System and method for improved user input on personal computing devices
AssigneeLenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
InventorsDustin C. Kirkland, David Bruce Kumhyr, Emily Jane Ratliff, Kylene Jo Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A user input mechanism is provided that allows a user to enter words as gestures on a virtual keyboard presented on the display device. The user input mechanism combines two existing and prevalent forms of user input: cursive handwriting and keyboard input. A familiar keyboard layout is presented on the display. A user then may place an implement, such as a stylus or the user's finger, in contact with the display. Typically, the implement will first touch the screen at a position of a first character in a word. The user then may move the implement along the surface of the display from character to character, spelling out a word.
Claims21
A method for user input, the method comprising:
- receiving a user input, wherein the user input includes a gesture that represents a plurality of characters and wherein a shape of the gesture is related to positions of the plurality of characters within a keyboard layout;
- identifying a string of characters associated with the gesture;
- and
- providing the identified string as text input.
A method for user input, the method comprising:
- receiving a user input, wherein the user input includes a gesture that represents a plurality of characters and wherein a shape of the gesture is related to positions of the plurality of characters within a keyboard layout;
- identifying a string of characters associated with the gesture, wherein identifying a string associated with the gesture includes:
- identifying a sub-gesture;
- and
- providing the identified string as text input.
A method for user input, the method comprising:
- receiving a user input, wherein the user input includes a gesture that represents a plurality of characters and wherein a shape of the gesture is related to positions of the plurality of characters within a keyboard layout;
- identifying a string of characters associated with the gesture;
- providing the identified string as text input;
- and
- performing a spell check on the identified string, wherein performing a spell check on the identified string includes:
- looking up the identified string in a dictionary;
- determining whether the identified string exists in the dictionary;
- and
- responsive to the identified string existing in the dictionary, accepting the identified string as input.
An apparatus for user input;
- the apparatus comprising:
- receipt means for receiving a user input, wherein the user input includes a gesture that represents a plurality of characters and wherein a shape of the gesture is related to positions of the plurality of characters within a keyboard layout;
- identification means for identifying a string of characters associated with the gesture;
- and
- providing means for providing the identified string as text input.
An apparatus for user input, the apparatus comprising:
- receipt means for receiving a user input, wherein the user input includes a gesture that represents a plurality of characters and wherein a shape of the gesture is related to positions of the plurality of characters within a keyboard layout;
- identification means for identifying a string of characters associated with the gesture, wherein the identification means includes:
- means for identifying a change of direction;
- and
- means for recording a character based on a position of the change of direction with respect to the keyboard layout;
- and
- providing means for providing the identified string as text input.
An apparatus for user input, the apparatus comprising:
- receipt means for receiving a user input, wherein the user input includes a gesture that represents a plurality of characters and wherein a shape of the gesture is related to positions of the plurality of characters within a keyboard layout;
- identification means for identifying a string of characters associated with the gesture, wherein the identification means includes:
- means for identifying a sub-gesture.
A computer program product for user input, the computer program product comprising:
- instructions for receiving a user input, wherein the user input includes a gesture that represents a plurality of characters and wherein a shape of the gesture is related to positions of the plurality of characters within a keyboard layout;
- instructions for identifying a string of characters associated with the gesture;
- and
- instructions for providing the identified string as text input.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.