Modifying key size on a touch screen based on fingertip location

• US 10,019,157 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2017
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Walton, Kaleb D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Azongha, Sardis F
• Application Number:
  US15/632,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20170293424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting

Abstract

An approach for modifying a size of a key on a keyboard displayed on a touch screen is presented. Based on a fingertip of the user being aligned with the key at a first proximity, which enlarges the key, one or more keys originally on a periphery of the keyboard are moved, and in response, the one or more keys are removed from view on the touch screen. After enlarging the size of the key, keys other than the one or more keys retain their sizes, each of the keys are moved towards a corresponding edge of the touch screen, and after the one or more keys are removed, the keyboard is displayed to include the moved, originally-sized keys and the enlarged key and not include the removed one or more keys, and cover a second surface area equal to the first surface area.

Claims

1. A method of modifying a size of a key on a keyboard displayed on a touch screen, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer determining that a fingertip of a user is aligned with the key at a first proximity from the key or the touch screen, and in response, the computer enlarging the size of the key by a first enlargement amount;

prior to the step of determining that the fingertip is aligned with the key at the first proximity, the computer initiating a display of the keyboard as covering a first surface area of the touch screen and including the key at an original size smaller than the enlarged size;

based on the fingertip of the user being aligned with the key at the first proximity and the one or more keys being originally included on the periphery of the display of the keyboard, the computer moving the one or more keys on the touch screen, and in response to the step of moving, the computer removing the one or more keys from view on the touch screen so that the one or more keys are no longer included on the display of the keyboard; and

subsequent to the step of enlarging the size of the key, the computer retaining original sizes of a plurality of keys which are other than the one or more keys, the computer moving each of the plurality of keys on the display of the keyboard towards a corresponding edge of the touch screen, and the computer displaying the keyboard after the one or more keys are removed so that the displayed keyboard includes the moved plurality of keys having the original sizes and the key having the enlarged size, does not include the removed one or more keys, and covers a second surface area that is equal to the first surface area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

subsequent to the step of enlarging the size of the key by the first enlargement amount and prior to a determination of a second, closer proximity of the fingertip from the key or the touch screen, the computer determining a sequence of proximities of the fingertip to the touch screen, the sequence of proximities indicating the fingertip moves closer to the touch screen between the first proximity and the second proximity; and

the computer displaying the key in a gradual progression of enlargements of the size of the key based on the sequence of proximities.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of responsive to the fingertip moving closer to the key, the computer determining a second, closer proximity of the fingertip to the key or the touch screen and further enlarging the enlarged size of the key by a second enlargement amount to assist the user in touching the key and avoiding touching another, adjacent key on the keyboard.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of based on the first proximity and prior to a determination of a second, closer proximity of the fingertip to the key or the touch screen, the computer determining the one or more keys that are originally included on the periphery of the display of the keyboard.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

subsequent to the steps of removing the one or more keys, moving each of the plurality of keys, and displaying the keyboard, the computer receiving an indication that the fingertip is in a position that exceeds a threshold distance from the touch screen; and

responsive to the fingertip being in the position that exceeds the threshold distance, the computer re-displaying the keyboard as including the one or more keys that had been removed and the key at the original size.

6. A computer system for modifying a size of a key on a keyboard displayed on a touch screen, the computer system comprising:

a CPU;

a computer-readable memory;

a computer-readable storage device;

first program instructions to determine that a fingertip of a user is aligned with the key at a first proximity from the key or the touch screen, and in response, enlarge the size of the key by a first enlargement amount;

second program instructions to, prior to the first program instructions determining that the fingertip is aligned with the key at the first proximity, initiate a display of the keyboard as covering a first surface area of the touch screen and including the key at an original size smaller than the enlarged size;

third program instructions to, based on the fingertip of the user being aligned with the key at the first proximity and one or more keys being originally included on a periphery of the display of the keyboard, move the one or more keys on the touch screen;

fourth program instructions to, in response to the third program instructions moving the one or more keys on the touch screen, remove the one or more keys from view on the touch screen so that the one or more keys are no longer included on the display of the keyboard; and

fifth program instructions to, subsequent to the first program instructions enlarging the size of the key, retain original sizes of a plurality of keys which are other than the one or more keys, move each of the plurality of keys on the display of the keyboard towards a corresponding edge of the touch screen, and display the keyboard after the one or more keys are removed so that the displayed keyboard includes the moved plurality of keys having the original sizes and the key having the enlarged size, does not include the removed one or more keys, and covers a second surface area that is equal to the first surface area,

wherein the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth program instructions are stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the CPU via the computer-readable memory.

7. The computer system of claim 6, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to, subsequent to enlarging the size of the key by the first enlargement amount by the first program instructions and prior to a determination of a second, closer proximity of the fingertip to the key or the touch screen, determine a sequence of proximities of the fingertip to the touch screen, the sequence of proximities indicating the fingertip moves closer to the touch screen between the first proximity and the second proximity; and

seventh program instructions to display the key in a gradual progression of enlargements of the size of the key based on the sequence of proximities,

wherein the sixth and seventh program instructions are stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the CPU via the computer-readable memory.

8. The computer system of claim 6, further comprising sixth program instructions to, responsive to the fingertip moving closer to the key, determine a second, closer proximity of the fingertip to the key or the touch screen and seventh program instructions to further enlarge the enlarged size of the key by a second enlargement amount to assist the user in touching the key and avoiding touching another, adjacent key on the keyboard,

wherein the sixth and seventh program instructions are stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the CPU via the computer-readable memory.

9. The computer system of claim 6, further comprising sixth program instructions to, based on the first proximity and prior to a determination of a second, closer proximity of the fingertip to the key or the touch screen, determine the one or more keys that are originally included on the periphery of the display of the keyboard,

wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the CPU via the computer-readable memory.

10. The computer system of claim 6, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to, subsequent to the fourth program instructions removing the one or more keys and the fifth program instructions moving each of the plurality of keys and displaying the keyboard, receive an indication that the fingertip is in a position that exceeds a threshold distance from the touch screen; and

seventh program instructions to, responsive to the fingertip being in the position that exceeds the threshold distance, re-display the keyboard as including the one or more keys that had been removed and the key at the original size,

wherein the sixth and seventh program instructions are stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the CPU via the computer-readable memory.

11. A computer program product for modifying a size of a key on a keyboard displayed on a touch screen, the computer program product comprising:

computer-readable storage device(s); and

computer-readable program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage device(s), the computer-readable program instructions when executed by a CPU;

determine that a fingertip of a user is aligned with the key at a first proximity from the key or the touch screen, and in response, enlarge the size of the key by a first enlargement amount;

prior to the step of determining that the fingertip is aligned with the key at the first proximity, initiate a display of the keyboard as covering a first surface area of the touch screen and including the key at an original size smaller than the enlarged size;

based on the fingertip of the user being aligned with the key at the first proximity and the one or more keys being originally included on a periphery of the display of the keyboard, move the one or more keys on the touch screen, and in response to moving by the computer-readable program instructions, remove the one or more keys from view on the touch screen so that the one or more keys are no longer included on the display of the keyboard; and

subsequent to enlarging the size of the key by the computer-readable program instructions, retain original sizes of a plurality of keys which are other than the one or more keys, move each of the plurality of keys on the display of the keyboard towards a corresponding edge of the touch screen, and display the keyboard after the one or more keys are removed so that the displayed keyboard includes the moved plurality of keys having the original sizes and the key having the enlarged size, does not include the removed one or more keys, and covers a second surface area that is equal to the first surface area.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable program instructions, when executed by the CPU:

subsequent to enlarging the size of the key by the first enlargement amount and prior to a determination of the second, closer proximity of the fingertip to the key or the touch screen, determine a sequence of proximities of the fingertip to the touch screen, the sequence of proximities indicating the fingertip moves closer to the touch screen between the first proximity and the second proximity; and

display the key in a gradual progression of enlargements of the size of the key based on the sequence of proximities.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable program instructions, when executed by the CPU:

responsive to the fingertip moving closer to the key, determine a second, closer proximity of the fingertip to the key or the touch screen and further enlarge the enlarged size of the key by a second enlargement amount to assist the user in touching the key and avoiding touching another, adjacent key on the keyboard.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable program instructions, when executed by the CPU:

based on the first proximity and prior to a determination of a second, closer proximity of the fingertip to the key or the touch screen by the computer-readable program instructions, determine the one or more keys that are originally included on the periphery of the display of the keyboard.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable program instructions, when executed by the CPU:

subsequent to removing the one or more keys, moving each of the plurality of keys, and displaying the keyboard by the computer-readable program instructions, receive an indication that the fingertip is in a position that exceeds a threshold distance from the touch screen; and

responsive to the fingertip being in the position that exceeds the threshold distance, re-display the keyboard as including the one or more keys that had been removed and the key at the original size.