Keyboard with input-sensitive display device

• US 9,430,051 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2013
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Kong, Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bukowski, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US13/903,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20130257741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/173, 715/256
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/018 Input/output arrangements for oriental characters
• 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 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• 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 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation

Abstract

An input/output device is disclosed that includes an input-sensitive display screen and alphanumeric keys for entering characters. The input-sensitive display screen may be positioned proximate the alphanumeric keys and be capable of displaying graphical information and sensing user selection of the graphical information. The input-sensitive display screen may include a combination display/input region and a non-display input region. The touch sensitive display screen may be detachable from the alphanumeric region and may be operable in a detached configuration. The input/output device may usable with a method of input correction. The method may include displaying, on a secondary display, a first text unit, such as a character or a word, which corresponds with a second text unit shown on a primary display screen of a computing device. The method further involves receiving user selection of the first text unit and replacing the first text unit with a second text unit.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of text units input into a computing device;

determining a character variant that is phonetically similar to at least one of the plurality of text units;

associating a first portion of a touch-sensitive display with the character variant, wherein the touch-sensitive display is in communicative contact with the computing device;

receiving a first selection, by the touch-sensitive display, corresponding to the character variant;

replacing at least one of the plurality of text units with the character variant;

receiving, by the touch-sensitive display at a second portion of the touch-sensitive display, a second selection of the character variant;

based at least upon receiving the second selection corresponding to the character variant, displaying at least one alternative character;

receiving a third selection, by the touch-sensitive display to select one of the alternative characters; and

replacing the character variant with the selected alternative character.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of text units are input as Roman characters and the character variant is Chinese.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least one toggle key selection, wherein receiving at least one toggle key selection provides a second plurality of alternative characters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection, by the touch-sensitive display, comprises mapping the touch-sensitive display to correspond to a location of at least one text unit within the plurality of text units to be replaced by the character variant.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a confirmation from a user, prior to replacing at least one of the plurality of text units, by receiving an actuation of an input element.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving the confirmation by detecting a tap at a portion of the touch-sensitive display corresponding to the location of the character variant.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication of a user contact with the portion of the touch-sensitive display wherein receiving the indication of the user contact with the portion of the touch-sensitive display comprises receiving the indication from the touch-sensitive display having one of the following detection types:

capacitive, resistive, and inductive.

8. A method of interacting with a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of text units input into a computing device;

determining a character variant that is phonetically similar to at least one of the plurality of text units;

associating portions of a touch-sensitive display with the character variant, wherein associating the portions of the touch-sensitive display comprises associating a first portion in a first line of text and associating a second portion located in a second line of text;

receiving a first selection, by the touch-sensitive display, corresponding to the character variant;

replacing at least one of the plurality of text units with the character variant;

displaying the character variant at the respective portions of the touch-sensitive display;

receiving, by the touch-sensitive display, a second selection of the character variant;

based at least upon receiving the second selection corresponding to the character variant, displaying at least one alternative character;

receiving a third selection, by the touch-sensitive display to select one of the alternative characters; and

replacing the character variant with the selected alternative character.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein associating the first portion in the first line of text and associating the second portion located in the second line of text comprises mapping each of the plurality of text units to a detection point of the touch-sensitive display.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving an indication of a user contact with a portion of the touch-sensitive display wherein receiving the indication of the user contact with the portion of the touch-sensitive display comprises receiving the indication of the user contact at the detection point of the touch-sensitive display mapped to the portion of the text.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein associating the portions of the touch-sensitive display with the plurality of variations comprises, displaying, on the touch-sensitive display, an indication of the variation at the portion of the touch-sensitive display.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an indication of a user contact with the portion of the touch-sensitive display, wherein receiving the indication of the user contact with the portion of the touch-sensitive display comprises detecting the indication of the user contact from the touch-sensitive display having one of the following detection types:

capacitive, resistive, and inductive.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising mapping portions of the text to detection points of the touch-sensitive display, and wherein receiving the selection of the portion of the text comprises receiving an indication of the user contact with a detection point of the touch-sensitive display mapped to the portion of the text.

14. A system comprising:

a display device;

a sensor configured to detect user contact;

an input device coupled to the sensor; and

a processing unit operatively associated with the sensor, the input device, and the display device, the processing unit being configured to;

receive a plurality of text units input into a computing device;

determine a character variant that is phonetically similar to at least one of the plurality of text units;

associate a first portion of a touch-sensitive display with the character variant, wherein the touch-sensitive display is in communicative contact with the computing device;

receive a first selection corresponding to the character variant;

replace at least one of the plurality of text units with the character variant;

receive, by the touch-sensitive display at a second portion of the touch-sensitive display, a second selection of the character variant;

based at least upon receiving the second selection corresponding to the character variant, display at least one alternative character;

receive a third selection to select one of the alternative characters; and

replace the character variant with the selected alternative character.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

display a plurality of alternative characters to replace the character variant; and

display at least one character that is a synonym of one or more of the at least one phonetically similar character variants.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of text units are input as Roman characters and the character variant is Korean.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of text units are input as Roman characters and the character variant is Japanese.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of text units are input as Roman characters and the character variant is Mandarin.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of text units are input as Roman characters and the character variant is Pinyin.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

receive confirmation that the text unit has been replaced; and

return a cursor back to a prior position immediately before entering a text unit replacement mode.