Character Input Device for Wearable Terminals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wearable terminal devices with small display screens face low character input efficiency due to limited input areas, leading to potential erroneous inputs and reduced speed.

Innovation Solution

A character input device that includes a memory for storing conversion candidates and a processor to receive the first character and number of characters of a word, extract relevant conversion candidates, and display them for user selection, allowing for efficient input by tapping or inputting the number of characters excluding the first character.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a software keyboard is used for character input on wearable terminal devices, then character input can be performed, but the small display screen area results in low character input efficiency and increased error rate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharacter input efficiencyVSAvoiddisplay screen area

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the character input process into two distinct phases: first character input and subsequent character input. For the first character, a software keyboard is displayed allowing selection from multiple candidates. For subsequent characters, only the number of characters remaining is displayed, eliminating the need for a full keyboard layout. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by reducing the display area requirement for the majority of the input process while maintaining accuracy through candidate-based selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by displaying conversion candidates in advance based on the first character input. Instead of requiring users to type out the entire character string, the system predicts possible words after the first character and allows selection from pre-displayed candidates. This preliminary display of options eliminates the need for continuous keyboard interaction, significantly reducing the required display area while maintaining input accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the entire character string is input using a software keyboard, then accurate character input can be achieved, but the number of operations increases and input speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinput accuracyVSAvoidinput speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by requiring complete keyboard input only for the first character, while subsequent characters are input by selecting from pre-displayed candidates based on the remaining character count. This partial input approach maintains reliability for the critical first character while dramatically improving productivity for the remainder of the character string, resolving the contradiction between accuracy and speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by displaying conversion candidates based on the first character input and the remaining character count. After the user inputs the first character, the system provides feedback in the form of predicted candidate words, allowing the user to select the correct word without typing out the entire string. This feedback mechanism ensures input accuracy while accelerating the overall input process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If conversion candidates are displayed based on the first character only, then input speed improves, but the likelihood of selecting an erroneous candidate increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinput speedVSAvoidinput accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by displaying conversion candidates that incorporate the remaining character count information. Instead of showing all possible candidates matching the first character, the system pre-filters candidates based on the expected total length, presenting a more targeted set of options. This preliminary filtering maintains high input speed while improving accuracy by reducing the pool of potential errors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter used for candidate selection from merely the first character to a combination of the first character and the remaining character count. This parameter change allows the system to provide more specific feedback, displaying candidates that match both the initial character and the expected word length. This dual-parameter approach maintains input speed by limiting candidates while improving reliability through more precise matching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10423702B2Character input device and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for character input

Publication Date: 2019.09.24 FCNT LLC

AI summary

A character input device includes a memory that stores one or more conversion candidates, and a processor that executes a process including receiving input of a first character of a word and the number of characters of the word, extracting a conversion candidate including the first character from the one or more conversion candidates stored in the memory according to the number of characters of the word, and displaying the extracted conversion candidate.