INPUT DEVICE AND INPUT METHOD

• US 20120092262A1
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jumi Lee
• Original Assignee: Jumi Lee
• Inventors: Park, Chang Kyu
• Granted Patent: US 9,207,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• 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

Provided are an input device including at least one key to which a plurality of symbols are allocated, and a method of determining a symbol input by a user in the input device. The method includes tracking a plurality of input objects, receiving a key input from any one of the plurality of input objects, and determining a symbol input by a user on the basis of a relative position, which is a position of the input object in the input objects, of the input object that has generated the key input and the input key. Accordingly, it is possible to output different symbols using one key according to relative positions of an input object that has generated a key input, so that a desired symbol can be easily input through a small input device.

Claims

1. A method of determining a symbol input by a user in an input device including at least one key to which a plurality of symbols are allocated, the method comprising:

tracking a plurality of input objects;

receiving a key input from any one of the plurality of input objects; and

determining the symbol input by the user on the basis of a relative position, which is an order of the input object among the plurality of input objects in a specific direction of the input device, of the input object that has generated the key input and the input key.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of input objects include fingers of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking the plurality of input objects includes, when a predetermined number of input objects are sensed by the input device, starting tracking of the sensed input objects.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking the plurality of input objects includes:

receiving a plurality of key inputs from the plurality of input objects; and

starting tracking of the plurality of input objects that have generated the plurality of key inputs.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when one of the plurality of input objects approaches the key within a predetermined distance, specifying one of the plurality of symbols allocated to the key on the basis of a relative position of the approaching input object.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying the specified symbol to be distinguished from the plurality of symbols allocated to the key.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking the plurality of input objects includes tracking the plurality of input objects in a specific tracking area.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein tracking the plurality of input objects further includes, when an input object enters the specific tracking area, tracking the entering input object on the basis of a relative position of the entering input object.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein tracking the plurality of input objects further includes, when all the plurality of input objects leave the specific tracking area, initializing the input device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking the plurality of input objects includes:

obtaining images of the plurality of input objects using an image sensor; and

tracking the plurality of input objects using the obtained images.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking the plurality of input objects includes:

obtaining position information on the plurality of input objects using light-emitting devices sequentially emitting light one row after another and light-receiving devices receiving light reflected and returned by the plurality of input objects; and

tracking the plurality of input objects using the obtained position information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking the plurality of input objects includes:

obtaining images of the plurality of input objects using optical sensors that are arranged in the form of a net and emit and receive an optical signal; and

tracking the plurality of input objects using the obtained images.

13. A method of determining a symbol input by a user in an input device, the method comprising:

setting M (M is equal to or less than N and greater than

     1) valid input objects among N input objects according to an input of the user, allocating M symbols to at least one key, and providing an input means including the at least one key to which the M symbols are allocated;

receiving, at the input means, a key input from any one of the valid input objects; and

determining the symbol input by the user on the basis of a relative position, which is an order of the valid input object among the plurality of valid input objects in a specific direction of the input device, of the valid input object that has generated the key input and the input key.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the N input objects include fingers of the user.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a table corresponding to the number of the set valid input objects among a plurality of tables, each of which allocates symbols corresponding to input objects to keys, corresponding to the 2 to M input objects,

wherein determining the symbol input by the user includes determining the symbol input by the user with reference to the determined table on the basis of a relative position of the valid input object that has generated the key input and the input key.

16. An input device including at least one key to which a plurality of symbols are allocated, the input device comprising:

a tracker configured to track a plurality of input objects;

a key input unit configured to receive a key input from any one of the plurality of input objects; and

a symbol determiner configured to determine a symbol input by a user on the basis of a relative position, which is an order of the input object among the plurality of input objects in a specific direction of the input device, of the input object that has generated the key input and the input key.

17. The input device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of input objects include fingers of the user.

18. The input device of claim 16, wherein, when a predetermined number of input objects are sensed, the tracker starts tracking the sensed input objects.

19. The input device of claim 16, wherein, when a plurality of key inputs are received from the plurality of input objects, the tracker starts tracking the plurality of input objects that have generated the plurality of key inputs.

20. The input device of claim 16, wherein, when one of the plurality of input objects approaches the key within a predetermined distance, the symbol determiner specifies one of the plurality of symbols allocated to the key on the basis of a relative position of the approaching input object.

21. The input device of claim 20, further comprising a display unit configured to display the specified symbol to be distinguished from the plurality of symbols allocated to the key.

22. An input device, comprising:

an input means provider configured to set M (M is equal to or less than N and greater than

     1) valid input objects among N input objects according to an input of a user, allocate M symbols to at least one key, and provide an input means including the at least one key to which the M symbols are allocated; and

a symbol determiner configured to, when a key input is received from any one of the valid input objects through the input means, determine a symbol input by the user on the basis of a relative position, which is an order of the valid input object among the plurality of valid input objects in a specific direction of the input device, of the valid input object that has generated the key input and the input key.

23. The input device of claim 22, wherein the plurality of input objects include fingers of the user.