System and method for accelerating Chinese text input

• US 7,013,258 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2001
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhai, Shumin, Su, Hui, Wang, Jingtao
• Primary Examiner(s): Knepper, David D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Han, Qi
• Application Number:
  US09/801,979
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• Field of Search: 704/1, 704/3, 345/688, 345/808
• US Class Current: 704/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/018 Input/output arrangements for oriental characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars

Abstract

A Chinese text entry system with eye-tracking technique can be used for computer input of Chinese characters. The system is comprised of two main components: the Chinese pinyin software and the eye-tracking system. Chinese characters corresponding to pinyin input are selected from a list of candidate characters by selecting the proper character through eye-tracking identification and confirming the selection by pressing a readily accessible confirmation key. The Chinese pinyin software implements pinyin input at both the character and word level, choosing from multiple character or word homonyms as pinyin is entered. The system uses eye-tracking technology that is only used to identify the correct Chinese character, with the character selection and entry occurring when the confirmation key is pressed.

Claims

1. A method of inputting text entry of a logographic based language, comprising:

typing at least some initial pinyin characters representing a logographic based text;

based on the typed initial pinyin characters, displaying one or more candidate logographic characters for a target logographic character among the candidate logographic characters;

tracking a user'"'"'s eye natural looking position at the displayed candidate logographic characters;

based on the user'"'"'s eye natural looking position, pre-selecting one or by visibly emphasizing the candidate logographic characters, without requiring deliberate staring at the pre-selected one or more candidate logographic characters, in order to select the target logographic character; and

selecting the target logographic character from among the one or more pre-selected candidate logographic characters by multiplexing the user'"'"'s eye natural looking position and a single confirmation input command.

2. The method of claim 1, further including activating the single confirmation input command by manually pressing a single confirmation key.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of displaying one or more candidate characters includes displaying Chinese characters.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of pre-selecting one or more candidate characters includes highlighting the pre-selected candidate characters.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of pressing the single confirmation key includes pressing any one or more of:

a space bar, a control key, an enter key, a dedicated key, a foot pedal, a mouse button, a pad tap.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of activating the single confirmation input command includes entering a voice command.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of displaying includes displaying the candidate characters in order of frequency of usage.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of displaying includes displaying a most frequently used candidate character in a pre-selected position.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of displaying includes displaying the candidate characters in a single row.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of displaying includes displaying the candidate characters in a staggered arrangement.

11. A system for accelerating text entry of a logographic based language, comprising:

an input device for typing at least some initial Pinyin characters representing a logographic based text;

an eye-tracking apparatus that monitors a user'"'"'s eye natural looking position;

a display for visually displaying logographic characters of the logographic based language based on the typed initial characters;

an input tracking bar that displays inputted characters;

a panel that displays the logographic characters based on the typed initial characters, and that allows a pre-selection of the one or more candidate logographic characters by visibly emphasizing the candidate logographic characters and by tracking the user'"'"'s eye natural looking position without requiring deliberate staring at the preselected one or more candidate characters, in order to select a target character;

a user input device that generates a single confirmation input command for enabling the selection of the target character by multiplexing the user'"'"'s eye natural looking position and the single confirmation input command; and

a character output area that displays the selected target character.

12. The system of claim 11, further including a scrolling indicator that enables scrolling action between multiple pages.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the single confirmation input command includes a single manual confirmation key.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the single confirmation key includes any one or more of:

a space bar, a control key, an enter key, a dedicated key, a foot pedal, a mouse button, a pad tap.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the candidate characters include Chinese characters.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the eye-tracking apparatus visually highlights pre-selected candidate characters.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the single confirmation input command includes a voice command.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the display displays candidate characters in order of frequency of usage.

19. A computer program product having a plurality of executable instruction codes for inputting text entry of a logographic based language, comprising:

an input device for typing at least some initial Pinyin characters representing a logographic based text;

a first set of instruction codes for displaying logographic characters for a target character among the candidate characters, based on the typed initial characters;

a second set of instruction codes for tracking a user'"'"'s eye natural looking position;

a third set of instruction codes for pre-selecting logographic characters, by visibly emphasizing the candidate logographic characters based on the user'"'"'s eye natural looking position, without requiring deliberate staring at the pre-selected one or more candidate characters, in order to select the target character; and

a fourth set of instruction codes for selecting the target character from among the one or more pre-selected candidate characters by multiplexing the user'"'"'s eye natural looking position and a single confirmation input command.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further including a sixth set of instruction codes for activating the single confirmation input command by manually pressing a single confirmation key.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the first set of instruction codes displays Chinese characters.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the third set of instruction codes pre-selects the one or more candidate characters by highlighting the pre-selected candidate characters.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the single confirmation key includes any one or more of:

a space bar, a control key, an enter key, a dedicated key, a foot pedal, a mouse button, a pad tap.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the sixth set of instruction codes activates the single confirmation input command in response to a voice command.