CHARACTER INPUT DEVICE AND INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE

• US 20150253986A1
• Filed: 02/09/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Nakano, Mayu, Nakayama, Takuya
• Granted Patent: US 10,303,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• 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 3/04883 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 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability

Abstract

A character input device that sets a keyboard image and an input character display area on a touch panel, the keyboard image including a plurality of character keys and that receives operation on the keyboard image. The character input device identifies a subregion including a touch detection point from among subregions set based on the defining information relating a character key detected to be touched, and sets a plurality of discriminating regions so that the discriminating regions are distributed based on the identified subregion. Each of the plurality of discriminating regions corresponds to the plurality of characters assigned to the character key. When a touch release is detected, a character that corresponds to the discriminating region including the detection point of the touch release is selected as an input character. The character is then displayed on the input character display area of the touch panel.

Claims

1. A character input device connected to a touch panel, the character input device for setting a keyboard image and an input character display area on the touch panel, the keyboard image including a plurality of character keys each having a plurality of characters assigned thereto;

when a touch on any one of the plurality of character keys on the keyboard image is detected, for selecting one character out of the plurality of characters assigned to the character key detected to have been touched in accordance with change in a touch position after detection of the touch; and

for displaying a selected character on the input character display area, the character input device comprising;

a defining information storage unit that stores a defining information used to divide each of the character keys into a plurality of subregions;

a discriminating region setting unit that sets a plurality of discriminating regions to a character key where a touch is detected such that the discriminating regions are distributed based on a position of a subregion that comprises a detection point of the touch, the subregion is one of the plurality of subregions set based on the defining information relating to the character key and stored in the defining information storage unit, each of the plurality of discriminating regions corresponds to the plurality of characters assigned to the character key; and

an input character selection unit that selects, as the character displayed on the input character display area, a character that corresponds to a discriminating region, out of the plurality of discriminating regions set by the discriminating region setting unit, where a touch release was detected after detection of the touch.

2. The character input device according to claim 1, wherein:

one of the plurality of characters assigned to each character key is defined as a representative character, and

the discriminating region setting unit comprises;

a first setting unit that sets a discriminating region of the representative character that is assigned to the character key detected to have been touched, in a range comprising the detection point of the touch, the discriminating region is sized according to one of the subregions set based on the defining information relating to the character key; and

a second setting unit that sets discriminating regions for characters other than the representative character, around the discriminating region set by the first setting unit for the representative character in directions different from each other with respect to the discriminating region of the representative character.

3. The character input device according to claim 2, wherein the first setting unit sizes the discriminating region of the representative character based on the subregion comprising the touch detection point and sets one point within the subregion as a central point of the discriminating region of the representative character.

4. The character input device according to claim 2, wherein the first setting unit sets the discriminating region for the representative character by positioning the discriminating region in alignment with the subregion comprising the touch detection point, the discriminating region enclosing the subregion when the discrimination region is positioned in alignment with the subregion.

5. The character input device according to claim 2, wherein:

the character input device comprises a second defining information storage unit that stores defining information relating to setting of the discriminating regions by the first setting unit, for each of the plurality of subregions set based on the defining information of the defining information storage unit, and

the first setting unit reads the defining information corresponding to the subregion that comprises the touch detection point from the second defining information storage unit and sets the discriminating region for the representative character by reading the defining information.

6. The character input device according to claim 1, wherein the discriminating region setting unit sets the plurality of discriminating regions, each discriminating region corresponds to the plurality of characters assigned to the character key detected to have been touched such that the plurality of discriminating regions are in directions different from each other with respect to the subregion that comprises the touch detection point.

7. A character input device connected to a touch panel, the character input device for setting a keyboard image and an input character display area on the touch panel, the keyboard image comprising a plurality of character keys each having a plurality of character elements assigned thereto;

when a touch on any one of the character keys on the keyboard image is detected, for selecting one character element out of character elements assigned to the character key detected to have been touched in accordance with change in a touch position after detection of the touch; and

for displaying a selected character element on the input character display area, the character input device comprising;

a defining information storage unit that stores a defining information used to divide each of the character keys into a plurality of subregions;

a discriminating region setting unit that sets a plurality of discriminating regions to a character key where a touch is detected such that the discriminating regions are distributed based on a position of a subregion that comprises a detection point of the touch, the subregion is one of the plurality of subregions set based on the defining information relating to the character key and stored in the defining information storage unit, the discriminating regions individually correspond to the plurality of character elements assigned to the character key; and

an input character selection unit that selects, as the character element displayed on the input character display area, a character element that corresponds to a discriminating region, out of the plurality of discriminating regions set by the discriminating region setting unit, where a touch release was detected after the detection of the touch.

8. An information processing device comprising:

a touch panel; and

a character input device for setting a keyboard image and an input character display area on the touch panel, the keyboard image comprising a plurality of character keys each having a plurality of characters assigned thereto;

when a touch on any one of the character keys on the keyboard image is detected, for selecting one character out of the plurality of characters assigned to the character key detected to have been touched in accordance with change in a touch position after detection of the touch; and

for displaying a selected character on the input character display area, the character input device comprising;

a defining information storage unit that stores a defining information used to divide each of the character plurality of keys into a plurality of subregions;

a discriminating region setting unit that sets a plurality of discriminating regions to a character key where a touch is detected such that the discriminating regions are distributed based on a position of a subregion that comprises a detection point of the touch, the subregion is one of subregions set based on the defining information relating to the character key and stored in the defining information storage unit, each of the plurality of discriminating regions corresponds to the plurality of characters assigned to the character key; and

an input character selection unit that selects, as the character displayed on the input character display area, a character that corresponds to a discriminating region, out of the plurality of discriminating regions set by the discriminating region setting unit, where a touch release was detected after detection of the touch.

9. A computer operatively connected to a touch panel and operates as a character input device by a program installed in the computer, the character input device having functions of:

setting a keyboard image and an input character display area on the touch panel, the keyboard image comprising a plurality of character keys each having a plurality of characters assigned thereto;

when a touch on any one of the character keys on the keyboard image is detected, selecting one character out of the plurality of characters assigned to the character key detected to have been touched in accordance with a change in a touch position after detection of the touch; and

displaying a selected character on the input character display area, wherein the character input device comprising;

a defining information storage unit that stores a defining information used for dividing each of the plurality of character keys into a plurality of subregions;

a discriminating region setting units that sets a plurality of discriminating regions to a character key where a touch is detected such that the discriminating regions are distributed based on a position of a subregion that comprises a detection point of the touch, the subregion is one of the plurality of subregions set based on the defining information relating to the character key and stored in the defining information storage unit, each of the plurality of discriminating regions corresponds to the plurality of characters assigned to the character key;

an input character selection unit that selects, as the character displayed on the input character display area, a character that corresponds to a discriminating region, out of the plurality of discriminating regions set by the discriminating region setting unit, where a touch release was detected after detection of the touch.