Data Entry System and Method of Entering Data

• US 20080285857A1
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerence Operating Company (Cerence Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Sharan, Santosh, Dodgson, Graham
• Granted Patent: US 8,462,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/209
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• 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 method and apparatus for entering words into a computer system. Letters contained in a desired word are entered by giving approximate location and directional information relative to any specified keyboard layout. The inputs need not correspond to specific keys on the keyboard, a sequence of ambiguous key-entries corresponding to individual words can be used to retrieve a word from the dictionary. The system tracks directional information of movement relative to a/the specific keyboard layout, reducing it to predetermined primary directions and translates this seemingly ambiguous information into accurate words from the dictionary. The system may also capture the user'"'"'s intention (with regard to text entry) by observing the movements on the keyboard.

Claims

1-48. -48. (canceled)

49. A method of entering information into at least one interface, the at least one interface having a plurality of discrete input locations, each discrete input location of the plurality of discrete input locations being actuatable and having a position relative to other discrete input locations of the plurality of discrete input locations, the method comprising:

receiving an input sequence of actuated discrete input locations from the at least one interface;

converting the input sequence into a directional sequence based at least in part on the position of each actuated discrete input location;

determining at least one candidate sequence of symbols based at least in part on the directional sequence; and

storing the at least one candidate sequence of symbols on a storage medium.

50. The method according to claim 49, wherein receiving an input sequence includes receiving an input sequence from a keyboard.

51. The method according to claim 49, wherein receiving an input sequence includes receiving an input sequence from a virtual keyboard.

52. The method according to claim 49, wherein each of the plurality of discrete input locations is associated with at least one region, and wherein converting the input sequence includes converting the input sequence into a directional sequence based at least in part on the region associated with each actuated discrete input location.

53. The method according to claim 49, wherein converting the input sequence includes converting the input sequence into a directional sequence including at least one selected from up, down, left and right.

54. The method according to claim 49, wherein determining the at least one candidate sequence of symbols includes comparing the directional sequence to a predefined pattern.

55. The method according to claim 49, wherein determining the at least one candidate sequence of symbols includes determining at least one word.

56. The method according to claim 49, further comprising providing the at least one candidate sequence of symbols to a user of a computer.

57. The method according to claim 49, further comprising providing the at least one candidate sequence of symbols to a user of a handheld computer.

58. The method according to claim 49, further comprising providing the at least one candidate sequence of symbols to a computer program.

59. A device comprising:

a storage medium;

a plurality of discrete input locations, each discrete input location of the plurality of discrete input locations being actuatable and having a position relative to other discrete input locations of the plurality of discrete input locations;

a controller coupled to the storage medium and the plurality of discrete input locations and configured to;

receive an input sequence of actuated discrete input locations;

convert the input sequence into a directional sequence based at least in part on the position of each of the actuated discrete input locations;

determine at least one candidate sequence of symbols based at least in part on the directional sequence; and

store the at least one candidate sequence of symbols on the storage medium.

60. The device according to claim 59, wherein the plurality of discrete input locations resides on a virtual keyboard.

61. The device according to claim 59, wherein the device includes a computer system.

62. The device according to claim 59, wherein the device includes a handheld computer.

63. The device according to claim 59, further comprising a display and wherein the controller is coupled to the display and configured to present the sequence of symbols to a user of the device.

64. The device according to claim 59, wherein the storage medium includes predefined patterns corresponding to sequences of symbols and wherein the controller is further configured to determine the at least one candidate sequence of symbols by comparing the directional sequence to the predefined patterns.

65. The device according to claim 59, wherein each of the plurality of discrete input locations is associated with at least one region.

66. The device according to claim 65, wherein the at least one region includes at least two regions that overlap.

67. A device comprising:

a means for actuating a plurality of discrete input locations, each of the plurality of discrete input locations having a position relative to other discrete input locations; and

a means for converting at least one actuated discrete input location of the plurality of discrete input locations into a directional sequence based at least in part on the position of the at least one actuated discrete input location of the plurality of discrete input locations.

68. The device according to claim 67 wherein the directional sequence includes one selected from the group of up, down, left and right.

69. The device according to claim 67, further comprising a means for determining at least one candidate sequence of symbols based at least in part on the directional sequence.