Touch Screen Text Input System Using Auxiliary Thread Search
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional text entry methods on touch screens face a trade-off between fast response and accurate entry, with large dictionaries leading to slower processing times and user experience delays, while breaking them down into smaller dictionaries requires user selection and may not always improve response time.
Innovation Solution
The system initiates an auxiliary thread for search as soon as a press is detected on the touch screen, allowing simultaneous search with the gesture, and manages multiple threads to reduce processing time and memory usage, enabling faster and more accurate text entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a large dictionary is used for accurate text entry, then input accuracy is improved, but response time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large dictionary into multiple smaller cell dictionaries organized in a tree structure, where each node represents a cell dictionary. This segmentation allows the system to search through organized subsets rather than a single large dictionary, improving search efficiency while maintaining comprehensive coverage for accurate text entry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-organizes the dictionary into a tree structure of cell dictionaries before the user needs to input text. This preliminary structuring enables faster search operations during actual text entry, as the search algorithm can navigate the pre-organized tree structure rather than searching through an unstructured large dictionary.
2Loss of time
If the dictionary is broken down into smaller cell dictionaries, then response time is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dictionary is segmented into cell dictionaries arranged in a tree structure, which balances the need for fast search (achieved through segmentation) with manageable complexity (achieved through systematic organization). Each cell dictionary covers a specific portion of the vocabulary, making individual dictionaries small and efficient while the tree structure provides a clear framework for navigation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the dictionary structure by organizing cell dictionaries in a tree with multiple levels and branches. This dimensional organization transforms the flat complexity of managing many small dictionaries into a structured hierarchy that is easier to navigate and manage, reducing the perceived complexity while maintaining search efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If all available cell dictionaries are chosen to ensure accuracy, then input accuracy is improved, but response time deteriorates due to overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a strategy of selective searching through the cell dictionary tree, where the search algorithm navigates only the necessary branches and nodes relevant to the current input context. This partial action approach avoids the overhead of processing all available cell dictionaries while still ensuring accurate text entry by focusing computational resources on the most relevant dictionary sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The tree structure of cell dictionaries is pre-organized with metadata and indexing information that enables the search algorithm to quickly identify and navigate to relevant portions of the dictionary. This preliminary organization allows the system to achieve accurate text entry by searching only the necessary subsets of the dictionary rather than all available cell dictionaries.
Data Source
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AI summary
This invention relates to a system and method for efficient text entry, wherein the system includes a touch detection module, a search module, an output module. A thread management module is additionally included in the system. As such, upon detecting a press by the touch detection module, an auxiliary thread is initiated in which a search is carried out for a character entered by a user and for a candidate word. At the same time, a main thread is maintained to detect whether a lift occurs. This allows full use of a time interval between the press and lift. Upon the touch detection module detecting the lift in the main thread, a result of the search in the auxiliary thread is obtained and output. With such a configuration of the system and method, a simple system structure, an increase of 40-50% in the user's entry speed, less delays during the entry, better human-computer interaction, improved entry experience and a wide range of applications can be achieved.