Abstract: In some embodiments, input devices and related systems and methods for electronically inputting characters of a pictographic language are disclosed. In one embodiment, an input device for a pictographic language includes a touchscreen display, and a display controller programmed to display a first arrangement including a first set of characters of a pictographic language on the touchscreen display. The first arrangement includes a plurality of regions, each of which contains a plurality of characters of the first set of characters of the pictographic language. The touchscreen display may be programmed to receive selection of one of the regions, and to receive selection of one of the characters in the selected region after receiving the selection of the region. Advantageously, the input device can be effectively used by both non-speakers and language learners as well as native speakers.

Abstract: In some embodiments, methods and related systems for teaching pictographic languages are disclosed. The touchscreen of a touchscreen keyboard displays the pictographic characters to be learned by a user. The characters can be, e.g., several hundred of the most commonly used characters in that language. The characters are grouped into regions, with each region having characters with similar pronunciations, e.g., a similar first sound. The locations of the regions correspond to the locations of similar sounding letters in a QWERTY keyboard. The characters on the keyboard can be learned one at a time. Region and character selection by a user and/or drills from a learning program allow the user to associate a character with its meaning and usage. Advantageously, the characters and their locations on the keyboard can be standardized, which allows the user to quickly find a character and learn its meaning by a combination of memorization and muscle-memory.

Abstract: In some embodiments, input devices and related systems and methods for electronically inputting characters of a pictographic language are disclosed. In one embodiment, an input device for a pictographic language includes a touchscreen display, and a display controller programmed to display a first arrangement including a first set of characters of a pictographic language on the touchscreen display. The first arrangement includes a plurality of regions, each of which contains a plurality of characters of the first set of characters of the pictographic language. The touchscreen display may be programmed to receive selection of one of the regions, and to receive selection of one of the characters in the selected region after receiving the selection of the region. Advantageously, the input device can be effectively used by both non-speakers and language learners as well as native speakers.