Pinch Gesture Input System for Text Entry

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional computing systems, such as artificial-reality devices and mobile phones, often lack physical key-based input devices, leading to inefficient and limited text input methods like screen-based touch keyboards, which consume screen real estate and are slow or cumbersome.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of pinch-based input systems using sensors to track finger and thumb positions, transforming pinch gestures into alpha-numeric characters, allowing for familiar touch-typing experiences without physical keyboards, and providing haptic feedback through the user's fingertips.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If screen-based touch keyboards are used for text input, then text input functionality is provided, but screen real estate is consumed and input speed becomes slow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetext input speedVSAvoidscreen real estate

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical screen-based touch keyboard system with a gesture-based input system using sensors to detect finger and thumb positions. This substitution eliminates the need for visual keyboard displays while enabling faster input through intuitive pinch gestures that map to keyboard layouts, thereby improving text input speed without consuming screen real estate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If physical keyboards are removed from artificial-reality devices, then device portability is improved, but text input efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice portabilityVSAvoidtext input efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a virtual representation of physical keyboard layouts through sensor-based gesture mapping. By copying the functional layout and interaction patterns of physical keyboards into a gesture recognition system, the patent maintains text input efficiency while eliminating the need for physical keyboards, thus preserving device portability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Ease of operation

If conventional touch keyboards are used, then text input is possible, but the input process becomes cumbersome and user experience deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetext input convenienceVSAvoidtime required for text input

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-mapping common text input patterns to intuitive pinch gestures. The system anticipates user input needs by establishing gesture-to-character mappings before input is required, allowing users to type efficiently without needing to locate keys or navigate complex interfaces, thereby reducing time loss and improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11150800B1Pinch-based input systems and methods

Publication Date: 2021.10.19 META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

The disclosed computer-implemented method may include (1) monitoring, at a computing device via one or more sensors, positions of one or more fingers of a user relative to an opposing thumb of the user, (2) detecting, while monitoring the positions, a pinch gesture of the one or more fingers, (3) determining one or more user inputs to which at least the pinch gesture has been mapped, and (4) performing, at the computing device, a user-input operation based on the one or more user inputs. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.