Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CHARACTER INPUT DEVICE
The present invention generally relates to an input device for inputting
instructions or data sequentially into an apparatus such as an information
processing
apparatus, which can include a display unit. An instruction is an input which
causes
the apparatus to carry out some function, such as to perform a calculation,
justify
text, make a telephone call, or print a document. A data item is an item
(generally a
single character such as a letter, numeral, or punctuation mark) which the
apparatus
is to use in such processing. The device combines the data items to form text,
numerical data, etc. The functions of inputting data items and instructions
may be
combined, for example by displaying the data items as they are input to the
device.
In modern information processing apparatus it is a necessary to provide a
convenient user interface for the input of data items and instructions.
Conventionally for computers and many other devices this is provided as a
keyboard,
operated in the conventional manner by touching or depressing keys each
associated
with a specified function. In the following, instructions and data items will
be
collectively referred to as "key functions".
The physical size of a keyboard is dictated by the number of individual keys
required, (about 50 on a typewriter, over 100 on a typical computer) and also
by the
physical size of the individual keys, which is in turn dictated by ergonomic
considerations, in particular the size of human fingers. Not all devices can
allow for
the provision of a keyboard of this size. For example, in personal digital
assistants
(PDAs), pagers, mobile phones, and remote control devices, the physical size
of the
device limits the number of keys that can be accommodated on its surface. It
is
therefore necessary to arrange that the required functions can be activated
using a
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smaller number of keys. This generally requires any given key to have several
functions - most functions then require a sequence of several keystrokes,
instead of
a single keystroke, to activate them. The fewer the number of keys, the more
difficult for a user to learn and operate such systems.
Many attempts have been made to provide ergonomic keyboard
arrangements using a minimal number of keys. In some of these, a cursor is
moved
over a graphical representation of a conventional keyboard displayed on a
screen,
using a "joystick", "mouse" or "arrow keys". The individual key required can
then be
selected by a single action when the cursor is over the representation of the
required
key. Examples of this arrangement are to be found in International Patent
specification W097/35413 (Nokial. The well-known "Windows" computer operating
system marketed by Microsoft Corporation also employs this principle for some
functions.
However, for entry of large amounts of data such as text such an
arrangement is cumbersome as the cursor must be moved and positioned
accurately
over each character required in turn. Conventional "QWERTY" typewriter layouts
(so-
called from the order of the first six keys on the first row), or alphabetical
layouts,
are not convenient for such data entry as relatively large distances need to
be
travelled by the cursor between each character and the next. In particular,
the
"QWERTY" layout was designed for data entry not by a single cursor, but by the
user's ten fingers.
Various proposals exist in which the size of the keyboard is reduced by
reducing the number of keys, or key representations. In these systems the user
interface is arranged to respond to each input by reconfiguring itself in
anticipation of
the next action required, such that the action or actions most likely to be
required
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require the minimum action. For text entry, linguistic analysis can be used to
select
the likely next character. For example, United States patent 5128672 (Kaehler)
discloses a 19-key keyboard in which the keyboard has twelve possible
configurations. Each keystroke, as well as causing the required data entry,
causes
the keyboard to either remain in the same configuration, or change into one of
the
other eleven, such that the key functions most likely to be selected next are
offered
to the user. If the user requires a different key function he can carry out
additional
keystrokes to locate a configuration which allows that key function. However,
this
system is difficult to use as activating a given key may cause any one of
twelve
10 different key functions, depending on the configuration selected by the
action of the
previous key.
Other proposals, such as International Patent specification W097/04580
(Pacific Communication Sciences) have several different functions permanently
allocated to each key. In this specification, the most likely of these
functions (as
15 determined by linguistic or other analysis of previous keystrokes) is made
available to
the user by simply activating the key, whilst additional keystrokes are
required to
activate the less likely ones.
In all of these systems there is a requirement to learn the configuration and
dynamic behaviour of the input device, and to take multiple actions when rare
20 sequences of key functions are required. A fixed layout is much easier to
learn,
(and many millions of people are already familiar with the "QWERTY" layout),
but
requires on average greater movement of a cursor from one character to the
next
than a dynamic one.
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According to the invention there is provided an input device for inputting key
functions sequentially into an apparatus, the key functions being instructions
or data
items, the input device comprising:
display means for displaying the key functions;
the display means comprising means for displaying a first array arranged to
display one or more key functions selected from a plurality of key functions;
key means for inputting key functions selected from the functions displayed
in the array;
processing means for interpreting the operation of the key means;
prediction means responsive to the processing means for predicting at least
one most likely key function to be input next;
control means responsive to the prediction means for controlling the display
means to select the key function or functions to be displayed in the first
array, and
to control the functioning of the key means in accordance with the displayed
functions;
characterised in that the display means comprises means for displaying a
second array arranged to display all of the plurality of key functions, the
key means
being arranged to input key functions selected from either array.
In a second aspect, the invention comprises a method of inputting key
functions sequentially into an apparatus, the key functions being instructions
or data
items, the method comprising:
displaying a first array of one or more key functions selected from a
plurality
of key functions;
selecting key functions from the functions displayed in the array, by
operation of key means;
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interpreting the operation of the key means to input the selected key
function;
predicting at least one most likely key function to be input following the
selected key function;
5 modifying the first array to display the key function or functions so
predicted, and modifying the functioning of the key means in accordance with
the
newly displayed functions;
characterised in that the second array is arranged to display all of the
plurality of key functions, and that key functions can be selected from either
array.
By predicting the most likely key function or functions next to be input, the
arrangement of keys presented to a user can be such that the first array of
keys
provides for input of any of a predetermined number of most likely next key
functions, such as the three most likely. The array may consist of a single
key, to
offer only the most likely such key function. The second, fixed, array of keys
allows for conventional input. The user is thus presented with easily
identifiable
keys to input the most likely key function or functions. Users familiar with
the
standard keyboard layout of the second array may use the second array for such
input, if they prefer. If the prediction is not correct, the user will have to
use the
second, conventional, array of keys. However, so long as the prediction is
reasonably accurate, the number of times a user has to resort to using the
conventional array of keys should be significantly reduced.
The first array of keys is preferably arranged in a group thus making them
more easily identifiable to a user. The group can be arranged at any point
separate
from the conventionally arrayed keys e.g. to one side, or in the middle.
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The key means can comprise conventional keys the labelling of which can
be changed e.g. by incorporating an LCD within the keycap. Alternatively a
screen
displaying key labels representing the two arrays may be used. This allows
more
flexibility in the layout of the key labels, and the number and arrangement of
the
predictive key labels can be changed during use, for example in response to
each
input. It is possible for the two arrays to be displayed separately, the first
array being
displayed first, with means to switch to the second array if required, for
example if
the required key function is not one of those predicted, and therefore not
present in
the first array.
The display may be of the touch-sensitive type, in which the presence of a
stylus, fingertip, or other object, on a region of the display device is
detected and the
function corresponding to the key label currently represented in that region
is
activated.
In an embodiment which is particularly suited to small devices e.g. PDAs,
mobile phones, remote controls, games consoles, and pagers, the first and
second
arrays are displayed in conjunction with a cursor or other marker which can be
moved in relation to the arrays. The key means comprises a pointing means,
such as
direction keys arranged to move the cursor either up, down, left or right.
Alternatively the pointing means may be a position transducer such as a
tracker ball,
mouse or joystick to allow the selection of one of the key labels, for example
by
moving a cursor across the display. This arrangement avoids the need to touch
the
display itself, thereby avoiding the ergonomic constraints on the physical
size of the
unit.
In one particular embodiment, after each input, the cursor returns to a
default position and the predicted key labels of the first array are arranged
adjacent
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to the default position allowing the predicted key labels to be selected
easily. Since
the predictive key labels are closest to the cursor default position, fewer
key
operations are required in order to select them and it is rarely necessary for
the
cursor to traverse the complete conventional key layout in order to select a
key label.
The prediction of the most likely key functions to be input next may be
carried out based on the sequence of previously input key functions or based
on any
previously input key functions. This will depend on the nature of the data or
instructions being input. Further, an initial input key function, or set of
such
functions, can be predicted based on predetermined knowledge of the most
likely
first key functions. Also, the prediction can be adaptively modified based on
the
degree of past success in predicting the actual input key functions.
The keys or key labels in the second array currently having the same
functions as those in the first array may be identified by highlighting or the
like. The
highlighting may be different for each such key, corresponding to the position
or
some other characteristic of the corresponding key or key label in the first
array.
The input device in accordance with the present invention can be
incorporated within an apparatus e.g. a PDA, a mobile phone, a pager, a
calculator or
a public information kiosk, or it can be provided separately e.g. as a remote
control,
games console, or a keyboard for a computer.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference
to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of apparatus incorporating the input device
in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,
Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the input device in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,
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Figure 3 illustrates a user interface of an input device in accordance with a
first embodiment of the present invention,
Figure 4 illustrates a user interface of an input device in accordance with a
second embodiment of the present invention,
Figure 5 illustrates a user interface of a public information kiosk in
accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention,
Figure 6 illustrates an input device in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention incorporated in a pager,
Figure 7 illustrates an input device in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention incorporated in a public information kiosk,
Referring now to Figure 1, an apparatus incorporating the input device in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in which
the
input device 5 comprises a key input detection module 1 for detecting the
selection
of a key and thus for generating an input key function, a prediction module 3
for
receiving the input key function and for predicting the most likely next key
functions,
a control module 4 for receiving the predicted key functions and for
outputting
instructions to a key labelling module 2 to modify the labelling of the keys
to reflect
the prediction, and to control the functionality of the key input detection
module 1 to
correspond to the modified labelling of the keys.
Key functions input by the key input detection module 3 are also passed to
a display 6 for displaying information as a result of the input instructions,
or for
displaying the input data. Further, the input key functions are passed to a
processing module 7 for the implementation of the input instructions or for
the
processing of the input data.
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Although in Figure 1 the input device 5 is illustrated as being separate from
the display 6 and the processing module 7, the functions of the input device 5
can
also be carried out by the display 6 and the processing module 7. For example,
the
display can comprise a common display for displaying both the input data and
the
keys for inputting the data. For example, the display can comprise a touch
sensitive
display, or a portion of the display can be reserved for displaying virtual
keys,
selectable by a cursor. Further, the prediction carried out within the input
device and
the control of the labelling of the displayed keys can be carried out by a
suitably
programmed common processor.
Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the input device of
an
embodiment of the present invention wherein in step S1 an initial input is
predicted
based on a knowledge of the most likely initial input. For example, if text is
being
entered and thus the data comprise characters, the prediction can be carried
out
based on a knowledge of the most likely characters which start a sentence
taking
into account the application to which the input device is applied.
In step S2 the labelling of the keys is updated based on the prediction in
step S1 and the input device will await the selection of a key in step S3.
When a
key has been selected, a key function is input corresponding to the selection
in step
S4. In step S5 the display output is updated based on the input key function
and in
step Sfi a prediction of the next input is made based on previous inputs. The
prediction can be based on the sequence of previous inputs e.g. for text
input, or
based on any previous inputs e.g. the input devices of Figure 5 to be
described
hereinafter.
Embodiments will now be described with reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5 for
inputting text into apparatus.
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Figure 3 illustrates a user interface of a first embodiment of the present
invention comprising a display 10, cursor movement keys 11 for moving the
cursor
up, down, left and right, and a select key 12 for inputting the character once
highlighted.
5 On the display 10 a display region 13 is reserved for displaying the input
text. A region 14 is reserved for displaying selectable characters, which in
this
embodiment are arranged in the conventional "QWERTY" keyboard layout. To one
side of the conventional key layout area 14 there is provided a predicted key
area 15
adjacent to a cursor default position in which the cursor 16 is illustrated as
being
10 positioned.
The display device can be of any suitable type. For example, it may be
comprise an array of liquid crystal devices (LCDs) or a pixel-addressable
array. These
may be arranged as a number of sub-arrays, each arranged to display an
individual
character, as is common in small electronic devices. In the embodiment
illustrated in
Figure 3, an array 10 of such sub-arrays is shown, wherein there are four rows
of
such sub-arrays, the top row 13 being used to display the text being
generated,
whilst the other three rows 14 display the key labels. Other display types may
be
used, for example cathode ray tubes, which can generate any desired display at
the
cost of greater complexity.
In the illustration of Figure 3 a previous input has recently been made and
thus the cursor 16 has returned to its default position adjacent to the
predicted key
region 15. In the "predicted key" region 15 three letters T, A and M have been
predicted as being the three most likely next inputs. If the prediction is
correct, a
user can move the cursor 16 using the cursor movement keys 11 to highlight the
desired input character. If the predicted characters are not correct, a user
can move
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the cursor 16 to the conventional key area 14 to highlight any desired
character.
Once the desired character has been highlighted, operation of the select key
12
causes the character to be input and displayed in the display area 13. The
cursor 16
then returns to its default position as shown in Figure 3 and the predicted
key area
will change to illustrate the predicted next most likely inputs.
As can be seen in this embodiment, by providing the predicted characters
adjacent to the default position of the cursor 16, the number of key
operations
required to be performed by the user in order to move the cursor 16 to
highlight the
desired character is reduced if the prediction is accurate.
10 Although in Figure 3 the predicted key area 15 is illustrated as being on
one
side of the conventional key area 14, there is no limitation on the position.
Figure 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment to Figure 3 wherein the
conventional key arrangement is divided into two parts 14a and 14b either side
of
the predicted key area 15.
15 Although the user interfaces of the input device of Figures 3 and 4 have
been illustrated as having a conventional aWERTY keyboard layout for the fixed
keys, the present invention is not limited to any particular fixed key
arrangement.
For example an alphabetical keyboard layout could be used or any other
alphanumeric keyboard layout.
20 Figure 4 also illustrates an additional feature, which facilitates use of
the
device. In the embodiment of Figure 4, the fixed key layout area 14 is
controlled to
highlight the keys (currently T, A and M) within the second array 14
corresponding
to the predicted inputs displayed in the first array 15. This allows a user
having some
familiarity with the standard keyboard layout to more readily identify the
correct keys
25 on the standard layout. In the preferred arrangement illustrated, the keys
highlighted
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in this way are each highlighted in a distinctive way. For example, the key
"A",
currently corresponding to the "left" key of the first array, may be
highlighted in a
distinctive colour, or with a distinctive mark such as a left chevron (" < ").
This
allows a user, familiar with the keyboard layout and expecting to key this
character,
to be given an indication, in the second array, that he can generate the
character by
moving the cursor 16 in the direction indicated, so that he can access the
corresponding character in the first array 15.
Figure 5 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention suitable for use
in an information kiosk for use by the public, which in this embodiment allows
a user
to select and view a particular model of a car from amongst a plurality of
possible
options.
In the embodiment of Figure 5 a user interface comprises a fixed array of
keys 20, an adjacent set of predicted keys 21 and a display region 22. The
keys 20
and 21 can either comprise keys within a touch sensitive screen of which the
display
region 22 can be a part, or they can comprise conventional mechanical keys the
labelling of which can be changed e.g. by incorporation of a small LCD in each
key.
In this embodiment each row of the keys represents different options, only
one of which can be selected from each row. Selection of one key from each row
comprises a group or set of inputs defining the desired image to be viewed on
the
display region 22.
initially before a user makes any selection the predicted keys 21 can display
the most commonly predicted selection, which in this example comprises a "GL"
model with blue paint and a grey seat trim. As soon as a user makes a
selection of
any one of the fixed keys 20, the predicted keys will change to reflect the
selected
key and the predicted combination of keys. For example, if a "sport" model is
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selected, based on known customer preferences, the predicted keys could change
to
predict red paint and leather trim since these are the most likely
combination. If a
user agrees to the prediction, in order to view the car the user can select
the
predicted red paint and leather trim keys in order for the selection to be
displayed in
the display region 22.
In this embodiment the predicted keys display not only the past selection
but also the predicted future selections and these will change as each
selection is
made. Thus the prediction is carried out based on any of the previous
selections.
Figure 6 illustrates the incorporation of the user interface of an input
device
of Figures 3 or 4 in a pager.
Figure 7 illustrates the incorporation of the user interface of Figures 3, 4
or
5 in a public information kiosk.
Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to
specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these specific
embodiments and modifications falling within the scope of the present
invention will
be apparent to a skilled person in the art.
