APPARATUS, COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM AND METHOD FOR EFFECTIVELY NAVIGATING POLYSEMOUS SYMBOLS ACROSS A PLURALITY OF LINKED ELECTRONIC SCREEN OVERLAYS, INCLUDING USE WITH VISUAL INDICATORS

• US 20150177982A1
• Filed: 07/26/2013
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prentke Romich Company
• Original Assignee: Semantic Compaction Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Baker, Bruce R., Cross, Russell T., Kovacs, Thomas R., Witkowski, Deborah L., Hershberger, David H., Halloran, Cindy C., Halloran, John D., Read, Rob
• Granted Patent: US 9,336,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/242 Dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/253 Grammatical analysis; Style critique
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer readable medium are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes providing polysemous symbols for selection on an initial electronic screen overlay displayed on a display; storing, in a memory, a plurality of the selectable polysemous symbols in association with a pointer identifying display of an electronic screen overlay which is different from the initial electronic screen overlay; and displaying a second electronic screen overlay on the display, in response to initial selection of one of the provided polysemous symbols. In at least one embodiment, the second electronic screen overlay is the electronic screen overlay associated with the selected polysemous symbol.

Claims

1-35. -35. (canceled)

36. A method, comprising:

displaying, on a display, a virtual keyboard including a plurality of polysemous symbols for selection on an initial electronic screen overlay;

storing, in a memory, a plurality of the selectable polysemous symbols in association with a pointer identifying display of an electronic screen overlay which is different from the initial electronic screen overlay;

displaying a second electronic screen overlay on the display, in response to initial selection of one of the provided polysemous symbols, the second electronic screen overlay being the electronic screen overlay associated with the selected polysemous symbol and including a virtual keyboard wherein less than all of a plurality of key locations on the virtual keyboard include a non-polysemous symbol; and

displaying a third electronic screen overlay on the display in place of the second electronic screen overlay, or outputting at least one of a word, sentence, phoneme, message, letter, number, morpheme, command and phrase, in response to selection of one of the non-polysemous symbols.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein at least a majority of the non-polysemous symbols on the second level electronic screen overlay belong to the same semantic category.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the third level electronic screen overlay includes a virtual keyboard, and wherein at least a majority of the plurality of keys on the virtual keyboard includes a non-polysemous symbol.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein at least a majority of the non-polysemous symbols on the third level electronic screen overlay belong to the same semantic category.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

outputting at least one of a word, sentence, phoneme, message, letter, number, morpheme, command and phrase and displaying the initial electronic screen overlay in place of the third electronic screen overlay, in response to the third electronic screen being displayed and in response to subsequent selection of one of the non-polysemous symbols of the third electronic screen overlay.

96. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

outputting at least one of a word, sentence, phoneme, message, letter, number, morpheme, command and phrase and displaying the initial electronic screen overlay in place of the third electronic screen overlay, in response to the third electronic screen being displayed and in response to subsequent selection of one of the non-polysemous symbols of the third electronic screen overlay.

97. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

outputting at least one of a word, sentence, phoneme, message, letter, number, morpheme, command and phrase and displaying the initial electronic screen overlay in place of the third electronic screen overlay, in response to the third electronic screen being displayed and in response to subsequent selection of one of the non-polysemous symbols of the third electronic screen overlay.

98. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

outputting at least one of a word, sentence, phoneme, message, letter, number, morpheme, command and phrase and displaying the initial electronic screen overlay in place of the third electronic screen overlay, in response to the third electronic screen being displayed and in response to subsequent selection of one of the non-polysemous symbols of the third electronic screen overlay.

41-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A apparatus, comprising:

an integrated input and display configured to display a virtual keyboard including a plurality of polysemous symbols for selection on an initial electronic screen overlay;

a memory, configured to store a plurality of the selectable polysemous symbols in association with a pointer identifying display of an electronic screen overlay which is different from the initial electronic screen overlay;

a processor configured to determine initial selection of one of the provided polysemous symbols, and configured to control the display of a second electronic screen overlay on the integrated input and display, in response to the determined initial selection, the second electronic screen overlay being the electronic screen overlay associated with the selected polysemous symbol and including a virtual keyboard wherein less than all of a plurality of key location on the virtual keyboard include a non-polysemous symbol, the integrated input and display device being further configured to either control output of at least one of a word, sentence, phoneme, message, letter, number, morpheme, command and phrase or display a third electronic screen overlay on the display in place of the second electronic screen overlay, in response to the processor determining selection of one of the non-polysemous symbols.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein at least a majority of the non-polysemous symbols on the second level electronic screen overlay belong to the same semantic category.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the third level electronic screen overlay includes a virtual keyboard, and wherein at least a majority of the plurality of keys on the virtual keyboard includes a non-polysemous symbol.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein at least a majority of the non-polysemous symbols on the third level electronic screen overlay belong to the same semantic category.

47. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

an output device, configured to output at least one of a word, sentence, phoneme, message, letter, number, morpheme, command and phrase, the initial electronic screen overlay being displayed in place of the third electronic screen overlay, in response to the processor controlling the display of the third electronic screen and in response to the processor subsequently determining selection of one of the non-polysemous symbols of the third electronic screen overlay.

99. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising:

an output device, configured to output at least one of a word, sentence, phoneme, message, letter, number, morpheme, command and phrase, the initial electronic screen overlay being displayed in place of the third electronic screen overlay, in response to the processor controlling the display of the third electronic screen and in response to the processor subsequently determining selection of one of the non-polysemous symbols of the third electronic screen overlay.

100. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising:

an output device, configured to output at least one of a word, sentence, phoneme, message, letter, number, morpheme, command and phrase, the initial electronic screen overlay being displayed in place of the third electronic screen overlay, in response to the processor controlling the display of the third electronic screen and in response to the processor subsequently determining selection of one of the non-polysemous symbols of the third electronic screen overlay.

101. The apparatus of claim 46, further comprising:

an output device, configured to output at least one of a word, sentence, phoneme, message, letter, number, morpheme, command and phrase, the initial electronic screen overlay being displayed in place of the third electronic screen overlay, in response to the processor controlling the display of the third electronic screen and in response to the processor subsequently determining selection of one of the non-polysemous symbols of the third electronic screen overlay.

48. (canceled)

49. A method, comprising:

providing polysemous symbols for selection on an initial electronic screen overlay displayed on a display;

storing, in a memory, a plurality of the selectable polysemous symbols in association with a pointer identifying display of an electronic screen overlay which is different from the initial electronic screen overlay; and

displaying a second electronic screen overlay on the display, in response to initial selection of one of the provided polysemous symbols, the second electronic screen overlay being the electronic screen overlay associated with the selected polysemous symbol, wherein a plurality of polysemous symbols on sequentially linked electronic screen overlays include at least one symbol useable as a terminal symbol in polysemous symbol sequences to produce respective words with a same grammatical function or belonging to a same part of speech.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the same grammatical function or part of speech includes at least one of a verb form, an adjective form, and a noun form.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein each of the at least one symbol, useable as the terminal symbol in polysemous symbol sequences, includes an indicator unique to polysemous symbols corresponding to the same grammatical function or part of speech.

102. The method of claim 50, wherein each of the at least one symbol, useable as the terminal symbol in polysemous symbol sequences, includes an indicator unique to polysemous symbols corresponding to the same grammatical function or part of speech.

52-54. -54. (canceled)

55. An apparatus, comprising:

an integrated input and display device configured to display an initial electronic screen overlay and configured to provide polysemous symbols for selection on an initial electronic screen overlay displayed on a display;

a memory to store a plurality of the selectable polysemous symbols in association with a pointer identifying display of an electronic screen overlay which is different from the initial electronic screen overlay; and

a processor to receive an indication of selection of one of the provided polysemous symbols, the integrated input and display device being further configured to

display a second electronic screen overlay on the display, in response to the processor receiving the indication of selection of one of the provided polysemous symbols, the second electronic screen overlay being the electronic screen overlay associated with the selected polysemous symbol, wherein a plurality of polysemous symbols on sequentially linked electronic screen overlays include at least one symbol useable as a terminal symbol in polysemous symbol sequences to produce respective words with a same grammatical function or belonging to a same part of speech.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the same grammatical function or part of speech includes at least one of a verb form, an adjective form, and a noun form.

57. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein each of the at least one symbol, useable as the terminal symbol in polysemous symbol sequences, includes an indicator unique to polysemous symbols corresponding to the same grammatical function or part of speech.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein, on the integrated input and display device, the indicator is displayed consistently on the initial and second overlay.

103. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein each of the at least one symbol, useable as the terminal symbol in polysemous symbol sequences, includes an indicator unique to polysemous symbols corresponding to the same grammatical function or part of speech.

59. (canceled)

60. A method, comprising:

providing polysemous symbols for selection on an initial electronic screen overlay displayed on a display, a plurality of the polysemous symbols with a same grammatical function or belonging to a same part of speech being displayed with a common background color;

storing, in a memory, a plurality of the selectable polysemous symbols in association with a pointer identifying display of an electronic screen overlay which is different from the initial electronic screen overlay; and

displaying a second electronic screen overlay on the display, in response to initial selection of one of the provided polysemous symbols, the second electronic screen overlay being the electronic screen overlay associated with the selected polysemous symbol, wherein at least one of plurality of polysemous symbols displayed for selection on the second electronic screen overlay includes a background color that is different from a background color of a similarly situated polysemous symbol previously displayed for selection on the initial electronic screen overlay.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the at least one polysemous symbol displayed for selection on the second electronic screen overlay including a different background color includes a background color common to polysemous symbols, displayed for selection on an initial electronic screen overlay, with a same grammatical function or belonging to a same part of speech as the at least one polysemous symbol displayed for selection on the second electronic screen overlay.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein the grammatical function or part of speech includes at least one of a verb form, an adjective form, and a noun form.

104. The method of claim 61, wherein the grammatical function or part of speech includes at least one of a verb form, an adjective form, and a noun form.

63. (canceled)

64. An apparatus, comprising:

an integrated input and display device configured to display an initial electronic screen overlay and configured to provide polysemous symbols for selection on the initial electronic screen overlay, a plurality of the polysemous symbols with a same grammatical function or belonging to a same part of speech being displayed with a common background color;

a memory configured to store a plurality of the selectable polysemous symbols in association with a pointer identifying display of an electronic screen overlay which is different from the initial electronic screen overlay; and

a processor, configured to control the integrated input and display device to display a second electronic screen overlay, in response to the processor receiving an indication of initial selection of one of the provided polysemous symbols, the second electronic screen overlay being the electronic screen overlay associated with the selected polysemous symbol, wherein at least one of plurality of polysemous symbols displayed for selection on the second electronic screen overlay includes a background color that is different from a background color of a similarly situated polysemous symbol previously displayed for selection on the initial electronic screen overlay.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the at least one polysemous symbol displayed for selection on the second electronic screen overlay including a different background color includes a background color common to polysemous symbols, displayed for selection on an initial electronic screen overlay, with a same grammatical function or belonging to a same part of speech as the at least one polysemous symbol displayed for selection on the second electronic screen overlay.

66. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the grammatical function or part of speech includes at least one of a verb form, an adjective form, and a noun form.

105. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the grammatical function or part of speech includes at least one of a verb form, an adjective form, and a noun form.

67-85. -85. (canceled)

86. An apparatus, comprising:

an integrated input and display device configured to provide polysemous symbols for selection on an initial electronic screen overlay, a plurality of the provided polysemous symbols including a visual indicator indicating a link to a next level electronic screen overlay which is different from the initial electronic screen overlay; and

a memory configured to store, in association with each one of the plurality of polysemous symbols, a pointer identifying display of the next level electronic screen overlay which is different from the initial electronic screen overlay, the integrated input and display device being configured to display the next level electronic screen overlay which is different from the initial electronic screen overlay, in response to initial selection of a respective one of the plurality of polysemous symbols including the visual indicator, the next level electronic screen overlay being the electronic screen overlay associated with the selected polysemous symbol, wherein the memory is further configured to store the plurality of the selectable polysemous symbols, displayed in association with the visual indicator on the next level electronic screen overlay, in association with a pointer identifying display of third electronic screen overlay which is different from the next level electronic screen overlay; and

wherein the integrated input and display device is configured to display a third electronic screen overlay, in response to selection of one of the selectable polysemous symbols of the displayed second electronic screen overlay displayed in association with the visual indicator, the third electronic screen overlay being associated with the selected one of the polysemous symbols of the displayed next level electronic screen overlay.

87. The apparatus of claim 86, wherein the third electronic screen overlay is displayed in place of the next level electronic screen overlay.

88-95. -95. (canceled)