, on which none of the symbols appears, are assigned one or more of the following functions:

space, backspace, period and return.

44. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the symbols includes a majority of the following pairs of symbols:

<

, >

;

_, |;

/, \; and

, .

45. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the symbols includes the following pairs of symbols:

<

, >

;

_, |;

/, \; and

, .

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein symbols of each pair of symbols appear on keys situated within a same row or a same column of the keypad.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein symbols of the pair , appear on keys situated within the same column.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein symbols of the other pairs of symbols appear on keys situated within the same row.

49. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein symbols of each pair of symbols appear on keys situated within a same row or a same column of the keypad.

50. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein symbols of each pair of symbols appear on non-adjacent keys.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein a key centrally situated on the keypad is assigned the space function.

52. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein capitalization is performed by the user keeping selecting an initial symbol of a sequence of symbols corresponding to a desired letter and keeping the initial symbol selected for a perceptibly longer time than when a corresponding lower-case letter is intended.

53. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein punctuation is performed by entering an initial letter of a name of a desired punctuation mark.

54. A method of following hyperlinks using a compact keyboard, comprising:

displaying a page including one or more hyperlinks; and

activating a desired hyperlink by entering a first letter of display text associated with that hyperlink.