1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a computer capable of at least inputting text, that is, a text input device, and a text input method suitable for efficiently inputting text in the computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, improvement in computer performance and miniaturization techniques have allowed various portable computers to be used broadly. Particularly, a so-called pen-input computer without having a hardware keyboard is convenient for portable use and is utilized as a general-purpose computer for an increasing number of occasions.
Most of the currently commercialized pen-input computers employ a handwritten character recognition system or a character input system using a so-called soft keyboard on the screen, as the system for performing text input. The soft keyboard realizes substantially the same function as the hardware keyboard by displaying a keyboard image on the screen in which key images corresponding to "hiragana" or "katakana" characters (both are Japanese characters) and alphabetic characters are arrayed in a predetermined order, and then pointing a key on the displayed keyboard image using a pointing device, for example. With respect to the keyboard image, in the case of hiragana characters, the keys are arrayed in the order of the Japanese syllabary, and in the case of alphabetic characters, the keys are arrayed in the alphabetical order.
However, in the case of the handwritten character recognition, since the character input speed of handwriting is limited and correction of false recognition of a handwritten character by the computer is troublesome, it is essentially difficult to improve the input speed significantly. It is considered that the character input speed of the current pen-input computer capable of handwritten character recognition is approximately 30 characters per minute at most. In addition, in the case of the handwritten character input, the user's hand will be fatigued with input of a large volume of text.
Also, in the character input system using the soft keyboard, "kana-kanji" (Japanese character to Chinese character) conversion is performed with respect to a character inputted by using the soft keyboard. In this system, since characters on the small keyboard (soft keyboard) displayed on the screen must be continuously picked up accurately, the user's eyes and nerves may be fatigued, and the input and conversion are time-consuming.
Thus, in view of the foregoing state of the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a text input device and method which enable efficient and high-speed input of text.