Using sequential taps to enter text

• US 20080136679A1
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Lee, Seungyon, Partridge, Kurt E., Begole, James M.A., Newman, Mark W.
• Application Number:
  US11/635,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20080136679A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• 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

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for entering text. The system starts by receiving a sequence of finger-triggered events. The system then attempts to match the sequence of finger-triggered events to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events. If the sequence matches a predetermined sequence, the system outputs at least one character corresponding to the predetermined sequence.

Claims

1. A method for entering text, comprising:

receiving a sequence of finger-triggered events;

attempting to match the sequence of finger-triggered events to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events; and

if the sequence matches a predetermined sequence, outputting at least one character corresponding to the predetermined sequence.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sequence of finger-triggered events involves:

detecting a series finger-triggered events;

identifying a finger that caused each event in the series; and

recording the identity of the finger that caused each event in the series.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the series of finger-triggered events involves at least one of:

detecting contact of a finger on a touch-sensitive surface;

detecting taps of a finger on a sound-sensitive surface;

detecting finger motions by measuring at least one of, muscle movement, bone movement, electrical impulses in the skin, or other physiological indicators; and

detecting finger motions using sensors worn, mounted on, or implanted in at least one finger.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein attempting to match the sequence of finger-triggered events involves:

determining when a predetermined number of finger-triggered events have occurred; and

when the predetermined number of finger-triggered events have occurred, attempting to match the predetermined number of finger-triggered events to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein attempting to match the sequence of finger-triggered events involves:

determining when an end-of-sequence finger-triggered event has occurred; and

when an end-of-sequence finger-triggered event occurs, attempting to match the sequence of finger-triggered events preceding the end-of-sequence finger-triggered event to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein attempting to match the sequence of finger-triggered events involves:

determining, as each finger-triggered event occurs, whether the finger-triggered event in combination with a preceding sequence of finger-triggered events is a prefix of a predetermined sequence of finger-triggered events;

if so, awaiting a next finger-triggered event; and

if not, attempting to match the finger-triggered event in combination with the preceding sequence of finger-triggered events to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the sequence of finger-triggered events does not match a predetermined sequence, the method further comprises outputting an error signal and commencing the receiving of a next sequence of finger-triggered events.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of finger-triggered events includes at least one of:

an event triggered by another part of the body;

or

an event triggered by manipulating a mechanical device.

9. An apparatus for entering text, comprising:

a receiving mechanism configured to receive a sequence of finger-triggered events;

a matching mechanism coupled to the receiving mechanism, wherein the matching mechanism is configured to attempt to match the sequence of finger-triggered events to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events; and

an outputting mechanism coupled to the matching mechanism, wherein if the sequence matches a predetermined sequence, the outputting mechanism is configured to output at least one character corresponding to the predetermined sequence.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the receiving mechanism is configured to receive the sequence of finger-triggered events by:

detecting a series finger-triggered events;

identifying a finger that caused each event in the series; and

recording the identity of the finger that caused each event in the series.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the receiving mechanism is configured to detect the series of finger-triggered events by at least one of:

detecting contact of a finger on a touch-sensitive surface;

detecting taps of a finger on a sound-sensitive surface;

detecting finger motions by measuring at least one of, muscle movement, bone movement, electrical impulses in the skin, or other physiological indicators; and

detecting finger motions using sensors worn, mounted on, or implanted in at least one finger.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein while attempting to match the sequence of finger-triggered events, the matching mechanism is configured to:

determine when a predetermined number of finger-triggered events have occurred; and

when the predetermined number of finger-triggered events have occurred, to attempt to match the predetermined number of finger-triggered events to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, while attempting to match the sequence of finger-triggered events, the matching mechanism is configured to:

determine when an end-of-sequence finger-triggered event has occurred; and

when an end-of-sequence finger-triggered event occurs, to attempt to match the sequence of finger-triggered events preceding the end-of-sequence finger-triggered event to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, while attempting to match the sequence of finger-triggered events, the matching mechanism is configured to:

determine, as each finger-triggered event occurs, whether the finger-triggered event in combination with a preceding sequence of finger-triggered events is a prefix of a predetermined sequence of finger-triggered events;

if so, to await a next finger-triggered event; and

if not, to attempt to match the finger-triggered event in combination with the preceding sequence of finger-triggered events to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, if the matching mechanism determines that the sequence of finger-triggered events does not match a predetermined sequence, the outputting mechanism is configured to output an error signal and the receiving mechanism is configured to commence receiving a next sequence of finger-triggered events.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the receiving mechanism is configured to receive at least one of an event triggered by another part of the body or an event triggered by manipulating a mechanical device as part of the sequence of finger-triggered events.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

a receiving mechanism configured to receive a sequence of finger-triggered events;

a matching mechanism coupled to the receiving mechanism, wherein the matching mechanism is configured to attempt to match the sequence of finger-triggered events to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events;

an outputting mechanism coupled to the matching mechanism, wherein if the sequence matches a predetermined sequence, the outputting mechanism is configured to output at least one character corresponding to the predetermined sequence; and

a display mechanism configured to display the at least one character to a user.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the receiving mechanism is configured to receive the sequence of finger-triggered events by:

detecting a series finger-triggered events;

identifying a finger that caused each event in the series; and

recording the identity of the finger that caused each event in the series.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the receiving mechanism is configured to detect the series of finger-triggered events by at least one of:

detecting contact of a finger on a touch-sensitive surface;

detecting taps of a finger on a sound-sensitive surface;

detecting finger motions by measuring at least one of, muscle movement, bone movement, electrical impulses in the skin, or other physiological indicators; and

detecting finger motions using sensors worn, mounted on, or implanted in at least one finger.

20. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein, while attempting to match the sequence of finger-triggered events, the matching mechanism is configured to:

determine when a predetermined number of finger-triggered events have occurred; and

when the predetermined number of finger-triggered events have occurred, to attempt to match the predetermined number of finger-triggered events to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events.

21. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein, while attempting to match the sequence of finger-triggered events, the matching mechanism is configured to:

determine when an end-of-sequence finger-triggered event has occurred; and

when an end-of-sequence finger-triggered event occurs, to attempt to match the sequence of finger-triggered events preceding the end-of-sequence finger-triggered event to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events.

22. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein, while attempting to match the sequence of finger-triggered events, the matching mechanism is configured to:

determine, as each finger-triggered event occurs, whether the finger-triggered event in combination with a preceding sequence of finger-triggered events is a prefix of a predetermined sequence of finger-triggered events;

if so, to await a next finger-triggered event; and

if not, to attempt to match the finger-triggered event in combination with the preceding sequence of finger-triggered events to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events.

23. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein, if the matching mechanism determines that the sequence of finger-triggered events does not match a predetermined sequence, the outputting mechanism is configured to output an error signal and the receiving mechanism is configured to commence receiving a next sequence of finger-triggered events.

24. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the receiving mechanism is configured to receive at least one of an event triggered by another part of the body or an event triggered by manipulating a mechanical device as part of the sequence of finger-triggered events.