Tegic Communications, Inc.

Cheryl A Grunbock

Clifford A Kushler

Dale L Grover

Martin T King

Edward Paul Flinchem

A reduced keyboard disambiguating system. The keyboard has twelve to sixteen keys, nine of them labeled with numerous letters and other symbols, and those nine plus one more are associated each with one of the ten digits. Textual entry keystrokes are ambiguous. The user strikes a delimiting &ldquo;Select&rdquo; key, or a key with an unambiguous character interpretation, at the end of each word, delimiting a keystroke sequence that could match any of a plurality of words associated with the same keystroke sequence. Each input keystroke sequence is processed with a complete vocabulary, and words which match the sequence of keystrokes are presented to the user in order of decreasing frequency of use. The vocabulary is stored in a special format that supports significant data compression without requiring additional processing. In addition, stems of longer words whose initial letters match the sequence of keystrokes are also presented to the user in order of decreasing frequency of use. If the frequency of the words associated with a stem is high enough, that stem is displayed as the default word object. Activations of an ambiguous key associated with a plurality of punctuation characters are disambiguated from the context of the surrounding keystrokes.

Reduced keyboard disambiguating system

A reduced keyboard disambiguating system (,) having a keyboard (,) with a reduced number of keys. A plurality of letters and symbols are assigned to a set of data keys (,) so that keystrokes entered by a user are ambiguous. Due to the ambiguity in each keystroke, an entered keystroke sequence could match a number of words with the same number of letters. The disambiguating system includes a memory (,) having a number of vocabulary modules (,). The vocabulary modules contain a library of objects that are each associated with a keystroke sequence. Each object is also associated with a frequency of use. Objects within the vocabulary modules that match the entered keystroke sequence are identified by the disambiguating system. Objects associated with a keystroke sequence that match the entered keystroke sequence are displayed to the user in a selection list (,). The objects are listed in the selection list according to their frequency of use. An unambiguous select key (,) is pressed by a user to delimit the end of a keystroke sequence. The first entry in the selection list is automatically selected by the disambiguating system as the default interpretation of the ambiguous keystroke sequence. The user accepts the selected interpretation by starting to enter another ambiguous keystroke sequence. Alternatively, the user may press the select key a number of times to select other entries in the selection list. For words that are not in the vocabulary modules, a two-stroke or multiple-stroke method are used to unambiguously specify each letter. The disambiguating system simultaneously interprets all entered keystroke sequences as a word, as a two-stroke sequence, and as a multiple-stroke sequence. The multiple interpretations are automatically and simultaneously provided to the user in the selection list.

A reduced keyboard disambiguating system. The keyboard has twelve keys, nine of them labeled with numerous letters and other symbols, and those nine plus one more are labeled each with one of the ten digits. Textual entry keystrokes are ambiguous. The user strikes a delimiting &ldquo;Select&rdquo; key at the end of each word, delimiting a keystroke sequence that could match any of many words with the same number of letters. The keystroke sequence is processed with a complete vocabulary, and words which match the sequence of keystrokes are presented to the user in order of decreasing frequency of use. In addition, stems of longer words whose initial letters match the sequence of keystrokes are also presented to the user in order of decreasing frequency of use. The first word in the presented list is automatically selected by the input of the first character in the next word. The letters are assigned to the keys in a non-sequential order which reduces chances of ambiguities. The &ldquo;Select&rdquo; key is pressed to select the desired word other than the first word, and spacing between words and punctuation is automatically computed. For words which are not in the vocabulary, a simultaneous unambiguous interpretation of each keystroke is performed to specify each letter of a desired word. The system simultaneously interprets all keystroke sequences as both ambiguous and unambiguous keystrokes. The user selects the desired interpretation. The system also presents to the user the number which is represented by the sequence of keystrokes for possible selection by the user.

Reduced keyboard and method for simultaneous ambiguous and unambiguous text input

A reduced keyboard disambiguating system (50) having a keyboard (54) with a reduced number of keys. A plurality of letters and symbols are assigned to a set of data keys (56) so that keystrokes entered by a user are ambiguous. Due to the ambiguity in each keystroke, an entered keystroke sequence could match a number of words with the same number of letters. The disambiguating system includes a memory (104) having a number of vocabulary modules (110). The vocabulary modules contain a library of objects that are each associated with a keystroke sequence. Each object is also associated with a frequency of use. Objects within the vocabulary modules that match the entered keystroke sequence are identified by the disambiguating system. Objects associated with a keystroke sequence that match the entered keystroke sequence are displayed to the user in a selection list (76). The objects are listed in the selection list according to their frequency of use. An unambiguous select key (60) is pressed by a user to delimit the end of a keystroke sequence. The first entry in the selection list is automatically selected by the disambiguating system as the default interpretation of the ambiguous keystroke sequence. The user accepts the selected interpretation by starting to enter another ambiguous keystroke sequence. Alternatively, the user may press the select key a number of times to select other entries in the selection list. For words that are not in the vocabulary modules, a two-stroke or multiple-stroke method are used to unambiguously specify each letter. The disambiguating system simultaneously interprets all entered keystroke sequences as a word, as a two-stroke sequence, and as a multiple-stroke sequence. The multiple interpretations are automatically and simultaneously provided to the user in the selection list.

A reduced keyboard disambiguating system. The keyboard has twelve keys, nine of them labeled with numerous letters and other symbols, and those nine plus one more are labeled each with one of the ten digits. Textual entry keystrokes are ambiguous. The user strikes a delimiting 'Select' key at the end of each word, delimiting a keystroke sequence that could match any of many words with the same number of letters. The keystroke sequence is processed with a complete vocabulary, and words which match the sequence of keystrokes are presented to the user in order of decreasing frequency of use. In addition, stems of longer words whose initial letters match the sequence of keystrokes are also presented to the user in order of decreasing frequency of use. The first word in the presented list is automatically selected by the input of the first character in the next word. The letters are assigned to the keys in a non-sequential order which reduces chances of ambiguities. The 'Select' key is pressed to select the desired word other than the first word, and spacing between words and punctuation is automatically computed. For words which are not in the vocabulary, a simultaneous unambiguous interpretation of each keystroke is performed to specify each letter of a desired word. The system simultaneously interprets all keystroke sequences as both ambiguous and unambiguous keystrokes. The user selects the desired interpretation. The system also presents to the user the number which is represented by the sequence of keystrokes for possible selection by the user.

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Vashon, WA, United States of America

Cheryl A Grunbock