Touch screen and graphical user interface

• US 7,821,503 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cerence Operating Company (Cerence Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tegic Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: James, Christina, Bradford, Ethan R., Longe, Michael R., Stephanick, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Srilakshmi K
• Application Number:
  US12/463,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20090213134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178 1801- 2004, 341/5
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A selective input system and associated method is provided which tracks the motion of a pointing device over a region or area. The pointing device can be a touchpad, a mouse, a pen, or any device capable of providing two or three-dimensional location. The region or area is preferably augmented with a printed or actual keyboard/pad. Alternatively, a representation of the location of the pointing device over a virtual keyboard/pad can be dynamically shown on an associated display. The system identifies selections of items or characters by detecting parameters of motion of the pointing device, such as length of motion, a change in direction, a change in velocity, and or a lack of motion at locations that correspond to features on the keyboard/pad. The input system is preferably coupled to a text disambiguation system such as a T9® or Sloppytype™ system, to improve the accuracy and usability of the input system.

Claims

1. A selective input system for a portable device, comprising:

a touchscreen for tracking X-Y motion that corresponds to interaction of a user with said touchscreen when said user performs one or more pointing actions by moving one or more fingers over an input area of said touchscreen;

a motion and position calculation module in communication with said touchscreen for receiving information therefrom corresponding to said user pointing actions and for identifying all of input data and device function and control commands based upon said information, said motion and position calculation module determining pointing actions embodied in specific X-Y motions of one or more of said user'"'"'s fingers comprising length of motion, change in direction, change in velocity, lack of motion, path start and end points, pointing, tapping, looping, and time-based motions and/or sequences of motions at one or more locations, simultaneously or sequentially, relative to said input area; and

a processor for receiving said input data and device function and control commands from said motion and position calculation module and form operating said portable device in accordance therewith;

wherein a threshold of change in direction comprises any of a curve having an estimated radius that is less than a threshold geometry, a comparison of the device path direction before and after a curve, a sharp cusp edge in the device path, and a comparison of path direction before and after a cusp.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the said motion is limited to motion of one or more user fingers on a planar surface of the region.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the input area comprises a region in any of a portable digital assistant, a portable telephone, a mobile telephone, a portable computer, and a portable game device.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for disambiguating at least one determined position that corresponds to an alternate selection.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the disambiguation means comprises:

a display of the alternate selection; and

a selectable choice by the user between the determined position and the alternate selection.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for providing feedback to a user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the feedback comprises any of visual feedback and audio feedback.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the visual feedback comprises any of an ink trail corresponding to the determined device path, a font change, a color change, a reverse video color, an alternate background color, an underline, bold face text, italic text, and a text outline.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the audio feedback comprises any of a tone indicating system confidence in any of tracking and selection, a sound indicating any of a selection and an entry, and an acoustic message.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

logic for determining a distance between a current location of the user'"'"'s one or more fingers and selectable positions within the touchscreen;

logic for determining a selectable position which is closest to the current location of the user'"'"'s one or more fingers; and

a highlight corresponding to the determined closest selectable position.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the highlight comprises any of a display and a magnification of the determined closest selectable position.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for disambiguating at least one subsequent position based upon a contextual comparison between the subsequent position and stored information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the stored information comprises any of language, characters, and words.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the disambiguation means comprises:

a spell check function for one or more selected positions; and

a choice for the user of results of the spell check function.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a disambiguation of at least one subsequent position that does not clearly indicate a selected position within the touchscreen.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the disambiguation comprises:

a display of at least one selectable position which may correspond to the subsequent position that does not clearly indicate a selected position within the touchscreen; and

a selectable choice for the user of the at least one selectable position.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected positions correspond to any of characters, menu selections, and functions.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of interfaces comprising a plurality of selected position within the touchscreen; and

means for switching between the interfaces.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for switching between the interfaces comprises a selection by a user pointing action.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for switching between the interfaces comprises a supplementary control.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

logic for predicting a default selection; and

means for accepting the predicted default selection.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the predicted default selection comprises a word.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the accepting means comprises a user pointing action comprising any of a directional input, a button selection, a menu selection, a list selection, and a functional input.