Method and apparatus for text entry

• US 8,669,941 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerence Operating Company (Cerence Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Sharan, Santosh, Gavish, Amnon, Sigel, Greg, Kessler, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Hong
• Application Number:
  US12/500,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20100171700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173, 341 22- 24, 715/867, 715/864, 715/851, 715/857, 715/858, 715/840, 715825-826, 715/816, 715/773, 715/863
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks

Abstract

A method and apparatus for text input is provided. The method includes the steps of dividing the letters of a keyboard into a plurality of zones, each zone including one or more letters and designating a jumper key associated with each of the plurality of zones from the letters in each zone. A user indication of a selected jumper key is received, and all of the keys in the zone associated with the selected jumper key are then selected.

Claims

1. A method for data input, comprising the steps of:

dividing an input selection device into multiple non-overlapping zones,

wherein each non-overlapping zone includes two or more individual alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators,

wherein one of the alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators in each non-overlapping zone is a jumper selector, and

wherein the number of non-overlapping zones is less than the number of individual alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators of the input selection device;

receiving a user indication of two or more jumper selectors, wherein each jumper selector corresponds to a selected non-overlapping zone;

collecting, into two or more characters sets, all of the individual alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators associated with each selected non-overlapping zone;

entering a sequence of the character sets into a parsing algorithm; and

identifying, by the parsing algorithm and without further user input, one or more suggested words from a dictionary,

wherein the identifying is based on the sequence of character sets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each alphabetic or alphanumeric jumper selector is an alphanumeric keyboard button on the input selection device associated with a non-overlapping zone, and wherein receiving a user indication of a jumper selector comprises the user pressing the button.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the input selection device is a virtual keyboard or diagram comprising numbers and symbols of an alphabet;

and wherein the user indication of two or more jumper selectors is received via a user input device configured to select portions of the virtual keyboard or diagram.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the input selection device is a keyboard with push-button characters.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an intended word input, from among the one or more suggested words, based on the sequence of character sets.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each jumper selector is associated with a particular input button on a remote device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each jumper selector may be selected by pointing at the jumper selector with a pointing device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a haptic response is provided to a user when the pointing device is moved onto or off of a jumper selector.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each jumper selector may be selected, in part, by a direction indication from a joystick or a group of directional keys.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the input selection device is a QWERTY keyboard.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining one or more errors in the user indication of a jumper selector; and

modifying the set of alphabetic or alphanumeric characters in accordance with the determined one or more errors.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the jumper selector for at least one non-overlapping zone is predetermined.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the multiple non-overlapping zones is user defined.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising dynamically modifying one or more non-overlapping zones based on input characteristics of a user.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein some individual alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators are not included in a non-overlapping zone and require specific selection by the user.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple non-overlapping zones are based on how an input device is being held or used by the user.

17. A system for data input comprising:

an input selection device divided into multiple non-overlapping zones, each non-overlapping zone including two or more individual alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators,

wherein at least one of the alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators in each non-overlapping zone is a jumper selector, and

wherein the number of non-overlapping zones is less than the number of individual alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators of the input selection device;

a jumper choosing device configured to receive a user indication of two or more jumper selectors,

wherein each jumper selector selects a non-overlapping zone; and

a collection device configured to determine two or more sets of alphabetic or alphanumeric characters,

wherein each set of alphabetic or alphanumeric characters is associated with one of the received two or more jumper selectors;

a sequencing component configured to enter the two or more sets of alphabetic or alphanumeric characters as a sequence; and

a parsing component configured to receive the sequence of two or more sets of alphabetic or alphanumeric characters and identify, without further user input, one or more suggested words from a dictionary,

wherein the identifying is based on the sequence of two or more sets of alphabetic or alphanumeric characters.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each alphabetic or alphanumeric jumper selector is an alphanumeric keyboard button on the input selection device associated with a non-overlapping zone, and the receiving a user indication of a jumper selector comprises the user pressing the button.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the input selection device is a virtual keyboard or diagram comprising numbers and symbols of an alphabet;

and wherein the user indication of two or more jumper selectors is received via a user input device configured to select portions of the virtual keyboard or diagram.

20. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

a word selector configured to determine an intended word, from among the one or more suggested words, based on the sequence.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators associated with each possible non-overlapping zone are predetermined.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein one or more of the overlapping zones is dynamically modified based on input characteristics of a user.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the multiple non-overlapping zones are based on how an input device is being held or used by the user.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instruction that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

dividing a portion of an input selection device into multiple non-overlapping zones, each non-overlapping zone including two or more individual alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators,

wherein at least one of the alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators in each non-overlapping zone is a jumper selector, and

wherein the number of non-overlapping zone is less than the number of individual alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators in the portion of the input selection device;

receiving a user indication of two or more jumper selectors, each jumper selector corresponding to a selected non-overlapping zone; and

collecting, into two or more characters sets, all of the individual alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators associated with each selected non-overlapping zone

entering a sequence of the character sets into a parsing algorithm; and

identifying, by the parsing algorithm and without further user input, one or more suggested words from a dictionary,

wherein the identifying is based on the sequence of character sets.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein each jumper selector is associated with a particular input button on a remote device.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein each jumper selector may be selected by pointing at the jumper selector with a pointing device.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, further storing instructions that, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to execute operations comprising:

determining one or more errors in the user indication of a jumper selector; and

modifying the set of alphabetic or alphanumeric characters in accordance with the determined one or more errors.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators associated with each possible non-overlapping zone are predetermined.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28 wherein some individual alphabetic or alphanumeric input selection indicators are not included in a non-overlapping zone and require specific selection by the user.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, further storing instructions that, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to execute operations comprising dynamically defining non-overlapping zones based on criteria including words most likely to be selected, or common mistakes of, the user, and estimating which non-overlapping zone the user intended based on input speed and direction.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the input selection device is a virtual keyboard, and wherein the user indication of two or more jumper selectors is received via a user input device configured to select portions of the virtual keyboard or diagram.