Method, System, and Program Product for Focus Switching Delay in a Graphical User Interface

• US 20080034304A1
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nelson, Brian D., Kocheisen, Rolf, Panico, Michael W., Hannon, John D., Itliong, Virgil, Feuerbacher, Frank P., Vinnakota, Vijayanand
• Application Number:
  US11/461,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20080034304A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting

Abstract

In a data processing system having an associated display device and a graphical user interface presented therein, a focus change request is received from an application of the data processing system requesting focus of the graphical user interface. In response to receipt of the focus change request, granting of the focus change request is delayed for a predetermined interval following a last user-generated keyboard event. Following elapsing of the predetermined interval, the focus change request is granted, such that the requesting application is awarded focus of the graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A method of data processing in a data processing system having an associated display device and a graphical user interface presented therein, said method comprising:

receiving a focus change request from an application of the data processing system requesting focus of the graphical user interface;

in response to receipt of the focus change request, delaying granting of the focus change request for a predetermined interval following a last user-generated keyboard event; and

following elapsing of the predetermined interval, granting the focus change request, such that the application is awarded focus of the graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said delaying comprises:

recording a timestamp of a most recent keyboard event; and

delaying granting of said focus change request until a time elapsed since that indicated by said timestamp is greater than or equal to said predetermined interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said application is a first application; and

receiving a focus change request comprises receiving a request to change focus of said graphical user interface from a second application to said first application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said application has a first graphical component and a second graphical component associated therewith; and

receiving a focus change request comprises receiving a request to change focus of said graphical user interface from the first graphical component to said second graphical component.

5. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

buffering a delayed focus change request until said predetermined interval following a last user-generated keyboard event has elapsed.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said buffering comprises recording said delayed focus change request in an ordered queue.

7. A program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

program code within the computer-readable medium that causes a data processing system having an associated display device and a graphical user interface presented therein to perform a method including;

receiving a focus change request from an application of the data processing system requesting focus of the graphical user interface;

in response to receipt of the focus change request, delaying granting of the focus change request for a predetermined interval following a last user-generated keyboard event; and

following elapsing of the predetermined interval, granting the focus change request, such that the application is awarded focus of the graphical user interface.

8. The program product of claim 7, wherein the program code further causes the data processing system to record a timestamp of a most recent keyboard event and delay granting of said focus change request until a time elapsed since that indicated by said timestamp is greater than or equal to said predetermined interval.

9. The program product of claim 7, wherein:

said application is a first application; and

the focus change request requests a change in focus of the graphical user interface from a second application to said first application.

10. The program product of claim 7, wherein:

said application has a first graphical component and a second graphical component associated therewith; and

the focus change request requests a change in focus of said graphical user interface from the first graphical component to said second graphical component.

11. The program product of claim 7, wherein the program code further buffers a delayed focus change request until said predetermined interval following a last user-generated keyboard event has elapsed.

12. The program product of claim 11, wherein said program code buffers the delayed focus change request in an ordered queue.

13. A data processing system, comprising:

a processor unit;

an adapter for a display device coupled to the processor unit;

an input/output interface for a keyboard;

a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor unit; and

program code within the computer-readable medium that causes the data processing system to perform a method including;

receiving a focus change request from an application of the data processing system requesting focus of a graphical user interface presented within the display device;

in response to receipt of the focus change request, delaying granting of the focus change request for a predetermined interval following receipt of a last user-generated keyboard event; and

following elapsing of the predetermined interval, granting the focus change request, such that the application is awarded focus of the graphical user interface.

14. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the program code further causes the data processing system to record a timestamp of a most recent keyboard event and delay granting of said focus change request until a time elapsed since that indicated by said timestamp is greater than or equal to said predetermined interval.

15. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein:

said application is a first application; and

the focus change request requests a change in focus of the graphical user interface from a second application to said first application.

16. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein:

said application has a first graphical component and a second graphical component associated therewith; and

the focus change request requests a change in focus of said graphical user interface from the first graphical component to said second graphical component.

17. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the program code further buffers a delayed focus change request until said predetermined interval following a last user-generated keyboard event has elapsed.

18. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein said program code buffers the delayed focus change request in an ordered queue.

19. The data processing system of claim 17, and further comprising the display device.