Method and device of stroke based user input

Abstract

A method of inputting a character to a computing unit. The method comprises capturing a stroke drawn by a user in relation to a reference zone, identifying a combination of a shape and a relative position of the stroke in relation to the reference zone, automatically selecting one of a plurality of characters from according the combination, and providing the selected character as an input to the computing unit from the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computing device having a human user interface allowing a user to navigate in a menu, comprising:
 an input surface which:
 displays a reference zone; 
 detects a user stroke drawn by a user and originated from a center of said reference zone; 
 presents a menu having a plurality of virtual selection buttons on the perimeter of said reference zone, each one of said plurality of virtual selection buttons is indicative of an application, an application function or a sub menu; 
   a processor; and
 a user stroke recognition module which: 
 uses said processor to identify a user selected virtual selection button from said plurality of virtual selection buttons such that said user selected virtual selection button is located at the tip of said user stroke on the perimeter of said reference zone, and 
 triggers an execution of one of a plurality of applications for execution, one of a plurality of application functions for execution, or one of a plurality of sub menus for presentation according to said user selected virtual selection button. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein said reference zone is a virtual circle. 
     
     
         3 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein said user stroke is a continuous finger gesture of said user. 
     
     
         4 . The computing device of  claim 3 , wherein said menu is a sub menu of a hierarchical menu, said user stroke recognition module being configured for navigating in said hierarchical menu and respectively swapping a display of said plurality of virtual selection buttons with a plurality of additional virtual selection buttons of a plurality of sub menus according to said user stroke. 
     
     
         5 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein said reference zone is displayed on a touch screen. 
     
     
         6 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein said computing unit is selected from a group consisting of: a cellular phone, a phone, a remote control, an electric book, a game console, a camera, a laser pointer, a navigation system, a video recorder, a music player, and an audio recorder. 
     
     
         7 . The computing device of  claim 1 , further comprising a housing having a width of less than 5 millimeters for supporting said input surface and said user stroke recognition module. 
     
     
         8 . A method of operating a human user interface allowing a user to navigate in a menu, comprising:
 displaying a reference zone on a display;   detecting a user stroke drawn by a user and originated from a center of said reference zone;   presenting a menu having a plurality of virtual selection buttons on the perimeter of said reference zone, each one of said plurality of virtual selection buttons is indicative of an application, an application function or a sub menu; and
 selecting according to one of said plurality of virtual selection buttons which is located at the tip of said user stroke on the perimeter of said reference zone one of a plurality of applications for execution, a plurality of application functions for execution or a plurality of sub menus of said menu for presentation. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said reference zone is displayed on a touch screen having width and height of less than 4 centimeters. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said displaying is performed in response to a user clicking on the center of said reference zone. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said user stroke is an outcome of sliding a pointing element from the center of said reference zone toward one of said plurality of virtual selection buttons. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said sliding is performed on an input touch surface. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said selecting is made when said user detaches the pointing element from said input touch surface. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said pointing element is a member of a group consisting of: a finger, a stylus, and a laser marker. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said user stroke is a continuous touch gesture of said user. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said menu is a primary menu and; further comprising swapping said plurality of virtual selection buttons with a plurality of additional virtual selection buttons each indicative of an item of a sub menu of said primary menu. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said sub menu is a secondary sub menu; further comprising detecting a an additional stroke and swapping said plurality of additional virtual selection buttons with a plurality of further additional virtual selection buttons each indicative of an item of a tertiary sub menu of said primary menu. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising swapping said plurality of virtual selection buttons with a plurality of additional virtual selection buttons to allow said user to navigate through a plurality of hierarchical sub menus in a user stroke based on a continuous touch gesture. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising dynamically changing the size of said reference zone according to said user stroke. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein selecting comprises controlling, remotely or locally, a device according to said user selected application or said user selected application function.