User interface method and apparatus

• US 6,005,549 A
• Filed: 07/24/1995
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald K. Forest
• Original Assignee: Donald K. Forest
• Inventors: Forest, Donald K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US08/506,445
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/7, 345/146, 345/902, 345/157, 345/158, 345/145, 345/156, 345/171, 395/352, 395/353, 395/354, 395/355, 395/751, 395/758
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/902 Menu display

Abstract

The apparatus and method of the invention relate to data entry and menu selection. Applications include: (a) data entry for ideographic languages, including Chinese, Japanese and Korean; (b) fast food ordering; (c) correction of documents generated by optical character recognition; and (d) computer access and speech synthesis by persons temporarily or permanently lacking normal motor capabilities. In a preferred embodiment, each option of a menu is associated respectively with a selectable region displayed adjacent an edge of a display, forming a perimeter menu and leaving a region in the center of the perimeter menu for the output of an application program. Selectable regions may be on the display, outside the display, or both. A menu option may be selected by clicking on the associated selectable region, by dwelling on it for a selection threshold period or by a cursor path toward the selectable region, or by a combination thereof. Remaining dwell time required to select a selectable region is preferably indicated by the brightness of the selectable region. Submenus of a perimeter menu may also be perimeter menus and the location of a submenu option may be foretold by the appearance of its parent menu option. Menu options may be ideographs sharing a sound, a structure or another characteristic. Ideographs, which may be homophones of one another, may be associated with colored indicating regions and selection of an ideograph may be made by speaking the name of the associated color.

Claims

1. For use with a user interface system including a display screen and a keyboard, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate a first and a second location with respect to the display screen, a method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:

displaying on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic;

moving the body member to indicate the first location while at least five of the operator'"'"'s fingers, not including either thumb, remain on the home row of the keyboard; and

in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting any one of the at least selectable regions and ending in response to the second location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location, selecting the sequence associated with the intersected selectable region.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the body member of the operator is a body member other than a hand, finger, and thumb.

3. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate a first and a second location with respect to the display screen, a method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:

at least partially delimiting on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a first common characteristic; and

in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting any one of the selectable regions and ending in response to the second location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location, first selecting the sequence associated with the intersected selectable region.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein each of the sequences belongs to any one of the Chinese language, Japanese language, Korean language, Picture Communication Symbols symbol set, Rebus symbol set, Picsyms symbol set, Pictogram Ideogram Communication Symbols symbol set, Yerkish symbol set, Blissymbolics symbol set, and a set of depictions of the signs of a manual sign language.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising confining the first location indicated by the body member of the operator to the display screen.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the operator keeps at least five of his fingers, not including either thumb, on the home row of a keyboard while moving the body member to indicate the first location.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the body member of the operator includes either one of a finger and a thumb.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the first common characteristic includes any one of:

(a) a phonetic unit, including either one of a Chinese pronunciation and a Japanese pronunciation;

(b) an intonation;

(c) a distinct sound;

(d) a stroke used to draw an ideograph;

(e) a number of horizontal strokes;

(f) a number of vertical strokes;

(g) a number of total strokes;

(h) a stroke order;

(i) a radical;

(i) a part of speech;

(k) an ideograph;

(l) a kana;

(m) a diacritic;

(n) a classification of a part of an ideograph;

(o) a meaning;

(p) a meaning class;

(q) a root;

(r) a graphic symbol;

(s) an appearance of a graphic symbol; and

(t) an attribute for optical recognition purposes.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the user interface system includes either one of:

(a) a keyboard, and the first common characteristic is indicated by one or more keystrokes; and

(b) a microphone, and the first common characteristic is indicated by voice.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein each of the sequences belongs to the Chinese language and wherein the first common characteristic includes a common characteristic of any one of:

(a) Zhu Yin coding;

(b) a romanization of Zhu Yin coding;

(c) Pin Yin coding;

(d) Chan Jie coding; and

(e) simplified Chan Jie coding.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein the body member of the operator is a body member other than either of the operator'"'"'s eyes.

12. The method of claim 3 wherein the body member of the operator is a body member other than the shoulder, arm, elbow, wrist, hand, finger, and thumb.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the body member of the operator is the head of the operator.

14. The method of claim 3 further comprising displaying a first cursor on the display screen at the first location indicated by the body member;

and wherein the first selecting step further comprises removing the first cursor from the display screen.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first selecting step further comprises displaying a second cursor at a predetermined location on the display screen.

16. The method of claim 3 further comprising displaying on the display screen one sequence of the plurality of sequences associated with one of the at least two selectable regions.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first selecting step further comprises displaying a first cursor on the display screen at a location on or near the displayed sequence.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of displaying one sequence of the plurality of sequences further comprises indicating the association of the displayed sequence with its associated selectable region.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the indicating step further comprises displaying any part of either of:

(a) the foreground of the displayed sequence; and

(b) the background of the displayed sequence in any one of;

(1) a location;

(2) a size;

(3) a shape;

(4) a hue;

(5) a brightness;

(6) a contrast;

(7) a tone;

(8) a dithering;

(9) a fill; and

(10) a font

associated with the associated selectable region.

20. The method of claim 3 further comprising disassociating the associated one or more sequences from the at least two selectable regions and associating one or more other sequences of the plurality of sequences respectively with one of the at least two selectable regions.

21. The method of claim 3 further comprising selecting the first common characteristic from a plurality of common characteristics of ideographs.

22. The method of claim 3 wherein at least one sequence of the plurality of sequences includes one or more graphic symbols in addition to the graphic symbols of the at least one sequence representing the first common characteristic.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the first common characteristic includes an ideograph and the additional graphic symbols of the at least one sequence include any one of:

(a) a prefix;

(b) an infix; and

(c) a suffix;

which may be added to the ideograph.

24. The method of claim 3 wherein the at least two selectable regions are ordered responsive to any one of:

(a) the frequency of use of the associated sequence in an ideographic language;

(b) the frequency of use of the associated sequence in a first body of usage;

(c) the frequency of use of the associated sequence when preceded by a previously selected sequence;

(d) the recency of use of the associated sequence in a second body usage;

(e) the length of associated sequence;

(f) the alphabetic order of the associated sequence; and

(g) a second common characteristic.

25. The method of claim 3 further comprising second selecting one sequence of the plurality of sequences and wherein the first selecting step is responsive to the operator indicating that the sequence selected in the second selecting step is not the sequence intended by the operator.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of second selecting one sequence of the plurality of sequences is responsive to the probability that the sequence selected in the second selecting step is the sequence intended by the operator.

27. The method of claim 3 wherein the user interface system includes a computer program and further comprising determining that the computer program is licensed for use with the user interface system.

28. The method of claim 3 wherein the body member may indicate a third location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location;

and further comprising indicating the duration of a period of intersection, said period starting in response to the first location and ending in response to the third location.

29. A method of editing a document in an ideographic language, said method comprising:

selecting a first sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, at least part of each of the plurality of sequences having a common attribute for optical recognition purposes, one or more of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs;

entering the first sequence into the document;

delimiting on a display a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with a sequence of the plurality of sequences;

displaying on the display the at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences associated with the at least two selectable regions;

receiving a movement related signal and moving a cursor on the display responsive thereto; and

in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to a first location of the cursor intersecting any one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to a second location of the cursor intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location, entering the sequence associated with the intersected selectable region into the document.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising deleting the first sequence from the document.

31. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate successive locations with respect to the display screen, a method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:

at least partially delimiting a plurality of selectable regions, each of the selectable regions including an invisible subregion adjacent the display screen and a visible subregion on the display screen, the plurality of visible subregions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; and

responsive to the duration of a period of intersection equalling or exceeding a predetermined period, the period of intersection starting in response to a starting location intersecting any one of the invisible subregions included in one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to an ending location intersecting the invisible subregion intersected by the starting location, the starting and the ending locations each being one of the successive locations, selecting the sequence associated with the selectable region including the invisible subregion intersected by the starting location.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising indicating the duration of a period of intersection, said period starting in response to the starting location and ending in response to an intermediate location intersecting the invisible subregion intersected by the starting location, the intermediate location being one of the successive locations occurring after the starting location.

33. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate successive locations with respect to the display screen, a method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:

displaying on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; and

responsive to a quantity equalling or exceeding a selection threshold period, said quantity being a function of the durations of a first and a second period of intersection,

said first period of intersection starting in response to a first starting location intersecting any one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to a first ending location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first starting location,

said second period of intersection starting in response to a second starting location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first starting location and ending in response to a second ending location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first starting location,

the first starting location, the second starting location, the first ending location and the second ending location each comprising one of the successive locations,

selecting the sequence associated with the selectable region intersected by the first starting location.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising increasing the selection threshold period responsive to the duration of an intermediate period of non-intersection of the selectable region intersected by the first starting location, said intermediate period of intersection starting in response to an intermediate starting location not intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first starting location and ending in response to an intermediate ending location not intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first starting location, the intermediate starting and the intermediate ending locations each comprising one of the successive locations and each occurring at the time or after the first ending location occurs and before or at the time the second starting location occurs.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising indicating the duration of the intermediate period of non-intersection.

36. A method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:

delimiting with respect to a display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, each of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic;

receiving a movement related signal and moving a cursor on the display screen responsive thereto; and

selecting the sequence associated with a particular one of the plurality of selectable regions responsive to either one of;

(a) a cursor path most nearly along a path indicated by a cursor location and the movement related signal in advance of an intersection of the cursor and the particular selectable region; and

(b) only an intersection of the cursor and the particular selectable region.

37. A method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:

delimiting with respect to a display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, each of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic;

receiving a movement related signal and moving a cursor on the display screen responsive thereto; and

responsive to;

(a) an intersection of the cursor and one of the selectable regions, and

(b) a cursor path toward the intersected selectable region, selecting the sequence associated with the intersected selectable region.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the selecting step is further responsive to the duration of the period of the intersection equalling or exceeding a selection threshold period.

39. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate a first, second, third, and fourth location with respect to the display screen, a method of selecting an undo function, said method comprising:

first displaying on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of a plurality of sequences of graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic;

in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a first predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting any one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to the second location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location, selecting the sequence associated with the intersected selectable region;

performing a function with the selected sequence;

second displaying on the display screen a selectable region associated with the undo function; and

in response to a second quantity equalling or exceeding a second predetermined quantity, said second quantity being a function of the duration of a second period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the third location intersecting the selectable region associated with the undo function and ending in response to the fourth location intersecting the selectable region associated with the undo function, undoing the function performed with the selected sequence.

40. A method of data entry in an ideographic language, said method comprising:

displaying on a display a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of a plurality of sequences of graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic;

receiving a movement related signal and moving a cursor on the display responsive thereto;

responsive to a cursor path toward any one of the at least two selectable regions, changing a selection threshold period associated or to be associated with said selectable region; and

responsive to the duration of a period of intersection of the cursor and said selectable region equalling or exceeding the selection threshold period, entering into the at least partially circumscribed region the sequence associated with said selectable region.

41. For use with a user interface system including:

(1) a menu including a plurality of menu options, wherein each menu option represents a sequence of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; and

(2) a display screen with respect to which may be at least partially delimited a plurality of selectable regions, each selectable region associated respectively with one of the plurality of menu options;

a method of selecting one of the menu options, said method comprising;

(a) at least partially delimiting the selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen;

(b) displaying each menu option on the display screen, wherein each displayed menu option indicates the location of the associated selectable region and wherein none of the displayed menu options intersects the selectable region associated therewith; and

(c) in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the first period of intersection starting in response to a first location indicated by a user intersecting any one of the selectable regions and ending in response to a second location indicated by the user intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location, selecting the menu option associated with the intersected selectable region.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein none of the displayed menu options is located adjacent the selectable region associated therewith.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the relative location of each displayed menu option with respect to the other displayed menu options indicates the relative location of the associated selectable region with respect to the other selectable regions.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein each selectable region is located outside the display screen.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein each selectable region is unbounded on at least one side.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein the common characteristic includes any one of:

(a) a phonetic unit, including either one of a Chinese pronunciation and a Japanese pronunciation;

(b) an intonation;

(c) a distinct sound;

(d) a stroke used to draw an ideograph;

(e) a number of horizontal strokes;

(f) a number of vertical strokes;

(g) a number of total strokes;

(h) a stroke order;

(i) a radical;

(j) a part of speech;

(k) an ideograph;

(l) a kana;

(m) a diacritic;

(n) a classification of a part of an ideograph;

(o) a meaning; and

(p) a meaning class.

47. The method of claim 41 wherein the menu interface includes either one of:

(a) a keyboard, and the first common characteristic is indicated by one or more keystrokes; and

(b) a microphone, and the first common characteristic is indicated by voice.

48. The method of claim 41 wherein the displaying step further comprises displaying a plurality of indicating regions, each indicating region associated respectively with one of the menu options, each indicating region displayed in a location intersecting or near the associated displayed menu option, and wherein no one indicating region intersects the selectable region associated with the menu option associated with said one indicating region.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein at least part of each indicating region is displayed in one manner and at least part of the selectable region associated with the menu option associated with the indicating region is displayed in a manner similar to the one manner.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the manner of display is any one of:

(1) a size;

(2) a shape;

(3) a hue;

(4) a brightness;

(5) a contrast;

(6) a tone;

(7) a dithering;

(8) a fill;

(9) a font;

(10) a blinking;

(11) a hatching; and

(12) a pattern.

51. The method of claim 48 wherein an operator may indicate a location with respect to the display screen and further comprising indicating an intersection of the location and any one of the selectable regions in the indicating region associated with the menu option associated with the intersected selectable region.

52. The method of claim 48 wherein an operator may further indicate a third location with respect to the display screen, the third location intersecting the particular selectable region and occuring after the first location occurs;

and further comprising indicating the duration of a second period of intersection, the second period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting the particular selectable region and ending in response to the third location intersecting the particular selectable region.

53. The method of claim 41 wherein the selecting step further comprises indicating that the selection has occurred.

54. For use with a general purpose computer system including:

(1) a display; and

(2) a movement related signal receiver capable of receiving a movement related signal indicating a first and a second location with respect to the display responsive to user movement indicating a potential user selection;

an apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including an ideograph, said apparatus comprising;

(a) a medium readable by the general purpose computer system; and

(b) a first program, stored on the medium and executable by the general purpose computer system, for;

(1) at least partially delimiting on the display a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the at least two associated sequences having a common characteristic; and

(2) in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting a particular one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to the second location intersecting the particular selectable region, selecting the sequence associated with the particular selectable region.

55. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein the medium may be coupled to and uncoupled from the general purpose computer system.

56. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein the medium includes any one of:

(a) a random access memory;

(b) a magnetic store; and

(c) an optical store.

57. The apparatus of claim 54 further comprising a second program executable by the general purpose computer system;

and wherein the first program is further operative to input the selected sequence to the second program.

58. For use with a user interface system comprising a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, each of the plurality of sequences having a first common characteristic, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, and wherein:

(1) a body member of an operator may indicate a first, a second, a third, and a fourth location with respect to a display screen;

(2) a plurality of selectable regions may be at least partially delimited on the display screen, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences; and

(3) one of the at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences may be selected responsive to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a first predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the first period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting the selectable region associated with the one of the at least two sequences and ending in response to the second location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location;

a method of preventing the selection of the one of the at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences, said method comprising;

in response to a second quantity equalling or exceeding a second predetermined quantity, said second quantity being a function of the duration of a second period of intersection, the second period of intersection starting in response to the third location intersecting any one of the selectable regions other than the selectable region associated with the one of the at least two sequences and ending in response to the fourth location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the third location, preventing the selection of the one of the at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences while maintaining a power supply to the user interface system.

59. The method of claim 58 wherein the body member may further indicate a fifth and a sixth location with respect to the display screen;

and further comprising, after the preventing step, enabling, in response to a third quantity equalling or exceeding a third predetermined quantity, said third quantity being a function of the duration of a third period of intersection, the third period of intersection starting in response to the fifth location intersecting any one of the selectable regions other than the selectable region associated with the one of the at least two sequences and ending in response to the sixth location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the fifth location, the selection of the one of the at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the preventing step further comprises disabling all functions of the user interface system except the enabling step.

61. A method of data entry in an ideographic language for use with a computer system including a keyboard and a display including an application area with a periphery, the application area capable of displaying at least part of the output of an application program capable of execution on the computer system, said method allowing a user of the computer system having hands each with four fingers and a thumb to keep both the hands on the keyboard at all times during data entry, said method comprising:

receiving a keyboard signal indicating a characteristic common to each of a plurality of sequences of graphic symbols in the ideographic language, at least one of the sequences of graphic symbols including an ideograph;

delimiting a plurality of selectable regions with respect to the display, each of the plurality of selectable regions outside the application area and adjacent the periphery of the application area, at least one of the plurality of selectable regions associated respectively with one of the sequences of graphic symbols;

receiving a movement related signal indicating a location with respect to the display, the movement related signal responsive to movement of a body member of the user and indicating a potential user selection, the movement of the body member allowing the user to keep at least five of the fingers, not including either thumb, on the home row of the keyboard while moving the body member; and

inputting the sequence of graphic symbols associated with the at least one of the plurality of selectable regions to the application program responsive to either one of;

(a) an intersection of the movement related signal and the at least one of the plurality of selectable regions; and

(b) a path of the movement related signal moving toward the at least one of the plurality of selectable regions in accordance with a predetermined quantity prior to an intersection of the movement related signal and the at least one of the plurality of selectable regions.

62. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of a user may indicate a location with respect to the display screen overshooting a desired location, a method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, said method comprising:

delimiting on the display screen a working region having a periphery;

at least partially delimiting with respect to the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, each of the selectable regions outside the working region and adjacent the periphery of the working region, each of the selectable regions selectable by the user, each of the selectable regions associated respectively with and simultaneously displaying on the display screen a sequence of the plurality of sequences of graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences of graphic symbols including one or more ideographs; and

selecting the sequence of one or more graphic symbols associated with a particular one of the selectable regions in response to a period of intersection equalling or exceeding a predetermined period, the period of intersection starting with a first location and ending with a second location, each of the first and second locations indicated by the user and intersecting the particular selectable region, either the first and the second locations confined to a portion of the particular selectable region on the display screen or either one or both of the first and the second locations intersecting a portion of the particular selectable region beyond the display screen.

63. A user interface allowing a user to overshoot a target and still select the target, said user interface comprising:

(a) a display screen including a working region with a periphery;

(b) a movement related signal receiver capable of receiving a movement related signal indicating each of a first and a second location with respect to the display screen responsive to user movement indicating a potential user selection;

(c) a delimit device capable of delimiting a first plurality of selectable regions outside the working region and adjacent the periphery of the working region, each of the first plurality of selectable regions selectable by the user and having an external boundary wherein the external boundary includes the side of the selectable region furthest from the working region, each of the first plurality of selectable regions having either a confiner capable of preventing the movement related signal indicating the first and the second locations from moving beyond the external boundary of the selectable region or having an activation area extending beyond the external boundary of the selectable region and beyond the display screen, each of the first plurality of selectable regions associated respectively with and simultaneously displaying on the display screen a sequence of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences of graphic symbols including one or more ideographs; and

(d) a selection device capable of selecting the sequence associated with a first particular one of the first plurality of selectable regions responsive to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a first predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the first period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting the first particular selectable region or the activation area associated therewith and ending in response to the second location intersecting the first particular selectable region or the activation area associated therewith, thereby providing the user with the ability to select the first particular sequence while overshooting the first particular selectable region with the movement related signal.

64. The user interface of claim 63 wherein the movement related signal may further indicate a each of a third and a fourth location with respect to the display screen responsive to user movement indicating a potential user selection;

and wherein the delimit device is further capable of delimiting a second plurality of selectable regions outside the working region and adjacent the periphery of the working region, each of the second plurality of selectable regions selectable by the user and having an external boundary wherein the external boundary includes the side of the selectable region furthest from the working region, each of the second plurality of selectable regions having a confiner capable of preventing the movement related signal indicating the third and fourth locations from moving beyond the external boundary of the selectable region or having an activation area extending beyond the external boundary of the selectable region and beyond the display screen, each of the second plurality of selectable regions associated respectively with and simultaneously displaying a sequence of one or more graphic symbols, the first particular sequence including or representing at least part of the sequence associated with a second particular one of the second selectable regions; and

wherein the selection device is further capable of selecting, subsequent to the selection of the first particular sequence, the second particular sequence responsive to a second quantity equalling or exceeding a second predetermined quantity, said second quantity being a function of the duration of a second period of intersection, the second period of intersection starting in response to the third location intersecting the second particular selectable region or the activation area associated therewith and ending in response to the fourth location intersecting the second particular selectable region or the activation area associated therewith, thereby providing the user with the ability to select the second particular sequence while overshooting the second particular selectable region with the movement related signal.

65. The user interface of claim 63 further comprising:

(a) a computer system including the display screen and the movement related signal receiver; and

(b) a pointer, coupled to the computer system, for generating the movement related signal;

(c) a program, executable on the computer system;

and wherein each of the delimit device and the selection device is formed by the combination of the program and the computer system.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein the pointer includes any one of:

(a) a mouse;

(b) a trackball;

(c) a joystick;

(d) a stylus and graphics tablet;

(e) a lightpen;

(f) a thumb wheel;

(g) a touch screen;

(h) a head pointer;

(i) an intraoral pointer; and

(j) an eye tracker.

67. The user interface of claim 63 further comprising a signal generating device, coupled to a controlled device, for generating a device control signal corresponding to a device control function for controlling the controlled device;

wherein the first particular sequence represents the device control function; and

wherein the signal generating device, in response to the selection of the first particular sequence, generates the device control signal.

68. The user interface of claim 67 wherein the controlled device includes any one of:

(a) a computer peripheral;

(b) a device capable of playing previously recorded sound;

(c) a device capable of playing previously recorded video;

(d) a household appliance;

(e) a lamp;

(f) a microprocessor;

(g) a motorized transport device including either one of a scooter and a wheelchair;

(h) a radio;

(i) a robot;

(j) a security system;

(k) a television;

(l) a thermostat;

(m) a voice output device;

(n) a workstation;

(o) an alarm; and

(p) an office appliance.

69. A user interface including a display screen and wherein a body member of a user may indicate successive locations with respect to the display screen, the user interface for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a first plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, said user interface comprising:

a delimit device for at least partially delimiting a first plurality of selectable regions, each of the first plurality of selectable regions including a first invisible subregion adjacent the display screen and a first visible subregion on the display screen, the plurality of first visible subregions together at least partially circumscribing a first region on the display screen, at least two of the first plurality of selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the first plurality of sequences, one or more sequences of the at least two associated sequences including one or more ideographs; and

a selection device, responsive to the duration of a first period of intersection equalling or exceeding a first predetermined period, the first period of intersection starting in response to a first starting location intersecting any one of the first invisible subregions included in one of the at least two of the first plurality of selectable regions and ending in response to a first ending location intersecting the invisible subregion intersected by the first starting location, the first starting and the first ending locations each being one of the successive locations, for selecting the sequence associated with the one of the first plurality of selectable regions including the invisible subregion intersected by the first starting location.

70. The user interface of claim 69 wherein the delimit device is further operative to delimit a second plurality of selectable regions, each of the second plurality of selectable regions including a second invisible subregion outside the display screen and a second visible subregion on the display screen, the plurality of second visible subregions together at least partially circumscribing a second region on the display screen, at least two of the second plurality of selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of a second plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols;

and wherein the selection device is further operative, responsive to the duration of a second period of intersection equalling or exceeding a second predetermined period, the second period of intersection starting in response to a second starting location intersecting any one of the second invisible subregions included in one of the at least two of the second plurality of selectable regions and ending in response to a second ending location intersecting the invisible subregion intersected by the second starting location, the second starting and the second ending locations each being one of the successive locations, for selecting the sequence associated with the one of the second plurality of selectable regions including the invisible subregion intersected by the second starting location.

71. The user interface of claim 70 wherein

(a) each of the first visible subregions is adjacent one of the second visible subregions;

(b) each of the first invisible subregions is adjacent one of the second invisible subregions;

(c) the first plurality of visible subregions and the second plurality of visible subregions are concentric;

or

(d) the first plurality of invisible subregions and the second plurality of invisible subregions are concentric.

72. The user interface of claim 70 wherein the selection device is further operative, responsive to a selection event, to select either one, but not both, of:

(a) the sequence associated with the one of the first plurality of selectable regions including the invisible subregion intersected by the first starting location;

or

(b) the sequence associated with the one of the second plurality of selectable regions including the invisible subregion intersected by the second starting location.

73. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, and wherein a body member of an operator may indicate a first and a second location with respect to the display screen, an apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said apparatus comprising:

a delimit device for at least partially delimiting on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the at least two associated sequences having a first common characteristic; and

in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting a particular one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to the second location intersecting the particular selectable region, a selection device for selecting the particular sequence associated with the particular selectable region.

74. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein the body member may indicate a third location intersecting the particular selectable region;

and further comprising an indicator for indicating the duration of a period of intersection, said period starting in response to the first location and ending in response to the third location.

75. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein each of the at least two associated sequences belongs to any one of the Chinese language, Japanese language, Korean language, a set of depictions of the signs of a manual sign language, a symbol set, Picture Communication Symbols symbol set,

Rebus symbol set, Picsyms symbol set, Pictogram Ideogram Communication Symbols symbol set, Yerkish symbol set, and Blissymbolics symbol set.

76. The apparatus of claim 73 further comprising a confiner for confining the first location indicated by the body member of the operator to the area of the union of the selectable regions and the circumscribed region on the display screen.

77. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein the operator keeps at least five of his fingers, not including either thumb, on the home row of a keyboard while moving the body member to indicate the first location.

78. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the body member of the operator includes either one of a finger and a thumb.

79. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein the first common characteristic includes any one of:

(a) a phonetic unit, including either one of a Chinese pronunciation and a Japanese pronunciation;

(b) an intonation;

(c) a distinct sound;

(d) a stroke used to draw an ideograph;

(e) a number of horizontal strokes;

(f) a number of vertical strokes;

(g) a number of total strokes;

(h) a stroke order;

(i) a radical;

(j) a part of speech;

(k) an ideograph;

(l) a kana;

(m) a diacritic;

(n) a classification of a part of an ideograph;

(o) a meaning;

(p) a meaning class;

(q) a root;

(r) a graphic symbol;

(s) an appearance of a graphic symbol; and

(t) an attribute for optical recognition purposes.

80. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein the user interface system includes either one of:

(a) a keyboard, and the first common characteristic is indicated by one or more keystrokes; and

(b) a microphone, and the first common characteristic is indicated by voice.

81. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein each of the sequences belongs to the Chinese language and wherein the first common characteristic includes a common characteristic of any one of:

(a) Zhu Yin coding;

(b) a romanization of Zhu Yin coding;

(c) Pin Yin coding;

(d) Chan Jie coding; and

(e) simplified Chan Jie coding.

82. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein the body member of the operator includes either one of:

(a) the head of the operator; and

(b) an eye of the operator.

83. The apparatus of claim 73 further comprising a display device for:

(a) displaying a first cursor on the display screen at the first location indicated by the body member; and

(b) responsive to the selection of the particular sequence, removing the first cursor from the display screen.

84. The apparatus of claim 83 wherein the display device is further operative, responsive to the selection of the particular sequence, to display a second cursor at a predetermined location on the display screen.

85. The apparatus of claim 73 further comprising a display device for displaying on the display screen one of the at least two associated sequences.

86. The apparatus of claim 85 wherein the display device is further operative to display a first cursor on the display screen at a location on or near the displayed sequence.

87. The apparatus of claim 85 wherein the display of the one of the at least two associated sequences indicates the association of the displayed sequence with its associated selectable region.

88. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein the indication comprises the display of any part of either of:

(a) the foreground of the displayed sequence; and

(b) the background of the displayed sequence in any one of;

(1) a location;

(2) a size;

(3) a shape;

(4) a hue;

(5) a brightness;

(6) a contrast;

(7) a tone;

(8) a dithering;

(9) a fill;

(10) a font; and

(11) a pattern

associated with the associated selectable region.

89. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein the body member may further indicate a third and a fourth location with respect to the display screen;

and wherein each of the sequences has the first common characteristic; and

wherein the selection device, responsive to the a second quantity equalling or exceeding a second predetermined quantity, said second quantity being a function of the duration of a second period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the third location intersecting one of the selectable regions and ending in response to the fourth location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the third location, is further operative to disassociate the associated one or more sequences from the at least two selectable regions and associate one or more other sequences of the plurality of sequences respectively with one of the at least two selectable regions.

90. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein the first common characteristic may be selected from a plurality of common characteristics of ideographs.

91. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein the first common characteristic includes a certain sequence of one or more graphic symbols;

and wherein at least one sequence of the plurality of sequences includes one or more graphic symbols in addition to the certain sequence.

92. The apparatus of claim 91 wherein the certain sequence includes an ideograph and the additional one or more graphic symbols include any one of:

(a) a prefix;

(b an infix; and

(c) a suffix;

which may be added to the ideograph.

93. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein the at least two selectable regions are ordered responsive to any one of:

(a) the frequency of use of the associated sequence in an ideographic language;

(b) the frequency of use of the associated sequence in a first body of usage;

(c) the frequency of use of the associated sequence when preceded by a previously selected sequence;

(d) the recency of use of the associated sequence in a second body usage;

(e) the length of associated sequence;

(f) the alphabetic order of the associated sequence; and

(g) a second common characteristic.

94. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein the body member may further indicate a third and a fourth location with respect to the display screen;

and wherein the selection device after the selection of the particular sequence is further operative, responsive to a second quantity equalling or exceeding a second predetermined quantity, said second quantity being a function of the duration of a second period of intersection, the second period of intersection starting in response to the third location intersecting any one of the selectable regions other than the selectable region associated with the one of the at least two sequences and ending in response to the fourth location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the third location, to select another of the at least two associated sequences other than the previously selected sequence, the another of the at least two associated sequences being the most probable of the unselected associated sequences intended by the operator.

95. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein the user interface system includes a computer program and wherein the selection device is further operative to determine whether the computer program is licensed for use with the user interface system.

96. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein the first common characteristic includes any one of the meaning classes:

(a) actions;

(b) amounts;

(c) animals;

(d) articles of clothing;

(e) bodily functions;

(f) buildings;

(g) business activities;

(h) cleaning activities;

(i) colors;

(j) communication activities;

(k) computer peripherals;

(l) days;

(m) devices used to maintain personal hygiene;

(n) directions;

(o) drinks;

(p) emergency conditions;

(q) emotions;

(r) financial activities;

(s) foods;

(t) government services;

(u) greetings;

(v) holidays;

(w) household appliances;

(x) illnesses;

(y) items of office equipment;

(z) jokes;

(aa) lengths;

(ab) locations, including locations frequented by the operator of the apparatus;

(ac) meals;

(ad) means of transportation;

(ae) months;

(af) names;

(ag) numbers;

(ah) parts of the human body;

(ai) persons known to the operator of the apparatus;

(aj) plants;

(ak) prosthetic devices;

(al) recreational activities;

(am) rehabilitation activities;

(an) relative locations;

(ao) school activities;

(ap) shapes;

(aq) shopping activities;

(ar) sizes;

(as) smells;

(at) sports;

(au) tactile attributes;

(av) tastes;

(aw) telephone numbers;

(ax) temperatures;

(ay) times;

(az) topics of study;

(ba) utterances used as acknowledgements in conversation without conveying new substantive information;

(bb) utterances used to bid for a turn to speak in conversation;

(bc) weights; and

(bd) work activities.

97. For use with a user interface system including a display screen and wherein a body member of an operator may indicate successive locations with respect to the display screen, an apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said apparatus comprising:

a delimit device for at least partially delimiting a plurality of selectable regions, each of the selectable regions including an invisible subregion outside the display screen and a visible subregion on the display screen, the plurality of visible subregions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the at least two associated sequences having a common characteristic; and

responsive to the duration of a first period of intersection equalling or exceeding a predetermined period, the first period of intersection starting in response to a starting location intersecting a particular one of the invisible subregions included in one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to an ending location intersecting the particular subregion, the starting and the ending locations each being one of the successive locations, a selection device for selecting the particular sequence associated with the particular selectable region including the particular invisible subregion.

98. The apparatus of claim 97 further comprising an indicator for indicating the duration of a second period of intersection, said second period starting in response to the starting location and ending in response to an intermediate location intersecting the particular subregion, the intermediate location being one of the successive locations occurring after the starting location.

99. The apparatus of claim 97 wherein the body member of the operator includes either one of:

(a) the head of the operator; and

(b) an eye of the operator.

100. The apparatus of claim 97 wherein the location of the visible subregion of each selectable region on the display screen indicates the location of the invisible subregion of the selectable region.

101. The apparatus of claim 97 wherein the common characteristic includes any one of the meaning classes:

(a) actions;

(b) amounts;

(c) animals;

(d) articles of clothing;

(e) bodily functions;

(f) buildings;

(g) business activities;

(h) cleaning activities;

(i) colors;

(j) communication activities;

(k) computer peripherals;

(l) days;

(m) devices used to maintain personal hygiene;

(n) directions;

(o) drinks;

(p) emergency conditions;

(q) emotions;

(r) financial activities;

(s) foods;

(t) government services;

(u) greetings;

(v) holidays;

(w) household appliances;

(x) illnesses;

(y) items of office equipment;

(z) jokes;

(aa) lengths;

(ab) locations, including locations frequented by the operator of the apparatus;

(ac) meals;

(ad) means of transportation;

(ae) months;

(af) names;

(ag) numbers;

(ah) parts of the human body;

(ai) persons known to the operator of the apparatus;

(aj) plants

(ak) prosthetic devices;

(al) recreational activities;

(am) rehabilitation activities;

(an) relative locations;

(ao) school activities;

(ap) shapes;

(aq) shopping activities;

(ar) sizes;

(as) smells;

(at) sports;

(au) tactile attributes;

(av) tastes;

(aw) telephone numbers;

(ax) temperatures;

(ay) times;

(az) topics of study;

(ba) utterances used as acknowledgements in conversation without conveying new substantive information;

(bb) utterances used to bid for a turn to speak in conversation;

(bc) weights; and

(bd) work activities.

102. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate successive locations with respect to the display screen, an apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said apparatus comprising:

a display device for displaying on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the at least two associated sequences having a common characteristic; and

responsive to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the durations of a first and a second period of intersection,

said first period of intersection starting in response to a first starting location intersecting a particular one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to a first ending location intersecting the particular selectable region,

said second period of intersection starting in response to a second starting location intersecting the particular selectable region and ending in response to a second ending location intersecting the particular selectable region,

the first starting location, the second starting location, the first ending location and the second ending location each being one of the successive locations,

a selection device for selecting the sequence associated with the particular selectable region.

103. The apparatus of claim 102 wherein the predetermined quantity may be increased responsive to the duration of an intermediate period of non-intersection of the particular selectable region, said intermediate period of intersection starting in response to an intermediate starting location not intersecting the particular selectable region and ending in response to an intermediate ending location not intersecting the particular selectable region, the intermediate starting and the intermediate ending locations each being one of the successive locations and each occurring at the time or after the first ending location occurs and before or at the time the second starting location occurs.

104. The apparatus of claim 103 further comprising an indicator for indicating the duration of the intermediate period of non-intersection.

105. An apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said apparatus comprising:

a delimit device for delimiting with respect to a display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, each of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic;

a movement related signal receiver for receiving a movement related signal and moving a cursor on the display screen responsive thereto; and

a selection device for selecting the sequence associated with a particular one of the plurality of selectable regions responsive to either one of;

(a) a cursor path most nearly along a path indicated by a cursor location and the movement related signal in advance of an intersection of the cursor and the particular selectable region; and

(b) only an intersection of the cursor and the particular selectable region.

106. An apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said apparatus comprising:

a delimit device for delimiting with respect to a display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, each of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic;

a movement related signal receiver for receiving a movement related signal and moving a cursor on the display screen responsive thereto; and

responsive to;

(a) an intersection of the cursor and a particular one of the selectable regions; and

(b) a cursor path toward the particular selectable region,

a selection device for selecting the sequence associated with the particular selectable region.

107. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the selection device is further responsive to the duration of the period of the intersection equalling or exceeding a predetermined period.

108. A user interface allowing a user to overshoot a target and still select the target, said user interface comprising:

(a) a medium readable by a general purpose computer system including;

(1) a display screen including a working region with a periphery; and

(2) a movement related signal receiver capable of receiving a movement related signal indicating a location with respect to the display screen responsive to user movement indicating a potential user selection; and

(b) a program, stored on the medium and executable by the general purpose computer system, for;

(1) delimiting a first plurality of selectable regions outside the working region and adjacent the periphery of the working region, each of the first plurality of selectable regions selectable by the user and having an external boundary wherein the external boundary includes the side of the selectable region furthest from the working region, each of the first plurality of selectable regions having either a confiner capable of preventing the movement related signal indicating the location from moving beyond the external boundary of the selectable region or having an activation area extending beyond the external boundary of the selectable region and beyond the display screen, each of the first plurality of selectable regions associated respectively with and simultaneously displaying a sequence of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences of graphic symbols including one or more ideographs; and

(2) selecting the first particular sequence associated with a first particular one of the first plurality of selectable regions responsive to a first intersection of the movement related signal and the first particular selectable region or the activation area associated therewith, thereby providing the user with the ability to select the first particular sequence while overshooting the first particular selectable region with the movement related signal.

109. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of a user may indicate successive locations with respect to the display screen, the successive locations including a first, a second, a third, and a fourth location, the display screen including a working region having a periphery, an apparatus for doing and then undoing a function, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a display device for delimiting on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, each of the selectable regions outside the working region and adjacent the periphery of the working region, each of the selectable regions selectable by the user, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with and simultaneously displaying one sequence of a plurality of sequences of graphic symbols, one of the at least two associated sequences including one or more ideographs, each of the at least two associated sequences having a common characteristic, one of the at least two associated sequences representing a function, another of the sequences representing an undo function; and

(b) a selection device for;

(1) in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a first predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the first period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting the selectable region associated with the function and ending in response to the second location intersecting the selectable region associated with the function, performing the function; and

(2) in response to a second quantity equalling or exceeding a second predetermined quantity, said second quantity being a function of the duration of a second period of intersection, the second period of intersection starting in response to the third location intersecting the selectable region associated with the undo function and ending in response to the fourth location intersecting the selectable region associated with the undo function, undoing the function.

110. For use with a user interface system including:

(1) a menu including a plurality of menu options, wherein each menu option represents a sequence of one or more graphic symbols, at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, each of the at least two sequences having a common characteristic; and

(2) a display screen with respect to which nay be at least partially delimited a plurality of selectable regions, each selectable region associated respectively with one of the menu options; and

wherein a body member of a user may indicate a first and a second location with respect to the display screen, an apparatus for selecting a particular one of the menu options, said apparatus comprising;

(a) a delimit device for at least partially delimiting the selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen;

(b) a display device for displaying the menu options on the display screen, wherein each displayed menu option indicates the location of the associated selectable region and wherein the particular displayed menu option to be selected does not intersect the particular selectable region associated therewith; and

(c) a selection device for selecting the particular menu option responsive to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the first period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting the particular selectable region and ending in response to the second location intersecting the particular selectable region.

111. The apparatus of claim 110 wherein the particular menu option is not located adjacent the particular selectable region.

112. The apparatus of claim 111 wherein the relative location of each displayed menu option with respect to the other displayed menu options indicates the relative location of the associated selectable region with respect to the other selectable regions.

113. The apparatus of claim 110 wherein each selectable region is located outside the display screen.

114. The apparatus of claim 113 wherein each selectable region is unbounded on at least one side.

115. The apparatus of claim 110 wherein the common characteristic includes any one of:

(a) a phonetic unit, including either one of a Chinese pronunciation and a Japanese pronunciation;

(b) an intonation;

(c) a distinct sound;

(d) a stroke used to draw an ideograph;

(e) a number of horizontal strokes;

(f) a number of vertical strokes;

(g) a number of total strokes;

(h) a stroke order;

(i) a radical;

(j) a part of speech;

(k) an ideograph;

(l) a kana;

(m) a diacritic;

(n) a classification of a part of an ideograph;

(o) a meaning; and

(p) a meaning class.

116. The apparatus of claim 110 wherein the menu interface includes either one of:

(a) a keyboard, and the common characteristic is indicated by one or more keystrokes; and

(b) a microphone, and the common characteristic is indicated by voice.

117. The apparatus of claim 110 wherein the display device is further operative to display a plurality of indicators, each indicator associated respectively with one of the menu options and displayed in a location intersecting or near the associated menu option.

118. The apparatus of claim 117 wherein no one indicator intersects the selectable region associated with the menu option associated with said one indicator.

119. The apparatus of claim 117 wherein at least part of each indicator is displayed in one manner and at least part of the selectable region associated with the menu option associated with the indicator is displayed in a manner similar to the one manner.

120. The apparatus of claim 119 wherein the manner of display is any one of:

(a) a size;

(b) a shape;

(c) a hue;

(d) a brightness;

(e) a contrast;

(f) a tone;

(g) a dithering;

(h) a fill;

(i) a font;

(j) a blinking;

(k) a hatching; and

(l) a pattern.

121. The apparatus of claim 117 wherein each indicator may indicate an intersection of the first location and the selectable region associated with the menu option associated with the indicator.

122. The apparatus of claim 117 wherein an operator may further indicate a third location with respect to the display screen, the third location intersecting the particular selectable region and occuring after the first location occurs;

and wherein the particular indicator may indicate the duration of a second period of intersection, the second period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting the particular selectable region and ending in response to the third location intersecting the particular selectable region.

123. The apparatus of claim 110 wherein the selection device is further operative to indicate that the selection has occurred.

124. The apparatus of claim 110 wherein the common characteristic includes any one of the meaning classes:

(a) actions;

(b) amounts;

(c) animals;

(d) articles of clothing;

(e) bodily functions;

(f) buildings;

(g) business activities;

(h) cleaning activities;

(i) colors;

(j) communication activities;

(k) computer peripherals;

(l) days;

(m) devices used to maintain personal hygiene;

(n) directions;

(o) drinks;

(p) emergency conditions;

(q) emotions;

(r) financial activities;

(s) foods;

(t) government services;

(u) greetings;

(v) holidays;

(w) household appliances;

(x) illnesses;

(y) items of office equipment;

(z) jokes;

(aa) lengths;

(ab) locations, including locations frequented by an operator of the apparatus;

(ac) meals;

(ad) means of transportation;

(ae) months;

(af) names;

(ag) numbers;

(ah) parts of the human body;

(ai) persons known to an operator of the apparatus;

(aj) plants;

(ak) prosthetic devices;

(al) recreational activities;

(am) rehabilitation activities;

(an) relative locations;

(ao) school activities;

(ap) shapes;

(aq) shopping activities;

(ar) sizes;

(as) smells;

(at) sports;

(au) tactile attributes;

(av) tastes;

(aw) telephone numbers;

(ax) temperatures;

(ay) times;

(az) topics of study;

(ba) utterances used as acknowledgements in conversation without conveying new substantive information;

(bb) utterances used to bid for a turn to speak in conversation;

(bc) weights; and

(bd) work activities.

125. For use with a user interface system including a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, each of the at least two sequences having a common characteristic, and wherein:

(1) a body member of a user may indicate a first, a second, a third, and a fourth location with respect to a display screen;

(2) a plurality of selectable regions may be at least partially delimited on the display screen, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one of the at least two sequences; and

(3) a particular one of the at least two sequences may be selected responsive to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a first predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the first period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting the particular selectable region associated with the particular one of the at least two sequences and ending in response to the second location intersecting the particular selectable region;

an apparatus for preventing the selection of the particular sequence, said apparatus comprising;

a disabling device for preventing, in response to a second quantity equalling or exceeding a second predetermined quantity, said second quantity being a function of the duration of a second period of intersection, the second period of intersection starting in response to the third location intersecting any one of the selectable regions other than the particular selectable region and ending in response to the fourth location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the third location, the selection of the particular sequence while maintaining a power supply to the user interface system.

126. The apparatus of claim 125 wherein the body member may further indicate a fifth and a sixth location with respect to the display screen;

and wherein the disabling device is further operative, in response to a third quantity equalling or exceeding a third predetermined quantity said third quantity being a function of the duration of a third period of intersection, the third period of intersection starting in response to the fifth location intersecting any one of the selectable regions other than the particular selectable region and ending in response to the sixth location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the fifth location, to enable the selection of the particular sequence.

127. The apparatus of claim 126 wherein the disabling device is further operative, in response to the second quantity equalling or exceeding the second predetermined quantity, to disable all functions of the user interface system except the enabling function.

128. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of a user may indicate a location on with respect to the display screen overshooting a desired location on the display screen, an apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a delimit device for;

(1) delimiting on the display screen a working region having a periphery; and

(2) at least partially delimiting with respect to the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, each of the selectable regions outside the working region and adjacent the periphery of the working region, each of the selectable regions selectable by the user, each of the selectable regions associated respectively with and simultaneously displaying on the display screen a sequence of the plurality of sequences of graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences of graphic symbols including one or more ideographs; and

(b) a selection device for selecting the sequence of one or more graphic symbols associated with a particular one of the selectable regions in response to a period of intersection equalling or exceeding a predetermined period, the period of intersection starting with a first location and ending with a second location, each of the first and second locations indicated by the user and intersecting the particular selectable region, either the first and the second locations confined to a portion of the particular selectable region on the display screen or either one or both of the first and the second locations intersecting a portion of the particular selectable region beyond the display screen.