Efficient Method and Apparatus For Text Entry Based On Trigger Sequences
First Claim
1. A text-entry system based on trigger sequences comprising 1) a plurality of keys, 2) a plurality of pre-conversion symbols, 3) a plurality of post-conversion symbols, each of said post-conversion symbols set in a correspondence to a sequence of said pre-conversion symbols, 4) a plurality of symbol-input-end symbols, 5) a display to display symbols, 6) a first mechanism to display said pre-conversion symbols in response to keystrokes, and 7) a second mechanism to recognize trigger sequences and thereby trigger conversion of a plurality of said pre-conversion symbols displayed on said display by said first mechanism to a plurality of said post-conversion symbols, said trigger sequences comprising a subsequence of said keystrokes said subsequence comprising at least two of said keystrokes such that the first of said keystrokes in said subsequence causes said first mechanism to display one of said pre-conversion symbols, and the second of said keystrokes in said subsequence generates one of said symbol-in-put-end symbols, where said generated symbol-in-put-end symbols applies to said displayed pre-conversion symbol and where said second keystroke does not additionally display any of said pre-conversion symbols which follow in sequence in any sequence in said correspondence between sequences of pre-conversion symbols to post-conversion symbols, whereby upon recognition of one of said trigger sequences conversion of a plurality of said displayed pre-conversion symbols to a plurality of said post-conversion symbols is effected without the need for a keystroke on a dedicated convert key.
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Abstract
Languages based in whole or in part on ideographic characters such as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, are often are entered in a computerized text-entry system in a two-phase process. In the first phase, symbols from a first pre-conversion set are entered, then in the second phase, these pre-conversion symbols are converted into a second set of post-conversion symbols. This invention teaches a method and apparatus for the automatic conversion of pre-conversion symbols into post-conversion symbols without requiring an explicit conversion signal to be input by the user. It accomplishes this goal though the design of trigger sequences of keystrokes which are substantially functionally equivalent to an explicit conversion signal input by the user. An apparatus constructed according to the trigger sequence method is particularly well adapted for use on reduced keyboards, and in conjunction with predictive text-entry methods. Explicit constructions are shown for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A text-entry system based on trigger sequences comprising 1) a plurality of keys, 2) a plurality of pre-conversion symbols, 3) a plurality of post-conversion symbols, each of said post-conversion symbols set in a correspondence to a sequence of said pre-conversion symbols, 4) a plurality of symbol-input-end symbols, 5) a display to display symbols, 6) a first mechanism to display said pre-conversion symbols in response to keystrokes, and 7) a second mechanism to recognize trigger sequences and thereby trigger conversion of a plurality of said pre-conversion symbols displayed on said display by said first mechanism to a plurality of said post-conversion symbols, said trigger sequences comprising a subsequence of said keystrokes said subsequence comprising at least two of said keystrokes such that the first of said keystrokes in said subsequence causes said first mechanism to display one of said pre-conversion symbols, and the second of said keystrokes in said subsequence generates one of said symbol-in-put-end symbols, where said generated symbol-in-put-end symbols applies to said displayed pre-conversion symbol and where said second keystroke does not additionally display any of said pre-conversion symbols which follow in sequence in any sequence in said correspondence between sequences of pre-conversion symbols to post-conversion symbols, whereby upon recognition of one of said trigger sequences conversion of a plurality of said displayed pre-conversion symbols to a plurality of said post-conversion symbols is effected without the need for a keystroke on a dedicated convert key.
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16. A method for constructing trigger sequences for a text-entry system comprising the steps of 1) selecting a set of pre-conversion and post-conversion symbols, 2) selecting a text-entry mechanism, 3) determine the set of keystroke sequences which correspond to the set of possible texts to be entered using said text-entry system, 4) for each pre-conversion symbol generated by each of said keystroke sequence in said set of keystroke sequences, finding a subsequence of said keystrokes such that a) one of said keystrokes in said subsequence displays one of said pre-conversion symbol and b) another of said keystrokes in said subsequence i) generates a symbol-input-end symbol which applies to said one pre-conversion symbol, and ii) does not additionally display any of said pre-conversion symbols which follow said one pre-conversion symbol in any sequence of said pre-conversion symbols which correspond to one of said post-conversion symbols, and 5) returning to said step of selecting said set of said pre-conversion and said post-conversion symbols in the event that said step of finding said subsequences fails to produce satisfactory subsequences.
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17. A text-entry mechanism comprising 1) a plurality of keys, 2) an assignment of Hiragana to said plurality of keys in a substantially Iroha ordering, and 3) a mechanism to display said Hiragana in response to keystrokes.
Specification