Systems and methods for determining a symbol input by a user from two sets of symbols on a multi-layer keyboard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9880736-B2
Application number	US-201213692116-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2012
Priority date	Dec 3, 2012
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A method may include providing for display a first set of touch-screen keys corresponding to a first set of symbols. The method may also include providing for display at least partially underneath the first set of touch-screen keys a second set of touch-screen keys corresponding to a second set of symbols. At least a portion of the second set of touch-screen keys are visible through the first set of keys. The method may also include detecting a touch gesture by the user over the first and second sets of keys intending to input a symbol. The method may also include determining a context of the input by the user. The method may also include selecting based at least in part on the context a symbol in the first set of symbols or a symbol in the second set of symbols as the symbol that the user intended to input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
by a computing device, providing for display a first set of touch-screen keys corresponding to a first set of symbols;
by the computing device, providing for display at least partially underneath the first set of touch-screen keys a second set of touch-screen keys corresponding to a second set of symbols, at least a portion of the second set of touch-screen keys being visible through the first set of keys;
by the computing device, detecting a touch gesture by a user over the first and second sets of keys intending to input a first symbol;
by the computing device, retrieving social-networking information stored in association with a social graph for a social-networking system, wherein the user is represented by a user node in the social graph, and wherein at least part of the social-networking information is represented by an edge connecting the user node to another node;
by the computing device, determining, based on the social-networking information and further based on an amount of lapsed time between the detected touch gesture and a previous touch gesture, a context of the input of the first symbol by the user;
by the computing device, selecting based at least in part on the context a symbol in the first set of symbols or a symbol in the second set of symbols as the first symbol that the user intended to input;
by the computing device, detecting one or more subsequent touch gestures by the user intending to input one or more second symbols;
by the computing device, determining whether the context of the input of the first symbol has changed; and
by the computing device, in response to determining that the context has changed, determining whether the first symbol should be changed.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, by the computing device, providing for display the first symbol.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of keys constitute all or part of a first keyboard and the second set of keys constitute all or part of a second keyboard.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of keys constitute a QWERTY keyboard.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second set of keys constitute a numerical and punctuation keyboard.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first set of symbols comprises an alphabetical symbol and wherein at least one of the second set of symbols comprises a numerical symbol.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the context of the input by the user comprises:
one or more previous touch gestures by the user;
one or more previously input symbols;
a customized dictionary associated with the user;
one or more software applications being used by the user;
subject matter of a communication session between the user and one or more second users;
a relationship of the user to one or more second users;
a profile of the user;
profiles of one or more second users associated with the user;
addresses of the user or one or more second users associated with the user; or
contacts of the user or one or more second users associated with the user.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a mobile computing device of the user.

9. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:
provide for display a first set of touch-screen keys corresponding to a first set of symbols;
provide for display at least partially underneath the first set of touch-screen keys a second set of touch-screen keys corresponding to a second set of symbols, at least a portion of the second set of touch-screen keys being visible through the first set of keys;
detect a touch gesture by a user over the first and second sets of keys intending to input a first symbol;
retrieve social-networking information stored in association with a social graph for a social-networking system, wherein the user is represented by a user node in the social graph, and wherein at least part of the social-networking information is represented by an edge connecting the user node to another node;
determine, based on the social-networking information and further based on an amount of lapsed time between the detected touch gesture and a previous touch gesture, a context of the input of the first symbol by the user;
select based at least in part on the context a symbol in the first set of symbols or a symbol in the second set of symbols as the first symbol that the user intended to input;
detect one or more subsequent touch gestures by the user intending to input one or more second symbols;
determine whether the context of the input of the first symbol has changed; and
in response to determining that the context has changed, determine whether the first symbol should be changed.

10. The media of claim 9 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to provide for display the first symbol.

11. The media of claim 9 , wherein the first set of keys constitute all or part of a first keyboard and the second set of keys constitute all or part of a second keyboard.

12. The media of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first set of symbols comprises an alphabetical symbol and wherein at least one of the second set of symbols comprises a numerical symbol.

13. The media of claim 9 , wherein the context of the input by the user comprises:
one or more previous touch gestures by the user;
one or more previously input symbols;
a customized dictionary associated with the user;
one or more software applications being used by the user;
subject matter of a communication session between the user and one or more second users;
a relationship of the user to one or more second users;
a profile of the user;
profiles of one or more second users associated with the user;
addresses of the user or one or more second users associated with the user; or
contacts of the user or one or more second users associated with the user.

14. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to:
provide for display a first set of touch-screen keys corresponding to a first set of symbols;
provide for display at least partially underneath the first set of touch-screen keys a second set of touch-screen keys corresponding to a second set of symbols, at least a portion of the second set of touch-screen keys being visible through the first set of keys;
detect a touch gesture by a user over the first and second sets of keys intending to input a first symbol;
retrieve social-networking information stored in association with a social graph for a social-networking system, wherein the user is represented by a user node in the social graph, and wherein at least part of the social-networking information is represented by an edge connecting the user node to another node;
determine, based on the social-networking information and further based on an amount of lapsed time between the detected touch gesture and a previous touch gesture, a context of the input of the first symbol by the user;
select based at least in part on the context a symbol in the first set of symbols or a symbol in the second set of symbols as the first symbol that the user intended to input;
detect one or more subsequent touch gestures by the user intending to input one or more second symbols;
determine whether the context of the input of the first symbol has changed; and
in response to determining that the context has changed, determine whether the first symbol should be changed.

Assignees

• Facebook Inc

Inventors

• Yuen Jenny
• St Clair Luke

Classifications

• G06F3/0237

  using prediction or retrieval techniques · CPC title

• G06F3/04886 Primary

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title