TEXT INPUT DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20090192786A1
• Filed: 07/28/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VL Collective IP, LLC (VideoLabs, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Neuer Wall Treuhand GmbH
• Inventors: Assadollahi, Ramin O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,374,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

The present invention relates to a text input device and a method for inputting text, and a computer program for performing the method. A text input device (200) is provided that comprises: a text prediction component for predicting candidate words in accordance with a current text context; a display screen (210) for displaying the predicted candidate words; a data entry device (220) having a navigation means (240) for selecting a direction to move a cursor on the display screen (210); and a processor receiving data from the data entry device (220) upon actuation of the navigation means (240). The processor arranges the candidate words on the display screen (210) in a spatial arrangement that reflects the selectable directions of the navigation means (240). The processor maps the currently displayed candidate words to the corresponding directions and selects a candidate word upon selection of a direction.

Claims

1. A text input method, comprising:

predicting candidate words for text input in accordance with a text context;

displaying a first set of predicted candidate words in a spatial arrangement which reflects the selectable directions of a navigational input device;

receiving user input in response to the actuation of the navigational input device; and

selecting a displayed candidate word based on the received user input;

wherein the candidate word is selected directly upon the selection of a direction that is selectable with the navigational input device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the candidate word is selected when a corresponding direction key of the navigational input device is pressed.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of:

mapping the currently displayed candidate words to the selectable directions of the navigational input device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the text context includes previously entered words and/or punctuation marks.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

updating the text context based on the selected candidate word;

determining updated candidate words for the updated text context; and

displaying the updated candidate words.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the candidate words are arranged in the spatial arrangement in accordance with their respective prediction relevance for the current text context.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the candidate word with the largest likelihood of succeeding the current text context is arranged for display in a preferred position which corresponds to an ‘

OK’

or ‘

Enter’

key of the navigational input device.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

displaying the previously selected candidate words as word string; and

arranging the currently displayed candidate words in the horizontal direction in accordance with the last displayed candidate word of the word string.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of:

adjusting the spatial arrangement of the displayed candidate words according to the length of the candidate words so that all candidate words fit on a display screen.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the adjusting step includes a vertical shifting of at least one displayed candidate word so as to avoid horizontal overlap of displayed candidate words.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of:

displaying a second set of candidate words having a smaller prediction score for the current text context.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the candidate word prediction includes the calculation of likelihoods for dictionary words following the current text context as precursor.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

receiving user input from input keys that are assigned to alphabetic characters;

updating the prediction of candidate words based on the received user input by limiting the candidate words to candidate words including the alphabetic characters associated with the actuated input keys.

22. A computer program product comprising computer readable instructions for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 1 when executed on the computer.

14. A text input device, comprising:

a text prediction component for predicting candidate words in accordance with a current text context;

a display screen for displaying the predicted candidate words;

a data entry device having a navigation means for selecting a direction to move a cursor on the display screen; and

a processor receiving data from the data entry device upon actuation of the navigation means;

wherein the processor arranges the candidate words on the display screen in a spatial arrangement that reflects the selectable directions of the navigation means, and

the processor maps the currently displayed candidate words to the corresponding directions and selects a candidate word upon selection of a direction.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the candidate word is selected directly when a direction key of the navigation means is actuated.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the arrangement of the candidate words is cross-shaped.

17. The device according to claim 14, wherein the navigation means comprises direction keys for indicating a direction to control cursor movement.

18. The device according to claim 14, wherein the navigation means comprises a rocker or joystick for indicating a direction to control cursor movement.

19. The device according to claim 14, wherein the data entry device comprises a telephone type keypad.

20. The device according to claim 14, comprising a word dictionary for storing possible candidate words, wherein the prediction component calculates prediction scores for the candidate words to succeed the present text context.

21. The device according to claim 14, further comprising a communications section to send and receive text messages, wherein the communications section is configured to send and receive the text messages via a wireless network.