Method and apparatus for managing input focus and Z-order

• US 20050125740A1
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: GeidI, Erik, Iwema, Marieke, Somji, Shiraz, Pettiross, Jeffrey W., Zielinski, Tobiasz A., Garside, Adrian, Keely, Leroy B., Karlov, Donald D., Soin, Ravi, Leno, Grady, Gournares, Alexander, Dain, Bob, Clow, Joshua
• Granted Patent: US 7,389,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/794
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An improved system for managing user inputs and z-order in a graphic user interface (GUI) environment is disclosed. A GUI element may include a plurality of keys corresponding to keys on a typical keyboard, and may serve as a replacement for the keyboard. The system permits an application having an input focus to retain the input focus while inputs are received in the GUI element, and even transient user interface elements (e.g., menus) will remain displayed in those applications after the user inputs are entered. Input pen and mouse events may first be forwarded to the input area application, which may remove the events from the normal circulation, preventing other applications from learning of the events, and then post those events to the input panel application separately.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

displaying an application panel corresponding to an application operating on a computer system, said application having an input focus of said computer system;

displaying an input panel on said display while said application panel is displayed, said input panel corresponding to an input application of said computer system;

receiving a first user input in said input panel, said first user input corresponding to entry of data, a command, or selection by a user to said computer system;

determining whether said first user input is to be consumed by said input panel; and

forwarding data corresponding to said user input to said application if said user input is not to be consumed by said input panel, wherein said application retains said input focus of said computer system after said first user input is received if said first user input is not to be consumed by said input panel, and said application retains said input focus of said computer system after said first user input is received if said first user input is to be consumed by said input panel, wherein said application panel displays a transient user interface element before said first user input is received, and said transient user element remains displayed for at least one second after said first user input is received.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, having further computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

dividing said input panel into a plurality of panels; and

displaying a first of said panels in a location separate from a location of a second one of said panels.

3. A computer system having a display device having rendered thereon the following:

an application panel corresponding to an application operating on said computer system, said application having an input focus of said computer system; and

an input panel appearing while said application panel is displayed, said input panel corresponding to an input application of said computer system;

said computer system configured to

receive a first user input in said input panel, said first user input corresponding to entry of data, a command, or selection by a user to said computer system;

determine whether said first user input is to be consumed by said input panel; and

forward data corresponding to said user input to said application if said user input is not to be consumed by said input panel, wherein said application retains said input focus of said computer system after said first user input is received if said first user input is not to be consumed by said input panel, and said application retains said input focus of said computer system after said first user input is received if said first user input is to be consumed by said input panel, wherein said application panel displays a transient user interface element before said first user input is received, and said transient user element remains displayed for at least one second after said first user input is received.

4. The computer system of claim 3, further comprising the step of receiving a second user input in said transient user element after said first user input is received.

5. The computer system of claim 3, wherein said transient user element is a menu, said input panel corresponds to a speech recognition program, and said menu is displayed responsive to a spoken command detected by said speech recognition program.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein said first user input is consumed by said input panel, and places said speech recognition program in a command or dictation mode.

7. The computer system of claim 3, wherein said input panel has a first part and a second part, said second part being torn away from said first part.

8. The computer system of claim 3, wherein said application is a preview application displaying data corresponding to said application.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein said data is textual data.

10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein said computer system is further configured to receive a second user input indicating that said data displayed in said preview panel is acceptable to a user;

and forward said data to a second application responsive to receiving said second user input.

11. The computer system of claim 3, wherein said input panel is configured to refuse an input focus of said computer system.

12. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

displaying a user input panel, said user input panel including a plurality of onscreen keys corresponding to a plurality of textual characters;

displaying an application panel, said application panel having a computer system input focus;

receiving data entered using one or more of said plurality of onscreen keys;

displaying a preview panel, said preview panel displaying data corresponding to said data entered using said one or more of said plurality of onscreen keys, and wherein said preview panel moves corresponding to movement of said user input panel;

receiving a request to forward said data displayed on said preview panel to said application panel, wherein said application panel retains said input focus while said data is entered in said input panel using said one or more of said plurality of onscreen keys;

displaying data from a speech recognition application in said preview panel; and

transmitting said data from said speech recognition application to said application panel.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, having further computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

dividing said user input panel into a plurality of panels; and

displaying a first of said panels in a location separate from a location of a second one of said panels.