Input apparatus, computer apparatus, method for identifying input object, method for identifying input object in keyboard, and computer program

• US 20050030291A1
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yanagisawa, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,477,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• 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

Abstract

To provide an input device that can prevent or reduce incorrect inputs on adjacent keys while reflecting a user'"'"'s intention as much as possible without the need for additional key operations by the user.

Identification areas for identifying touch keys are varied as indicated by solid lines based on the preceding touch input (1). Then, identification for the following touch inputs (2)-1 and (2)-2 is performed using the varied identification areas. Dashed lines indicate the identification areas before being varied.

Claims

1. ) An input device comprising:

a display unit for displaying a plurality of keys, each defined in a predetermined range;

an area setting unit for setting an identification area for each of the keys to identify a target key for a touch input, and for varying the identification area for a certain key based on the location at which the first preceding touch input is made; and

an identification unit for identifying a target key for the second touch input following the first touch input based on the location at which the second touch input is made and the varied identification area.

2. ) The input device according to claim 1, wherein the area setting unit varies the identification area for a key corresponding to the identification area that includes the location at which the first touch input is made.

3. ) The input device according to claim 1, wherein the area setting unit varies the identification area taking into account the pitch between the plurality of keys.

4. ) The input device according to claim 1, wherein the area setting unit allows the identification area to be varied for a predetermined period after the first preceding touch input is made.

5. ) An input device comprising:

a display unit for displaying a plurality of keys arranged with a predetermined key pitch; and

an identification unit for identifying a target key for the following touch input based on the distance between the preceding touch input and the following touch input onto the display unit.

6. ) The input device according to claim 5, wherein, if the distance is shorter than a predetermined value based on the key pitch, the identification unit identifies the preceding touch input and the following touch input as inputs performed for the same key regardless of the location of the following touch input.

7. ) The input device according to claim 5, wherein, if the distance is longer than a predetermined value based on the key pitch, the identification unit identifies the preceding touch input and the following touch input as inputs performed for different keys respectively, regardless of the location of the following touch input.

8. ) The input device according to claim 5, wherein the identification unit takes the horizontal distance or the vertical distance in the key arrangement as said distance.

9. ) A computer device comprising:

a display unit for displaying a software keyboard on which a plurality of keys are arranged, each key having an identification area defined by first coordinates data;

a detection unit for detecting a touched location on the software keyboard; and

an identification area setting unit for setting second coordinates data that defines the identification area based on the touched location.

10. ) The computer device according to claim 9, wherein the identification area setting unit sets the second coordinates data to be different from the first coordinates data based on the relative location of the touched location in the identification area.

11. ) The computer device according to claim 10, wherein the identification area setting unit clears the setting of the second coordinates data after a predetermined period and reactivates the identification area according to the first coordinates data.

12. ) The computer device according to claim 9, wherein the identification area setting unit sets the second coordinates data to be identical with the first coordinates data based on the relative location of the touched location in the identification area.

13. ) The computer device according to claim 9, comprising an identification unit for identifying a target key for the first preceding key touch based on the identification area defined by the first coordinates data, and for identifying a target key for the second key touch following the first key touch based on the identification area defined by the second coordinates data.

14. ) A method for identifying a target key for an input, comprising:

setting a plurality of identification areas on an input surface for identifying the target key for the touch input;

detecting an identification area in which the touch input is made; and

identifying, based on the detection result, the target key for the touch input,

wherein boundaries that form the identification area are varied based on the touch input location in the identification area in which the touch input is made.

15. ) The method for identifying a target key for an input according to claim 14, wherein the boundaries are varied based on the distance from the touch input location to the boundaries.

16. ) The method for identifying a target key for an input according to claim 15, wherein the boundaries are varied such that the boundary closer to the touch input location becomes farther from the touch input location, and the boundary farther from the touch input location becomes closer to the touch input location.

17. ) The method for identifying a target key for an input according to claim 14, comprising, if the following touch input is made within a predetermined period after the preceding touch input, identifying a target key for the following touch input based on a new identification area formed by the boundaries varied according to the first touch input.

18. ) A method for identifying a target key for an input on a software keyboard, comprising:

detecting a first location at which the first preceding touch input is made;

determining a first identification area that includes the first location at which the first touch input is made;

obtaining a relative location of the first touch input in the identification area;

detecting a second location at which the second touch input following the first touch input is made; and

identifying the target key for the second touch input based on the relative location and the distance between the first and second locations.

19. ) A method for identifying a target key for an input on a software keyboard according to claim 18, wherein, if the first touch input is made on a first key displayed on the software keyboard and the second touch input is made on a second key adjacent to the first key, the target key for the second touch input is identified as the first key based on the relative location and the distance between the first and second locations.

20. ) A method for identifying a target key for an input on a software keyboard according to claim 18, wherein, if the first touch input is made on a first key displayed on the software keyboard and the second touch input is made on the first key, the target key for the second touch input is identified as a second key adjacent to the first key based on the relative location and the distance between the first and second locations.

21. ) A computer program that causes a computer to execute the processing of:

setting a plurality of identification areas on an input surface for identifying a target key for a touch input;

detecting an identification area in which the touch input is made;

identifying, based on the detection result, the target key for the touch input; and

varying, based on the touch input location in the identification area in which the touch input is made, boundaries that form the identification area.