Method and Apparatus for Text Input

• US 20110047456A1
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Keisense, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Mayank, Kessler, Gordon, Sharan, Santosh
• Granted Patent: US 9,110,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/261
• 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 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0426 tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00384 Key input means, e.g. buttons or keypads electromechanical details of key input means in general H01H13/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for text entry are provided. The method provides a keypad comprising four directional keys and a center selection key, and assigns a set of letters to each of the four directional keys. A representation of the set of letters assigned to each of the four directional keys is provided. A sequence of selected directional keys is received in accordance with a user input, and in accordance with the selected directional keys, the set of letters assigned to each of the selected directional keys are selectively passed to a parsing algorithm. The parsing algorithm determines a user intended text input based upon the passed sequence of letter groupings.

Claims

1. A text entry apparatus, comprising:

a keypad comprising four directional keys and a center selection key; and

a parsing algorithm for determining a user intended text input based upon a received sequence of directional keys;

wherein a set of letters are assigned to each of the four directional keys, and actuation of any of the four directional keys passes all of the letters assigned thereto to the parsing algorithm.

2. The text entry apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display for displaying a representation of the set of letters assigned to each of the four directional keys.

3. The text entry apparatus of claim 1, wherein a long actuation of one of the directional keys results in a backspace.

4. The text entry apparatus of claim 1, wherein a long actuation of one of the directional keys results in a space.

5. The text entry apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display portion for displaying a most likely intended word of the user, as determined in accordance with the parsing algorithm.

6. The text entry apparatus of claim 5, wherein actuation of the center selection key selects the displayed most likely intended word.

7. The text entry apparatus of claim 5, wherein a long actuation of the center selection key displays the one or more of the most likely intended words as determined in accordance with the parsing algorithm.

8. The text entry apparatus of claim 1, wherein the keypad comprises dedicated hardware keys.

9. The text entry apparatus of claim 1, wherein the keypad comprises virtual keys.

10. A text entry apparatus, comprising:

a keypad comprising four directional keys, a center selection key and a menu selection key; and

wherein actuation of the menu selection key allows for selection of the type of character to be entered by a user;

wherein upon selection of text entry in accordance with the menu selection key, a set of letters are assigned to each of the four directional keys, and actuation of any of the four directional keys passes all of the letters assigned thereto to a parsing algorithm for determining a user intended text input based upon a received sequence of directional keys;

wherein upon selection of numbers in accordance with the menu selection key, a set of numbers are assigned to each of the four directional keys;

wherein upon selection of symbols in accordance with the menu selection key, a set of symbols are assigned to each of the four directional keys.

11. The text entry apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a display for displaying a representation of the set of letters assigned to each of the four directional keys.

12. The text entry apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a display for displaying a representation of the set of numbers assigned to each of the four directional keys.

13. The text entry apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a display for displaying a representation of the set of symbols assigned to each of the four directional keys.

14. The text entry apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a display portion for displaying a most likely intended word of the user, as determined in accordance with the parsing algorithm, when the user has selected text entry.

15. The text entry apparatus of claim 14, wherein actuation of the center selection key selects the displayed most likely intended word.

16. The text entry apparatus of claim 14, wherein a long actuation of the center selection key displays the one or more of the most likely intended words as determined in accordance with the parsing algorithm.

17. A method for text entry, comprising the steps of:

providing a keypad comprising a predetermined number of directional keys and a selection key;

assigning a set of letters to each of the directional keys,

receiving a sequence of selected directional keys;

sequentially passing the set of letters assigned to each of the selected directional keys to a parsing algorithm; and

determining a user intended text input based upon the passed sequence of letter groupings.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of displaying a representation of the set of letters assigned to each of the directional keys.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of displaying a most likely intended word of the user, as determined in accordance with the parsing algorithm.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein actuation of the selection key selects the displayed most likely intended word.