CONCURRENTLY DISPLAYING MULTIPLE CHARACTERS FOR INPUT FIELD POSITIONS

• US 20100194690A1
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wilairat, Weerapan
• Granted Patent: US 8,416,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques

Abstract

For each of multiple user inputs, multiple keys of a keyboard that are touched as part of the user input are identified. Additionally, for each of the multiple user inputs, multiple characters that are to be displayed concurrently are determined based on the multiple keys that are touched as part of the user input. Both a character input field and the multiple characters determined for each of the multiple user inputs are displayed. One or more suggested inputs can also be displayed, and a user-selected one of the suggested inputs identified as an input to the character input field.

Claims

1. A method implemented in a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a first user input via a keyboard;

identifying multiple keys of the keyboard that are touched as part of the first user input;

determining multiple characters based on the multiple keys that are touched as part of the first user input; and

concurrently displaying, in a character list corresponding to a first position of an input field of a display, the multiple characters.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second user input via the keyboard;

identifying additional multiple keys of the keyboard that are touched as part of the second user input;

determining additional multiple characters based on the additional multiple keys that are touched as part of the second user input; and

concurrently displaying, in a character list corresponding to a second position of the input field, the additional multiple characters.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, the determining additional multiple characters comprising:

determining one or more characters corresponding to the additional multiple keys that are touched as part of the second user input;

determining a first character of the one or more characters that cannot be combined with at least one of the multiple characters based on the multiple keys that are touched as part of the first user input to generate at least part of an input included in an input library; and

removing the first character from the additional multiple characters.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying, with the character list and the input field, one or more suggested inputs based at least in part on the multiple characters.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of a character in the character list;

removing non-selected characters from the character list; and

removing, from the one or more suggested inputs, each suggested input having a non-selected character in a position corresponding to the first position of the input field.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, further comprising continuing displaying the character list until a user selection of one of the one or more suggested inputs is received.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

assigning, to each of the multiple characters, a ranking based on a portion of the one of the multiple keys associated with the character that was touched; and

displaying the multiple characters in the character list according to the rankings of the multiple characters.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising determining an ordering of multiple suggested inputs based at least in part on the rankings of the multiple characters.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the multiple characters in the character list has a selection area larger than a selection area of the key of the keyboard associated with the character.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein spacing between each of the multiple characters in the character list is greater than spacing between two keys on the keyboard.

11. A device comprising:

a user input module to identify, for each of multiple user inputs, multiple keys of a keyboard that are touched as part of the user input;

a character determination module to determine, for each of the multiple user inputs, multiple characters that are to be displayed concurrently based on the multiple keys that are touched as part of the user input; and

a user interface display module to display both a character input field and the multiple characters determined for each of the multiple user inputs.

12. A device as recited in claim 11, wherein the character determination module is further to:

determine a first one or more characters corresponding to multiple keys that are touched as part of a first user input;

determine a second one or more characters corresponding to multiple keys that are touched as part of a second user input;

determine a first character of the second one or more characters that cannot be combined with at least one of the first one or more characters to generate at least part of an input included in an input library; and

remove the first character from the second one or more characters.

13. A device as recited in claim 11, further comprising an input suggestion module to identify one or more input suggestions based at least in part on the multiple characters determined for each of the multiple user inputs, and wherein the user interface display module is further to display the one or more input suggestions with the character input field and the multiple characters determined for each of the multiple user inputs.

14. A device as recited in claim 13, wherein the user input module is further to receive a user selection of one of the multiple characters displayed corresponding to a position of the character input field, wherein the character determination module is further to remove non-selected characters from the multiple characters displayed corresponding to the position of the character input field, and wherein the input suggestion module is further to remove, from the one or more input suggestions, each input suggestion having a non-selected character in a position corresponding to the position of the character input field.

15. A device as recited in claim 13, wherein the user interface display module is to continue displaying the multiple characters determined for each of the multiple user inputs until a user selection of one of the one or more input suggestions is received.

16. A device as recited in claim 11, wherein for each of the multiple user inputs, the character determination module is further to assign, to each of the multiple characters for the user input, a ranking based on a portion of the one of the multiple keys associated with the character that is touched as the user input, and the user interface display module is further to display the multiple characters according to the rankings of the multiple characters.

17. A device as recited in claim 16, further comprising an input suggestion module to determine an ordering of multiple suggested inputs based at least in part on the rankings of the multiple characters.

18. A device as recited in claim 11, wherein the user interface display module is further to display each of the multiple characters with a selection area larger than a selection area of the key of the keyboard associated with the character.

19. A device as recited in claim 11, wherein the keyboard comprises a touch input screen.

20. A computer storage media having stored thereon multiple instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the one or more processors to:

display a character input field;

determine, for each of multiple user inputs, multiple characters that are to be displayed concurrently based on multiple keys that are touched as part of the user input;

display, in a first portion partially overlapping the character input field, the multiple characters;

identify, based on the multiple characters of the multiple user inputs, one or more suggested inputs;

display, adjacent the character input field, the one or more suggested inputs;

receive a user selection of one of the one or more suggested inputs; and

identify the selected one suggested input as an input to the character input field.