Adjusting keyboard
First Claim
1. A keyboard for a computer comprising:
- a contact sensitive surface divided into areas to define keys for the keyboard wherein each key represents a character and the area of each key has a center point;
sensing means in conjunction with the contact sensitive surface for resolving contact with the contact sensitive surface to a contact point;
character selection means for selecting a character from the characters represented by the keys of the keyboard, the character selection means comprising;
contact point location means for determining the location of the contact point with respect to the nearest center points of a predetermined number of proximate keys and determining the distances of the contact point from the center points of each of the proximate keys;
occurrence frequency determination means for determining which character represented by the proximate keys has the greatest frequency of following a predetermined number of preceding characters previously selected by the character selection means; and
index calculation means for calculating a character index for each character represented by each proximate key as a function of the occurrence frequency and the distances of the contact point from the center points of each of the proximate keys.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An adjusting keyboard for a small, touch screen display for a personal digital assistant provides a system and method for selecting a character for entry when a key of the keyboard is struck off center. The system and method of the adjusting keyboard select the next character for entry from the keyboard based on the occurrence frequency of a predetermined number of previously entered characters and the distance the user has contacted the touch screen keyboard from the center points of proximate keys including the key actually contacted. Contact by the user within 0.2 of the key length from the center point of a key is considered a direct hit, and the character represented by that key is entered. For touch contacts beyond 0.2 of the length of the key from the center point of the key, the method of the present invention selects two adjacent keys and the key actually contacted and determines which of the characters represented by those three proximate keys is the most likely candidate for entry based on occurrence frequency and the distance between the contact point and the center points of each of the proximate keys. Once the character has been selected for entry, the occurrence frequency on that character is incremented in a table in memory to reflect occurrence frequency for that character based on the user'"'"'s own use. A word prediction algorithm can also be run in the background to enhance the character selection based on occurrence frequency.
517 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A keyboard for a computer comprising:
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a contact sensitive surface divided into areas to define keys for the keyboard wherein each key represents a character and the area of each key has a center point; sensing means in conjunction with the contact sensitive surface for resolving contact with the contact sensitive surface to a contact point; character selection means for selecting a character from the characters represented by the keys of the keyboard, the character selection means comprising; contact point location means for determining the location of the contact point with respect to the nearest center points of a predetermined number of proximate keys and determining the distances of the contact point from the center points of each of the proximate keys; occurrence frequency determination means for determining which character represented by the proximate keys has the greatest frequency of following a predetermined number of preceding characters previously selected by the character selection means; and index calculation means for calculating a character index for each character represented by each proximate key as a function of the occurrence frequency and the distances of the contact point from the center points of each of the proximate keys. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for selecting a character as a result of a user contact with a keyboard wherein the keyboard comprises a contact sensitive surface divided into areas to define keys for the keyboard, each key represents a character and the area of each key has a center point, the method comprises the steps of:
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a. resolving the user contact with the keyboard to a contact point; b. identifying a predetermined number of proximate keys having center points nearest the contact point; c. determining the distances of the contact point from the center points of each of the proximate keys; d. determining the occurrence frequency of each character represented by each proximate key based on a predetermined number of preceding characters; e. calculating a character index value for each of the characters represented by each proximate key, the index being a function of the occurrence frequency of the character and the distance of the center point of each proximate key from the contact point; f. selecting the character with the greatest character index value. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a program module for selecting a character as a result of a user contact with a keyboard wherein the keyboard comprises a contact sensitive surface divided into areas to define keys for the keyboard, each key represents a character and the area of each key has a center point, the program module comprising instructions which when executed by the computer, performs the steps of:
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a. resolving the user contact with the keyboard to a contact point; b. identifying a predetermined number of proximate keys having center points nearest the contact point; c. determining the distances of the contact point from the center points of each of the proximate keys; d. determining the occurrence frequency of each character represented by each proximate key based on a predetermined number of preceding characters; e. calculating a character index value for each of the characters represented by each proximate key, the index being a function of the occurrence frequency of the character and the distance of the center point of each proximate key from the contact point; f. selecting the character with the greatest character index value. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification