Touch-Screen Character Entry via Temporary Icon Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing character entry methods for portable electronic devices with touch-sensitive surfaces are cumbersome and inefficient, particularly for small form-factor devices, leading to increased energy consumption and user burden.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented on portable electronic devices with touch-sensitive displays that includes displaying a character entry area and a character selection indicia, detecting user contact, and responding with a temporary character display and gesture detection to select and append characters to the entry area without the need for a physical keyboard.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional hard keyboards or soft keyboards are used for character entry, then character entry functionality is provided, but device size and screen size constraints make them difficult or impossible to use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the character selection interface from a traditional keyboard layout and presents it as a set of character icons directly on the touch-sensitive display. This eliminates the need for a physical keyboard structure while maintaining character entry functionality, thereby reducing device size constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional keyboard layout to a three-dimensional interaction model using touch gestures (tap, slide, pinch) on the display surface. This dimensional change enables character selection through spatial gestures rather than mechanical key presses, improving usability on small form-factor devices.
2Productivity
If traditional keyboard methods are used for character entry, then character input is achieved, but the process takes longer than necessary, wasting energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent displays multiple character options simultaneously on the screen rather than requiring sequential key presses. Users can quickly select from pre-presented character icons using simple tap gestures, significantly reducing the time and energy required for character entry compared to traditional keyboard methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides visual feedback by highlighting selected characters and updating the text field in real-time as users make selections. This immediate feedback mechanism allows users to quickly confirm their selections without trial-and-error, improving entry speed and reducing energy consumption.
3Area of stationary object
If no keyboard is provided on small form-factor devices, then device compactness is achieved, but character entry becomes cumbersome and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The touch-sensitive display serves multiple functions: it displays content, receives touch input, and presents character selection interfaces. By making the display multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for separate keyboard hardware while maintaining full character entry capability, thus achieving both compactness and operational convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual representation of character selection on the display screen that mirrors the functionality of a physical keyboard. Users interact with visual copies of characters through touch gestures, providing keyboard-like functionality without the physical constraints, thereby maintaining convenience on compact devices.
4Productivity
If existing character entry methods are used on battery-operated devices, then character input is achieved, but power is wasted increasing the time between battery charges
Solution Approach 1:
The system updates the character selection interface periodically based on user interaction rather than continuously refreshing the entire display. This periodic updating approach reduces energy consumption while maintaining efficient character entry performance, thereby extending battery life on portable devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of managing user interface content, including performing character entry without a keyboard, is disclosed. The method includes displaying a character entry area and a character selection indicia, wherein the character selection indicia is displayed at a first predefined location, and the character selection indicia includes locations corresponding to respective characters in a plurality of characters; detecting a point of contact over the character selection indicia; in response to detecting the contact over the character selection indicia, displaying at a second predefined location distinct from the first predefined location a temporary character that represents a character to be selected; while displaying the temporary character, detecting a character selection gesture; and, in response to detecting the character selection gesture, selecting a character corresponding to the temporary character for placement in the character entry area.