System and method for improved user input on personal computing devices
View Patent ↗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.
1. 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.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying a string associated with the gesture includes performing pattern recognition on the gesture.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying a string associated with the gesture includes:
identifying a starting position; and
recording a character based on the starting position with respect to the keyboard layout.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying a string associated with the gesture includes:
identifying a change of direction; and
recording a character based on a position of the change of direction with respect to the keyboard layout.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a spell check on the identified string.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the identified string as input includes providing the identified string to an application.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gesture maintains a contact with a touch sensitive device while moving to each of the positions of the plurality of characters corresponding to the keyboard layout.
8. 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.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sub-gesture indicates a double letter.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein identifying a string associated with the gesture further includes:
recording a character based on a position of the sub-gesture with respect to the keyboard layout.
11. 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.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein performing a spell check on the identified string further includes:
responsive to the identified string not existing in the dictionary, identifying a substitute string in the dictionary for the identified string; and
accepting the substitute string as input.
13. 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.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the identification means includes means for performing pattern recognition on the gesture.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the identification means includes:
means for identifying a starting position; and
means for recording a character based on the starting position with respect to the keyboard layout.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
means for performing a spell check on the identified string.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the sub-gesture indicates a double letter.
20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the identification means further includes:
means for recording a character based on a position of the sub-gesture with respect to the keyboard layout.
21. 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.