Radial Virtual Keyboard Gesture Word Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touch-based virtual keyboards, such as those on touchscreen devices, offer limited typing comfort due to keys being out of reach and requiring frequent device orientation adjustments, leading to reduced typing speed and increased risk of device damage.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a touch-sensitive display with groups of virtual ambiguous keys arranged radially about a center point, allowing for tap-based and gesture-based input to efficiently select characters or words, with the ability to resize keys to prevent device reorientation and enhance thumb accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If virtual keys are arranged in a conventional QWERTY layout, then all 26 letters can be displayed on the keyboard, but keys are out of reach and require frequent device orientation adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a conventional two-dimensional QWERTY keyboard layout to a three-dimensional radial arrangement where keys are positioned around a central point in multiple layers or depths, allowing thumb access to all keys without device reorientation
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual keyboard dynamically adjusts key positions and sizes based on the detected thumb position and movement, optimizing key accessibility in real-time as the user's thumb moves across the screen
2Adaptability or versatility
If virtual keys are made small to fit all letters, then the keyboard can accommodate the full alphabet, but typing accuracy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Key sizes dynamically expand when the thumb approaches or hovers over them, and contract when not in use, ensuring all 26 letters fit on the screen while maintaining sufficient target size for accurate thumb input
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the keyboard have different key sizes and spacing characteristics, with frequently used keys or keys in harder-to-reach areas being larger or more spaced out to compensate for reduced accuracy
3Ease of operation
If device orientation is adjusted frequently to reach keys, then all keys become accessible, but the risk of device damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
By arranging keys radially around a center point in a three-dimensional layout, the patent enables all keys to be reached within a single device orientation, eliminating the need for frequent rotations or tilts that could lead to drops or damage
Data Source
AI summary
A method according to one embodiment includes detecting a first touch event on a touch-sensitive input area of a display, the touch-sensitive input area having groups of virtual ambiguous keys arranged approximately radially about a center point. The method further includes determining a plurality of words based on the detected first touch event, outputting at least two of the determined words to a list on a first portion of the display, and in response to detecting a gesture based second touch event in a predefined area of the touch-sensitive input area, changing the list on the display. The method further includes outputting at least one of the words in the list to a second portion of the display in response to detecting a tap based second touch event in an area selected from the group consisting of: the predefined area and the first portion of the display.