Input method and device using same

• US 9,703,479 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2014
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xiaomi Inc. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xiaomi Inc. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Inventors: Li, Chuangqi, Qian, Cheng, Wang, Fa
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Hien
• Application Number:
  US14/300,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20140351740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42215 by measuring the time interval during which a key is pressed, e.g. for inputting sequences of digits when selecting a television channel

Abstract

An input method for use in a device, includes: receiving character input information; determining, based on the character input information, an inputted character and time information associated with an input operation; and selecting a state of the inputted character according to the time information and at least one predetermined time threshold value.

Claims

1. An input method for use in a device, comprising:

receiving character input information;

determining, based on the character input information, an inputted character and time information associated with an input operation, the time information being one of a key dwell time or a touch operation dwell time of the input operation; and

selecting a representation form of the inputted character according to the time information and at least one predetermined time threshold value, wherein when the at least one predetermined time threshold value includes a first threshold value and a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value, the selecting of the representation form of the inputted character further includes;

determining at least one of a first magnitude relationship between the time information and the first threshold value or a second magnitude relationship between the time information and the second threshold value;

when the time information is smaller than the first threshold value, maintaining a representation form of the inputted character;

when the time information is greater than or equal to the first threshold value and is smaller than the second threshold value, switching the representation form of the inputted character; and

when the time information is greater than or equal to the second threshold value, switching the representation form of the inputted character, and locking a representation form of a subsequently inputted character to be the switched representation form.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating the character input information based on a touch operation, the generated character input information including coordinate information of a start point and an end point of the touch operation, the time information including a dwell time of the touch operation corresponding to the end point.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the determining of the inputted character comprises:

obtaining a key identifier corresponding to the start point of the touch operation; and

determining the inputted character according to the coordinate information of the start point, the coordinate information of the end point, and a predefined mapping relationship between the key identifier and one or more candidate characters.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the determining of the inputted character according to the coordinate information of the start point, the coordinate information of the end point, and the predefined mapping relationship comprises:

when the coordinate information of the start point and the coordinate information of the end point correspond to the same key identifier, determining a first candidate character at a location of the end point as the inputted character; and

when the coordinate information of the start point and the coordinate information of the end point respectively correspond to different key identifiers, determining a second candidate character that corresponds to the obtained key identifier corresponding to the start point and that is passed by a touch path between the start point and the end point, as the inputted character.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the time information associated with the input operation comprises:

reading out the time information from the character input information.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises:

displaying a keyboard, a first key on the keyboard corresponding to one number and multiple letters;

receiving a selection of the first key;

displaying, in response to the selection, multiple keys respectively corresponding to the multiple letters around a key corresponding to the number in a predetermined layout; and

receiving a selection of one of the multiple keys respectively corresponding to the multiple letters.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving the character input information through a remote controller including a plurality of direction keys and a confirm key.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving the character input information through a touch screen.

9. A device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to;

receive character input information;

determine, based on the character input information, an inputted character and time information associated with an input operation, the time information being one of a key dwell time or a touch operation dwell time of the input operation; and

select a representation form of the inputted character according to the time information and at least one predetermined time threshold value, wherein when the at least one predetermined time threshold value includes a first threshold value and a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value, the processor is further configured to;

determine at least one of a first magnitude relationship between the time information and the first threshold value or a second magnitude relationship between the time information and the second threshold value;

when the time information is smaller than the first threshold value, maintain a representation form of the inputted character;

when the time information is greater than or equal to the first threshold value and is smaller than the second threshold value, switch the representation form of the inputted character; and

when the time information is greater than or equal to the second threshold value, switch the representation form of the inputted character, and lock a representation form of a subsequently inputted character to be the switched representation form.

10. The device according to claim 9, the processor being further configured to:

generate the character input information based on a touch operation, the generated character input information including coordinate information of a start point and an end point of the touch operation, the time information including a dwell time of the touch operation corresponding to the end point.

11. The device according to claim 10, the processor being further configured to:

obtain a key identifier corresponding to the start point of the touch operation; and

determine the inputted character according to the coordinate information of the start point, the coordinate information of the end point, and a predefined mapping relationship between the key identifier and one or more candidate characters.

12. The device according to claim 11, the processor being further configured to:

when the coordinate information of the start point and the coordinate information of the end point correspond to the same key identifier, determine a first candidate character at a location of the end point as the inputted character; and

when the coordinate information of the start point and the coordinate information of the end point respectively correspond to different key identifiers, determine a second candidate character that corresponds to the obtained key identifier corresponding to the start point and that is passed by a touch path between the start point and the end point, as the inputted character.

13. The device according to claim 9, the processor being further configured to:

read out the time information from the character input information.

14. The device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a display;

wherein the processor is further configured to;

display a keyboard on the display, a first key on the keyboard corresponding to one number and multiple letters;

receive a selection of the first key;

display, in response to the selection, multiple keys respectively corresponding to the multiple letters around a key corresponding to the number in a predetermined layout; and

receive a selection of one of the multiple keys respectively corresponding to the multiple letters.

15. The device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a remote controller including a plurality of direction keys and a confirm key,

wherein the processor is configured to receive the character input information through the remote controller.

16. The device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a touch screen,

wherein the processor is configured to receive the character input information through the touch screen.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by a processor of a device, cause the device to perform an input method, the input method comprising:

receiving character input information;

determining, based on the character input information, an inputted character and time information associated with an input operation, the time information being one of a key dwell time or a touch operation dwell time of the input operation; and

selecting a representation form of the inputted character according to the time information and at least one predetermined time threshold value, wherein when the at least one predetermined time threshold value includes a first threshold value and a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value, the selecting of the representation form of the inputted character includes;

determining at least one of a first magnitude relationship between the time information and the first threshold value or a second magnitude relationship between the time information and the second threshold value;

when the time information is smaller than the first threshold value, maintaining a representation form of the inputted character;

when the time information is greater than or equal to the first threshold value and is smaller than the second threshold value, switching the representation form of the inputted character; and

when the time information is greater than or equal to the second threshold value, switching the representation form of the inputted character, and locking a representation form of a subsequently inputted character to be the switched representation form.