System and method of pen-based data input into a computing device

Abstract

An improved system and method for pen-based handwritten and keystroke data input into a computer system is disclosed. The system and method receives pen-based data entry from multiple related input boxes within a handwriting area on a digitizer pad. Thread-based processing allows each input box or group of input boxes to be separately evaluated, providing for continuous character recognition. Character strokes entered into each input box or group of input boxes are saved and interpreted together to allow more complete recognition of naturally written characters. Improvements on keyboard layouts are also disclosed.

1 . A method for processing handwritten character strokes entered into a computer system by a user, comprising: 
 providing a handwriting area for receiving alphabetic letter strokes, the handwriting area divided into a first input box, a second input box and a third input box;    receiving handwritten character strokes entered into the first, second and third input boxes of the handwriting area, one or more of the handwritten character strokes forming input characters;    interpreting input characters having the handwritten character strokes thereof entered into both the first and second input boxes of the handwriting area as upper case alphabetic characters but not as lower case alphabetic characters;    interpreting input characters having the handwritten character strokes thereof entered into both the second and third input boxes of the handwriting area as lower case alphabetic characters but not as upper case alphabetic characters; and    activating an alphanumeric keyboard layout from an icon in one of first input boxes of the handwriting area, the keyboard layout comprising an alphabetically sequential organization alphabetic characters along a plurality of rows and a grid of numerals.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each row of the alphabetically sequential organization of rows of alphabetic characters of the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises at least five sequential letters and the numeral grid includes numbers “0” through “9”.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each row of the alphabetically sequential organization of rows of alphabetic characters of the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises characters “a” to “g” on the first row.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein each row of the alphabetically sequential organization of rows of alphabetic characters of the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises characters “h” to “n” on the second row.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein each row of the alphabetically sequential organization of rows of alphabetic characters of the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises characters “o” to “u” on the third row.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein each row of the alphabetically sequential organization of rows of alphabetic characters of the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises characters “v” to “z” on the fourth row.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises wherein the grid of numerals is oriented on the right side of the keyboard layout and comprises numbers “1” to “3” on the first row.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises wherein the grid of numerals is oriented on the right side of the keyboard layout and comprises numbers “4” to “6” on the second row.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises wherein the grid of numerals is oriented on the right side of the keyboard layout and comprises numbers “7” to “9” on the third row.  
   
   
       10 . A method for processing handwritten character strokes entered into a computer system by a user, comprising: 
 providing a first handwriting area for receiving alphabetic letter strokes, the first handwriting area divided into a first input box, a second input box and a third input box;    providing a second handwriting area for receiving alphabetic letter strokes, the second handwriting area divided into a first input box, a second input box and a third input box;    providing a third handwriting area for receiving number and symbol strokes, the third handwriting area divided into a first input box, a second input box and a third input box;    providing an icon in one of the handwriting areas configured to activate an alphanumeric keyboard layout, the keyboard layout comprising an alphabetically sequential organization alphabetic characters along a plurality of rows and a grid of numerals.    receiving handwritten character strokes entered into the first, second and third input boxes of the first handwriting area, the handwritten character strokes forming input characters;    receiving handwritten character strokes entered into the first, second and third input boxes of the second handwriting area, the handwritten character strokes forming input characters;    receiving handwritten character strokes entered into the first, second and third input boxes of the third handwriting area, the handwritten character strokes forming input characters;    interpreting input characters having the handwritten character strokes thereof entered into both the first and second input boxes of the first handwriting area and into the first and second input boxes of the second handwriting area as upper case alphabetic characters but not as lower case alphabetic characters;    interpreting input characters having the handwritten character strokes thereof entered into both the second and third input boxes of the first handwriting area and into the second and third input boxes of the second handwriting area as lower case alphabetic characters but not as upper case alphabetic characters;    interpreting input characters having the handwritten character strokes thereof entered into both the first and second input boxes of the third handwriting area as number characters but not as symbol characters; and    interpreting input characters having the handwritten character strokes thereof entered into both the second and third input boxes of the third handwriting area as symbol characters but not as number characters.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each row of the alphabetically sequential organization of rows of alphabetic characters of the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises at least five sequential letters and the numeral grid includes numbers “0” through “9”.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each row of the alphabetically sequential organization of rows of alphabetic characters of the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises characters “a” to “g” on the first row.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each row of the alphabetically sequential organization of rows of alphabetic characters of the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises characters “h” to “n” on the second row.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each row of the alphabetically sequential organization of rows of alphabetic characters of the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises characters “o” to “u” on the third row.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each row of the alphabetically sequential organization of rows of alphabetic characters of the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises characters “v” to “z” on the fourth row.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the alphanumeric keyboard layout further comprises wherein the grid of numerals is oriented on the right side of the keyboard layout and comprises numbers “1” to “3” on the first row, numbers “4” to “6” on the second row and numbers “7” to “9” on the third row.  
   
   
       17 . A pen-based computer system, comprising: 
 a computing device having a digitizer pad and a data entry pen;    a first handwriting area comprising a subset of the digitizer pad for receiving handwritten alphabetic letter strokes input by the data entry pen, the first handwriting area divided into a first input box, a second input box and a third input box;    a second handwriting area comprising a subset of the digitizer pad for receiving handwritten alphabetic letter strokes input by the data entry pen, the second handwriting area divided into a first input box, a second input box and a third input box;    an alphanumeric keyboard layout comprising an alphabetically sequential organization alphabetic characters along a plurality of rows and a grid of numerals.    a handwriting recognition engine, the handwriting recognition engine interpreting a first series of handwritten alphabetic letter strokes having handwritten alphabetic letter strokes entered into both the first and second input boxes of the first handwriting area as upper case alphabetic characters but not as lower case alphabetic characters and interpreting a second series of handwritten alphabetic letter strokes having handwritten alphabetic letter strokes entered into both the first and second input boxes of the second handwriting area as upper case alphabetic characters but not as lower case alphabetic characters and interpreting a third series of handwritten character strokes entered into both the second and third input boxes of the first handwriting area as lower case alphabetic characters but not as upper case alphabetic characters and interpreting a fourth series of handwritten alphabetic letter strokes having handwritten alphabetic letter strokes entered into both the second and third input boxes of the second handwriting area as lower case alphabetic characters but not as upper case alphabetic characters.    
   
   
       18 . The alphanumeric keyboard layout of  claim 17 , wherein each row of the alphabetically sequential organization of rows of alphabetic characters includes at least five sequential letters and the numeral grid includes numbers “0” through “9”.  
   
   
       19 . The alphanumeric keyboard layout of  claim 18  wherein the alphabetically sequential organization of rows of alphabetic characters comprises characters “a” to “g” on the first row, characters “h” to “n” on the second row, characters “o” to “u” on the third row, and characters “v” to “z” on the fourth row.  
   
   
       20 . The alphanumeric keyboard layout of  claim 19 , wherein the grid of numerals is oriented on the right side of the keyboard layout and comprises numbers “1” to “3” on the first row numbers “4” to “6” on the second row and numbers “7” to “9” on the third row.