Character input apparatus equipped with auto-complete function, method of controlling the character input apparatus, and storage medium

• US 8,825,484 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Masayuki, Sato, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): GUERRA-ERAZO, EDGAR X
• Application Number:
  US13/242,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 704/9, 704/10, 704/235, 704/246, 704/258, 704/260, 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/275, 704/276
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 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 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/002 Writing aids for blind persons devices for Braille writing G09B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/007 using both tactile and audible presentation of the information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72481 for visually impaired users

Abstract

A character input apparatus which makes it possible to suppress degradation of use-friendliness in a case where a visually disabled user inputs characters using an auto-complete function. In the character string input apparatus, a character string to be input as a portion following a character string input by a user is predicted based on the character string input by the user, and the character string input by the user is completed using the predicted character string as a portion complementary thereto. In a voice guidance mode, information associated with a key selected by the user is read aloud by voice. When the voice guidance mode is enabled, the character string input apparatus disables the auto-complete function and performs control such that a character string cannot be automatically completed.

Claims

1. A character input apparatus comprising:

a completing unit configured to determine, based on a character string formed by at least one character, which is input by a user, a character string formed by at least one character which is to be input as a portion following the character string input by the user, and complete the character string input by the user, by adding the determined character string as a portion complementary thereto;

a voice guidance setting unit configured to set to perform voice guidance for reading aloud a character which has been input by the user; and

a control unit configured to control the completing unit to perform completion of the input character string if the voice guidance setting unit does not set to perform the voice guidance, and to control the completing unit not to perform completion of the input character string if the voice guidance setting unit sets to perform the voice guidance.

2. The character input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a setting unit configured to set to perform the completion of the input character string, by the completing unit, and

wherein if the voice guidance setting unit sets to perform the voice guidance and the setting unit sets not to perform the completion of the input character string, the control unit controls the completing unit not to perform the completion of the input character string, and

wherein if the voice guidance setting unit is sets to perform the voice guidance and the setting unit sets to perform the completion of the input character string, the control unit controls the completing unit to perform the completion of the input character string.

3. The character input apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a voice control unit configured to be operable when the setting unit sets to perform the completion of the input character string, to read aloud the character string input by the user and the character string added by the completing unit in a manner distinguishable therebetween.

4. The character input apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the setting unit sets to perform the completion of the input character string, said voice control unit reads aloud the character string input by the user and the character string added by the completing unit, by respective voices different in one of sound timbre, tone, and volume.

5. The character input apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the setting unit sets to perform the completion of the input character string, and when the number of character completing suggestions each as the character string determined based on the character string input by the user is not larger than a predetermined number, said control unit controls the completing unit to perform the completion of the input character string, and

when the setting unit sets to perform the completion of the input character string and when the number of character completing suggestions each as the character string determined based on the character string input by the user is larger than the predetermined number, said control unit controls the completing unit not to perform the completion of the input character string.

6. A method of controlling a character input apparatus, comprising:

determining, based on a character string formed by at least one character, which is input by a user, a character string formed by at least one character which is to be input as a portion following the character string input by the user, and completing the character string input by the user, by adding the determined character string as a portion complementary thereto;

setting, via one or more processors, to perform voice guidance for reading aloud a character which has been input by the user; and

controlling to perform completion of the input character string if it is not set to perform the voice guidance, and controlling not to perform completion of the input character string if it is set to perform the voice guidance.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling a character input apparatus,

wherein the method comprises:

determining, based on a character string formed by at least one character, which is input by a user, a character string formed by at least one character which is to be input as a portion following the character string input by the user, and completing the character string input by the user, by adding the determined character string as a portion complementary thereto;

setting to perform voice guidance for reading aloud a character which has been input by the user; and

controlling to perform completion of the input character string if it is not set to perform the voice guidance, and controlling not to perform completion of the input character string, if it is set to perform the voice guidance.