Apparatus and method for handwriting recognition

1. An apparatus comprising:

a touch-sensitive display screen providing a handwriting input area capable of detecting hand-made user input; and

a processing device providing a user interface to a user via the touch-sensitive display screen, wherein:

the handwriting input area includes a writing start area capable of switching between a first two-dimensional size and a second two-dimensional size, larger than the first two-dimensional size, wherein said writing start area is smaller than said handwriting input area; and in that

the processing device is configured to handle said hand-made user input as either a logical mouse event, associated with a control operation for said user interface, or a logical pen event, associated with handwriting;

wherein user input within the writing start area when having its first two-dimensional size is handled as a logical mouse event and causes the writing start area to switch to its second two-dimensional size;

wherein user input that starts within the writing start area when having its second two-dimensional size and ends anywhere within the handwriting input area including outside said writing start area is handled as a logical pen event and causes interpretation of the user input as a symbol from a plurality of predefined symbols, said plurality of predefined symbols including a first symbol set and a second symbol set, and said writing start area comprising a first subarea and a second subarea, each being capable of switching between a first two-dimensional size and a second two-dimensional size, larger than the first two-dimensional size;

wherein user input within either of said first subarea and second subarea, when having its respective first two-dimensional size, is handled as a logical mouse event and causes a switch to its second two-dimensional size;

wherein user input that starts within said first subarea, when having its second two-dimensional size, is handled as a logical pen event and causes interpretation of the user input as a symbol from said first symbol set;

wherein user input that starts within said second subarea, when having its second two-dimensional size, is handled as a logical pen event and causes interpretation of the user input as a symbol from said second symbol set; and

wherein the symbol from said first symbol set and the symbol from said second symbol set are combinable into a sequence of symbols.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 , said plurality of predefined symbols further comprising at least a third symbol set, and said writing start area further comprising at least a third subarea, the third subarea being capable of switching between a first two-dimensional size and a second two-dimensional size, larger than the first two-dimensional size,

wherein user input within any of said first subarea, second subarea and third subarea, when having its respective first two-dimensional size, is handled as a logical mouse event and causes a switch to its second two-dimensional size; and

wherein user input that starts within the third subarea, when having its second two-dimensional size, is handled as a logical pen event and causes interpretation of the user input as a symbol from said third symbol set.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein a switch to the second two-dimensional size for either of said first subarea or second subarea causes a switch for the other one of said first subarea or second subarea to its first two-dimensional size, if not already having it, so that only one of said first and second subareas can have its second two-dimensional size at any given time.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the processing device is configured to provide a visual indication of said writing start area on said display screen.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said writing start area has a fixed location within said handwriting input area.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said processing device is configured to adjust a location of the writing start area depending on a current cursor position.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein a location of the writing start area is adjustable by a user of the apparatus.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said handwriting input area is formed by a majority of the display screen's available presentation area.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said handwriting input area is formed by the entire display screen's available presentation area.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1 , said user input including at least one pen stroke, wherein said processing device is configured to display, on said display screen, a graphical trace representing said at least one pen stroke prior to the interpretation thereof.

11. An apparatus as in claim 10 , wherein said processing device is configured to display, on said display screen , said symbol when it has been interpreted from said at least one pen stroke.

12. An apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said plurality of predefined symbols includes a symbol set selected from the group consisting of: Latin characters, upper case characters, lower case characters, Arabic numerals, punctuation symbols, Cyrillic characters, Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji symbols, Japanese Hiragana characters and Japanese Katakana characters, and user-defined symbols.

13. An apparatus as in claim 1 , in the form a mobile terminal for a mobile telecommunication system.

14. An apparatus as in claim 1 , in the form of a portable/personal digital assistant (PDA).

15. A method comprising:

providing, within a handwriting input area, a writing start area capable of switching between a first two-dimensional size and a second two-dimensional size, larger than the first two-dimensional size;

wherein said writing start area is smaller than said handwriting input area;

detecting user input within the writing start area;

handling user input, when said writing start area has its first two-dimensional size, as a logical mouse event and in response switching the writing start area to its second two-dimensional size;

handling said user input, when said writing start area has its second two-dimensional size and said user input starts within the writing start area and ends anywhere within the handwriting input area including outside said writing start area, as a logical pen event and in response interpreting said user input as a symbol from a plurality of predefined symbols, said plurality of predefined symbols including a first symbol set and a second symbol set, and said writing start area comprising a first subarea and a second subarea, each being capable of switching between a first two-dimensional size and a second two-dimensional size, larger than the first two-dimensional size;

wherein user input within either of said first subarea and second subarea, when having its respective first two-dimensional size, is handled as a logical mouse event and causes a switch to its second two-dimensional size;

wherein user input that starts within said first subarea, when having its second two-dimensional size, is handled as a logical pen event and causes interpretation of the user input as a symbol from said first symbol set;

wherein user input that starts within said second subarea, when having its second two-dimensional size, is handled as a logical pen event and causes interpretation of the user input as a symbol from said second symbol set; and

wherein the symbol from said first symbol set and the symbol from said second symbol set are combinable into a sequence of symbols.

16. A method as in claim 15 , said plurality of predefined symbols further comprising at least a third symbol set, and said writing start area further comprising at least a third subarea, the third subarea being capable of switching between a first two-dimensional size and a second two-dimensional size, larger than the first two-dimensional size,

wherein user input within any of said first subarea, second subarea and third subarea, when having its respective first two-dimensional size, is handled as a logical mouse event and causes a switch to its second two-dimensional size; and

wherein user input that starts within said third subarea, when having its second two-dimensional size, is handled as a logical pen event and causes interpretation of the user input as a symbol from said third symbol set.

17. A method as in claim 15 , wherein a switch to the second two-dimensional size for either of said first subarea or second subarea causes a switch for the other one of said first subarea or second subarea to its first two-dimensional size, if not already having it, so that only one of said first and second subareas can have its second two-dimensional size at any given time.

18. A method as in claim 15 , comprising the further step of visually indicating said writing start area on said display screen.

19. A method as in claim 15 , comprising the further step of adapting a location of said writing start area within said handwriting input area depending on a current cursor position.

20. A method as in claim 15 , comprising the further step of adapting a location of said writing start area within said handwriting input area depending on a user setting.

21. A method as in claim 15 , said user input including at least one pen stroke, the method comprising the further step of displaying, on said display screen, a graphical trace representing said at least one pen stroke prior to the interpretation thereof.

22. A method as in claim 21 , comprising the further step of displaying, on said display screen, said symbol when it has been interpreted from said at least one pen stroke.

23. A method as in claim 15 , wherein said plurality of predefined symbols includes a symbol set selected from the group consisting of: Latin characters, upper case characters, lower case characters, Arabic numerals, punctuation symbols, Cyrillic characters, Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji symbols, Japanese Hiragana characters and Japanese Katakana characters, and user-defined symbols.