US20100164897A1 - Virtual keypad systems and methods - Google Patents

Abstract

Accordingly, a virtual keypad system for inputting text is provided. A virtual keypad system includes a remote controller having at least one touchpad incorporated therein and divided into a plurality of touch zones. A display device is in data communication with the remote controller and is operable to display a user interface including a keypad, where each key of the keypad is mapped to a touch zone of the touchpad. A prediction module, in response to an operator pressing a given touch zone to select a particular character, performs one or more key prediction methods to predict one or more next plausible keys. A key mapping module remaps the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad based on the one or more next plausible keys.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent applications Nos. 60/946858 and 11/977346, filed on Jun. 28, 2007 and Oct. 24, 2007, respectively. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD
• The present invention relates to methods and systems for recognizing text input from a remote controller.
BACKGROUND ART
• Many electronic consumer products come with remote control devices. These remote control devices can communicate a variety of commands to the electronic product. With the rise in technological advancements to the electronic products, the remote control devices have become complex to operate. For example, modern television remote controls can include selection buttons for volume, channel selection, menu selection, and picture viewing. To operate the remote control, the user must take time away from the program he or she is watching to focus in on the buttons. This can be very distracting to a viewer.
• In addition, many Internet based services such as online shopping are now being provided through the television. Additional selection buttons such as keypad buttons must be included on the remote control device to accommodate these new services. The new selection buttons serve to increase the complexity as well as the cost of the remote control devices. Various solutions have been proposed to address such problems. One solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,765,557 to use a touchpad for controlling a home entertainment device such as an Interactive television. However, even this solution cannot completely solve the problems of inconveniency to the user inconvenience.
• The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
SUMMARY
• A virtual keypad system for inputting text is provided. A virtual keypad system includes a remote controller having at least one touchpad incorporated therein and divided into a plurality of touch zones. A display device is in data communication with the remote controller and is operable to display a user interface including a keypad, where each key of the keypad is mapped to a touch zone of the touchpad. A prediction module, in response to an operator pressing a given touch zone to select a particular character, performs one or more key prediction methods to predict one or more next plausible keys. A key mapping module remaps the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad based on the one or more next plausible keys.
• Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
• The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present teachings in any way.
• FIG. 1 is an illustration of a text input system according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 2A is an illustration of a remote controller of the text input system ofFIG. 1 that includes a touchpad according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating internal components of the remote controller ofFIG. 2A according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 3 is a dataflow diagram illustrating a virtual keypad module of the text input system ofFIG. 1 according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 4A is an illustration of the remote controller being held in a portrait position according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 4B is an illustration of the remote controller being held in a landscape position according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 5 is a table illustrating a mapping between XY coordinates of the touchpad and keys of a keypad.
• FIG. 6 is a table illustrating a remapping between the coordinates of the touchpad and the keys of a keypad.
• FIG. 7 is an illustration of a first embodiment of a virtual keypad graphical user interface according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 8A is an illustration of a second embodiment of a virtual keypad graphical user interface according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 8B is an illustration of a third embodiment of a virtual keypad graphical user interface according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 9 is an illustration of a fourth embodiment of a virtual keypad graphical user interface according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 10 is an illustration of a fifth embodiment of a virtual keypad graphical user interface according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present teachings, their application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. As used herein, the term module or sub-module can refer to a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and memory that executes one or more software or firmware to programs, and/or other suitable components that can provide the described functionality and/or combinations thereof.
• Referring now toFIG. 1,FIG. 1 depicts an exemplarytext input system10 implemented according to various aspects of the present disclosure. The exemplarytext input system10 includes avirtual keypad module12 that facilitates the input of alphanumeric characters by a user for interacting with various services delivered through adisplay device14. Thedisplay device14 can be, but is not limited to, a television (as shown), a projector and screen, or a computer. The services can be, for example, internet based services such as, online shopping and movie subscriptions. Thevirtual keypad module12 provides feedback to the user via a graphical user interface (GUI)18. TheGUI18 includes avirtual keypad20, as will be discussed in more detail below.
• In various embodiments, thevirtual keypad module12 can be implemented within thedisplay device14. In various other embodiments, thevirtual keypad module12 can be implemented separate from the display device14 (such as, for example, on a set top box (not shown)) and can be in data communication with thedisplay device14. For ease of the discussion, the remainder of the disclosure will be discussed in the context of thevirtual keypad module12 being implemented within thedisplay device14.
• Thetext input system10 further includes aremote controller16 that generates one or more signals to thedisplay device14 in response to user input. Thevirtual keypad module12 receives and processes the signals. Based on the signals, thevirtual keypad module12 determines an orientation and a holding position of theremote controller16, recognizes text input, and/or provides visual feedback to the user via a graphical user interface (GUI)18. In particular, thevirtual keypad module12 implements selection auto-correction methods that compensate for human typing (i.e., clicking) error. For example, when attempting to input text quickly, users can typically undershoot or overshoot the location and click on a nearby unintended key. Thevirtual keypad module12 employs a combination of prediction and auto-correction methods to determine which character(s) is/are most likely to be entered by the user.
• In one example, provided fast input speeds, a prediction method is used to compensate for the possible overshoot and undershoot. As will be discussed in more detail below, the predictions can be used to enlarge an activation area of possible keys while reducing (or zero-ing) activation areas of keys that are not in the next-character prediction list. However, if the prediction methods are unable to generate a prediction, even at fast input speeds, thevirtual keypad module12 disables the selection auto-correction methods and reverts to a default mode (i.e., without enlarging or reducing the activation area). Thevirtual keypad module12 can also disable the selection auto-correction method when the interaction becomes slow because it is assumed that clicking errors do not generally occur during slow interaction.
• FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate an exemplaryremote controller16 according to various aspects of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 2A, the exterior of theremote controller16 includes atouchpad22 and one or more soft keys24a-24d.In various embodiments, touch zones defined by one or more coordinates of thetouchpad22 can be mapped to a particular key of the virtual keypad20 (FIG. 1).
• A user can select a particular key of thevirtual keypad20 by gently placing his finger or thumb on thetouchpad22 at or near the associated touch zone (FingerDown event), by dragging a finger or thumb along thetouchpad22 to the associated touch zone (FingerDrag event), and/or by lifting the finger or thumb away from the touchpad22 (FingerUp event). While the user has a finger or thumb on the touchpad22 (i.e., between FingerDown and FingerUp events), the user can click on thetouchpad22 by applying greater force (FingerPress event) followed by releasing the force (FingerRelease event) to select a key.
• In various other embodiments, a relative access method can be used as an alternative or as a secondary method for selecting keys. The relative access method assumes a position of the user's finger or thumb to be a current coordinate or touch zone of thetouchpad22. Subsequent gestures by the user are then interpreted relative to that coordinate or touch zone. This allows for an adjustable precision in selection.
• Important functions of the remote controller16 (such as, for example, volume, channel, and mute) can be associated with specific selection buttons26a-26dof thetouchpad22. The selection buttons26a-26dcan be designated by a specific touchpad button that is painted or illuminated on the touchpad22 (as shown) or by a button displayed on an overlay to the virtual keypad20 (FIG. 1) of the GUI18 (FIG. 1). This allows the user to use theremote controller16 in complete darkness without having to look away from the content being displayed on the display device14 (FIG. 1).
• The functions can be controlled by simply touching the buttons or be controlled by performing a specific gesture. In one example, sliding a finger or thumb up or down on the right side of thetouchpad22 can trigger a volume up or volume down action. In another example, sliding a finger or thumb right or left on the top side of thetouchpad22 can trigger a channel up or channel down action.
• In various embodiments, the body of theremote controller16 can be made of a soft material, allowing theremote controller16 to be squeezed. The squeezing of theremote controller16 can be performed by the user to trigger certain actions, particularly in contexts where the GUI18 (FIG. 1) is just waiting for an acknowledgement without proposing a choice (such as a “next” button in a slideshow).
• As shown inFIG. 2B, the internal components of theremote controller16 can include, but are not limited to,input sensors30,output actuators32, aninput controller34, anoutput controller36, aprocessing handler38, a wireless transmitter (e.g., RF, Bluetooth, etc.)40, and/or combinations thereof. The following describes operations performed by the sensors including theinput sensors30. Theinputs sensors30 can includetouchpad sensors42. Thetouchpad sensors42 can be single-position registering touchpad sensors mounted side-by-side that allow for the selection of at least two contact points on the touchpad22 (FIG. 2A) simultaneously. Alternatively, thetouchpad sensors42 can be a single multi-touch capable touchpad sensor that can register, with equal precision, two points of contact at the same time. In various embodiments, thetouchpad sensors42 can register pressure information to allow the touchpad22 (FIG. 2A) to be clickable.
• Theinput sensors30 can also include one or more selection button sensors44, one or moretouchpad button sensors46, one ormore accelerometers48, and one ormore holding sensors50. The holdingsensors50 can be, for example, capacitive sensors that are located around the border of theremote controller16, and/or behind theremote controller16. The holdingsensors50 indicate whether the user is touching an area of theremote controller16 in a proximity of the holdingsensor50. Theaccelerometer48 can be a three-axis accelerometer that indicates a positioning of theremote controller16. Theinput controller34 reads the real-time data from all active sensors. In various embodiments, some sensors may not be active at all times to reduce power consumption. Theprocessing handler38 gathers and forms into packets the data to be transmitted and/or processes the real-time data from one or more active sensors to perform local actions. The RF transmitter40 (RF driver40) generates the signals in packet form to the display device14 (FIG. 1).
• Theoutput actuators32 can include one ormore LED panels52 for displaying the touchpad buttons26a-26d,depending on the specific state of interaction with theGUI18 present on-screen. Theoutput actuators32 can additionally or alternatively include actuators for providing sufficient haptic feedback to the user (such as, for example,vibration actuators54,light actuators55, and/or speaker actuators56). The above has described one example of the operations performed by theoutput actuator32. Theoutput controller36 updates the state of all the active actuators.
• Referring now toFIG. 3, a dataflow diagram illustrates a more detailed exemplaryvirtual keypad module12. Various embodiments of thevirtual keypad module12 according to the present disclosure may include any number of sub-modules. As can be appreciated, the sub-modules shown inFIG. 3 may be combined and/or further partitioned to similarly perform text input. Thedata inputs70,72,74, and76 to thevirtual keypad module12 are received from the remote controller16 (FIG. 1) and/or received from other modules (not shown) within the display device14 (FIG. 1). In various embodiments, thevirtual keypad module12 includes anorientation recognition module60, a handposition recognition module62, aprediction module64, akey input module66, akey mapping module67, and aGUI manager module68. The following describes one example of operations performed by each module. Theorientation recognition module60 determines an orientation of theremote controller16 based on data received from the holding sensors50 (FIG. 2B) and the accelerometer48 (FIG. 2B). For example, the user can be holding the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A) in a portrait position, as shown inFIG. 4A, or in a landscape position, as shown inFIG. 4B. In various embodiments, theorientation recognition module60 determines the orientation by way of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The ANN can be trained by data indicating both landscape position conditions and portrait position conditions.
• In one example, the orientation is determined by training an ANN with sensory data. The sensory data can comprise three-dimensional acceleration (accx, accy, accz) and an activation state of the n capacitive holding position sensors, which can signal that human skin is ever in proximity (1) or is not in proximity (0). These n+3 values are fed into a single perceptron or linear classifier to determine if the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A) is horizontal or vertical. Perceptron coefficients can be trained on a database and hard-coded by a manufacturer. The handposition recognition module62 determines a holding style of the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A) based on data received from the holding sensors50 (FIG. 2B) and the accelerometer48 (FIG. 2B). For example, thesensory data70,72 can be used to determine whether the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A) is held with one or two hands; and if it is held with one hand, whether it is held with the left or right hand. In various embodiments, the handposition recognition module62 determines the holding style by way of an ANN. The ANN can be trained by data indicating right-hand conditions, left-hand conditions, and two hands conditions.
• In one example, the hand position is determined similarly as discussed above. Multiple perceptrons can be implemented for the more than one binary decisions (e.g., left hand, right hand, two handed).
• As will be discussed in more detail below, the determination of the orientation and the holding style gives thevirtual keypad module12 the ability to accommodate the user by automatically adapting the text input methods and the look and feel of the GUI18 (FIG. 1). Thus, the determination of the orientation and holding position allows the user to hold the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A) in the most convenient way based on their personal preference and the actual conditions of use (e.g., standing, sitting, lying down). In the case of operating the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A) in a dark room, the user can pick up and operate the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A) without worrying about how they are holding it.
• The handposition recognition module62 can further perform user verification based on a combination of holdingsensor data70,accelerometer data72, additional sensor information (such as an image of the palm of the user's hand), and/or bio-sensors. The data can be used to fully determine the identity of the user or, more broadly, infer the category to which the user belongs (e.g., left-handed, right-handed, kid, adult, elderly). User identification can be used, for example, for parental control, personalization, and profile switching. User categorization can be used to adapt the GUI18 (FIG. 1).
• Thekey mapping module67 generates a map indicating an association between the coordinates or touch zones of the touchpad22 (FIG. 2A) and the keys of the keypad and/or touchpad selection buttons. In various embodiments, thekey mapping module67 generates the map based on the orientation and hand position information determined from theorientation recognition module60 and the handposition recognition module62, respectively. Thekey mapping module67 maps the touch zones of thetouchpad22 to the keys of the keypad, by associating a key of the keypad to each XY coordinate of the touch zones. Here, the touch zones are defined by one or more XY coordinates of thetouchpad22. Thekey mapping module67 generates a map from the mapping. Here, the map is a two-dimensional lookup table defined by the coordinates of thetouchpad22. For example, as shown inFIG. 5, the map can be a two dimensional (XY) table80 that is used to assign a key of the keypad and/or a touchpad selection button to each coordinate of the touchpad22 (FIG. 2A). As will be discussed in more detail below, the map can then be referenced by thekey input module66 to determine an action to be taken and can be referenced by theGUI manager module68 to generate the GUI18 (FIG. 1).
• Referring back toFIG. 3, thekey input module66 processestouchpad sensor data74 and/or theaccelerometer data72. In various embodiments, thekey input module66 interprets thetouchpad sensor data74 to be a coordinate or coordinates of the touchpad22 (FIG. 2A) and determines what action to be taken based on the coordinate or coordinates. For example, thekey input module66 can receive thetouchpad sensor data74, determine a particular coordinate from thedata74, and reference the map generated by thekey mapping module67. Based on the entries in the map, thekey input module66, for example, can project that the user is hovering over a particular key of the keypad and, thus, entering a particular text.
• In various embodiments, thekey input module66 interprets theaccelerometer data72 as an action to be taken. For example, theaccelerometer data72 can indicate if a user has lifted the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A) quickly to select, for example, an uppercase mode. Theaccelerometer data72 can indicate when a user has lowered the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A) quickly to select, for example, a lowercase mode.
• To enhance the precision and speed at which the text is entered, theprediction module64 generates a prediction of which key and/or word the user is trying to select. Theprediction module64 generates the prediction based on thetouchpad sensor data74 and/or based on a determination of previous text entered. In various embodiments, theprediction module64 performs one or more next key prediction methods, such as, for example, a language model method, a trajectory analysis method, a hand movement analysis method, a timing analysis method, and/or combinations thereof. In short, theprediction module64, in response to an operator pressing a given touch zone to select a particular character, performs one or more key prediction methods to predict one or more next plausible keys. Examples of the operator are a finger of the user, a touch-pen, and the like, that operates thetouchpad22.
• In one example, theprediction module64 employs one or more language models known in the art to predict the next key based on previous text entered. The language models, for instance, predict the one or more next plausible keys based on previous characters selected by the operator. For example, if the partial word ‘pr’ has been entered, the language model can predict that a vowel is likely to follow and that the letter ‘r’ will not be a possibility.
• In another example, theprediction module64 employs one or more language models to provide a list of reliable candidates of full words from partial word inputs. In this case, the language model generates a list of plausible words based on the previous characters selected by the operator. The full words can be selected by the user for auto-completion. For example, if the partial word ‘Pan’ has been entered, a list can be generated that includes ‘Panasonic’ and ‘Pan-American.’ Instead of typing the remaining characters, the user can simply select one of the full words.
• In various embodiments, the language model can generate the word predictions based on words previously entered. For example, once selected, the words can be remembered and the language model can be adapted to favor the remembered words.
• In yet another example, the trajectory analysis method can be performed to predict possible next keys based on future path estimation including directions and/or velocities of user's finger or thumb movement on the touchpad22 (FIG. 2A) as indicated by thetouchpad sensor data74. The trajectory analysis method predicts next plausible keys based on a direction of operator movement on thetouchpad22. For example, if the user first selects the ‘k’ key and the language model predicts that the next key can be one of ‘I,’ ‘e,’ or ‘a,’ thetouchpad sensor data74 can be evaluated to determine a direction the user is heading and velocity of the movement and, thus, eliminate one or more of the choices.
• For example, the trajectory analysis method determines a coordinate of the key ‘k’ and subsequent finger movements. From that history of XY coordinates, the future path is determined. The path includes a tolerance to account for short-term prediction (more accurate) and longer-term prediction (less accurate). If the future path estimation is heading away from the coordinates of the predicted key, the choice is eliminated. For example, if the path is heading on an Up/Left diagonal line, then the keys ‘e’ and ‘a’ are eliminated and the key ‘I’ is selected as the predicted next key.
• In another example, the hand movement analysis method can be performed using the holding style information provided by the handposition recognition module62 and the predictions provided by theprediction module64. The hand movement analysis method predicts next plausible keys based on a detection of which hand is moving on thetouchpad22. The hand movement analysis method can evaluate whether the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A) is held with two hands or one hand. If the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A) is held by two hands and movement by a right hand or left hand is detected, then the choices that are associated with the non-moving hand would be eliminated.
• For example, if the user first selects the ‘k’ key, theprediction module64 predicts that the next key can be one of ‘e,’ or ‘a,’ and movement is detected by the right hand, then the keys ‘e’ and ‘a’ are eliminated and the key ‘I’ is selected as the predicted next key.
• In yet another example, the timing analysis method can be performed when theprediction module64 is unable to predict the appropriate next key or word via any of the next key prediction methods. Such may be the case when the user is entering proper nouns, such as a last name or a password. The timing analysis method evaluates the time the user takes to move from one key to the next. That is, the timing analysis method predicts next plausible keys based on a timing of operator movement on thetouchpad22. In more detail, the timing analysis method predicts no next plausible keys when the timing exceeds a predetermined limit. Here, thekey mapping module67 remaps the touch zones of thetouchpad22 to the keys of the keypad based on the no next plausible keys. If the user moves more slowly, it is more likely that a proper noun is being entered. The predictions are then ignored.
• Based on the predictions provided by theprediction module64, thekey mapping module67 can remap the coordinates of the touchpad22 (FIG. 2A) to the keys of the virtual keypad20 (FIG. 1). That is, thekey mapping module67 remaps the touch zones of thetouchpad22 to the keys of the keypad based on the one or more next plausible keys predicted by theprediction module64. In various embodiments, the coordinates that are associated with the predicted next key can be expanded to make the key more accessible. For example, as shown inFIG. 6, if the predicted next key is ‘p,’ the map can be adjusted such that the coordinates that were previously mapped to the keys ‘o’ or ‘I’ are now mapped to the key ‘p.’ Thus, if the user is actually hovering over the ‘I’ key, the ‘p’ key will be selected and entered if the user clicks on the touchpad22 (FIG. 2A).
• Referring back toFIG. 3, in various embodiments, thekey mapping module67 can remap the coordinates to the keys based on a relative speed of the user movement. For example, thekey mapping module67 can remap the coordinates such that the predicted key is mapped to a larger touch zone area when a faster movement is detected. Thekey mapping module67 can maintain the original coordinates or remap to the original coordinates when slower movements are detected. Thekey mapping module67 can scale the area between the larger area and the original area when a movement that is not fast or slow is detected.
• TheGUI manager module68 generatesGUI data76 for displaying theGUI18. TheGUI18 provides visual feedback to the user indicating the actions they have performed with the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A). As shown in theexemplary GUIs18 ofFIGS. 7 through 10, theGUI18 can include thevirtual keypad20, including multiplealphanumeric keys90, one ormore selection buttons92, aselection list94, atext display box96, atitle bar98, and/or combinations thereof.
• As discussed further below, thetouchpad22 is divided into two operating zones (a first operating zone and a second operating zone). Thekey mapping module67 maps a first subset of keys of the keypad to the first operating zone of thetouchpad22 and maps a second subset of keys of the keypad to the second operating zone of thetouchpad22. For example, the first operating zone corresponds to a top zone or a right zone of thetouchpad22, and the second operating zone corresponds to a bottom zone or a left zone of thetouchpad22. Here, each of the first subset and the second subset is a group of keys of the keypad. In various embodiments, theGUI manager module68 displays thevirtual keypad20 based on the holding position and the orientation determined by the handposition recognition module62 and theorientation recognition module60, respectively. For example, as shown inFIG. 7, if two hands are used to hold the remote controller16 (FIG. 2A) in the landscape position, thevirtual keypad20 and thetouchpad22 can be divided into twozones100,102 (e.g., left and right). The keys in theright zone102 can be associated with afirst zone104 of thetouchpad22, and the keys in theleft zone100 can be associated with asecond zone106 of thetouchpad22. The user can select a key90 in theright zone102 with a right thumb or finger, and the user can select a key90 in theleft zone100 with a left thumb or finger. Thekeys90 in eachzone100,102 can be distinguished by a particular color or shading of thekeys90 so that the user can determine whichkeys90 can be selected with which thumb or finger. This will allow for a natural text input, similar to the experience when entering text on classic keyboards.
• In this example, selection of a predicted word (auto-completion) can be made through the display of the two most probable words (e.g., ‘Panasonic,’ ‘Pan-America’). Theselection buttons92 are auto-completion selection buttons. When the user selects one of theselection buttons92, a probable word displayed in the selectedselection button92 is displayed as a complete word on thedisplay box96. For example, the two words can be displayed onselection buttons92. The user can select theselection buttons92 by pushingsoft keys24b,24dlocated on the top side of theremote controller16 with the index fingers, or by dragging the finger or thumb to a dedicated zone located at a designated location of thetouchpad22.
• In various embodiments, when thetouchpad22 and thevirtual keypad20 are divided into two zones, the mapping of the coordinates can provide for an overlap between the two areas. Thekey mapping module67 maps a third subset of keys of the first subset of keys to the second operating zone and maps a fourth subset of keys of the second subset of keys to the first operating zone. For instance, the third subset of keys include the keys designated by the letters ‘t,’ ‘g,’ and ‘b’ of the keys of the first subset (keys included in thezone100 ofFIG. 7). Likewise, the fourth subset of keys include the keys designated by the letters ‘y,’ ‘h,’ and ‘n’ of the keys of the second subset (keys included in thezone102 ofFIG. 7). That enables the keys along a boundary between the divided zones to operate for any zones of thetouchpad22. For example, the letter ‘g’ in left keyboard area can be selected by thetouchpad22 in the first zone, as well as be selected by thetouchpad22 in thesecond zone106. The overlap keys can be identified on theGUI18 by shading or color.
• Referring now toFIGS. 8A and 8B, in another example, if two hands are used to hold theremote controller16 in the landscape position, thetouchpad22 can be divided into twozones108,110 or112,114. Thevirtual keypad20, however, is not divided. Afirst zone110 or114 of thetouchpad22 can be associated with the entirevirtual keypad20, and can be referred to as the “Key-Entry Zone.” Thesecond zone108 or112 of thetouchpad22 can be associated with the auto-completion buttons92 (FIG. 7) or selection lists94 (auto-completion selection list), and can be referred to as the “Auto-Completion Zone.” The auto-completion buttons92 or selection lists94 can be displayed when the user touches thetouchpad22 in the “Auto-Completion Zone.” The user interface can include a small visual notification to signal the availability and status of auto-completion words. This way the user will not be bothered with auto-completion unless he decides to use it.
• In various embodiments, thezones108,110 or112,114 of thetouchpad22 can be configured based on an identification of the user. For example, in the case of a right-handed user, theright zone110 can be associated with the “Key-Entry Zone” used most often and theleft zone108 can be associated with the “Auto-Completion Zone.” Similarly, for a left-handed user, theleft zone108 can be associated with the “Key-Entry Zone” used most often and theright zone110 can be associated with the “Auto-Completion Zone.”
• Referring now toFIG. 9, in yet another example, if one hand is used to hold theremote controller16 in the portrait position, thetouchpad22 is divided into zones. Thevirtual keypad20, however, is not divided into zones. Only one zone of thetouchpad22 is used by the user at all times. The user will be able to address the entirevirtual keypad20 from theentire touchpad22.Such touchpad22 will principally function as the “Key-Entry Zone.” If auto-completion is needed, the user can switch thetouchpad22 to the “Auto-completion Zone” by using a simple gesture. Such gesture can include, but is not limited to, moving the thumb or finger to a specific area of the touchpad22 (for instance lower right), or sliding the finger or thumb along thetouchpad22 quickly from right to left.
• In any of the examples shown inFIGS. 7 through 9, the user can select a key90 by dragging the thumb or finger on thetouchpad22. In response to the movement, one or more on-screen pointers (such as, for example, a cursor, or an illustration of a thumb or finger) slides to atarget key90. The on-screen pointers can be displayed according to the hand position (e.g., left hand only, right hand only, or both hands). The key90 can be selected by clicking theclickable touchpad22 and/or upon release. When displaying a thumb or finger as the pointer, a different thumb or finger posture can be used to indicate a thumb or finger press as opposed to a thumb or finger that is dragged on the touchpad surface. The selected character associated with the key will be displayed in thetext display box96.
• Referring now toFIG. 10, in various embodiments, theGUI manager module68 displays thekeys90 of thevirtual keypad20 based on the predicted next key and the remapping of the coordinates performed by the key mapping module67 (FIG. 3). For example, by knowing the next likely key, the GUI manager module68 (FIG. 3) can highlight and/or enlarge the most likely key116 based on the mapping of the coordinates. That is, an arrangement of the keypad on the user interface is modified based on the one or more next plausible keys predicted by theprediction module64. In more detail, one or more keys of the keypad on the user interface is highlighted or enlarged based on the one or more next plausible keys predicted by theprediction module64. These operations are performed by theGUI manager module68. However, when the user is not moving the cursor quickly or the user hovers over a given coordinate, the highlighted and/orenlarged key116 is remapped to the original coordinates of thetouchpad22 and the highlighted and/or enlarged key can be resized back to the original size.
• Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification, and the following claims.

Claims (24)

1. A virtual keypad system for inputting text, comprising:

a remote controller having at least one touchpad incorporated therein and divided into a plurality of touch zones;

a display device in data communication with the remote controller and operable to display a user interface including a keypad, where each key of the keypad is mapped to a touch zone of the touchpad;

a prediction module, in response to an operator pressing a given touch zone to select a particular character, performs one or more key prediction methods to predict one or more next plausible keys; and

a key mapping module remaps the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad based on the one or more next plausible keys.

2. The system ofclaim 1,

wherein an arrangement of the keypad on the user interface is modified based on the one or more next plausible keys.

3. The system ofclaim 2,

wherein one or more keys of the keypad on the user interface is enlarged based on the one or more next plausible keys.

4. The system ofclaim 2,

wherein one or more keys of the keypad on the user interface is highlighted based on the one or more next plausible keys.

5. The system ofclaim 1 further comprising

a language model operable to predict the one or more next plausible keys based on previous characters selected by the operator.

6. The system ofclaim 5,

wherein the language model is further operable to generate a list of plausible words based on the previous characters selected by the operator.

7. The system ofclaim 1,

wherein the one or more key prediction methods includes a trajectory analysis method, where the next plausible key is predicted based on a direction of operator movement on the touchpad.

8. The system ofclaim 1,

wherein the one or more key prediction methods includes a hand movement analysis method, where the next plausible key is predicted based on a detection of which hand is moving on the touchpad.

9. The system ofclaim 1,

wherein the touchpad is divided into two operating zones and wherein the key mapping module maps a first subset of keys of the keypad to a first operating zone of the touchpad and maps a second subset of keys of the keypad to a second operating zone of the touchpad.

10. The system ofclaim 9,

wherein the first operating zone corresponds to a top zone of the touchpad and wherein the second operating zone corresponds to a bottom zone of the touchpad.

11. The system ofclaim 9,

wherein the first operating zone corresponds to a right zone of the touchpad and wherein the second operating zone corresponds to a left zone of the touch pad.

12. The system ofclaim 1,

wherein the user interface includes at least one of auto-completion selection buttons and auto-completion selection list.

13. The system ofclaim 12,

wherein the touchpad is divided into two operating zones and wherein the key mapping module maps a first operating zone to the keys of the keypad and maps a second operating zone to the at least one of the of auto-completion selection buttons and auto-completion selection.

14. The system ofclaim 9,

wherein the key mapping module maps a third subset of keys of the first subset of keys to the second operating zone and maps a fourth subset of keys of the second subset of keys to the first operating zone.

15. The system ofclaim 14,

wherein the third subset of keys include the keys designated. by the letters ‘t,’ ‘g,’ and ‘b,’ and wherein the fourth subset of keys include the keys designated by the letters ‘y,’ ‘h,’ and ‘n.’

16. The system ofclaim 1,

wherein the key prediction methods include a timing analysis method, where the next plausible keys are predicted based on a timing of operator movement on the touchpad.

17. The system ofclaim 16,

wherein the timing analysis method predicts no next plausible keys when the timing exceeds a predetermined limit.

18. The system ofclaim 17,

wherein the key mapping module remaps the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad based on the no next plausible keys.

19. The system ofclaim 1,

wherein the touch zones are defined by one or more XY coordinates of the touchpad and wherein the key mapping module maps the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad by associating a key of the keypad to each XY coordinate of the touch zones.

20. The system ofclaim 19,

wherein the key mapping modules generates a map from the mapping and wherein the map is a two-dimensional lookup table defined by the coordinates of the touchpad.

21. A virtual keypad system for inputting text, comprising:

a remote controller having at least one touchpad incorporated therein and divided into a plurality of touch zones;

a display device in data communication with the remote controller and operable to display a keypad and an area for displaying input from the keypad, where each key on the keypad is associated with a touch zone on the touchpad and, in response to an operator pressing a given touch zone, a character on the key correlating to the given touch zone is displayed in an input area of the display;

a language model adapted to receive characters displayed in the input area and operable to predict next most plausible characters in string of received characters; and

a module that arranges the each key on the keypad for facilitating entry of a desired key based on output from the language model.

22. The system ofclaim 21,

wherein the arranging comprises enlarging keys on the keypad based on the output from the language model.

23. A virtual keypad system for inputting text, comprising:

a remote controller having at least one touchpad incorporated therein and divided into a plurality of touch zones;

a display device in data communication with the remote controller and operable to display a user interface including a keypad, where each key of the keypad is mapped to a touch zone of the touchpad;

a prediction module performs one or more key prediction methods to predict one or more next plausible keys;

a key mapping module remaps the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad based on the one or more next plausible keys;

a user interface manager module modifies an arrangement of the keypad based on the remapping of the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad; and

a text input module, in response to an operator pressing a given touch zone, selects a key based on the remapping of the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad.

24. The system ofclaim 23,

wherein the user interface manager module enlarges one or more keys of the keypad based on the remapping of the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad.

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