# US 12,216,900 B2 · Enhanced shape-based keyboard

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- Number: US 12,216,900 B2
- Document ID: US12216900B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/340,533
- Filed: 2023-06-23
- Published: 2023-12-28
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2022-06-24
- Applicants: Zeerak Ahmed
- Inventors: Zeerak Ahmed
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216900B2

## CPC

- 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
- G06F 3/018: {Input/output arrangements for oriental characters}
- G06F 16/313: {Selection or weighting of terms for indexing}
- G06F 16/9032: Query formulation
- G06F 16/90344: {by using string matching techniques}
- G06F 40/274: Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing an enhanced shape-based keyboard to computing devices with an integrated touch screen display. In an implementation, the computing device displays a first keyboard such that the first keyboard comprises keys that correspond to initial base shapes of an alphabet. Next the computing device receives a first user input comprising a selection of one of the keys of the first keyboard. In response to the first user input, the computing device displays a second keyboard such that the second keyboard comprises keys that correspond to medial base shapes of the alphabet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of operating a computing device, the method comprising:
on the computing device determining to display a first keyboard, wherein the first keyboard includes keys that depict initial base shapes of an Arabic alphabet;
on the computing device receiving a first user input wherein the first user input comprises a selection of one of the keys of the first keyboard;
after receiving the first user input, on the computing device populating a text display with a first initial base shape corresponding to the one of the keys of the first keyboard; and
subsequent to populating the text display, on the computing device determining to adapt the first keyboard to a second keyboard wherein the second keyboard includes keys that depict medial base shapes of the Arabic alphabet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
on the computing device receiving a second user input wherein the second user input comprises a selection of a termination key of the second keyboard; and
in response to the second user input, on the computing device determining to adapt the second keyboard to the first keyboard.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the termination key of the second keyboard includes one of either a spacebar key or an ending key of the second keyboard.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the initial base shapes and the medial base shapes comprise letter representations, and wherein the letter representations include letters of the Arabic alphabet without additional accents.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
on the computing device receiving a shape-based user input string;
on the computing device ranking a database of candidate words against the shape-based user input string wherein ranking the database of candidate words is based on a set of ranking inputs; and
on the computing device replacing the shape-based user input string with a highest-ranking candidate word.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein the set of ranking inputs include:
a word match input;
a proximity input;
a frequency input; and
a character relationship input wherein the character relationship input describes five types of character relationships, and wherein the five types of character relationships include:
an exact relationship;
a physical relationship;
an aural relationship;
a physical aural relationship; and
a null relationship.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the keys of the first keyboard and the keys of the second keyboard further depict a shadow shape, and wherein the shadow shape is representative of a last user input.

### Claim 8

A computing apparatus comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media;
one or more processors operatively coupled with the one or more computer readable storage media; and
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media that, when executed by the one or more processors, direct the computing apparatus to at least:
determine to display a first keyboard, wherein the first keyboard includes keys that depict initial base shapes of an Arabic alphabet;
receive a first user input wherein the first user input comprises a selection of one of the keys of the first keyboard;
after receiving the first user input, populate a text display with a first initial base shape corresponding to the one of the keys of the first keyboard; and
subsequent to populating the text display, determine to adapt the first keyboard to a second keyboard wherein the second keyboard includes keys that comprise medial base shapes of the Arabic alphabet.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The computing apparatus of claim 8 wherein the program instructions further direct the computing apparatus to:
receive a second user input wherein the second user input comprises a selection of a termination key of the second keyboard; and
in response to the second user input, determine to adapt the second keyboard to the first keyboard.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The computing apparatus of claim 9 wherein the termination key of the second keyboard includes one of either a spacebar key or an ending key of the second keyboard.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The computing apparatus of claim 8 wherein the initial base shapes and the medial base shapes comprise letter representations, and wherein the letter representations include letters of the Arabic alphabet without additional accents.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The computing apparatus of claim 8 wherein the program instructions further direct the computing apparatus to:
receive a shape-based user input string;
rank a database of candidate words against the shape-based user input string wherein ranking the database of candidate words is based on a set of ranking inputs; and
replace the shape-based user input string with a highest-ranking candidate word.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The computing apparatus of claim 12 wherein the set of ranking inputs include:
a word match input;
a proximity input;
a frequency input; and
a character relationship input wherein the character relationship input describes five types of character relationships, and wherein the five types of character relationships include:
an exact relationship;
a physical relationship;
an aural relationship;
a physical aural relationship; and
a null relationship.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The computing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the keys of the first keyboard and the keys of the second keyboard further depict a shadow shape, and wherein the shadow shape is representative of a last user input.

### Claim 15

A computing apparatus comprising:
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media;
program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, direct the computing device to at least:
determine to display a first keyboard, wherein the first keyboard includes keys that depict initial base shapes of an Arabic alphabet;
receive a first user input wherein the first user input comprises a selection of one of the keys of the first keyboard;
after receiving the first user input, populate a text display with a first initial base shape corresponding to the one of the keys of the first keyboard; and
subsequent to populating the text display, determine to adapt the first keyboard to a second keyboard wherein the second keyboard includes keys that comprise medial base shapes of the Arabic alphabet.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computing apparatus of claim 15 wherein the program instructions further direct the computing device to:
receive a second user input wherein the second user input comprises a selection of a termination key of the second keyboard; and
in response to the second user input, determine to adapt the second keyboard to the first keyboard.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The computing apparatus of claim 15 wherein the initial base shapes and the medial base shapes comprise letter representations, and wherein the letter representations include letters of the Arabic alphabet without additional accents.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The computing apparatus of claim 15 wherein the program instructions further direct the computing device to:
receive a shape-based user input string;
rank a database of candidate words against the shape-based user input string wherein ranking the database of candidate words is based on a set of ranking inputs; and
replace the shape-based user input string with a highest-ranking candidate word.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The computing apparatus of claim 18 wherein the set of ranking inputs include:
a word match input;
a proximity input;
a frequency input; and
a character relationship input wherein the character relationship input describes five types of character relationships, and wherein the five types of character relationships include:
an exact relationship;
a physical relationship;
an aural relationship;
a physical aural relationship; and
a null relationship.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The computing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the keys of the first keyboard and the keys of the second keyboard further depict a shadow shape, and wherein the shadow shape is representative of a last user input.