Touchscreen Keyboard with Predicted Word Selection Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touchscreen text input systems lack tactile feedback and efficient muscle memory usage due to the absence of a home row and the need to constantly look at the screen for input, which can hinder typing speed and accuracy on larger devices like tablets.
Innovation Solution
A virtual keyboard for touchscreen devices that includes a representation of alphanumeric characters and predicted words, allowing users to directly select predicted words by tapping on their corresponding selection areas, thereby improving typing efficiency and reducing the need for constant screen attention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional touchscreen text input is used, then the device can accept text input, but typing speed and accuracy are reduced due to lack of tactile feedback and inability to use muscle memory
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard is divided into distinct key regions including a home row with raised tactile indicators, allowing users to locate keys through touch alone. Each key has defined boundaries and tactile characteristics that enable segmentation of the typing task into manageable, touch-guided actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-positions tactile reference points (home row indicators) that allow users to establish finger placement before typing begins. This preliminary tactile setup enables muscle memory development and eliminates the need to visually search for key positions during typing.
2Measurement precision
If conventional touchscreen text input is used, then the device can accept text input, but typing accuracy is reduced due to constant need to look at the screen
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard layout segments visual information from tactile information, with tactile indicators providing positional guidance independent of visual display. This allows accurate key location through touch alone, eliminating the need to visually monitor finger placement and improving typing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The tactile indicators on the home row serve themselves as reference points that automatically guide finger placement without requiring external visual assistance. The system provides its own tactile feedback mechanism that enables accurate typing through touch alone.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional physical keyboard layout is used on a touchscreen, then muscle memory can be utilized, but the device lacks the flexibility and portability of touchscreen input
Solution Approach 1:
The touchscreen keyboard combines multiple input paradigms into a single interface: it provides tactile home row indicators for traditional muscle memory-based typing, while maintaining the flexibility of touchscreen interaction. This universal design allows users to leverage physical keyboard muscle memory patterns without sacrificing touchscreen adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual keyboard copies the essential tactile characteristics of a physical keyboard (home row indicators, key boundaries, reference points) onto the touchscreen surface. This copying of tactile feedback properties enables muscle memory usage in a otherwise visual touchscreen environment.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method and a mobile device configured to display a virtual keyboard on a touchscreen display. The virtual keyboard includes a plurality of virtual keys defining a target area for receiving user input. At least one of the plurality of virtual keys includes a representation of an alphanumeric character displayed within the target area, a plurality of predicted word selection areas within the target area, and a representation of a predicted word displayed within the predicted word selection areas, wherein when the user directly selects the predicted word selection area the predicted word is selected. The representation of the at least one predicted word is proximate to the representation of the alphanumeric character. The representation of the predicted word includes the alphanumeric character.