Recent Patents in Signal Processing - Handwriting Recognition

For our June 2018 issue, we cover recent patents granted in the area of handwriting recognition.

Patent no. 9,934,430 presents methods, systems, and computer-readable media related to a technique for providing handwriting input functionality on a user device. A handwriting recognition module is trained to have a repertoire comprising multiple non-overlapping scripts and capable of recognizing tens of thousands of characters using a single handwriting recognition model. The handwriting input module provides real-time, stroke-order and stroke-direction independent handwriting recognition. User interfaces for providing the handwriting input functionality are also disclosed.

In patent no. 9,911,052  a system and method is able to recognize a user's natural superimposed handwriting without any explicit separation between characters. The system and method is able to process single-stroke and multi-stroke characters. The system and method can also process cursive handwriting. Further, the system and method can determine the boundaries of input words either by the use of a specific user input gesture or by detecting the word boundaries based on language characteristics and properties. The system and method analyzes the handwriting input through the processes of segmentation, character recognition, and language modeling. These three processes occur concurrently through the use of dynamic programming.

Patent no. 9,883,397 provides  a method, and a mobile device adapted thereto, verifies a user and executes applications via handwriting recognition. The method of controlling a mobile device includes entering a lock state, detecting a user's input, verifying a user based on the input and searching for an instruction corresponding to the input, and performing at least one of maintaining or releasing the lock state and which performs an operation corresponding to the instruction, based on user verification result and the instruction search result.

According to patent no. 9,870,143 in a handwriting recognition method applied in an electronic device with touch screen and display screen, a handwriting input area and a handwriting display area are shown on a touch screen when a handwriting command is given. The handwriting of a complete or partial word in the handwriting input area is recognized and displayed and a new handwriting input area can be added when a preset slide operation is applied that the tracing of a handwritten character collides with a boundary of the input area. Handwriting in the new handwriting input area is recognized and displayed and the content of the original handwriting input area and of the new handwriting input area are combined to form a complete word when the handwriting input is finished. The complete word is then displayed.

As patent no. 9,785,626 presents it,  a stand alone low cost writing pad includes a rechargeable battery, a low capacity memory, a low power processor, a first pair of connectors and supports audio, video and digital ink capturing functionalities. The writing pad may be detached from and re-attached to a stand alone base unit using the first pair of connectors. The base unit includes another rechargeable battery, high capacity memory, high power processor, and a second pair of connectors. The base unit receives captured audio and digital ink from the writing pad via the communication pathway and the high power processor runs voice recognition and optical character recognition software on received data to generate second data. The second data is displayed on the writing pad and/or stored in the high capacity memory for future use.

The method in patent no. 9,665,769 includes receiving, by one or more computer processors, data indicating a hand is on a touch-sensitive surface. The method further includes identifying, by one or more computer processors, a position of the hand. The method further includes determining, by one or more computer processors, a change in the position of the hand. The method further includes characterizing, by one or more computer processors, the change in position of the hand on the touch-sensitive surface. The method further includes generating, by one or more computer processors, an alphanumeric character based upon the characterized change in the position of the hand.

In patent no.  9,665,768 process, and related apparatus, that exploits psycho-physiological aspects involved in generation and perception of handwriting for directly inferring from the trace on the paper (or any other means on which the author writes by hand) the interpretation of writing, i.e. the sequence of characters that the trace is intended to represent.

If you have an interesting patent to share when we next feature patents related to handwriting recognition, or if you are especially interested in a signal processing research field that you would want to be highlighted in this section, please send email to Csaba Benedek (benedek.csaba AT sztaki DOT mta DOT hu).

References

Number: 9,934,430
Title: Multi-script handwriting recognition using a universal recognizer
Inventors: Dolfing; Jannes G. A. (Daly City, CA), Groethe; Karl M. (San Francisco, CA), Dixon; Ryan S. (Mountain View, CA), Bellegarda; Jerome R. (Saratoga, CA)
Issued: April 3, 2018
Assignee: Apple Inc. Cupertino CA

Number: 9,911,052
Title: System and method for superimposed handwriting recognition technology
Inventors: Wimmer; Zsolt (Thouare sur Loire, FR), Perraud; Freddy (Saint Herblain, FR), Lallican; Pierre-Michel (Petit-Mars, FR)
Issued: March 6, 2018
Assignee: MyScript Nantes FR

Number: 9,883,397
Title: Mobile device, and method for releasing lock of the mobile device via handwriting recognition
Inventors: Kim; Sangho (Gyeonggi-do, KR), Kwon; Musik (Seoul, KR), Kim; Moorim (Gyeonggi-do, KR), Hwang; Seongtaek (Gyeonggi-do, KR)
Issued: January 30, 2018
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (KR)

Number: 9,870,143
Title: Handwriting recognition method, system and electronic device  
Inventors: Chiang; Chih-San (New Taipei, TW), Mao; Hai-Jun (Shenzhen, CN)
Issued: January 16, 2018
Assignee: Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen, CN), Hon Hai Precision Industry CO., LTD. (New Taipei, TW)

Number: 9,785,626
Title: Writing pad with synchronized background audio and video and handwriting recognition
Inventors: Bennett; James D. (Hroznetin, CZ)
Issued: October 10, 2017
Assignee: ENPULZ, LLC (Austin, TX)

Number: 9,665,769
Title: Handwriting recognition with natural user input on multitouch surfaces  
Inventors: Bosnic, Jr.; Cameron J. (Dracut, MA), Harden; Derek M. (Norwalk, CT)
Issued: May 30, 2017
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY)

Number: 9,665,768
Title: Process of handwriting recognition and related apparatus
Inventors: Marcelli; Angelo (Fisciano, IT), Santoro; Adolfo (Fisciano, IT), De Stefano; Claudio (Fisciano, IT), Parziale; Antonio (Fisciano, IT), Senatore; Rosa (Fisciano, IT)
Issued: May 30, 2017
Assignee: Natural Intelligent Technologies s.r.l. (Fisciano (sa), IT)