Virtual keypad systems and methods

Abstract

Accordingly, a virtual keypad system for inputting text is provided. A virtual keypad system includes a remote controller having at least one touchpad incorporated therein and divided into a plurality of touch zones. A display device is in data communication with the remote controller and is operable to display a user interface including a keypad, where each key of the keypad is mapped to a touch zone of the touchpad. A prediction module, in response to an operator pressing a given touch zone to select a particular character, performs one or more key prediction methods to predict one or more next plausible keys. A key mapping module remaps the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad based on the one or more next plausible keys.

1 . A virtual keypad system for inputting text, comprising:
 a remote controller having at least one touchpad incorporated therein and divided into a plurality of touch zones;   a display device in data communication with the remote controller and operable to display a user interface including a keypad, where each key of the keypad is mapped to a touch zone of the touchpad;   a prediction module, in response to an operator pressing a given touch zone to select a particular character, performs one or more key prediction methods to predict one or more next plausible keys; and   a key mapping module remaps the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad based on the one or more next plausible keys.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein an arrangement of the keypad on the user interface is modified based on the one or more next plausible keys.   
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein one or more keys of the keypad on the user interface is enlarged based on the one or more next plausible keys.   
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 ,
 wherein one or more keys of the keypad on the user interface is highlighted based on the one or more next plausible keys.   
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising
 a language model operable to predict the one or more next plausible keys based on previous characters selected by the operator.   
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the language model is further operable to generate a list of plausible words based on the previous characters selected by the operator.   
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the one or more key prediction methods includes a trajectory analysis method, where the next plausible key is predicted based on a direction of operator movement on the touchpad.   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the one or more key prediction methods includes a hand movement analysis method, where the next plausible key is predicted based on a detection of which hand is moving on the touchpad.   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the touchpad is divided into two operating zones and wherein the key mapping module maps a first subset of keys of the keypad to a first operating zone of the touchpad and maps a second subset of keys of the keypad to a second operating zone of the touchpad.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the first operating zone corresponds to a top zone of the touchpad and wherein the second operating zone corresponds to a bottom zone of the touchpad.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the first operating zone corresponds to a right zone of the touchpad and wherein the second operating zone corresponds to a left zone of the touch pad.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the user interface includes at least one of auto-completion selection buttons and auto-completion selection list.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the touchpad is divided into two operating zones and wherein the key mapping module maps a first operating zone to the keys of the keypad and maps a second operating zone to the at least one of the of auto-completion selection buttons and auto-completion selection.   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the key mapping module maps a third subset of keys of the first subset of keys to the second operating zone and maps a fourth subset of keys of the second subset of keys to the first operating zone.   
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the third subset of keys include the keys designated. by the letters ‘t,’ ‘g,’ and ‘b,’ and wherein the fourth subset of keys include the keys designated by the letters ‘y,’ ‘h,’ and ‘n.’   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the key prediction methods include a timing analysis method, where the next plausible keys are predicted based on a timing of operator movement on the touchpad.   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 ,
 wherein the timing analysis method predicts no next plausible keys when the timing exceeds a predetermined limit.   
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the key mapping module remaps the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad based on the no next plausible keys.   
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the touch zones are defined by one or more XY coordinates of the touchpad and wherein the key mapping module maps the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad by associating a key of the keypad to each XY coordinate of the touch zones.   
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 ,
 wherein the key mapping modules generates a map from the mapping and wherein the map is a two-dimensional lookup table defined by the coordinates of the touchpad.   
   
   
       21 . A virtual keypad system for inputting text, comprising:
 a remote controller having at least one touchpad incorporated therein and divided into a plurality of touch zones;   a display device in data communication with the remote controller and operable to display a keypad and an area for displaying input from the keypad, where each key on the keypad is associated with a touch zone on the touchpad and, in response to an operator pressing a given touch zone, a character on the key correlating to the given touch zone is displayed in an input area of the display;   a language model adapted to receive characters displayed in the input area and operable to predict next most plausible characters in string of received characters; and   a module that arranges the each key on the keypad for facilitating entry of a desired key based on output from the language model.   
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 ,
 wherein the arranging comprises enlarging keys on the keypad based on the output from the language model.   
   
   
       23 . A virtual keypad system for inputting text, comprising:
 a remote controller having at least one touchpad incorporated therein and divided into a plurality of touch zones;   a display device in data communication with the remote controller and operable to display a user interface including a keypad, where each key of the keypad is mapped to a touch zone of the touchpad;   a prediction module performs one or more key prediction methods to predict one or more next plausible keys;   a key mapping module remaps the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad based on the one or more next plausible keys;   a user interface manager module modifies an arrangement of the keypad based on the remapping of the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad; and   a text input module, in response to an operator pressing a given touch zone, selects a key based on the remapping of the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad.   
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 ,
 wherein the user interface manager module enlarges one or more keys of the keypad based on the remapping of the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad.