Image analysis – Pattern recognition – On-line recognition of handwritten characters
Reexamination Certificate
1995-06-07
2001-04-03
Johns, Andrew W. (Department: 2621)
Image analysis
Pattern recognition
On-line recognition of handwritten characters
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212297
ABSTRACT:
REFERENCE TO DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT
Reference is hereby made to Disclosure Document No. 144,644, filed Jan. 14, 1986.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a keyboardless input system to a computer, and when combined with a central processing unit, to a keyboardless entry computer system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information storage, manipulation and transfer device on which text, data, computer commands and functions are entered by writing alphanumeric or any other characters and symbols by hand with a penlike stylus on an Input/Output (I/O) screen. In a preferred embodiment the I/O screen includes a transparent touch screen incorporated over a substantially flat output display. The present invention in its preferred embodiment is a self-contained computer system but can also function as a peripheral to a host computer.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Large amounts of information and sophisticated applications software are now available on conventional keyboard computers. The utility of this information and of application software could be greatly increased if text and data could be entered and applications software manipulated by writing in a normal fashion directly on a flat display. Thus, there is a need to allow the utility of computer technology to be extended for use by non-keyboard oriented individuals. There is also a need for a portable computer system that is lightweight, reliable, accurate, inexpensive and permits use while standing or walking. One way to reduce expense and size and increase utility is to employ a keyboardless entry system, such as a touch screen. However, this type of input device does not easily allow accurate detailed input within a real time framework with high resolution in a manner which is familiar and natural to the user.
Many positioning technologies can be used to meet the requirements of the position sensing input technology. Essentially these requirements include accuracy, resolution and speed. The technologies include: mechanical, electrostatic, electromagnetic, acoustic, optical, and inertial. The desire in this system is to have its use as similar as possible to writing with pen or pencil on paper. One problem is proximity—a pen on paper only leaves a trail when actually in contact. Many of these technologies require an additional “pen down” sensor which is awkward to use in many commercial pens. Another problem is writing angle—a pen leaves the same trail independent of writing angle. Many of these technologies have the position detector displaced from the pen tip, so pen angle causes erroneous displacements. Beyond these general problems, each technology has numerous advantages and disadvantages in (1) the pen: size, weight, shape and whether it needs to be powered and/or wired, and (2) the writing surface: transparency, smoothness, “feel”, and whether or not physical contact is needed (as opposed to pressure transmitted through overlaying sheets of paper).
A number of self-contained devices for viewing and is processing large amounts of information are known. Most employ optical, magnetic or solid-state electronic storage means to store data. Illustrative of this body of art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,417 to Rubincam which discloses a portable electronic book configured to provide selective page by page call-up of large amounts of digital data and displays it on a flat, solid-state screen. The preferred embodiment in the Rubincam patent uses an insertable holographic card, which may contain several hundred pages of text in digital form, as the main storage means. Rubincam's device, however, does not allow new information or text to be entered or manipulated.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,542 to Azure an electronic data collection system is disclosed which employs a solid state Random Access Memory (RAM) for its primary memory. This patent, which discloses a conventional keyboard for data entry, is directed to a hand-held portable data storage and transmission system, as well as an LED display and various Input/Output (I/O) connectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,731 to Frank discloses a means of converting handwriting into character data through the use of a computer system. The disclosed invention is based on matrix pattern matching and does a not employ any coincident display technology.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,960 to Brown shows a handwritten symbol recognition system in which an array of image Points, in the form of a raster line sampling, is converted into segment-oriented lists which are filtered and compressed to obtain topologic features which are then analyzed with a logic tree decision mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,281 to Buckle et al. discloses a handwriting recognition device. The disclosed embodiment is for use with a host computer and does not employ coincident display technology.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,239 to Van Raamsdonk discloses a text editing apparatus. The '239 patent calls for the use of paper as a medium for the entering of editing functions and requires a conventional keyboard for the inputting of text.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,909 to Wang shows a dual level pattern recognition system. The system is designed for use with an optical instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,357 to Castleberry et al. discloses an electroscopic information display and entry system with writing stylus. The disclosed embodiment does not claim to have the speed or accuracy to enable handwritten character recognition.
Additional prior art which discloses portable electronic devices that provide large amounts of various types of stored information include U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,760 to Levy; U.S. Pat. No. 4,4115,486 to Laine; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,859 to Kriakides et al. The Levy and Kriakides et al. patents pertain to electronic dictionaries, while the Laine patent discloses a programmable television reminder system. None of these devices disclose the use of a handwritten input.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,071,691, 4,129,747, 4,198,539, 4,293,734, 4,302,011, 4,353,552, 4,371,746 and 4,430,917 to William Pepper, Jr. various methods or machine-human interfaces using finger touch are disclosed. The preferred embodiments in each of these inventions lack sufficient speed and resolution to allow handwritten character recognition with a stylus and are designed for other purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,096 to Pepper teaches the use of a conductive stylus. The '096 patent pertains to graphic design and allows line width and line intensity to vary by applying pressure on the stylus with the results displayed on a conventional CRT screen. U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,439 to Turner and U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,726 to Turner et al. disclose two methods for electronic position sensing through the use of a probe.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention comprises a unique keyboardless computer system which has the ability to recognize and display Handwritten Symbols and cause the computer to display Font Symbols and, if desired, to execute editing functions pursuant to Editing Symbols, quickly, easily and at reasonable cost.
The invention constitutes a computer housing with a flat display panel on which a user may “write” with a stylus, a capability to recognize Handwritten Symbols written on the panel with the Stylus and convert them to displayed Font Symbols and/or to execute Editing Functions with Editing Symbols, all with a minimum of technical complexity for the user.
A further feature of this invention is that once the keyboardless, portable computer is loaded with the desired information and applications software, information and software can be used and responded to without requiring skills or knowledge related to state-of-the-art computers or other data source.
The ease-of-use of the input technology of the present invention enhances the utility of the computer for keyboard oriented individuals. The portability of the present invention also allows it to be used in applications and settings in which portable keyboard computers are awkward, difficult or impossible to use. For example, a multiplicity of blank, fully or partly completed for
Johns Andrew W.
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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