Method for adjusting input-method keyboard and mobile terminal thereof

• US 10,133,480 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen Shiji Light Speed Information Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen Shiji Light Speed Information Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: Liu, Dingxi, Wu, Hao, Wang, Ruicong
• Primary Examiner(s): Arani, Taghi T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Farhadian, F J
• Application Number:
  US14/385,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20150143269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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

Abstract

A method for adjusting an input-method keyboard includes: recording the sliding trajectories of a user'"'"'s two fingers, and the trajectories include two starting contact points and two ending contact points of the two-finger sliding gesture; calculating an adjustment ratio according to the sliding trajectories; obtaining the current state of the input-method keyboard, and the state can be one of a maximum state, an intermediate state and a minimum state; and adjusting the size and/or layout of the current input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio and the current state of the input-method keyboard. The mobile terminal for adjusting an input-method keyboard includes a recording module, a calculation module, an acquisition module and an adjustment module. This method allows users to intuitively modify the size and layout of the input-method keyboard comprehensively, thus avoids accidental operation, enhances the user experience and strengthens the reputation and competence of the product.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting an input-method keyboard, comprising:

recording sliding trajectories of a user'"'"'s two fingers on a screen of a computing terminal, the sliding trajectories including two starting contact points and two ending contact points produced by contacting, sliding and removal of the user'"'"'s both two fingers from the screen;

calculating an adjustment ratio according to the recorded sliding trajectories;

obtaining a current state of the input-method keyboard, the state of the input-method keyboard being one of a maximum state corresponding to a first full keyboard, an intermediate state corresponding to a second full keyboard, and a minimum state corresponding to a nine-grid keyboard, wherein the second full keyboard occupies less screen space than the first full keyboard; and

adjusting at least one of a size and a layout of the current input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio and the current state of the input-method keyboard, including;

when the adjustment ratio is larger than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the minimum state, converting the layout of the current input-method keyboard to the second full keyboard corresponding to the intermediate state; and

when the adjustment ratio is larger than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the intermediate state, enlarging the current input-method keyboard from the second full keyboard corresponding to the intermediate state to the first full keyboard corresponding the maximum state,

wherein the method further comprises;

before obtaining the current state of the input-method keyboard, determining, only when the sliding of the user'"'"'s both two fingers is completed, whether to obtain the current state of the input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio, the adjustment ratio being obtained according to the two starting contact points and the two ending contact points, wherein the sliding of the user'"'"'s both two fingers is determined as being completed in response to detecting that the user'"'"'s both two fingers end contact with the screen of the computing terminal to avoid unintentional moving of a selected keyboard on the screen; and

in response to determining that the adjustment ratio is not equal to 1, obtaining the current state of the input-method keyboard;

wherein calculating the adjustment ratio according to the recorded sliding trajectories include;

calculating a distance between the two starting contact points and a distance between the two ending contact points;

dividing the distance between the two ending contact points by the distance between the two starting contact points to obtain a division result; and

reducing a precision level of the division result to obtain the adjustment ratio, including;

obtaining the adjustment ratio by keeping only one digit after a decimal point of the division result, the reduced precision level resulting in faster processing of size and layout adjustment for a selected keyboard;

wherein adjusting size and layout of the current input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio and the current state of the input-method keyboard further includes;

determining whether to retain the size and the layout of the current input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio and the current state of the input-method keyboard;

when the adjustment ratio is larger than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the maximum state, determining to retain the size and the layout of the current input-method keyboard;

when the adjustment ratio is less than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the minimum state, determining to retain the size and the layout of the current input-method keyboard; and

adjusting at least one of the size and the layout of the current input-method keyboard when the adjustment ratio is larger than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is not in the maximum state or when the adjustment ratio is less than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is not in the minimum state, including;

when the adjustment ratio is less than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the intermediate state, shrinking the current input-method keyboard from the intermediate state to the minimum state and converting the layout of the current input-method keyboard from the second full keyboard to the nine-grid keyboard; and

when the adjustment ratio is less than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the maximum state, shrinking the current input-method keyboard from the maximum state to the intermediate state and determining not to adjust the layout of the current input-method keyboard.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the second full keyboard and the nine-grid keyboard are configured to move to a location on a display screen based on a user input.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first full keyboard and the second full keyboard have a same layout.

2. A mobile terminal, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

record sliding trajectories of a user'"'"'s two fingers on a screen of a computing terminal, the sliding trajectories including two starting contact points and two ending contact points produced by contacting, sliding and removal of the user'"'"'s both two fingers from the screen;

calculate an adjustment ratio according to the recorded sliding trajectories;

obtain a current state of the input-method keyboard, the state of the input-method keyboard being one of a maximum state corresponding to a first full keyboard, an intermediate state corresponding to a second full keyboard, and a minimum state corresponding to a nine-grid keyboard, wherein the second full keyboard occupies less screen space than the first full keyboard; and

adjust at least one of a size and a layout of the current input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio and the current state of the input-method keyboard, including;

when the adjustment ratio is larger than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the minimum state, converting the layout of the current input-method keyboard to the second full keyboard corresponding to the intermediate state; and

when the adjustment ratio is larger than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the intermediate state, enlarging the current input-method keyboard from the second full keyboard corresponding to the intermediate state to the first full keyboard corresponding the maximum state,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to;

before obtaining the current state of the input-method keyboard and after the sliding of the user'"'"'s both two fingers is completed, determine whether to obtain the current state of the input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio, the adjustment ratio being obtained according to the two starting contact points and the two ending contact points, wherein the sliding of the user'"'"'s both two fingers is determined as being completed in response to detecting that the user'"'"'s both two fingers end contact with the screen of the computing terminal to avoid unintentional moving of a selected keyboard on the screen; and

in response to determining that the adjustment ratio is not equal to 1, obtain the current state of the input-method keyboard,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to;

calculate a distance between the two starting contact points and a distance between the two ending contact points;

divide the distance between the two ending contact points by the distance between the two starting contact points to obtain a division result; and

reduce a precision level of the division result to obtain the adjustment ratio, including;

obtaining the adjustment ratio by keeping only one digit after a decimal point of the division result, the reduced precision level resulting in faster processing of size and layout adjustment for a selected keyboard;

wherein adjusting at least one of a size and a layout of the current input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio and the current state of the input-method keyboard further includes;

determining whether to retain the size and the layout of the current input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio and the current state of the input-method keyboard;

when the adjustment ratio is larger than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the maximum state, determining to retain the size and the layout of the current input-method keyboard;

when the adjustment ratio is less than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the minimum state, determining to retain the size and the layout of the current input-method keyboard; and

adjusting at least one of the size and the layout of the current input-method keyboard when the adjustment ratio is larger than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is not in the maximum state or when the adjustment ratio is less than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is not in the minimum state, including;

when the adjustment ratio is less than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the intermediate state, shrinking the current input-method keyboard from the intermediate state to the minimum state and converting the layout of the current input-method keyboard from the second full keyboard to the nine-grid keyboard; and

when the adjustment ratio is less than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the maximum state, shrinking the current input-method keyboard from the maximum state to the intermediate state and determining not to adjust the layout of the current input-method keyboard.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer program for, when being executed by a processor, performing a method for adjusting an input-method keyboard, comprising:

record sliding trajectories of a user'"'"'s two fingers on a screen of a computing terminal, the sliding trajectories including two starting contact points and two ending contact points produced by contacting, sliding and removal of the user'"'"'s both two fingers from the screen;

calculating an adjustment ratio according to the recorded sliding trajectories;

obtaining a current state of the input-method keyboard, the state of the input-method keyboard being one of a maximum state corresponding to a first full keyboard, an intermediate state corresponding to a second full keyboard, and a minimum state corresponding to a nine-grid keyboard, wherein the second full keyboard occupies less screen space than the first full keyboard; and

adjusting at least one of a size and a layout of the current input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio and the current state of the input-method keyboard, including;

when the adjustment ratio is larger than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the minimum state, converting the layout of the current input-method keyboard to the second full keyboard corresponding to the intermediate state; and

when the adjustment ratio is larger than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the intermediate state, enlarging the current input-method keyboard from the second full keyboard corresponding to the intermediate state to the first full keyboard corresponding the maximum state,

wherein the method further comprises;

before obtaining the current state of the input-method keyboard, determining, only when the sliding of the user'"'"'s both two fingers is completed, whether to obtain the current state of the input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio, the adjustment ratio being obtained according to the two starting contact points and the two ending contact points, wherein the sliding of the user'"'"'s both two fingers is determined as being completed in response to detecting that the user'"'"'s both two fingers end contact with the screen of the computing terminal to avoid unintentional moving of a selected keyboard on the screen; and

in response to determining that the adjustment ratio is not equal to 1, obtaining the current state of the input-method keyboard,

wherein calculating the adjustment ratio according to the recorded sliding trajectories include;

calculating a distance between the two starting contact points and a distance between the two ending contact points;

dividing the distance between the two ending contact points by the distance between the two starting contact points to obtain a division result; and

reducing a precision level of the division result to obtain the adjustment ratio, including;

obtaining the adjustment ratio by keeping only one digit after a decimal point of the division result, the reduced precision level resulting in faster processing of size and layout adjustment for a selected keyboard;

wherein adjusting at least one of a size and a layout of the current input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio and the current state of the input-method keyboard further includes;

determining whether to retain the size and the layout of the current input-method keyboard according to the adjustment ratio and the current state of the input-method keyboard;

when the adjustment ratio is larger than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the maximum state, determining to retain the size and the layout of the current input-method keyboard;

when the adjustment ratio is less than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the minimum state, determining to retain the size and the layout of the current input-method keyboard; and

adjusting at least one of the size and the layout of the current input-method keyboard when the adjustment ratio is larger than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is not in the maximum state or when the adjustment ratio is less than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is not in the minimum state, including;

when the adjustment ratio is less than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the intermediate state, shrinking the current input-method keyboard from the intermediate state to the minimum state and converting the layout of the current input-method keyboard from the second full keyboard to the nine-grid keyboard; and

when the adjustment ratio is less than 1 and the current input-method keyboard is in the maximum state, shrinking the current input-method keyboard from the maximum state to the intermediate state and determining not to adjust the layout of the current input-method keyboard.