Input apparatus having character recognition function for recognizing input handwriting, and input method and storage medium with program stored thereon having same

An input method, the method comprising:

• performing, by a processor, character recognition on trajectory data that is input by handwriting;
• and
• determining by the processor whether or not a plurality of characters obtained by the character recognition, except for a first character at any position in a sequence of the characters, comply with a rule relating to mathematical representations, and if the plurality of characters except for the first character comply with the rule, replacing by the apparatus the first character with a second character that complies with the rule,
• wherein:
• the rule includes a rule that defines an order of numerical characters, characters corresponding to variables, and mathematical symbols;
• and
• the rule defines an order of a character on a left side, a mathematical symbol, and a character on a right side in a mathematical representation, and includes at least one of the following:
• a rule that different numbers on a left side and a right side are not connected by an equal sign (=);
• a rule that different numbers on a left side and a right side may be connected by a congruence symbol (≡);
• a rule that a variable may be placed on a left side of an equation;
• a rule that a left side and a right side of an equation are not connected by an angle sign (∠);
• and
• a rule that a left side and a right side of an equation may be connected by an unequal sign (≠).

A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a program that is executable by a computer to control the computer to:

• perform character recognition on trajectory data that is input by handwriting;
• and
• determine whether or not a plurality of characters obtained by the character recognition, except for a first character at any position in a sequence of the characters, comply with a rule relating to mathematical representations, and if the plurality of characters except for the first character comply with the rule, replace the first character with a second character that complies with the rule,
• wherein:
• the rule includes a rule that defines an order of numerical characters, characters corresponding to variables, and mathematical symbols;
• and
• the rule defines an order of a character on a left side, a mathematical symbol, and a character on a right side in a mathematical representation, and includes at least one of the following:
• a rule that different numbers on a left side and a right side are not connected by an equal sign (=);
• a rule that different numbers on a left side and a right side may be connected by a congruence symbol (≡);
• a rule that a variable may be placed on a left side of an equation;
• a rule that a left side and a right side of an equation are not connected by an angle sign (∠);
• and
• a rule that a left side and a right side of an equation may be connected by an unequal sign (≠).

An input apparatus comprising:

• a processor that is configured to:
• perform character recognition on trajectory data that is input by handwriting;
• and
• determine whether or not a plurality of characters obtained by the character recognition, except for a first character at any position in a sequence of the characters, comply with a rule relating to mathematical representations, and if the plurality of characters except for the first character comply with the rule, replace the first character with a second character that complies with the rule,
• wherein the rule includes a rule that restricts usable mathematical symbols for each of a plurality of learning levels for mathematics.