Systems and methods for fast keyboard entry using a remote control in video conferencing and other applications

Systems and methods for performing data entry in videoconferencing and other systems that use remote controls and other non keyboard-based user interface devices. In some embodiments, the keys of a numeric keypad are associated with letters and symbols, such that when a number key is pressed the system displays a selection of choices in a spatial configuration, including the number pressed as well as additional character choices. Users can use navigation buttons to move the selection to any one of the displayed characters and select it, thus minimizing the number of remote control operations for data entry.

FIELD

The disclosed subject matter relates to data entry in video conferencing and other systems that use remote controls and other non-keyboard-based user interface devices.

BACKGROUND

Video communication systems are used for facilitating interaction and collaboration. While computer-based systems (desktop videoconferencing) are gaining wide acceptance, so-called “room” systems are used as well. Room systems can be installed in traditional conference rooms, and feature one or more displays, a high-quality camera, often with pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) capability, and a central operating unit. User interaction can be accomplished with a remote control unit. In early implementations, room systems were the typical solution for having a videoconference, using custom-made hardware that was included in the central operating unit. Today, users can connect to a conferencing session from a desktop or laptop computer, a tablet such as Apple's iPad, or a smartphone such as Apple's iPhone, since the functions of the central operating unit can today be performed using software that runs on the hardware systems.

One of the differences between the computer-based and tablet/smartphone-based solutions and the room-based system is that the latter typically is not equipped with a keyboard but a remote control. Contrary to other devices (e.g., a television), however, a videoconferencing unit may require significant user input in order to connect to a conference, or control an ongoing conference. Such remote controls typically feature a numeric keypad (0 through 9), navigation buttons (up-down, left-right), as well as a small number of special-purpose buttons. Entering textual data typically requires pressing each of the numeric keys several times, in order to reach the desired (alphabetic) character. This may be cumbersome, and has been an obstacle in making room systems easy to use.

This problem is not found exclusively in room-based videoconferencing systems, but can be present whenever alphabetic data entry is required through a numeric-only control device. One such example may be a set-top box, or a home media server device (e.g., Apple TV or Roku), among others.

There exists a need to simplify the process of entering textual data using a remote control.

SUMMARY

The disclosed subject matter provides techniques that can simplify the process of entering textual data using a remote control, and reduce the number of key clicks that a user must use in order to enter alphabetic characters, when using a control device that has only a numeric keypad.

Systems and methods for entering textual data using a remote control are disclosed herein. In one embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, multiple alphabetic characters are assigned to each of the numeric keys of the remote control, and are all displayed when the corresponding numeric key is pressed. The user can then select the desired alphanumeric character by using the navigation buttons of the remote control. In another embodiment select keys of the numeric keypad may be used as navigation buttons.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1. depicts an exemplary remote control unit. The remote control can be similar to the one depicted at “http://www.vidyo.com/documents/support/v2.2/VidyoRoom_User's_Guide—2.2.pdf”and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The remote can feature an alphanumeric keypad at its center, a set of directional, or navigation, buttons in the upper portion, including an ‘OK’ button (“Arrows/OK”), as well as a set of special-purpose and multi-function keys, including the ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, and ‘D’ multifunction keys. The depicted remote control unit is designed to be used in videoconferencing systems, but remote controls in most applications use such alphanumeric keypads and navigation keypads. In some remote control units, the navigation keypad has a ‘Select’ button; in other remote control units, it may feature a single “rocker” button that can be pressed in four different directions as well as pressed in to perform the selection function.

The alphanumeric keypad typically features12buttons that cover the ten digital (‘0’ through ‘9’) as well as the special symbols “*” and ‘#’. Each of these buttons “doubles” as a character entry button, by associating a number of alphanumeric buttons to it. For example, in the example remote control ofFIG. 1the number ‘2’ is also associated with the letters ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’. When a user is supposed to enter alphabetic characters, he or she can press the numeric key repeatedly in order to select one of the associated characters. This technique has been widely used in telephony, for allowing users to type text messages (SMS) to other users using phones that lack a full keyboard. The layout and character associations are today more or less standardized, allowing users to quickly type messages. The process however may be cumbersome as it requires multiple presses of each of the keys to find the desired character. Also, if a mistake is made, the user has to cycle through all the characters to re-select the desired one. Using the remote control unit ofFIG. 1as an example, a user would have to press the key ‘2’ four times to find the letter ‘C’: one to select ‘2’, a second to switch to the letter ‘A’, and two more to go through ‘B’ and ‘C’. To enter the desired character the user has to either continue by pressing another button, in which case the currently selected character is entered as the desired choice, or wait for a pre-determined time for the selection process to be completed. For example, when the same letter appears in succession (e.g., two ‘t’s in a row) the user has to first select the first ‘t’ (by pressing the number ‘8’ twice), then wait for the timeout, and then enter the second ‘t’ (by again pressing the number ‘8’ twice).

We now describe an improved system and method for entering alphanumeric data using a remote control device with reference toFIGS. 2A-2L.FIG. 2Adepicts a window of an application that requires textual input. In this particular example, the field is supposed to be the contact to be called in a videoconferencing system, but the system and method can be applied on any application where remote control units are used for textual data entry.

The system operates such that, when a numeric keypad key is pressed on the remote control unit, the display-13under the commands of a user interface processor—depicts the associated alphanumeric characters on the display, at the then-current position of the cursor.FIG. 2Bdepicts the associated characters that are displayed when key ‘1’ is pressed. The associated characters ‘,’, ‘@’, and ‘-’ are displayed surrounding the letter ‘l’ in a cross-like configuration. Similarly,FIGS. 2C-2Ldepict the same for all other numeric keypad keys. In some instances, such as the number ‘7’ (FIG. 2H), five choices are shown in a cross (or four-leaf clover) configuration, where the number ‘7’ is at the center and the four associated alphabetic characters (‘p’, ‘q’, ‘r’, and ‘s’) are shown surrounding ‘7’.

The display of the associated character on the screen, as shown inFIGS. 2A-2L, allows a user to easily see the associated alphanumeric characters that correspond to a particular key. The positioning, however, of the displayed characters, in a cross configuration, allows now the use of the navigation keypad to select one of the associated keys.

The process can work as follows. The user first pressed one of the keys of the numeric keypad. The system then displays on the screen the associated alphanumeric characters, e.g., as inFIG. 2Hwhere ‘7’ is assumed to be first. The user then uses the navigation buttons to move up, down, left, or right, to select one of the surrounding alphabetic characters, and then pressed the ‘OK’ (or ‘Select’, or equivalent) button to make a particular choice. If the digit ‘7’ is desired then the user may just enter the ‘OK’ button directly without moving with the navigational buttons. The user then proceeds to make selections alternating between the numeric keypad and the navigational keypad, where the latter is used to select one of the multiple choices that are assigned to each key of the numeric keypad. The positioning of the displayed choices is such that there is a direct association with the four spatial directions (up, down, left, right). The fact that at most four choices (plus the numeric digit) are assigned to each of the numeric keypad keys ensures that a user can select a character with at most two key presses per character.

FIGS. 3A-3Cdepict an example of the process of entering data. InFIG. 3Athe user starts by pressing the ‘5’ key. The system displays the associated letters (‘j’, ‘k’, and ‘l’, as well as the number ‘5’) on the screen. In this example, the user then presses one of the multifunction keys, in this instance ‘C’, to switch to capital letters. This is shown inFIG. 3B. Notice that to the right ofFIG. 3Cthe letters are now in capitals: ‘J’, ‘K’, and ‘L’. The user then presses the ‘Down’ key in the navigation keypad so that the letter ‘L’ is selected. This is shown inFIG. 3C. Notice that when the ‘Down’ key is selected, the letter ‘L’ alone appears on the display as the selected letter.

When numeric-only input is required, the user can simply keep typing on the numeric keypad. Since the default selection each time the alphanumeric “clover” is shown on the screen is the number, the user can keep typing without using the navigation keypad.

FIGS. 4A-4Ddepict an example where the user enters the number “123”. InFIG. 4Athe user first presses the number ‘1’ on the numeric keypad. The system displays the characters ‘,’, ‘@’, and ‘-’, together with the number ‘1’ at the center of the “clover”. The user then pressed the number ‘2’ on the numeric keypad, as shown inFIG. 4B. This accepts the number ‘1’ previously shown and displays a new “clover,” now showing the number ‘2’ and its associated alphabetic characters ‘a’, ‘b’, and ‘c’. The user then proceeds to press the number ‘3’ on the numeric keypad, as shown inFIG. 4C. This accepts the number ‘2’ previously shown and displays a new “clover,” now showing the number ‘3’ and its associated alphabetic characters ‘d’, ‘e’, and ‘f’. Since the number is complete, the user presses the ‘OK’ button in the navigational keypad to terminate the data entry process. This is shown inFIG. 4D.

In cases where there is no navigational keypad, the same numeric keypad can be used in its place. In such an embodiment, the numeric keypad will alternatively be in numeric and navigational mode. In the numeric mode, the keypad operates as a normal numeric keypad. In navigational mode, the keypad can be configured such that the number ‘2’ corresponds to the ‘Up’ button, the number ‘8’ to the ‘Down’ button, the number ‘4’ to the ‘Left’ button, the number ‘6’ to the ‘Right’ button, and finally the number ‘5’ to the ‘OK’ or ‘Select’ button. The particular layout has the benefit that the physical layout of the buttons resembles the physical positioning of the corresponding buttons in a navigational keypad. Other assignments are also possible. For example the ‘OK’ or ‘Select’ button role could be played by one (or more than one) of the non-numeric keys, such as ‘♯’. The system can switch the mode of the keypad depending on the current state of data entry, in an alternating mode of operation. After a numeric key is pressed, the system displays the data entry choices and switches to navigation mode until the ‘OK’ or ‘Select’ button is pressed.

In some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, the display of the additional characters may follow a more complicated spatial positioning pattern. While the cross configuration may be suitable for choosing among up to 5 characters, a 3×3 matrix may be used for selecting among 9. The same navigation process can be used in this instance as well. Additional navigation buttons moving in diagonal directions may further reduce the number of clicks that a user needs to make to perform data entry. Other configurations including diamond-shaped patterns, and other spatial configuration can be used. In displays equipped with 3D capability, it is also possible to position the choices in three dimensions. A suitable set of navigation buttons to move in the Z direction may be used here as well.

The methods for fast keyboard entry using a remote control in video conferencing and other applications described above can be implemented as computer software using computer-readable instructions and physically stored in computer-readable medium. The computer software can be encoded using any suitable computer languages. The software instructions can be executed on various types of computers. For example,FIG. 5illustrates an exemplary computer system500suitable for implementing exemplary embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

By way of example, the components shown inFIG. 5for computer system500are exemplary in nature and are not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the computer software implementing embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. The configuration of components should not be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of a computer system. Computer system500can have many physical forms including an integrated circuit, a printed circuit board, a small handheld device (such as a mobile telephone or PDA), a personal computer or a super computer.

Computer system500can include a display532, one or more input devices533(e.g., keypad, keyboard, mouse, stylus, etc.), one or more output devices534(e.g., speaker), one or more storage devices535, and various types of storage media536.

The system bus540can link a wide variety of subsystems. As understood by those skilled in the art, a “bus” can refer to a plurality of digital signal lines serving a common function. The system bus540can be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example and not limitation, such architectures can include the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, the Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, the Video Electronics Standards Association local (VLB) bus, the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, the PCI-Express bus (PCI-X), and the Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) bus.

Processor(s)501(also referred to as central processing units, or CPUs) optionally can contain a cache memory unit502for temporary local storage of instructions, data, or computer addresses. Processor(s)501can be coupled to storage devices including memory503. Memory503can include random access memory (RAM)504and read-only memory (ROM)505. As is well known in the art, ROM505can act to transfer data and instructions uni-directionally to the processor(s)501, and RAM504can be used to transfer data and instructions in a bi-directional manner. Both of these types of memories can include any suitable of the computer-readable media described below.

A fixed storage508also can be coupled bi-directionally to the processor(s)501, optionally via a storage control unit507. It can provide additional data storage capacity and can also include any of the computer-readable media described below. Storage508can be used to store operating system509, EXECs510, application programs512, data511and the like and can be a secondary storage medium (such as a hard disk) that is slower than primary storage. It should be appreciated that the information retained within storage508, can, in appropriate cases, be incorporated in standard fashion as virtual memory in memory503.

Processor(s)501also can be coupled to a variety of interfaces such as graphics control521, video interface522, input interface523, output interface524, storage interface525, and these interfaces in turn can be coupled to the appropriate devices. In general, an input/output device can be any of: video displays, track balls, mice, keyboards, microphones, touch-sensitive displays, transducer card readers, magnetic or paper tape readers, tablets, styluses, voice or handwriting recognizers, biometrics readers, or other computers. Processor(s)501can be coupled to another computer or telecommunications network530using network interface520. With such a network interface520, it can be contemplated that the CPU501might receive information from the network530, or might output information to the network in the course of performing the above-described method. Furthermore, method embodiments of the disclosed subject matter can execute solely upon CPU501or can execute over a network530such as the Internet in conjunction with a remote CPU501that shares a portion of the processing.

According to various embodiments, when in a network environment, i.e., when computer system500is connected to network530, computer system500can communicate with other devices that are also connected to network530. Communications can be sent to and from computer system500via network interface520. For example, incoming communications, such as a request or a response from another device, in the form of one or more packets, can be received from network530at network interface520and stored in selected sections in memory503for processing. Outgoing communications, such as a request or a response to another device, again in the form of one or more packets, can also be stored in selected sections in memory503and sent out to network530at network interface520. Processor(s)501can access these communication packets stored in memory503for processing.

In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure further can relate to computer storage products with a computer-readable medium that can have computer code thereon for performing various computer-implemented operations. The media and computer code can be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present disclosure, or they can be of the kind well known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to: magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD-ROMs and holographic devices; magneto-optical media such as optical disks; and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and execute program code, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs) and ROM and RAM devices. Examples of computer code include machine code, such as produced by a compiler, and files containing higher-level code that are executed by a computer using an interpreter. Those skilled in the art should also understand that term “computer readable media” as used in connection with the disclosed subject matter does not encompass transmission media, carrier waves, or other transitory signals.

As an example and not by way of limitation, the computer system having architecture500can provide functionality as a result of processor(s)501executing software embodied in one or more tangible, computer-readable media, such as memory503. The software implementing various embodiments of the present disclosure can be stored in memory503and executed by processor(s)501. A computer-readable medium can include one or more memory devices, according to particular needs. Memory503can read the software from one or more other computer-readable media, such as mass storage device(s)535or from one or more other sources via communication interface. The software can cause processor(s)501to execute particular processes or particular parts of particular processes described herein, including defining data structures stored in memory503and modifying such data structures according to the processes defined by the software. In addition or as an alternative, the computer system can provide functionality as a result of logic hardwired or otherwise embodied in a circuit, which can operate in place of or together with software to execute particular processes or particular parts of particular processes described herein. Reference to software can encompass logic, and vice versa, where appropriate. Reference to a computer-readable media can encompass a circuit (such as an integrated circuit (IC)) storing software for execution, a circuit embodying logic for execution, or both, where appropriate. The disclosed subject matter encompasses any suitable combination of hardware and software.