Handwriting recognizer user interface methods

• US 7,502,017 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chee, Yin-Min, Ratzlaff, Eugene Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xiao; Ke
• Application Number:
  US11/943,260
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/179
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/387 using human interaction, e.g. selection of the best displayed recognition candidate

Abstract

A handwriting recognition device including a handwriting recognizing component such as a software application running on a microprocessor. A user interface includes a display having a stroke entry field for digitizing and displaying the strokes comprising one or more written characters, and also incorporates a character spacing indicator to indicate a new character entry field with an adjacent new word indicator to indicate a new word entry field. A recognized character display area is on the display substantially adjacent to the stroke entry and display field. The handwriting recognition component includes an output recognition buffer (ORB) for holding and correcting characters while the characters are being displayed in the recognized character display area.

Claims

1. A handwriting recognition device, comprising:

a handwriting recognizing component;

a user interface including a display having multiple horizontal lines including a center line and a base line for sizing writing strokes and characters in a vertical direction;

a stroke entry field for entering strokes forming written characters in a current character field of the stroke entry field forming a current character stroke set, the current character stroke set being written by multiple strokes, and the handwriting recognizing component interpreting the multiple strokes as comprising a single character;

a new character entry field next to and in a next character position from a character in the current character field indicating a position in the stroke entry field for entering a next character, the new character entry field being indicated by a bracket;

a new word entry field next to and less than a character width away from the bracket, the stroke entry field for entering strokes for a new word;

a visual spacing indicator as a broken vertical line between the new character entry field and the new word entry field such that entering strokes for the new word automatically inserts a space between the next character and the new word;

a current recognized character display area on the display substantially adjacent to and above the stroke entry field for displaying at least one current recognized character by the handwriting recognizing component, and the current recognized character and locations of the new character and new word entry fields and the visual spacing indicator being changed in response to adding strokes to the current character stroke set, and the handwriting recognizing component includes an output recognition buffer (ORB) for holding the at least one character in the buffer while the at least one character is being displayed in the recognized character display area, and the at least one character being displayed in an ORB recent recognition results display area such that recent;

drop down menus being initiated by a user for displaying alternative characters and alternative words;

wherein older stroke sets are displayed with a specified color and brightness and shift in a left direction wherein the oldest strokes fade away as the user enters strokes on the baseline wherein a left most side of the stroke entry field is cleared of old strokes and is available for new strokes; and

wherein the bracket wraps around the stroke entry field prompting the user to begin a new line at the left most side of the stroke entry field and the bracket simultaneously spans a right most side of the stroke entry field and the left most side of the stroke entry field.

2. A method for recognizing handwriting, comprising:

writing characters using multiple strokes in a stroke entry field on a display of a user interface;

displaying the digitalized strokes in a current character field of the stroke entry field, the stroke entry field having multiple horizontal lines including a center line and a base line for sizing writing strokes and characters in a vertical direction;

displaying the digitalized strokes in an ORB recent recognition results display area;

interpreting the multiple strokes as comprising a single character;

recognizing the written characters;

displaying recognized characters substantially adjacent to the current character field of the stroke entry field;

changing the recognized characters in response to changing the strokes in the stroke entry field;

displaying a new character entry field next to and in a next character position from a character in the current character field indicating a position in the stroke entry field for entering a next character, the new character entry field being indicated by a bracket;

displaying a new word entry field adjacent to the stroke entry field for entering strokes for a new word;

displaying a visual spacing indicator between the new character entry field and the new word entry field;

shifting the visual spacing indicator in relation to the changing of the recognized characters and the entry of the next characters

initiating drop down menus by a user for displaying alternative characters and alternative words;

displaying older stroke sets with a specified color and brightness and shifting in a left direction wherein the oldest stroke fades away as the user enters strokes on the baseline wherein a left most side of the stroke entry field is cleared of old strokes and is available for new strokes; and

wrapping the bracket around the stroke entry field to prompt the user to begin a new line at the left most side of the stroke entry field and the bracket simultaneously spans a right most side of the stroke entry field and the left most side of the stroke entry field.