ADAPTIVE VIRTUAL KEYBOARD FOR HANDHELD DEVICE

• US 20140247221A1
• Filed: 05/13/2014
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bran Ferren
• Original Assignee: Bran Ferren
• Inventors: Ferren, Bran
• Granted Patent: US 9,195,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0065 having a beam-folding prism or mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/009 having zoom function
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 3/00 Focusing arrangements of general interest for cameras, projectors or printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/40 by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 : Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 : Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 : Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/165 : using facial parts and geometric relationships
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 : Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 : Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/45 : Detection of the body part being alive
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 : with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 : including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 : using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 : using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 : for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 : by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 : Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 : Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

In various embodiments, the size, shape, and arrangement of keys on a virtual keyboard may be determined based on touchscreen contacts made by the user. Further, the actual contact patch made by the user may be analyzed to interpret which point of contact was intended, and other factors such as spelling and context may also be considered. These factors may be determined based on a calibration session and/or on continuing inputs during operation of the keyboard, and applied to future operational interpretations of the touchscreen contacts.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a handheld device including a touchscreen for displaying a virtual keyboard, wherein the device is to;

detect a touch on the touchscreen by a user;

determine a location for a centroid of a contact patch for the touch; and

determine a location of an active point with respect to the centroid.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said determining the location of the centroid comprises:

receiving readings from multiple sensor points on the touchscreen located within the contact patch; and

calculating the centroid from the multiple sensor points.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said determining the location of the active point is based at least in part on one or more factors selected from a list consisting of:

the centroid of the contact patch;

a size of the contact patch;

a shape of the contact patch;

a difference in pressure sensed at the multiple points;

a location on the keyboard of the contact patch;

a positional relationship between the centroid and a keyboard key that is at least partly overlapped by the contact patch; and

a previous history of the positional relationship between the contact patch and the keyboard key.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said detecting a touch is to be performed during a calibration procedure for the keyboard.

5. A method, comprising:

sensing a touch on a touchscreen of a handheld electronic device;

determining a centroid for a contact patch of the touch; and

determining an active point for the contact patch, wherein the active point is a different location than the centroid.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said determining the active point is based at least in part on one or more factors selected from a list consisting of:

the centroid of the contact patch;

a size of the contact patch;

a shape of the contact patch;

a difference in pressure sensed at multiple points within the contact patch;

a location on the keyboard of the contact patch;

a positional relationship between the contact patch and a keyboard key that is at least partly overlapped by the contact patch; and

a previous history of the positional relationship between the contact patch and the keyboard key.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said sensing is performed during an initial calibration procedure for the keyboard.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said adjusting is performed during operational usage of the keyboard.

9. An article comprising

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising:

sensing a contact patch on a touchscreen of a handheld electronic device;

determining a centroid for a contact patch for the touch; and

determining an active point for the contact patch.

10. The article of claim 9, wherein the operation of determining the active point is based at least in part on one or more factors selected from a list consisting of:

a centroid of the contact patch;

a size of the contact patch;

a shape of the contact patch;

a difference in pressure sensed at the multiple points;

a location on the keyboard of the contact patch;

a positional relationship between the contact patch and a keyboard key that is at least partly overlapped by the contact patch;

a previous history of the positional relationship between the contact patch and the keyboard key.

11. The article of claim 9, wherein the operation of adjusting is performed during an initial calibration procedure for the keyboard.

12. The article of claim 9, wherein the operation of adjusting is performed during operational usage of the keyboard.