Image analysis – Pattern recognition – On-line recognition of handwritten characters
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-06
2001-08-14
Au, Amelia M. (Department: 2623)
Image analysis
Pattern recognition
On-line recognition of handwritten characters
C382S278000, C345S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06275612
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a character data input apparatus and, a method thereof for recognizing a handwritten character to convert it to character data which can easily correct character data recognized or inputted erroneously.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a small information processing apparatus such as a PDA (personal digital assistants) apparatus which does not have a keyboard, a method of obtaining input data is by recognizing a character which a user handwrites using a stylus pen on an input screen displayed in a display device.
As such handwritten character input method, PEPA5-22948 (reference 1) discloses a method of changing a candidate character obtained by recognizing a character handwritten within a predetermined frame to another candidate character by pointing to a predetermined position in the frame.
PUPA 6-195519 (reference 2) discloses a method of correcting an erroneously recognized character by a further handwritten input.
PUPA 6-251201 reference (3) and PUPA 7-93484 (reference 4) disclose a method of correcting an erroneously recognized character by depressing a predetermined selection area of an input frame.
PUPA 6-215176 (reference (5) discloses a method of displaying a plurality of correction methods simultaneously in correcting an erroneously recognized character to allow a character to be selected by using a keyboard.
However, correction of a character is cumbersome in the handwritten character input methods disclosed in the above mentioned references 1, . . . 4 in that a character to be corrected has to be first selected, a selection has to be made to change to another candidate character and an edit process has to be performed, and a further selection has to be made of another candidate character or to an editing method of deletion and insertion.
In the method described in the reference 5, a keyboard has to be used to correct a character which method is not suitably adapted to a small PDA apparatus, etc., many of which are not provided with a keyboard.
Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a data input apparatus and a method thereof which allows an input of data in the form of a handwritten character to be performed with ease and improved operability and is particularly suitable for a portable PDA apparatus, etc., of a small size and a light weight.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a data input apparatus and a method thereof which allows a character to be corrected with ease and improved operability when an error occurs in the input and the recognition of a handwritten character.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the above objectives, the data input apparatus of this invention comprises; input frame display means for displaying one or more input frames used for input of a handwritten character, handwritten character receiving means for receiving a handwritten character inputted to each of said displayed input frames to display it in said input frame, character recognition means for recognizing each received handwritten character to correlate it with one or more candidates of character (candidate character), selection frame display means for displaying a selection frame containing in a same window said candidate character and a graphic image indicating a predetermined editing process for said candidate character and used for selecting said candidate character and said predetermined editing process in response to an operation on each said input frame, selection/editing means for selecting one of said candidate characters or performing said selected editing process on said candidate character in response to an operation on each of said displayed selection frame, candidate character display means for displaying either one of said candidate characters correlated with the handwritten character or said candidate character which is selected or edit processed, and character data accepting means for accepting as character data one of said candidate characters correlated with the handwritten character or said candidate character which is selected or edit processed.
The data input apparatus of this invention which is used for example for data input to a PDA apparatus recognizes a character handwritten by using a stylus pen, etc., in alignment with an input frame displayed to the user through a transparent tablet pasted on the screen of the display device, displays the recognized character and corrects a character erroneously inputted or recognized.
In the data input apparatus of this invention, the input frame display means displays one or more of input frames including a frame indicating the position in which a user is to write a handwritten character and buttons which is used for the user to instruct execution of changing the selection of candidate character obtained as a result of recognition in the screen of the display device.
The handwritten character receiving means receive, for example, a handwritten character written within each frame of the input frame displayed in the display device and display the received handwritten character within the frame of the input frame.
The character recognition means recognize which character the received handwritten character represents and correlate it with one or more characters (candidate characters) which possibly matches the handwritten character. One of candidate characters which the character recognition means correlated to the handwritten character, for example, the character of the highest possibility of matching the handwritten character (the prime candidate character) is displayed separately in a predetermined window (frame) in the display device as described later.
When a user points said button of the input frame with a stylus pen, etc., the selection frame displays means display a selection frame which simultaneously displays within a same window (frame) a list of candidate characters of a handwritten character inputted to an input frame and a menu of edit processing including deletion of the handwritten character (the prime candidate character) and insertion of a character to the preceding position (or the following position), etc in correspondence to the input frame including a pointed button.
Selection/edition means selects the pointed candidate character when the user points one of candidate characters displayed in the selection frame and replaces it with a current prime candidate character. The selection/edition means further performs an edit processing including deleting of the selected handwritten character (the prime candidate character) by selecting one of the choices of the menu.
The candidate character display means display the character of the highest possibility of matching (the prime candidate character) or a prime candidate character replaced or edited by the selection-edition means among the candidate characters recognized by the character recognition means in the predetermined window (frame) and further display it in the input frame in place of the handwritten character.
The character data accepting means accept the character obtained as a result of character recognition, selection or edition and displayed by the candidate character display means as character data.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5734749 (1998-03-01), Yamada et al.
patent: 5757959 (1998-05-01), Lopresti
patent: 5812698 (1998-09-01), Platt et al.
patent: 5841901 (1998-11-01), Arai et al.
patent: 5859935 (1999-01-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5870492 (1999-02-01), Shimizu et al.
patent: 6002799 (1999-12-01), Sklarew
patent: 2-266484 (1989-04-01), None
patent: 5-314304 (1992-05-01), None
patent: 6-036072 (1992-07-01), None
patent: 6-202800 (1992-12-01), None
patent: 6-215176 (1993-01-01), None
Au Amelia M.
Dastouri Mehrdad
International Business Machines - Corporation
Tassinari, Jr. Robert P.
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