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GooglePatent applicationPhones & computersInterest 4/10

Google patents keyboard keys that hold multiple characters

This filing describes a virtual keyboard where each key represents a group of two to eight characters instead of just one. When a user taps a key, the device shows the selected character in the text field and offers word suggestions based on that specific key.

Why it mattersIt could make typing on small screens faster by reducing the number of taps needed to select specific letters.

In the filing’s own words

An example method includes outputting a graphical user interface including: a graphical keyboard comprising a plurality of character keys, the plurality of character keys including two to eight character keys; a text-editing region; and a word-suggestion region. The method also includes detecting a first user input at a location of the presence-sensitive display associated with a particular character key from the plurality of character keys. The method further includes, responsive to detecting the first user input, determining a first character associated with the particular character key. The method additionally includes outputting the first character for display within the text-editing region and a set of suggested words for display within the word-suggestion region. The method also includes, responsive to receiving a transition input via an input device of the computing device, transitioning a focus region from a location of the text-editing region to a location of the word-suggestion region.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method comprising: outputting, by a computing device and for display by a presence-sensitive display, a graphical user interface including: a graphical keyboard comprising a plurality of character keys, each character key from the plurality of character keys being associated with and including a respective plurality of characters; a text-editing region; and a word-suggestion region; detecting, by the presence-sensitive display, a first user input at a location of the presence-sensitive display associated with a particular character key from the plurality of character keys; responsive to detecting the first user input, determining, by the computing device, a first character, the first character associated with the particular character key; outputting, by the computing device, the first character for display within the text-editing region and a set of suggested words for display within the word-suggestion region, each suggested word of the set of suggested words associated with the particular character key; and responsive to receiving a transition input via an input device of the computing device, transitioning, by the computing device, a focus region from an initial location of the graphical user interface to a subsequent location of the graphical user interface.

Facts

Company
Google (Google LLC)
Official title
INPUT MECHANISM WITH MULTI-CHARACTER KEYS
Publication number
US20260277432A1
Application number
19675275
Filed
May 12, 2026
Published
Sep 17, 2026
Inventors
4
Claims
20

Classified under

G06F 3/04886 Physics & computingG06F 3/0236 Physics & computingG06F 3/0482 Physics & computingG06F 3/0484 Physics & computingG06F 40/166 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.