Portable terminal using touch pen and handwriting input method using the same

• US 9,898,186 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2013
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hwa-Kyung, Bae, Joo-Yoon, Lee, Ju-Youn, Kim, Sung-Soo, Jun, Jin-Ha, Cha, Sang-Ok
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOOMQUIST, KEITH D
• Application Number:
  US13/940,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20140019855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An apparatus and method for a portable terminal using a touch pen and a handwriting input method using the same are provided. In the apparatus, upon receipt of a handwriting image in an input field provided by an executed application through the touch pen, the received handwriting image is converted to text, the text is inserted in the input field, and the input field with the text is displayed.

Claims

1. A handwriting input method using a touch pen in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

displaying at least one input field provided by an application by executing the application;

providing a handwriting input layer overlapping the input field based on withdrawal of the touch pen from the portable terminal;

receiving a handwriting image in the handwriting input layer using the touch pen;

converting the received handwriting image to text; and

displaying the at least one input field with the text inserted,

wherein, if the application includes a plurality of the at least one input fields, the providing of the handwriting input layer comprises providing a plurality of handwriting input layers corresponding to the plurality of the at least one input fields, the providing of the plurality of the handwriting input layers based on the withdrawal of the touch pen from the portable terminal, and

wherein the conversion of the received handwriting image comprises converting the handwriting image received in the plurality of handwriting input layers to a type with priority, the type being selected from a first language, a second language, numerals, and special symbols.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, if at least one populated input field of the plurality of input fields includes text, the providing of a plurality of handwriting input layers comprises providing handwriting input layers corresponding to input fields except for the populated input field.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversion of the received handwriting image comprises, if a conversion button is selected, converting all of the handwriting images received in the plurality of handwriting input layers to text.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the handwriting input layer comprises:

providing an erase button for erasing the handwriting image received in the handwriting input layer, and

erasing at least a part of the received handwriting image, upon selection of the erase button.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the input field comprises:

displaying a plurality of time units provided by the application; and

displaying, upon selection of one of the plurality of time units, an input field for inputting contents related to the selected time unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversion of the received handwriting image comprises:

converting a handwriting image received in a first handwriting input layer of the plurality of handwriting input layers to a first type with priority, the first type being preset to one of a first language, a second language, numerals, and special symbols; and

converting a handwriting image received in a second handwriting input layer of handwriting input layers to a second type with priority, the second type being preset as one of the first language, the second language, the numerals, and the special symbols, different from the first type.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversion of the received handwriting image comprises:

receiving coordinates of points touched in the at least one input field;

storing the coordinates of the points as strokes;

generating a stroke array list using the strokes; and

converting the handwriting image to the text using a pre-stored handwriting library and the stroke array list.

15. At least one non-transitory processor readable medium for storing a computer program of instructions configured to be readable by at least one processor for instructing the at least one processor to execute a computer process for performing the method as recited in claim 1.

8. A portable terminal using a touch pen, the portable terminal comprising:

a touch screen configured to;

display at least one input field provided by an application by executing the application,

provide a handwriting input layer overlapping the at least one input field based on withdrawal of the touch pen from the portable terminal, and

receive a handwriting image in the handwriting input layer using the touch pen; and

at least one processor configured to;

convert the received handwriting image received from the touch screen to text, and

display the at least one input field with the text inserted,

wherein, if there are a plurality of the at least one input fields, the at least one processor is configured to provide a plurality of handwriting input layers corresponding to the plurality of the at least one input fields, the providing of the plurality of the handwriting input layers based on the withdrawal of the touch pen from the portable terminal, and

wherein the conversion of the received handwriting image comprises converting the handwriting image received in the plurality of handwriting input layers to a type with priority, the type being selected from a first language, a second language, numerals, and special symbols.

9. The portable terminal of claim 8, wherein, if at least one populated input field of the plurality of the input fields includes text, the at least one processor is configured to provide handwriting input layers corresponding to the plurality of input fields except for populated input field.

10. The portable terminal of claim 8, wherein, if a conversion button is selected, the at least one processor is configured to convert all of the handwriting images received in the plurality of handwriting input layers to text.

11. The portable terminal of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

provide an erase button to erase the handwriting image received in the handwriting input layer, and

upon selection of the erase button, erase at least a part of the received handwriting image.

12. The portable terminal of claim 8, wherein the touch screen is configured to:

display a plurality of time units provided by the application, and

upon selection of one of the plurality of time units, display an input field for inputting contents related to the selected time unit.

13. The portable terminal of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

convert a handwriting image received in a first handwriting input layer among the plurality of handwriting input layers to a first type with priority, the first type being set to one of a first language, a second language, numerals, and special symbols, and

convert a handwriting image received in a second handwriting input layer among the plurality of handwriting input layers to a second type with priority, the second type being set to one of the first language, the second language, the numerals, and the special symbols, different from the first type.

14. The portable terminal of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive coordinates of points touched in the at least one input field,

store the coordinates of the points as strokes,

generate a stroke array list using the strokes, and

convert the handwriting image to the text using a handwriting library and the stroke array list.

16. The portable terminal of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

if the handwriting image is written in an overlapped area between the plurality of handwriting input layers, determine which layer the handwriting image belongs to, taking into account an input order or starting position of the handwriting image.

17. The portable terminal of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

automatically insert personal information about user in at least part of at least one input field, if user authentication is performed.