Method and apparatus for immediate response handwriting recognition system that handles multiple character sets

• US 6,567,549 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2000
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: Haitani, Robert Yuji, Marianetti, Ronald II
• Primary Examiner(s): COUSO, YON JUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/661,603
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 382/185-189, 178/18.01, 178/18.03
• US Class Current: 382/189
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/373 using a special pattern or subpattern alphabet

Abstract

To efficiently recognize characters from several character sets, a palmtop computer system is disclosed wherein more that one character input area is displayed. Each character input area is designed to recognize strokes that represent characters from a different character set. In one embodiment, the palmtop computer system has an alphabetic input area and a numeral input area. In such an embodiment, strokes entered in the alphabetic input area are interpreted as alphabetic characters and strokes entered in the numeral input area are interpreted as numerals.

Claims

1. A computer implement method of inputting information into a palmtop computer system, the palmtop computer system having a housing and a display screen accessible on the housing, the method comprising:

detecting a user input stroke entered onto one of a first handwriting input area or a second handwriting input area, the first handwriting input area and the second handwriting input area being provided on the display screen;

translating the user input stroke as a character from one of a set of alphabet characters or a set of number characters in response to the user input stroke being entered onto one of the first handwriting input area or the second handwriting input area, wherein the step of translating the user input stroke includes translating the user input stroke as an alphabet character in response to detecting the stroke being entered onto the first handwriting input area, and wherein the step of translating the user input stroke includes translating the user input stroke as a number character in response to detecting the stroke being entered onto the second handwriting input area; and

immediately displaying the character translated from one of the set of alphabet characters or the set of number characters automatically after translating the user input stroke, so that the character is displayed prior to a subsequent user input stroke being detectable.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein translating the user input stroke includes recognizing the character as being from one of the set of alphabet characters or number characters immediately after the user input stroke is completed.

2. A computer implement method of inputting information into a palmtop computer system, the palmtop computer system having a housing and a display screen accessible on the housing, the method comprising:

detecting a user input stroke entered onto one of a first handwriting input area or a second handwriting input area, the first handwriting input area and the second handwriting input area being provided on the display screen;

performing at least one of the following steps of translating the user input stroke;

translating the user input stroke as a character from a first character set in response to detecting that the user input stroke is entered onto the first handwriting input area;

translating the user input stroke as a character from a second character set in response to detecting that the user input stroke is entered onto the second handwriting input area; and

displaying the character translated from one of the first character set or the second character set automatically after translating the user input stroke, so that the character is displayed prior to a user being able to enter a subsequent user input stroke onto one of the first handwriting input area or the second handwriting area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein translating the user input stroke as a character from a first character set includes translating the character from the set comprising the Roman alphabet.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein translating the user input stroke as a character from a second character set includes translating the character from the set comprising Arabic numerals.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein translating the user input stroke includes recognizing the character as being from one of the first character set or from the second character set immediately after a mechanism used to create the user input stroke is lifted off of the display screen.

6. A palmtop computer system comprising:

a housing;

a contact-sensitive display screen accessible on the housing, the display screen providing a first handwriting input area forming a first subarea of the display screen, and a second handwriting input area forming a second subarea of the display screen; and

a processor configured to translate a user input stroke entered onto the first handwriting input area as a character from a first character set, and to interpret a user input stroke entered onto the second handwriting input area as a character from a second character set; and

wherein the processor is configured to immediately display the character interpreted from the user input stroke on the display screen in response to interpreting the character from one of the first character set or the second character set, wherein the processor is configured to that the character is displayed before a user is capable of entering a subsequent user input stroke.

7. The palmtop computer system of claim 6, wherein said first character set comprises Roman alphabet characters.

8. The palmtop computer system of claim 7 wherein said second character set comprises Arabic numerals.

9. The palmtop computer system of claim 6 wherein the processor interprets the user input stroke immediately after the user input stroke is completed.

10. The palmtop computer system of claim 6, wherein the display screen includes a digitizer pad coupled to the processor to detect contact by an object to the play screen.

11. The palmtop computer system of claim 10, wherein the digitizer pad extends beyond a screen of the display screen to form a handwriting recognition portion, the handwriting recognition portion containing the first subarea and the second subarea.