Process for reducing the number of physical actions required while inputting character strings

• US 9,841,873 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Ernest Schroeder
• Original Assignee: James Ernest Schroeder
• Inventors: Schroeder, James Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Long, Andrea
• Application Number:
  US14/143,459
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides a process for inputting character strings which reduces the number of physical actions required by the user. In this process, the user is provided a rule or rules about which characters in a target character string are to be selected and corresponding mechanism or mechanisms are applied while searching a reference set of possible character strings to identify and present a subset of likely candidates. One illustrative rule is that the user is to select only the consonants in the target character string. One illustrative embodiment of the invention reduces the number of physical actions required by a user entering text into a device when using any of a plurality of input alternatives. A second illustrative embodiment of the invention reduces the number of physical actions required by a physically-disabled user entering text into a device using a virtual keyboard, scanning keyboard, or other assistive method for the purpose of standard text entry or communicative text or speech output.

Claims

1. A process for reducing the number of physical actions required by a user while inputting character strings into a device or application program capable of receiving character string input comprising the steps of:

a) providing the user an input mechanism with which the user is able to select characters corresponding to those in the said character strings to be inputted;

b) providing a candidate display list which presents identified candidate character strings to the user for possible selection to be inputted;

c) providing the user a mechanism for selecting a character string from the said candidate character strings being displayed for possible inputting;

d) providing a reference set of candidate character strings that the user is likely to be inputting;

e) providing an index of probability of selection for each candidate character string in said set of candidate character strings with said index related to the probability of that character string being inputted;

f) providing the user the instruction that when inputting a target character string the user is to first input the initial character of the target character string to be inputted using said input mechanism and to use said mechanism for selecting a character string when the target character string is displayed in said candidate display list;

g) providing a mechanism that identifies the initial character selected by the user;

h) providing an initial character search mechanism which, after the first character has been selected and identified, searches said reference set of candidate character strings and identifies a current subset of candidate character strings which have a correspondence to the initial character selected;

i) providing a mechanism for ordering the said current subset of candidate character strings by their relative likelihood of being inputted based on the said index of probability of selection;

j) providing a mechanism for displaying as many of the ordered most probable candidate character strings as possible in the space available in said candidate display list for possible selection by the user;

k) providing the user the instruction that when the target character string is not presented for selection following selection of the initial character then the user is to sequentially input only the non-initial consonants in the target character string and select the target character string when it is presented in said candidate display list by using said mechanism for selecting a character string;

l) providing the user the instruction that when the target character string is not presented for selection after the initial character and after all of the subsequent non-initial consonants in the target character string have been selected the user is then to select the initial vowel in the target character string and select the target character string when it is presented in said candidate display list by using said mechanism for selecting a character string;

m) providing the user the instruction that when the target character string is not presented for selection after the initial character and after all of the subsequent non-initial consonants and after the initial vowel in the target character string have been selected the user is then to select the final character in the target character string and select the target character string when it is presented in said candidate display list by using said mechanism for selecting a character string;

n) providing a mechanism for identifying each non-initial character as it is selected by the user;

o) providing a non-initial character search mechanism which, after each non-initial character has been selected and identified searches said current subset of candidate character strings or said reference set of candidate character strings and identifies an updated current subset of candidate character strings which have a correspondence to the string of characters selected to that point;

p) providing a mechanism for ordering each of the said updated current subsets of candidate character strings as they are updated based on the relative likelihood of their being selected as indexed by their said index of probability of selection;

q) providing a mechanism for updating said candidate display list as each character is selected and which displays as many of the ordered most probable candidate character strings as possible in the space available in the candidate display list for possible selection by the user.

2. A process for reducing the number of physical actions required by a user while inputting character strings into a device or application program capable of receiving character string input comprising the steps of:

a) providing the user an input mechanism with which the user is able to select characters corresponding to those in the said character strings to be inputted;

b) providing a candidate display list which presents identified candidate character strings to the user for possible selection to be inputted;

c) providing the user a mechanism for selecting a character string from the said candidate character strings being displayed for possible inputting;

d) providing a reference set of candidate character strings that the user is likely to be inputting;

e) providing an index of probability of selection for each candidate character string in said set of candidate character strings with said index related to the probability of that character string being inputted;

f) providing the user the instruction that when inputting a target character string the user is to first input the initial consonant of the target character string to be inputted using said input mechanism and to use said mechanism for selecting a character string when the target character string is displayed in said candidate display list;

g) providing a mechanism that identifies the initial consonant selected by the user;

h) providing an initial consonant search mechanism which, after the initial consonant has been selected and identified, searches said reference set of candidate character strings and identifies a current subset of candidate character strings which have a correspondence to the initial consonant selected;

i) providing a mechanism for ordering the said current subset of candidate character strings by their relative likelihood of being inputted based on the said index of probability of selection;

j) providing a mechanism for displaying as many of the ordered most probable candidate character strings as possible in the space available in said candidate display list for possible selection by the user;

k) providing the user the instruction that when the target character string is not presented for selection following selection of the initial consonant then the user is to sequentially input only the non-initial consonants in the target character string and select the target character string when it is presented in said candidate display list by using said mechanism for selecting a character string;

l) providing the user the instruction that when the target character string is not presented for selection after the initial consonant and after all of the subsequent non-initial consonants in the target character string have been selected the user is then to select the initial vowel in the target character string and select the target character string when it is presented in said candidate display list by using said mechanism for selecting a character string;

m) providing the user the instruction that when the target character string is not presented for selection after the initial consonant and after all of the subsequent non-initial consonants and after the initial vowel in the target character string have been selected the user is then to select the final character in the target character string and select the target character string when it is presented in said candidate display list by using said mechanism for selecting a character string;

n) providing a mechanism for identifying each non-initial character as it is selected by the user;

o) providing a non-initial character search mechanism which, after each non-initial character has been selected and identified searches said current subset of candidate character strings or said reference set of candidate character strings and identifies an updated current subset of candidate character strings which have a correspondence to the string of characters selected to that point;

p) providing a mechanism for ordering each of the said updated current subsets of candidate character strings as they are updated based on the relative likelihood of their being selected as indexed by their said index of probability of selection;

q) providing a mechanism for updating said candidate display list as each character is selected and which displays as many of the ordered most probable candidate character strings as possible in the space available in the candidate display list for possible selection by the user.

3. A process for reducing the number of physical actions required by a user while inputting character strings into a device or application program capable of receiving character string input comprising the steps of:

a) providing the user an input mechanism with which the user is able to select characters corresponding to those in the said character strings to be inputted;

b) providing a candidate display list which presents identified candidate character strings to the user for possible selection to be inputted;

c) providing the user a mechanism for selecting a character string from the said candidate character strings being displayed for possible inputting;

d) providing a reference set of candidate character strings that the user is likely to be inputting;

e) providing an index of probability of selection for each candidate character string in said set of candidate character strings with said index related to the probability of that character string being inputted;

f) providing the user the instruction that when inputting a target character string the user is to first input the initial two characters of the target character string to be inputted using said input mechanism and to use said mechanism for selecting a character string when the target character string is displayed in said candidate display list;

g) providing a mechanism that identifies each of the two initial characters selected by the user;

h) providing an initial character search mechanism which, after each of the first two characters has been selected and identified, searches said reference set of candidate character strings and identifies a current subset of candidate character strings which have a correspondence to the initial character selected;

i) providing a mechanism for ordering the said current subset of candidate character strings by their relative likelihood of being inputted based on the said index of probability of selection;

j) providing a mechanism for displaying as many of the ordered most probable candidate character strings as possible in the space available in said candidate display list for possible selection by the user;

k) providing the user the instruction that when the target character string is not presented for selection following selection of the initial two characters then the user is to sequentially input only the subsequent non-initial consonants in the target character string and select the target character string when it is presented in said candidate display list by using said mechanism for selecting a character string;

l) providing the user the instruction that when the target character string is not presented for selection after the initial two characters and after all of the subsequent non-initial consonants in the target character string have been selected the user is then to select the first vowel in the target character string and select the target character string when it is presented in said candidate display list by using said mechanism for selecting a character string;

m) providing the user the instruction that when the target character string is not presented for selection after the initial two characters and after all of the subsequent non-initial consonants and after the initial vowel in the target character string have been selected the user is then to select the final consonant in the target character string and select the target character string when it is presented in said candidate display list by using said mechanism for selecting a character string;

n) providing a mechanism for identifying each non-initial character that follows the first two characters as it is selected by the user;

o) providing a search mechanism for each non-initial character that follows the first two characters which, after each such non-initial character has been selected and identified searches said current subset of candidate character strings or said reference set of candidate character strings and identifies an updated current subset of candidate character strings which have a correspondence to the string of characters selected to that point;

p) providing a mechanism for ordering each of the said updated current subsets of candidate character strings as they are updated based on the relative likelihood of their being selected as indexed by their said index of probability of selection;

q) providing a mechanism for updating said candidate display list as each character is selected and which displays as many of the ordered most probable candidate character strings as possible in the space available in the candidate display list for possible selection by the user.