Human-to-computer interfaces

• US 9,678,580 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keypoint Technologies (Uk) Limited
• Original Assignee: Keypoint Technologies (Uk) Limited
• Inventors: Patel, Sanjay
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Gene W
• Application Number:
  US10/593,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20070216651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,465 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-172, 715816
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved keyboard and keyboard driver for facilitating a reduction in the number of key presses required to create or delete a given data string (i.e. mnemonics, abbreviations, words, sentences, paragraphs etc.). The keyboard includes an array of keys having multi-character indicia and an interface system comprising data storage means; data processing means; and data display means, wherein the data processing means reduces key presses by filtering data stored within the data storage means by initial character, as determined by the character or characters ascribed to a data input key initially pressed by a user, and prioritizing the filtered data in real-time according to user-configurable prioritization parameters (using qualitative and/or quantitative information relating to each data string stored within the storage means). The invention also provides improved calculator functionality and function-lock keys. Taken together, the keyboard and keyboard driver of the invention (which may be implemented in isolation or together) promotes ease of use, reduced user-interactivity, elevated efficiency and thus enhanced productivity that in turn yields improved accuracy and flexibility.

Claims

1. An interface system for a personal computer, the interface system comprising:

an array of data input keys having character indicia;

data storage comprising one or more data dictionaries populated with a plurality of data strings and links that link an initial data string of the plurality of data strings to a set of next possible data strings of the plurality of data strings, wherein each link between the initial data string and one of the data strings in the set of next possible data strings corresponds to a probability of occurrence of the initial data string and the one of the data strings within a group of data strings;

a data processor; and

a data display,

wherein the data processor is adapted to facilitate a reduction in the number of key presses required to create a given data string to less than the number of characters within said data string, the data processor configured to;

identify the initial data string in response to an input of the initial data string into the interface using the array of data input keys;

access the one or more data dictionaries;

determine the set of next possible data strings based on the links linking the initial data string to the set of next possible data strings;

prioritize the set of next possible data strings in real-time according to prioritization parameters; and

cause the data display to display the prioritized set of next possible data strings in a pop-up selection list for subsequent selection by a user.

2. An interface system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to filter the number of data strings displayed on the data display for subsequent selection by the user based on success key presses made via the array of data input keys.

3. An interface system according to claim 1, wherein the data input keys within the array have multi-character indicia which are selected to accord with a statistical extrapolation of the most used alphanumerical character combinations in a given language, to thus facilitate a further reduction in the number of key presses required to create a given data string.

4. An interface system according to claim 1, wherein the data input keys within the array have multi-character indicia which are composite keys having at least primary and secondary indicia corresponding to primary and secondary key-values or key-functions.

5. An interface system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more data dictionaries are populated with qualitative and/or quantitative information stored in relation to each data string in the one or more data dictionaries.

6. An interface system according to claim 5, wherein a configuration means is provided to allow a user to selectively enable or disable physical interactivity reduction characteristics of the interface system which facilitate a further reduction in the number of key presses required to create a given data string.

7. An interface system according to claim 6, wherein the physical interactivity reduction characteristics are selectable from the group comprising:

(i) entering a space after selection of a data string;

(ii) limitation of displayed data strings to those having a total number of characters greater than a number of key presses;

(iii) expanding typed or selected mnemonics, abbreviations or acronyms into their corresponding full data strings;

(iv) performing two-way translations between data strings and user-configurable dictionary definitions or descriptions;

(v) enabling the selection of a secondary key-value or key-function by means of double-pressing a data input key;

(vi) enabling the selection from a list of different data strings stored within the data storage by means of double-pressing a data input key, said data string having an initial letter or letters corresponding to the key-value of that key; and

(vii) enabling the right-to-left and/or left-to-right deletion of n characters, words, sentences or paragraphs by means of a single key press.

8. An interface system according to claim 7, wherein the secondary key-value or key-function obtained by double pressing a data input key is identical with the SHIFT value of that key.

9. An interface system according to claim 7, wherein each double-press must be completed within a predetermined period of time in order to select the secondary key-value or key-function.

10. An interface system according to claim 7, wherein the secondary key-value corresponds to the secondary indicia of a composite key having multi-character indicia.

11. An interface system according to claim 7, wherein the secondary key-value corresponds to a capitalized conventional key-value.

12. An interface system according to claim 7, wherein there is provided at least one function key operable in combination with a composite key and adapted to access the secondary key-value or key-function.

13. An interface system according to claim 7, wherein the data strings selectable from the list are actively prioritized within the data storage according to user-definable quantitative and/or qualitative information.

14. An interface system according to claim 7, wherein, the ability to select a different data string from the list is disabled upon pressing of the SPACE key, or another non-character key.

15. An interface system according to claim 6, wherein the configuration means also allows a user to selectively adjust the prioritization parameters according to the desired qualitative and/or quantitative characteristics of the data stored within the one or more data dictionaries.

16. An interface system according to claim 15, wherein the qualitative and/or quantitative information comprises statistical and/or probability information relating to each data string stored within the data storage.

17. An interface system according to claim 15, wherein all qualitative and quantitative information is dynamically updated in real-time.

18. An interface system according to claim 15, wherein the one or more data dictionaries comprises two or more data dictionaries, wherein the data processor is configured to maintain lookup chains between the two or more data dictionaries such that a given data string in a first data dictionary is mapped to at least one data string in one or more other data dictionaries of the two or more data dictionaries for selection by the user.

19. An interface system according to claim 18, wherein where a given data string in the first data dictionary is mapped to a plurality of data strings in the one or more other data dictionaries, said data strings are prioritized via the configuration means for ease of selection by the user.

20. An interface system according to claim 18, wherein the mapping is performed dynamically.

21. An interface system according to claim 20, wherein the data processor is configured to selectively bypass or reset the dynamically updated qualitative and quantitative information.

22. An interface system according to claim 15, wherein the data processor is configured to maintain associative links between any given data string and up to n other data strings, and based on the maintained associative links, cause the data display to display or project the most relevant longer data string comprised of n+1 data strings for selection by the user.

23. An interface system according to claim 22, wherein selection of a longer data string induces a repetition of associative linking such that a further one or more relevant longer data strings are displayed for selection by the user.

24. An interface system according to claim 22, wherein a plurality of the most relevant longer data strings are made available or displayed in a prioritized list for selection by the user.

25. An interface system according to claim 24, wherein the relevance/prioritization of the, or each, longer data string is determined according to statistical and/or probability information stored within the one or more data dictionaries.

26. An interface system according to claim 25, wherein statistical information relates to the historical inputting and/or selection of data strings.

27. An interface system according to claim 26, wherein the historical inputting and/or selection information can be one or more of the following:

(i) frequency of inputting;

(ii) frequency of selection (iii) character length;

(iv) lexical pattern density; and

(v) chronological weighting.

28. An interface system according to claim 25, wherein probability information further comprises occurrence ratios of two or more data strings within a longer data string.

29. An interface system according to claim 24, wherein the data display is configured to display the plurality of the most relevant longer data strings for subsequent selection by the user in list format in descending order of priority.

30. An interface system according to claim 5, wherein the one or more data dictionaries comprises two or more data dictionaries stored among two or more personal computers, and wherein synchronization of the two or more data dictionaries between the two or more personal computers is performed by means of wired or wireless connectivity.

31. An interface system according to claim 5, wherein the one or more data dictionaries comprises two or more data dictionaries stored among two or more personal computers, and wherein synchronization of the two or more data dictionaries between the two or more personal computers is performed by means of downloading from a common database.

32. An interface system according to claim 5, wherein the one or more data dictionaries are manually populated.

33. An interface system according to claim 5, wherein the population of the one or more data dictionaries with data strings and its corresponding qualitative and/or quantitative information is accelerated by uploading onto the data storage the data strings from a personal computer or a remotely connected device.

34. An interface system according to claim 5, wherein the one or more data dictionaries are populated by optically scanning external data strings by means of a scanning apparatus.

35. An interface system according to claim 1, wherein the data processor is configured to derive a data string relative to a currently input letter, letters, and/or text pattern, and wherein the letter, letters and/or text patterns are of entries selected from the one or more data dictionaries.