Character and text unit input correction system

• US 7,119,794 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kong, Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US10/427,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20040217944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 345/157, 345/168, 345/173, 345/156, 345/169, 715/530, 715/533, 400/485, 400/486, 400/489, 341/22, 341/23, 341/33
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation

Abstract

An input device is disclosed that includes a sensor for editing characters and text units. The sensor has an elongate configuration and is laterally-oriented with respect to sides of the input device. The input device also includes a plurality of keys for entering individual characters or multiple characters that form the text units. By contacting the sensor, an incorrectly-entered text unit may be selected and replaced with an intended text unit. In order to select the incorrectly-entered text unit, the sensor may be contacted in a position that corresponds with a position of the text unit with respect to a display screen.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

an alphanumeric region having a plurality of depressible keys for entering characters associated with text units that are displayed on a display screen; and

an elongated, laterally-oriented, and touch-sensitive sensor positioned adjacent the alphanumeric region, the sensor having a plurality of zones distributed along a length of the sensor, each zone corresponding with a position at which the text units are rendered on a line of the display screen, and the sensor having a configuration wherein contacting one of the zones transmits a signal for selecting one of the text units positioned at a corresponding location on the line of the display screen.

2. The input device recited in claim 1, wherein the length of the sensor is at least four times a width of the sensor.

3. The input device recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor is positioned behind the alphanumeric region.

4. The input device recited in claim 1, wherein the input device is a keyboard.

5. The input device recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor is positioned adjacent the alphanumeric region.

6. The input device recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one text unit sensor supporting input element to assist in editing the text units.

7. The input device recited in claim 6, wherein the input element includes three discrete keys.

8. The input device recited in claim 6, wherein the input element includes a toggle key.

9. The input device recited in claim 6, wherein the toggle key is a three-way toggle key.

10. The input device recited in claim 1, wherein the zones are unmarked areas along the length of the sensor.

11. The input device recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor is positioned directly behind the alphanumeric region.