Finger activated reduced keyboard and a method for performing text input
First Claim
1. A reduced keyboard apparatus for word recognition in text input devices, adapted to be finger activated, the apparatus comprising;
- a keyboard adapted for displaying at least two letters and characterized by having no discrete boundary between the at least two letters, and adapted for enabling input of a word by a succession of finger-activated keystrokes on the keyboard, wherein a single keystroke on the keyboard activates an at least one keyboard region defined according to characteristics of the single keystroke and contains at least one letter candidate;
probability computing means for computing a probability value associated with the at least one letter candidate in the at least one keyboard region;
an at least one dictionary having an at least one word class categorized according to the first or last letters of an at least one word of the at least one dictionary, wherein the at least one word is associated with a frequency of use value; and
list builder means for generating an at least one candidate word list derived from the at least one word class of the at least one dictionary for providing a best candidate word for the input word based on the probability value associated with the at least one letter candidate, the number of keystrokes performed during input of a word, and the frequency of use value associated with the at least one candidate word.
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Abstract
A reduced keyboard apparatus and method for use with small-sized communications and computing devices. Input via the keyboard is performed using fingers or thumbs The keyboard is characterized by having no discrete boundaries between the included character spaces. The direction and the destination area of a keystroke do not have to be accurate and may correspond to a plurality of included character spaces. Each of the possible characters is provided with a probability value, continuously re-defined according to the specific keyboard area activated by the keystroke. The input of a word is defined by a sequence of keystrokes corresponding to the letters of the word. Subsequent to the completion of a keystroke sequence, the apparatus and method determine the identity of the word through a disambiguation process based on area density distribution. The apparatus and method enable fast, natural, and intuitive tapping on small keyboards having character areas much smaller than the user'"'"'s fingers while at the same time provide highly efficient word determination.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A reduced keyboard apparatus for word recognition in text input devices, adapted to be finger activated, the apparatus comprising;
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a keyboard adapted for displaying at least two letters and characterized by having no discrete boundary between the at least two letters, and adapted for enabling input of a word by a succession of finger-activated keystrokes on the keyboard, wherein a single keystroke on the keyboard activates an at least one keyboard region defined according to characteristics of the single keystroke and contains at least one letter candidate;
probability computing means for computing a probability value associated with the at least one letter candidate in the at least one keyboard region;
an at least one dictionary having an at least one word class categorized according to the first or last letters of an at least one word of the at least one dictionary, wherein the at least one word is associated with a frequency of use value; and
list builder means for generating an at least one candidate word list derived from the at least one word class of the at least one dictionary for providing a best candidate word for the input word based on the probability value associated with the at least one letter candidate, the number of keystrokes performed during input of a word, and the frequency of use value associated with the at least one candidate word. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for word recognition associated with finger activated text input on a reduced keyboard apparatus, the method comprising;
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inputting an at least one word through a keyboard adapted for displaying at least two letters and characterized by having no discrete boundary between the at least two letters, and adapted for enabling input of the at least one word by a succession of keystrokes on the keyboard, wherein a keystroke on the keyboard activates an at least one keyboard region defined according to characteristics of the keystroke and contains an at least one letter candidate therein, computing a probability value associated with the at least one letter candidate in the at least one keyboard region;
selecting at least one class of an at least one dictionary, the at least one dictionary comprising an at least one word class categorized according to the first or last letters of an at least one candidate word in the at least one dictionary with which an at least one input word is associated therewith thereby producing an at least one candidate word list, and successively eliminating and sorting words in the candidate word list to provide an at least one solution for the at least one input word;
wherein the step of eliminating and sorting weighs the probability value associated with the at least one letter candidate, the number of keystrokes performed during input of a word, and the frequency of use value of the at least one candidate word, and the maximum distortion. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a general purpose computer having a user interface comprising a screen display and a keyboard, the set of instructions comprising:
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an input routine associated with a finger activated keyboard adapted for displaying at least two letters and characterized by having no discrete boundary between the at least two letters, and adapted for enabling input of an at least one input word by a succession of keystrokes on the keyboard, wherein a keystroke on the keyboard activates an at least one keyboard region defined according to characteristics of the keystroke and contains an at least one letter candidate therein, a probability value computing routine computing a probability value associated with the at least one letter candidate in the at least one keyboard region; and
a class selection routine associated with an at least one dictionary, the at least one dictionary comprising an at least one word class categorized according to the first and last letters of an at least one word in the at least one dictionary to which the at least one input word could belong to produce an at least one candidate word list, and successively eliminating and sorting words in the candidate word list to provide an at least one solution for the at least one input word.
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24. A method for recognizing an at least one input word entered as text input constructed from a consecutive keystrokes on a reduced keyboard, the method comprising:
- calculating for each keystroke a letter probability value; and
activating a disambiguation process based on dynamic keyboard areas thereby providing disambiguation of the at least one input word entered. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
- calculating for each keystroke a letter probability value; and
Specification