Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Light pen for fluid matrix display panel
Patent
1997-12-15
1999-07-06
Mengistu, Amare
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Light pen for fluid matrix display panel
705 752, 705 78, 36470915, 36470916, 434112, 34082519, G09G 500, G09G 536
Patent
active
059203030
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present application is directed to a method and apparatus for utilizing symbol sequences to access stored messages and more particularly, to a dynamic keyboard for dynamically redefining at least one of a plurality of display keys to thereby provide access to alternative keyboards based upon first keys initially selected. The displayed keys include symbols which provide access to the dynamically redefined or alternative keyboards, keys on these alternative keyboards including either new symbols replacing previously displayed symbols, or embellished versions of previously displayed symbols.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Previously, a system and method for producing synthetic single or plural word messages was developed by Bruce Baker et al. and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,916 to Baker et al., issued on Apr. 28, 1987. The system was directed to a linguistic coding system and keyboard for use by people with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The coding system and associated keyboard was used to store and access messages, which included plural word messages, sentences, phrases, full names, letters, numbers, functions, or any combination thereof.
In such a system, the keyboard was coupled to a computer, or was alternately part of the stand alone entity which included a microprocessor, memory and display. The memory stored the messages for selective retrieval by the keyboard. The messages retrieved from the keyboard were then fed to a voice synthesizer, for example, which converted them through a loudspeaker to produce audible spoken messages. On this keyboard, associated with each of a plurality of keys, were polysemous (many-meaning) symbols, also known as icons. By designating selected ones of the keys and their associated symbols or icons, selected stored messages or plural word messages were accessed from the memory.
With the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,916, messages prestored in the memory could be retrieved from memory by activating a combination of symbol keys and other keys to vary the context of the polysemous symbols. Thus, a plurality of sentences could be selectively generated as a function of polysemous symbols in combination with other polysemous symbols. This allowed a user the ability to access thousands of words or messages based upon as little as one, two, or three keystrokes. Further, with symbols being polysemous, thousands of one to five symbol sequences could be generated with only a small number of keys on a keyboard. Based upon ease of use of the system, the polysemous icons or symbols utilized, and the easily memorized symbol sequence combinations, such a system became ideal for many mentally and physically challenged users for whom spelling and typing, as well as speech itself, was extremely difficult.
The system of the '916 patent allowed for an operator to go directly from thought to speech. This was possible because each key of the keyboard bore a central image or symbol which was polysemous and illustrated an important aspect of life and/or linguistic function. The keyboards could be varied depending on the intellectual level of the intended operator. Therefore, each keyboard could in itself be a language which was designed for or with a specific user. Each of the polysemous symbols were developed to be rich in associations and in combination, signal sentence or message ideas in the operator's memory. This enabled the generation of plural word or whole sentence messages by the activation of only a limited number of keys. The device allowed for the generation of many or phrases sentences or phrases and a large core vocabulary which could be easily retrieved from memory because of the ease with which the polysemous symbols on the keys portrayed the production of whole thoughts.
Sequences of icons in fixed places invoked physical memory as well as mental memory. As such sequences are learned, the body of the user tends to remember the location of key sequences in the same way a touch-typist knows the feel of the spelling of many wor
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Baker Bruce R.
Conti Robert V.
Hershberger David
Nyberg, III Eric H.
Romich Barry
Mengistu Amare
Semantic Compaction Systems
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