Character and text unit input correction system

• US 7,486,277 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• 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:
  US11/177,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20050248546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 341/22, 341/23, 341/33, 400/485, 400/486, 400/489, 715/530, 715/533
• 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. A method of replacing a first text unit on a line on a display with a second text unit, the method comprising the steps of:

contacting a sensor on an input device in a first position that corresponds with a relative position of the first text unit with respect to the line, wherein the input device includes a housing that is separate from the display;

displaying a list of potential text unit candidates on the display in a direction parallel with the line;

selecting the second text unit by contacting the sensor in a second position that corresponds with a relative position of the second text unit with respect to the list of potential text unit candidates; and

replacing the first text unit with the second text unit.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying a different set of potential text unit candidates in response to actuation of a toggle.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the said replacing step includes replacing a first character with a second character.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the said replacing step includes replacing a first word with a second word.

5. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a touch sensitive interface selection device, a method of replacing a first text unit on a line of the display with a second text unit, comprising:

detecting a first input signal from the touch sensitive interface selection device corresponding to a first contacted location on the touch sensitive interface selection device relative to a length of the touch sensitive interface selection device, wherein the touch sensitive interface selection device is positioned on a housing that is separate from the display, and wherein the first contacted location corresponds with a relative position of the first text unit with respect to the line;

displaying a list of potential text unit candidates corresponding to alternatives to the first text unit based on the detected first input signal;

detecting a second input signal from the touch sensitive interface selection device corresponding to a second contacted location on the touch sensitive interface selection device relative to the length of the touch sensitive interface selection device, wherein the second contacted location corresponds with the relative position of the second text unit with respect to the list of candidates; and

replacing the first text unit with the second text unit based on the second input signal.

6. The method recited in claim 5, wherein the displaying step includes displaying the list of potential text unit candidates on the display in a direction parallel with the line.

7. The method recited in claim 5, further comprising graphically accentuating the first text unit on the display in response to the input signal receiving step.

8. The method recited in claim 7, further comprising maintaining the graphical display of a cursor during the detecting, displaying, and replacing steps.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of claim 5.