LANGUAGE INPUT INTERFACE ON A DEVICE

• US 20090265669A1
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Guo, Hongwei, Vigil, Maria Celia, Kurita, Yosuke, Ording, Bas, Nishibori, Shin, Furches, Elizabeth Caroline, Masui, Toshiyuki, Kida, Yasuo, Goldsmith, Deborah Eileen, Collins, Leland Douglas JR., Takano, Takumi, Kocienda, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 8,949,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• 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 3/04886 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

Methods, systems, devices, and apparatus, including computer program products, for inputting text. A user interface element is presented on a touch-sensitive display of a device. The user interface element is associated with a plurality of characters, at least a subset of which is associated with respective gestures. A user input performing a gesture with respect to the user interface element is received. The character from the subset that is associated with the gesture performed with respect to the user interface element is inputted.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting a user interface element on a touch-sensitive display of a device, the user interface element being associated with a plurality of characters, wherein each of at least a subset of the plurality of characters is associated with a respective gesture with respect to the user interface element;

receiving user input performing a gesture with respect to the user interface element; and

inputting the character from the subset that is associated with the gesture performed with respect to the user interface element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of characters comprises Japanese kana symbols.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface element is a virtual key.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving input tapping the virtual key one or more times; and

inputting one of the plurality of characters based on the tapping of the virtual key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the respective gesture with respect to the user interface element comprises a flick with respect to the user interface element on the touch-sensitive display.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the subset of the plurality of characters is associated with a flick in a respective direction with respect to the user interface element.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising presenting a visual aid indicating the respective directions for the respective flicks.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the user interface element with animation in response to the gesture.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein presenting the user interface element with animation in response to the gesture comprises presenting the user interface element as a three-dimensional object that is rotating in response to the gesture.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein presenting the user interface element with animation in response to the gesture comprises presenting the user interface element as moving along with the gesture.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein presenting the user interface element with animation in response to the gesture comprises presenting a confirmation pop-up indicating the inputted character.

12. A portable device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

memory;

one or more processors; and

instructions stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the instructions comprising instructions to;

present a user interface element on a touch-sensitive display of a device, the user interface element being associated with a plurality of characters, wherein each of at least a subset of the plurality of characters is associated with a respective gesture with respect to the user interface element;

receive user input performing a gesture with respect to the user interface element; and

input the character from the subset that is associated with the gesture performed with respect to the user interface element.

13. A computer program product, encoded on a tangible program carrier, operable to cause a portable device to perform operations comprising:

presenting a user interface element on a touch-sensitive display of a device, the user interface element being associated with a plurality of characters, wherein each of at least a subset of the plurality of characters is associated with a respective gesture with respect to the user interface element;

receiving user input performing a gesture with respect to the user interface element; and

inputting the character from the subset that is associated with the gesture performed with respect to the user interface element.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving user input performing a gesture with respect to a user interface element on a touch-sensitive display of a device, wherein the user interface element is associated with a plurality of Japanese kana symbols; and

inputting one of the plurality of Japanese kana symbols based on the gesture with respect to the user interface element.

15. A method, comprising:

presenting a plurality of user interface elements on a touch-sensitive display of a device, each of the user interface elements being associated with a respective plurality of characters;

receiving user input performing one or more gestures with respect to the user interface elements; and

inputting one or more characters from the respective plurality of characters based on the gestures.