Selective input system based on tracking of motion parameters of an input device

• US 20050052406A1
• Filed: 06/28/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerence Operating Company (Cerence Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tegic Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: James, Christina, Bradford, Ethan R., Longe, Michael R., Stephanick, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,750,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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

A selective input system and associated method is provided which tracks the motion of a pointing device over a region or area. The pointing device can be a touchpad, a mouse, a pen, or any device capable of providing two or three-dimensional location. The region or area is preferably augmented with a printed or actual keyboard/pad. Alternatively, a representation of the location of the pointing device over a virtual keyboard/pad can be dynamically shown on an associated display. The system identifies selections of items or characters by detecting parameters of motion of the pointing device, such as length of motion, a change in direction, a change in velocity, and or a lack of motion at locations that correspond to features on the keyboard/pad. The input system is preferably coupled to a text disambiguation system such as a T9® or Sloppytype™ system, to improve the accuracy and usability of the input system.

Claims

1. A process for selectable input based on motion of a pointing device in relation to a region, the process comprising the steps of:

tracking the motion of the pointing device in relation to the region;

determine a device path of the pointing device, comprising a plurality of positions and corresponding times, based upon the tracked motion;

for subsequent positions and corresponding times, compare to path data;

detecting subsequent positions which meet at least one threshold of a selected position within the region; and

entering each of the selected positions which correspond to a selection.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the pointing device comprises any of a stylus, a finger, a hand, a glove, a pen, a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, a laser pointer, and a light pen.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the region comprises any of a keypad, a touchscreen, and a touchpad.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the threshold of a selected position within the region comprises any of starting the device path, looping the device path, changing direction of the device path, changing velocity of the device path, pausing motion in the device path, and ending the device path.

5. The process of claim 4, wherein the threshold of changing direction comprises any of a curve having an estimated radius that is less than a threshold geometry, a comparison of the device path direction before and after a curve, a sharp cusp edge in the device path, and a comparison of path direction before and after a cusp.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the region comprises a two-dimensional area.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the region further comprises a secondary input value.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein the secondary input value comprises a stylus pressure value.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the region comprises a three-dimensional volume.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the tracked motion is limited to motion of the pointing device on a planar surface of the region.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the tracked motion of the pointing device comprises any of planar motion and non-planar motion of the pointing device in relation to a surface of the region.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein the region comprises an input region in any of a portable digital assistant, a portable telephone, a mobile telephone, a portable computer, and a portable game device.

13. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

disambiguating at least one determined position which corresponds to an alternate selection.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein the step of disambiguation comprises the steps of:

displaying the alternate selection; and

providing a choice by the user between the determined position and the alternate selection.

15. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

disambiguating at least one subsequent position based upon a contextual comparison between the subsequent position and stored information.

16. The process of claim 15, wherein the stored information comprises any of language, characters, and words.

17. The process of claim 15, wherein the step of disambiguation comprises the steps of:

providing a spell check function for one or more selected positions; and

providing a choice by the user of results of the spell check function.

18. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

disambiguating at least one subsequent position which does not clearly indicate a selected position within the region.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein the step of disambiguating comprises the steps of:

displaying at least one selectable position which may correspond to the subsequent position that does not clearly indicate a selected position within the region; and

providing a choice by the user of the at least one selectable position.

20. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing feedback to a user.

21. The process of claim 20, wherein the feedback comprises any of visual feedback and audio feedback.

22. The process of claim 21, wherein the visual feedback comprises any of an ink trail corresponding to the determined device path, a font change, a color change, a reverse video color, an alternate background color, an underline, bold face text, italic text, and a text outline,

23. The process of claim 21, wherein the audio feedback comprises any of a tone indicating system confidence in any of tracking and selection, a sound indicating any of a selection and an entry, and an acoustic message.

24. The process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a distance between a current location of the pointing device and selectable positions within the region;

determining a selectable position which is closest to the current location of the pointing device; and

highlighting the determined closest selectable position.

25. The process of claim 24, wherein the highlighting comprises any of a display and a magnification of the determined closest selectable position.

26. The process of claim 1, wherein the selected positions correspond to any of characters, menu selections, and functions.

27. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a plurality of interfaces comprising a plurality of selected position within the region; and

switching between the interfaces.

28. The process of claim 27, wherein the step of switching between the interfaces comprises a selection by the pointing device.

29. The process of claim 27, wherein the step of switching between the interfaces comprises a selection by a supplementary control.

30. The process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

predicting a default selection; and

providing means for accepting the predicted default selection.

31. The process of claim 30, wherein the predicted default selection comprises a word.

32. The process of claim 30, wherein the accepting means comprises any of a directional input, a button selection, a menu selection, a list selection, and a functional input.

33. A process for selectable input based on motion of a pointing device in relation to a region, the process comprising the steps of:

tracking the motion of the pointing device in relation to the region;

detecting a characteristic motion of the pointing device, the characteristic motion corresponding to at least one selectable input.

34. The process of claim 33, wherein the pointing device comprises any of a stylus, a finger, a hand, a glove, a pen, a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, a laser pointer, and a light pen.

35. The process of claim 33, wherein the region comprises any of a keypad, a touchpad, and an entry screen.

36. The process of claim 33, wherein the characteristic motion comprises any of starting the device path, looping the device path, changing direction of the device path, changing velocity of the device path, pausing motion in the device path, and ending the device path.

37. The process of claim 36, wherein the characteristic motion of changing direction comprises any of a curve having an estimated radius that is less than a threshold geometry, a comparison of the device path direction before and after a curve, a sharp cusp edge in the device path, and a comparison of path direction before and after a cusp.

38. The process of claim 33, wherein the region comprises a two-dimensional area.

39. The process of claim 38, wherein the region further comprises a secondary input value.

40. The process of claim 39, wherein the secondary input value comprises a stylus pressure value.

41. The process of claim 33, wherein the region comprises a three-dimensional volume.

42. The process of claim 33, wherein the tracked motion is limited to motion of the pointing device on a planar surface of the region.

43. The process of claim 33, wherein the tracked motion of the pointing device comprises any of planar motion and non-planar motion of the pointing device in relation to a surface of the region.

44. The process of claim 33, wherein the region comprises an input area in any of a portable digital assistant, a portable telephone, a mobile telephone, a portable computer, and a portable game device.

45. The process of claim 33, further comprising the step of:

disambiguating at least one determined position which corresponds to an alternate selection.

46. The process of claim 45, wherein the step of disambiguation comprises the steps of:

displaying the alternate selection; and

providing a choice by the user between the determined position and the alternate selection.

47. The process of claim 33, further comprising the step of:

providing feedback to a user.

48. The process of claim 47, wherein the feedback comprises any of visual feedback and audio feedback.

49. The process of claim 48, wherein the visual feedback comprises any of an ink trail corresponding to the determined device path, a font change, a color change, a reverse video color, an alternate background color, an underline, bold face text, italic text, and a text outline.

50. The process of claim 48, wherein the audio feedback comprises any of a tone indicating system confidence in any of tracking and selection, a sound indicating any of a selection and an entry, and an acoustic message.

51. The process of claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

determining a distance between a current location of the pointing device and selectable positions within the region;

determining a selectable position which is closest to the current location of the pointing device; and

highlighting the determined closest selectable position.

52. The process of claim 51, wherein the highlighting comprises any of a display and a magnification of the determined closest selectable position.

53. The process of claim 33, further comprising the step of:

disambiguating at least one subsequent position based upon a contextual comparison between the subsequent position and stored information.

54. The process of claim 53, wherein the stored information comprises any of language, characters, and words.

55. The process of claim 53, wherein the step of disambiguation comprises the steps of:

providing a spell check function for one or more selected positions; and

providing a choice by the user of results of the spell check function.

56. The process of claim 33, further comprising the step of:

disambiguating at least one subsequent position which does not clearly indicate a selected position within the region.

57. The process of claim 56, wherein the disambiguating step comprises the steps of:

displaying at least one selectable position which may correspond to the subsequent position that does not clearly indicate a selected position within the region; and

providing a choice by the user of the at least one selectable position.

58. The process of claim 33, wherein the selected positions correspond to any of characters, menu selections, and functions.

59. The process of claim 33, further comprising the step of:

providing a plurality of interfaces comprising a plurality of selected position within the region; and

switching between the interfaces.

60. The process of claim 59, wherein the step of switching between the interfaces comprises a selection by the input device.

61. The process of claim 59, wherein the step of switching between the interfaces comprises a selection by a supplementary control.

62. The process of claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

predicting a default selection; and

providing means for accepting the predicted default selection.

63. The process of claim 62, wherein the predicted default selection comprises a word.

64. The process of claim 62, wherein the accepting means comprises any of a directional input, a button selection, a menu selection, a list selection, and a functional input.

65. A system for selectable input based on motion of a pointing device in relation to an region, comprising:

means for tracking the motion of the pointing device in relation to the region;

a determined device path, comprising a plurality of positions and corresponding times, based upon the tracked motion;

a comparison of subsequent positions and corresponding times to path data;

means for detecting subsequent positions which meet at least one threshold of a selected position within the region; and

means for sequential entry of each of the selected positions which correspond to a selection.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein the pointing device comprises any of a stylus, a finger, a hand, a glove, a pen, a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, a laser pointer, and a light pen.

67. The system of claim 65, wherein the region comprises any of a keypad, a touchpad, and an entry screen.

68. The system of claim 65, wherein the threshold of a selected position within the region comprises any of starting the device path, looping the device path, changing direction of the device path, changing velocity of the device path, pausing motion in the device path, and ending the device path.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the threshold of changing direction comprises any of a curve having an estimated radius that is less than a threshold geometry, a comparison of the device path direction before and after a curve, a sharp cusp edge in the device path, and a comparison of path direction before and after a cusp.

70. The system of claim 65, wherein the region comprises a two-dimensional area.

71. The system of claim 70, wherein the region further comprises a secondary input value.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein the secondary input value comprises a stylus pressure value.

73. The system of claim 65, wherein the region comprises a three-dimensional volume.

74. The system of claim 65, wherein the tracked motion is limited to motion of the pointing device on a planar surface of the region.

75. The system of claim 65, wherein the tracked motion of the pointing device comprises any of planar motion and non-planar motion of the device in relation to a surface of the region.

76. The system of claim 65, wherein the region comprises an input area in any of a portable digital assistant, a portable telephone, a mobile telephone, a portable computer, and a portable game device.

77. The system of claim 65, further comprising:

means for disambiguating at least one determined position which corresponds to an alternate selection.

78. The system of claim 77, wherein the disambiguation means comprises:

a display of the alternate selection; and

a selectable choice by the user between the determined position and the alternate selection.

79. The system of claim 65, further comprising:

means for providing feedback to a user.

80. The system of claim 79, wherein the feedback comprises any of visual feedback and audio feedback.

81. The system of claim 80, wherein the visual feedback comprises any of an ink trail corresponding to the determined device path, a font change, a color change, a reverse video color, an alternate background color, an underline, bold face text, italic text, and a text outline,

82. The system of claim 80, wherein the audio feedback comprises any of a tone indicating system confidence in any of tracking and selection, a sound indicating any of a selection and an entry, and an acoustic message.

83. The system of claim 65, further comprising:

Logic for determining a distance between a current location of the pointing device and selectable positions within the region;

logic for determining a selectable position which is closest to the current location of the pointing device; and

a highlight corresponding to the determined closest selectable position.

84. The system of claim 83, wherein the highlight comprises any of a display and a magnification of the determined closest selectable position.

85. The system of claim 65, further comprising:

means for disambiguating at least one subsequent position based upon a contextual comparison between the subsequent position and stored information.

86. The system of claim 85, wherein the stored information comprises any of language, characters, and words.

87. The system of claim 85, wherein the disambiguation means comprises:

a spell check function for one or more selected positions; and

a choice for the user of results of the spell check function.

88. The system of claim 65, further comprising:

a disambiguation of at least one subsequent position which does not clearly indicate a selected position within the region.

89. The system of claim 88, wherein the disambiguation comprises:

a display of at least one selectable position which may correspond to the subsequent position that does not clearly indicate a selected position within the region; and

a selectable choice for the user of the at least one selectable position.

90. The system of claim 65, wherein the selected positions correspond to any of characters, menu selections, and functions.

91. The system of claim 65, further comprising:

a plurality of interfaces comprising a plurality of selected position within the region; and

means for switching between the interfaces.

92. The system of claim 91, wherein the means for switching between the interfaces comprises a pointing device selection.

93. The system of claim 91, wherein the means for switching between the interfaces comprises a supplementary control.

94. The system of claim 65, further comprising:

logic for predicting a default selection; and

means for accepting the predicted default selection.

95. The system of claim 94, wherein the predicted default selection comprises a word.

96. The system of claim 94, wherein the accepting means comprises any of a directional input, a button selection, a menu selection, a list selection, and a functional input.

97. A system for selectable input based upon motion of a pointing device in relation to an region, comprising:

means for tracking the motion of the pointing device in relation to the region;

logic for determining a characteristic motion of the pointing device which corresponds to at least one selectable input.

98. The system of claim 97, wherein the pointing device comprises any of a stylus, a finger, a hand, a glove, a pen, a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, a laser pointer, and a light pen.

99. The system of claim 97, wherein the region comprises any of a keypad, a touchpad, and an entry screen.

100. The system of claim 97, wherein the characteristic motion comprises any of starting the device path, looping the device path, changing direction of the device path, changing velocity of the device path, pausing motion in the device path, and ending the device path.

101. The system of claim 97, wherein the characteristic motion of changing direction comprises any of a curve having an estimated radius that is less than a threshold geometry, a comparison of the device path direction before and after a curve, a sharp cusp edge in the device path, and a comparison of path direction before and after a cusp.

102. The system of claim 97, wherein the region comprises a two-dimensional area.

103. The system of claim 102, wherein the region further comprises a secondary input value.

104. The system of claim 103, wherein the secondary input value comprises a stylus pressure value.

105. The system of claim 97, wherein the region comprises a three-dimensional volume.

106. The system of claim 97, wherein the tracked motion is limited to motion of the pointing device on a planar surface of the region.

107. The system of claim 97, wherein the tracked motion of the pointing device comprises any of planar motion and non-planar motion of the device in relation to a surface of the region.

108. The system of claim 97, wherein the region comprises an input area in any of a portable digital assistant, a portable telephone, a mobile telephone, a portable computer, and a portable game device.

109. The system of claim 97, further comprising:

means for disambiguating at least one determined position which corresponds to an alternate selection.

110. The system of claim 109, wherein the disambiguation means comprises:

a display of the alternate selection; and

a selectable choice by the user between the determined position and the alternate selection.

111. The system of claim 97, further comprising:

means for providing feedback to a user.

112. The system of claim 111, wherein the feedback comprises any of visual feedback and audio feedback.

113. The system of claim 112, wherein the visual feedback comprises any of an ink trail corresponding to the tracked motion, a font change, a color change, a reverse video color, an alternate background color, an underline, bold face text, italic text, and a text outline,

114. The system of claim 112, wherein the audio feedback comprises any of a tone indicating system confidence in any of tracking and selection, a sound indicating any of a selection and an entry, and an acoustic message.

115. The system of claim 97, further comprising:

logic for determining a distance between a current location of the pointing device and selectable positions within the region;

logic for determining a selectable position which is closest to the current location of the pointing device; and

a highlight corresponding to the determined closest selectable position.

116. The system of claim 115, wherein the highlight comprises any of a display and a magnification of the determined closest selectable position.

117. The system of claim 97, further comprising:

means for disambiguating at least one subsequent position based upon a contextual comparison between the subsequent position and stored information.

118. The system of claim 117, wherein the stored information comprises any of languages, characters, and words.

119. The system of claim 117, wherein the disambiguation means comprises:

a spell check function for one or more selected positions; and

a choice for the user of results of the spell check function.

120. The system of claim 97, further comprising:

a disambiguation of at least one subsequent position which does not clearly indicate a selected position within the region.

121. The system of claim 120, wherein the disambiguating comprises:

a display of at least one selectable position which may correspond to the subsequent position that does not clearly indicate a selected position within the region; and

a selectable choice for the user of the at least one selectable position.

122. The system of claim 97, wherein the selected positions correspond to any of characters, menu selections, and functions.

123. The system of claim 97, further comprising:

a plurality of interfaces comprising a plurality of selected position within the region; and

means for switching between the interfaces.

124. The system of claim 97, wherein the means for switching between the interfaces comprises a pointing device selection.

125. The system of claim 97, wherein the means for switching between the interfaces comprises a supplementary control.

126. The system of claim 97, further comprising:

logic for predicting a default selection; and

means for accepting the predicted default selection.

127. The system of claim 126, wherein the predicted default selection comprises a word.

128. The system of claim 126, wherein the accepting means comprises any of a directional input, a button selection, a menu selection, a list selection, and a functional input.