Abstract: A touch sensitive surface having touch-capacitive and vibration sensors. This surface allows the user to rest their fingers on the keys and type as they would on a regular keyboard. As the user places their fingers on the keys, the touch capacitive sensors (one per key) report the signal strength level of each key touched to a processor, but no keystroke is issued by the processor until a corresponding “tap” (ie. vibration) is detected. When a tap is detected, the processor references the status of the touch capacitance sensors before, during, and/or immediately after the moment in time the tap occurred.

Abstract: The disclosed System enables a small virtual keyboard on a touch-screen to be used to enter a word by contacting the keyboard on or near the key of the first letter, tracing through or near the key of each letter in sequence, and lifting the stylus from the keyboard in the vicinity of the key of the last letter. The input pattern is matched by scoring it against words in a database which includes an indication of relative frequency. A correctly spelled word is matched even when the input pattern corresponds to an incorrect spelling of a word. Words are ranked according to a score calculated from the weighted distances from each associated key to determined input path points, further weighted by the frequency of use and by other characteristics of the input path. Alternate word choices are presented to the user in a manner to minimize distraction.

Abstract: The disclosed System enables word-level text entry on a small displayed keyboard by tracing an input path that begins on or near the key of the first letter, passes through or near the key of each letter in sequence, and terminates in the vicinity of the key of the last letter. The input path is processed by scoring it against words in a database that includes an indication of relative frequency. A correctly spelled word is output even when the input path corresponds to an incorrect spelling of a word. Words are ranked according to a score calculated from the weighted distances from each associated key to determined input path points, further weighted by the frequency of use and by other characteristics of the input path. Alternate word choices are presented to the user in a manner to minimize distraction. Efficient editing mechanisms and other enhancements are included.

Abstract: A method and system of inputting alphabetic text having a virtual keyboard on a touch sensitive screen. The virtual keyboard includes a set of keys where an each letter of alphabet is associated with at least one key. The present invention allows someone to use the virtual keyboard with continuous contact of the touch sensitive screen. The user traces an input pattern for word by starting at or near the first letter in a decided word and then tracing through or near each letter in sequence. The present invention then generates a list of possible words associated with the entered part and presents it to user for selection.

Abstract: Many portable electronic devices are designed to utilize only a touch-screen for text input, generally using some form of stylus to contact the screen. Such devices generally input text using some form of handwriting recognition, which is slow and often inaccurate, or an on-screen keyboard, which essentially requires the user to perform “one-finger” typing, often on a reduced-size keyboard. The Continuous Stroke Word-Based Text Input System allows someone to use a small on-screen keyboard to quickly enter words by drawing a continuous line that passes through or near the keys of each letter in a word in sequence without lifting the stylus (similar to a children's connect-the-dots drawing). The user traces an input pattern for a word by contacting the keyboard on or near the key of the first letter of the word, then tracing through each letter in sequence, lifting the stylus from the screen upon reaching the last letter.