System and method for mouseless navigation of web applications

• US 20040141012A1
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tootill, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,753,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/827
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

A method includes generating a display associated with a web-based application interface. The display includes a plurality of features. The method also includes associating each of the plurality of features with at least one first key selection. A user can navigate to one of the features using the at least one first key selection associated with the feature. The method further includes establishing at least one second key selection. The user can navigate within one of the features using the at least one second key selection. In addition, the method includes communicating the display for presentation to the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a display associated with a web-based application interface, the display comprising a plurality of features;

associating each of the plurality of features with at least one first key selection, wherein a user can navigate to one of the features using the at least one first key selection associated with the feature;

establishing at least one second key selection, wherein the user can navigate within one of the features using the at least one second key selection; and

communicating the display for presentation to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first key selection associated with one of the features comprises at least one Alt-x key combination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one second key selection comprises at least one of an arrow key, a Home key, an End key, a Shift-arrow key combination, a Shift-Home key combination, and a Shift-End key combination.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of features comprise at least one of a menu, a button, a notebook tab, a frame, a form, or a list.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one of the features comprises a form, the form comprising a plurality of text boxes each associated with a label;

the at least one first key selection associated with the form comprises a plurality of first key selections each associated with a character in one of the labels;

a first of the second key selections repositions focus in the display from one of the text boxes to another of the text boxes;

a second of the second key selections repositions focus in the display to a first of the text boxes; and

a third of the second key selections repositions focus in the display to a last of the text boxes.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

one of the plurality of text boxes comprises a multiple-line text box; and

a fourth of the second key selections repositions focus in the display from the multiple-line text box to another of the text boxes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one of the features comprises a form, the form comprising a text box and an associated hyperlink label; and

the second key selection repositions focus in the display from the text box to the hyperlink label.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one of the features comprises a hyperlink label;

a first of the second key selections opens a context menu associated with the hyperlink label;

a second of the second key selections repositions focus within the context menu; and

a third of the second key selections closes the context menu and places focus on the hyperlink label.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing a background color associated with one of the features from a first color to a second color when focus in the display is placed on that feature.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein associating each of the plurality of features with at least one first key selection comprises:

disabling use of Alt keys at a host used by the user;

identifying a control character in a label associated with one of the features; and

associating the feature with an Alt-control character key combination.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

disabling the use of the Alt keys comprises executing a first JavaScript function for each letter and number on a keyboard;

identifying the control character comprises executing a second JavaScript function; and

associating the feature with the Alt-control character key combination comprises executing a third JavaScript function.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein executing the first JavaScript function for each letter and number on the keyboard comprises executing the first JavaScript function for each letter and number on the keyboard for a first frame in the display;

and

further comprising executing the first JavaScript function for each letter and number on the keyboard for a second frame in the display.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing at least one second key selection comprises establishing an onkeydown event handler for each key used in the at least one second key selection.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the at least one feature comprises a menu;

the at least one first key selection associated with the menu lowers the menu; and

further comprising;

establishing one or more temporary onkeydown event handlers when the menu is lowered;

allowing the user to navigate within the menu using the temporary onkeydown event handlers; and

canceling the temporary onkeydown event handlers when the menu is closed.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the display comprises one or more web pages.

16. A system, comprising:

logic encoded on at least one computer readable medium; and

the logic is operable when executed to;

generate a display associated with a web-based application interface, the display comprising a plurality of features;

associate each of the plurality of features with at least one first key selection, wherein a user can navigate to one of the features using the at least one first key selection associated with the feature;

establish at least one second key selection, wherein the user can navigate within one of the features using the at least one second key selection; and

communicate the display for presentation to the user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the at least one first key selection associated with one of the features comprises at least one Alt-x key combination; and

the at least one second key selection comprises at least one of an arrow key, a Home key, an End key, a Shift-arrow key combination, a Shift-Home key combination, and a Shift-End key combination.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of features comprise at least one of a menu, a button, a notebook tab, a frame, a form, or a list.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein:

one of the features comprises a form, the form comprising a plurality of text boxes each associated with a label;

the at least one first key selection associated with the form comprises a plurality of first key selections each associated with a character in one of the labels;

a first of the second key selections repositions focus in the display from one of the text boxes to another of the text boxes;

a second of the second key selections repositions focus in the display to a first of the text boxes; and

a third of the second key selections repositions focus in the display to a last of the text boxes.

20. The system of claim 21, wherein:

one of the plurality of text boxes comprises a multiple-line text box; and

a fourth of the second key selections repositions focus in the display from the multiple-line text box to another of the text boxes.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein:

one of the features comprises a form, the form comprising a text box and an associated hyperlink label; and

the second key selection repositions focus in the display from the text box to the hyperlink label.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein:

one of the features comprises a hyperlink label;

a first of the second key selections opens a context menu associated with the hyperlink label;

a second of the second key selections repositions focus within the context menu; and

a third of the second key selections closes the context menu and places focus on the hyperlink label.

23. The system of claim 16, further comprising changing a background color associated with one of the features from a first color to a second color when focus in the display is placed on that feature.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein associating each of the plurality of features with at least one first key selection comprises:

disabling use of Alt keys at a host by executing a first JavaScript function for each letter and number on a keyboard at the host;

identifying a control character in a label associated with one of the features by executing a second JavaScript function; and

associating the feature with an Alt-control character key combination by executing a third JavaScript function.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein:

establishing at least one second key selection comprises establishing an onkeydown event handler for each key used in the at least one second key selection;

the at least one feature comprises a menu;

the at least one first key selection associated with the menu lowers the menu; and

further comprising;

establishing one or more temporary onkeydown event handlers when the menu is lowered;

allowing the user to navigate within the menu using the temporary onkeydown event handlers; and

canceling the temporary onkeydown event handlers when the menu is closed.

26. A system, comprising:

a memory operable to store a display associated with a web-based application interface, the display comprising a plurality of features; and

one or more processors collectively operable to;

associate each of the plurality of features with at least one first key selection, wherein a user can navigate to one of the features using the at least one first key selection associated with the feature;

establish at least one second key selection, wherein the user can navigate within one of the features using the at least one second key selection; and

communicate the display for presentation to the user.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein:

the at least one first key selection associated with one of the features comprises at least one Alt-x key combination; and

the at least one second key selection comprises at least one of an arrow key, a Home key, an End key, a Shift-arrow key combination, a Shift-Home key combination, and a Shift-End key combination.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the plurality of features comprise at least one of a menu, a button, a notebook tab, a frame, a form, or a list.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein:

one of the features comprises a form, the form comprising a plurality of text boxes each associated with a label;

the at least one first key selection associated with the form comprises a plurality of first key selections each associated with a character in one of the labels;

a first of the second key selections repositions focus in the display from one of the text boxes to another of the text boxes;

a second of the second key selections repositions focus in the display to a first of the text boxes; and

a third of the second key selections repositions focus in the display to a last of the text boxes.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein:

one of the plurality of text boxes comprises a multiple-line text box; and

a fourth of the second key selections repositions focus in the display from the multiple-line text box to another of the text boxes.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein:

one of the features comprises a form, the form comprising a text box and an associated hyperlink label; and

the second key selection repositions focus in the display from the text box to the hyperlink label.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein:

one of the features comprises a hyperlink label;

a first of the second key selections opens a context menu associated with the hyperlink label;

a second of the second key selections repositions focus within the context menu; and

a third of the second key selections closes the context menu and places focus on the hyperlink label.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are further collectively operable to change a background color associated with one of the features from a first color to a second color when focus in the display is placed on that feature.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are collectively operable to associate each of the plurality of features with at least one first key selection by:

disabling use of Alt keys at a host by executing a first JavaScript function for each letter and number on a keyboard at the host;

identifying a control character in a label associated with one of the features by executing a second JavaScript function; and

associating the feature with an Alt-control character key combination by executing a third JavaScript function.

35. The system of claim 26, wherein:

the one or more processors are collectively operable to establish at least one second key selection by establishing an onkeydown event handler for each key used in the at least one second key selection;

the at least one feature comprises a menu;

the at least one first key selection associated with the menu lowers the menu; and

the one or more processors are further collectively operable to;

establish one or more temporary onkeydown event handlers when the menu is lowered;

allow the user to navigate within the menu using the temporary onkeydown event handlers; and

cancel the temporary onkeydown event handlers when the menu is closed.

36. A method, comprising:

receiving a display associated with a web-based application interface, the display comprising a plurality of features, each of the plurality of features associated with at least one first key selection wherein a user can navigate to one of the features using the at least one first key selection associated with the feature, at least one of the features also associated with at least one second key selection wherein the user can navigate within the at least one feature using the at least one second key selection; and

presenting the display to the user, wherein the user can navigate the display using only a keyboard.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the at least one first key selection associated with one of the features comprises at least one Alt-x key combination; and

the at least one second key selection comprises at least one of an arrow key, a Home key, an End key, a Shift-arrow key combination, a Shift-Home key combination, and a Shift-End key combination.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the plurality of features comprise at least one of a menu, a button, a notebook tab, a frame, a form, or a list.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein:

one of the features comprises a form, the form comprising a plurality of text boxes each associated with a label;

the at least one first key selection associated with the form comprises a plurality of first key selections each associated with a character in one of the labels;

a first of the second key selections repositions focus in the display from one of the text boxes to another of the text boxes;

a second of the second key selections repositions focus in the display to a first of the text boxes; and

a third of the second key selections repositions focus in the display to a last of the text boxes.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein:

one of the plurality of text boxes comprises a multiple-line text box; and

a fourth of the second key selections repositions focus in the display from the multiple-line text box to another of the text boxes.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein:

one of the features comprises a form, the form comprising a text box and an associated hyperlink label; and

the second key selection repositions focus in the display from the text box to the hyperlink label.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein:

one of the features comprises a hyperlink label;

a first of the second key selections opens a context menu associated with the hyperlink label;

a second of the second key selections repositions focus within the context menu; and

a third of the second key selections closes the context menu and places focus on the hyperlink label.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein a background color associated with one of the features changes from a first color to a second color when focus in the display is placed on that feature.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein the display comprises one or more web pages.