HANDWRITING RECOGNITION IN ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20100245230A1
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Yaun, Shijun
• Granted Patent: US 8,760,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/987 with the intervention of an operator
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/244 using graphical properties, e.g. alphabet type or font

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of inputting characters into a handheld device, comprising steps of: reading handwriting information; recognizing said handwriting information in one active recognition mode and at least one inactive recognition mode; displaying at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one inactive recognition mode; and inputting into said handheld device a desired character candidate selected by a user among said character candidates being displayed. The present invention also provides a corresponding apparatus for inputting characters into a handheld device, and a related handheld device. A user no longer needs to designate handwriting recognition modes, and recognition accuracy is greatly improved.

Claims

1. A method of inputting characters into a handheld device, comprising:

reading handwriting information;

recognizing said handwriting information in one active recognition mode and at least one inactive recognition mode;

displaying at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one inactive recognition mode; and

inputting into said handheld device a desired character candidate selected by a user among character candidates being displayed.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting an inactive recognition mode as a new active recognition mode, if a character candidate obtained in said inactive recognition mode is selected by said user.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting an inactive recognition mode as a new active recognition mode upon said user'"'"'s selection.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

updating said character candidates after said setting an inactive recognition mode as a new active recognition mode.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of character candidates obtained in said active recognition mode are displayed, and a less number of character candidates obtained in each of said at least one inactive recognition mode are displayed.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and said at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one inactive recognition mode are displayed in such a consistent manner that it is easier for said user to select said desired character candidate.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode is displayed in leading positions of a display window.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein displaying order of said at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and said at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one inactive recognition mode is the same as that of buttons for activating said recognition modes.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said active recognition mode and said at least one inactive recognition mode are selected from a group consisting of:

ideographic character mode,

digit mode,

Latin alphabet mode, and

special character mode.

38. The method according to claim 3, further comprising updating said character candidates after said setting an inactive recognition mode as a new active recognition mode.

10. An apparatus for inputting characters into a device, comprising:

a graphic writing pad, for reading handwriting information;

a handwriting recognition engine, for recognizing said handwriting information in one active recognition mode and at least one inactive recognition mode;

a display, for displaying at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one inactive recognition mode; and

means for inputting into said device a desired character candidate selected by a user among character candidates being displayed.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said handwriting recognition engine sets an inactive recognition mode as a new active recognition mode, if a character candidate obtained in said inactive recognition mode is selected by said user.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said handwriting recognition engine sets an inactive recognition mode as a new active recognition mode upon said user'"'"'s selection.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said handwriting recognition engine updates said character candidates after said new active recognition mode is set.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said display displays a plurality of character candidates obtained in said active recognition mode, and a less number of character candidates obtained in each of said at least one inactive recognition mode.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said display displays said at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and said at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one inactive recognition mode in such a consistent manner that it is easier for said user to select said desired character candidate.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said display displays said at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode in leading positions of a display window.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein displaying order of said at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and said at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one in active recognition mode is the same as that of buttons for activating said recognition modes.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said active recognition mode and said at least one inactive recognition mode are selected from a group consisting of:

ideographic character mode,

digit mode,

Latin alphabet mode, and

special character mode.

39. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said handwriting recognition engine updates said character candidates after said new active recognition mode is set.

19. A handheld device, comprising:

a graphic writing pad, for reading handwriting information;

a handwriting recognition engine, for recognizing said handwriting information in one active recognition mode and at least one inactive recognition mode;

a display, for displaying at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one inactive recognition mode; and

means for inputting a desired character candidate selected by a user among character candidates being displayed.

20. The handheld device according to claim 19, wherein said handwriting recognition engine sets an inactive recognition mode as a new active recognition mode, if a character candidate obtained in said inactive recognition mode is selected by said user.

21. The handheld device according to claim 19, wherein said handwriting recognition engine sets an inactive recognition mode as a new active recognition mode upon said user'"'"'s selection.

22. The handheld device according to claim 20, wherein said handwriting recognition engine updates said character candidates after said new active recognition mode is set.

23. The handheld device according to claim 19, wherein said display displays a plurality of character candidates obtained in said active recognition mode, and a less number of character candidates obtained in each of said at least one inactive recognition mode.

24. The handheld device according to claim 19, wherein said display displays said at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and said at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one inactive recognition mode in such a consistent manner that it is easier for said user to select said desired character candidate.

25. The handheld device according to claim 24, wherein said display displays said at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode in leading positions of a display window.

26. The handheld device according to claim 24, wherein displaying order of said at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and said at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one inactive recognition mode is the same as that of buttons for activating said recognition modes.

27. The handheld device according to claim 19, wherein said active recognition mode and said at least one inactive recognition mode are selected from a group consisting of:

ideographic character mode,

digit mode,

Latin alphabet mode, and

special character mode.

40. The handheld device according to claim 21, wherein said handwriting recognition engine updates said character candidates after said new active recognition mode is set.

28. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for inputting characters into a handheld device, the storage medium including instructions for causing a processor to

read handwriting information;

recognize said handwriting information in one active recognition mode and at least one inactive recognition mode;

display at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one inactive recognition mode; and

input into said handheld device a desired character candidate selected by a user among character candidates being displayed.

29. The storage medium according to claim 28 encoded with machine-readable computer program code for inputting characters into a handheld device, the storage medium including instructions for causing a processor to set an inactive recognition mode as a new active recognition mode, if a character candidate obtained in said inactive recognition mode is selected by said user.

30. The storage medium according to claim 28 encoded with machine-readable computer program code for inputting characters into a handheld device, the storage medium including instructions for causing a processor to set an inactive recognition mode as a new active recognition mode upon said user'"'"'s selection.

31. The storage medium according to claim 29 encoded with machine-readable computer program code for inputting characters into a handheld device, the storage medium including instructions for causing a processor to update said character candidates after said setting an inactive recognition mode as a new active recognition mode.

32. The storage medium according to claim 30 encoded with machine-readable computer program code for inputting characters into a handheld device, the storage medium including instructions for causing a processor to update said character candidates after said setting an inactive recognition mode as a new active recognition mode.

33. The storage medium according to claim 28 encoded with machine-readable computer program code for inputting characters into a handheld device, wherein a plurality of character candidates obtained in said active recognition mode are displayed, and a less number of character candidates obtained in each of said at least one inactive recognition mode are displayed.

34. The storage medium according to claim 28 encoded with machine-readable computer program code for inputting characters into a handheld device, wherein said at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and said at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one inactive recognition mode are displayed in such a consistent manner that it is easier for said user to select said desired character candidate.

35. The storage medium according to claim 34 encoded with machine-readable computer program code for inputting characters into a handheld device, wherein said at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode is displayed in leading positions of a display window.

36. The storage medium according to claim 34 encoded with machine-readable computer program code for inputting characters into a handheld device, wherein displaying order of said at least one character candidate obtained in said active recognition mode and said at least one character candidate obtained in said at least one inactive recognition mode is the same as that of buttons for activating said recognition modes.

37. The storage medium according to claim 28 encoded with machine-readable computer program code for inputting characters into a handheld device, wherein said active recognition mode and said at least one inactive recognition mode are selected from a group consisting of ideographic character mode, digit mode, Latin alphabet mode, and special character mode.