Pen input method and device for pen computing system

• US 7,911,452 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yang, Sung-Chul, Kang, Min-Jeong, Yu, Han-Il
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/716,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20040100454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,681 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178 1801- 1804, 178 1901- 1904
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A pen input device and method for a pen computing system. This device includes a touch screen panel mounted on a display screen, an electronic device interfaced with the panel, and a pen for inputting data. When a user handwrites a character, or a symbol on the screen panel, a stream of points is displayed on the touch screen panel to express the handwritten character equivalent to a character handwritten on a paper using a pen. When a user draws a boundary line having a specific shape on the touch screen panel using a pen, the pen input device forms a new entry field inside the boundary line. The user can enter a handwritten character or number in the entry field. In response to this entry, the pen input device converts the entered handwritten character or symbol to a computer text or instruction word. The pen input device also enables the user to determine the attributes and size of the generated entry field.

Claims

1. A pen input device comprising:

a touch screen panel for receiving a pen input from a user and displaying input data corresponding to the received pen input;

an entry field generating portion for generating at least one displayed entry field substantially surrounded by a boundary line when the user draws the boundary line for forming an entry frame;

a controller for resizing the entry field to be suitable for the input data'"'"'s size whenever input data is input to the generated entry field, wherein resizing the entry field includes modifying at least one of a displayed length and a displayed width of the entry field; and

a memory unit for storing recognition information related to the entry field and the input data.

2. The pen input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the entry field generating portion generates the entry field by smoothing the boundary line based on a previously stored entry frame shape.

3. The pen input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the entry field includes a virtual cell with a size that is adjusted to be suitable for the size of the input data.

4. The pen input device as set forth in claim 3, wherein, when the input data is handwritten data, the controller detects a beginning point and an end point of strokes of the handwritten data, and, provides information of a finally modified size of the virtual cell obtained when the end point is detected in the entry field generating portion.

5. The pen input device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the entry field generating portion newly sets the entry field'"'"'s size based on the information of the finally modified size of the virtual cell.

6. The pen input device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the controller recognizes the handwritten data of the virtual cell as one stroke group, and converts the recognized handwritten data to computer-recognizable data.

7. The pen input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein, in response to a user'"'"'s request, the controller sets an inherent attribute of a virtual cell of the entry field.

8. The pen input device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the controller duplicates the entry field to generate a page-based database and enables the memory unit to store the page-based database.

9. The pen input device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the inherent attribute defines the entry field to be one of a fixed entry field in which the virtual cell'"'"'s size and the input data cannot be modified by the user and a reserved entry field in which the virtual cell'"'"'s size and the input data can be modified by the user, and defines a type of the entry data.

10. The pen input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the generated entry field is resized according to whether the data input to the generated entry field extends beyond a boundary of the generated entry field.

11. The pen input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the generated entry field is displayed as an empty entry field.

12. A pen input method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating, when a user draws a boundary line for forming an entry frame through a pen input on a touch screen panel, at least one displayed entry field insidesubstantiallv surrounded by the boundary line;

(b) generating a virtual cell corresponding to the entry field for entering data;

(c) modifying the virtual cell'"'"'s size in real time in response to entry of data into the virtual cell; and

(d) when the entry of the data into the virtual cell is completed, resizing the entry field to be suitable for the entry of the data'"'"'s size, wherein resizing the entry field includes modifying at least one of a displayed length and a displayed width of the entry field.

13. The pen input method as set forth in claim 12, wherein, in the step (a), generating the at least one displayed entry field includes smoothing the boundary line based on a previously stored entry frame shape.

14. The pen input method as set forth in claim 12, wherein, when the data entered into the virtual cell is handwritten data, the step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c1) detecting a beginning point and an end point of the handwritten data;

(c2) modifying the virtual cell'"'"'s size while displaying a trace of the handwritten data; and

(c3) storing information on the modified virtual cell'"'"'s size during a period until the end point is detected.

15. The pen input method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the step of:

(e) in response to a user'"'"'s request, setting an inherent attribute of the virtual cell of the entry field.

16. The pen input method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the inherent attribute defines the entry field to be one of a fixed entry field in which the virtual cell'"'"'s size and the entered data cannot be modified by the user, and a reserved entry field in which the virtual cell'"'"'s size, and the entered data can be modified by the user, and the inherent attribute defines a type of the entry data.

17. The pen input method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

(f) in response to a user'"'"'s request, duplicating the entry field to generate a page-based database; and

(g) storing the generated page-based database in a memory.

18. The pen input method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the step of:

(h) recognizing handwritten data entered into the virtual cell as one stroke group, and converting the recognized handwritten data to computer-recognizable data.

19. The pen input method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the generated entry field is resized according to whether the data input to the generated entry field extends a beyond boundary of the generated entry field.

20. The pen input method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the generated entry field is displayed as an empty entry field.