Patent ID: 8494276

Claim:
A method for handwriting recognition on an electronic device, the method comprising: receiving input from a user on an interface of the electronic device, the input including at least one handwritten symbol; comparing the input to prototype symbols stored in a database to determine whether the input includes a threshold degree of similarity with at least one of the prototype symbols; storing the input as a prototype symbol if the input does not include a threshold degree of similarity with at least one of the prototype symbols; determining whether the input represents a text character if the input includes a threshold degree of similarity with at least one of the prototype symbols; if the input represents a text character: identifying the text character, identifying at least one prototype text character in the database based on the identified text character, and mapping the input to the identified text character and the identified prototype text character; and if the input does not represent a text character: matching the input to at least one prototype shape in the database, and mapping the input to the prototype shape.