CONTEXT-BASED STATE CHANGE FOR AN ADAPTIVE INPUT DEVICE

• US 20100265182A1
• Filed: 04/20/2009
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ball, Vincent, Young, Robert D., Strande, Hakon
• Application Number:
  US12/426,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20100265182A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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

Various embodiments of systems and methods to implement a context-based state change for an adaptive input device are provided. For example, a method is disclosed that may include receiving a state input indicating a change in a system state, changing adaptive input device data in response to the state input, the adaptive input device data including one or more of image data or adaptive input device mapping data, and adjusting an adaptive input device display state using the adaptive input device data. Adjusting the adaptive input device display state may include one or more of displaying the image data on an adaptive input device display or adjusting an adaptive input device mapping state according to the adaptive input device mapping data.

Claims

1. A method of providing an adaptive input device context-based state change, the method comprising:

receiving a state input indicating a change in a system state;

changing adaptive input device data in response to the state input, the adaptive input device data including one or more of image data or adaptive input device mapping data; and

adjusting an adaptive input device display state using the adaptive input device data, wherein adjusting the adaptive input device display state includes one or more of displaying the image data on a adaptive input device display or adjusting an adaptive input device mapping state according to the adaptive input device mapping data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adaptive input device includes one or more of a mechanical keyboard with mechanically depressible keys, and a touch screen device configured to present a virtual keyboard.

3. The method of claim 3, wherein the system state is one or more of an application state, a computing device state, or a user state.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

detecting a change in an application state; and

generating the state input indicating a change in an application state.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving the state input indicating a change in an application state through a public application programming interface.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

detecting a change in a computing device state; and

generating the state input indicating a change in computing device state.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving the state input indicating a change in a computing device state through a private application programming interface, wherein the change in computing device state is one or more of a change in an operating system component in the computing device or a hardware component in the computing device.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

detecting a change in a user state using a touch sensor on a keyboard; and

generating the state input indicating a change in a user state.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising changing the keyboard mapping state in response to a change in application state, computing device state, or user state.

10. A keyboard configured for a context-based state change, the keyboard comprising:

a plurality of keys;

a keyboard display; and

a controller coupled with the plurality of keys and the keyboard display and including an adaptive keyboard program, the adaptive keyboard program to receive a state input indicating a change in a system state and to change keyboard data in response to the state input, the keyboard data including one or more of image data or keyboard mapping data, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the keyboard display using the image data and further configured to adjust a keyboard mapping state according to the keyboard mapping data.

11. The keyboard of claim 10, wherein the system state is one or more of an application state, a computing device state, or a user state.

12. The keyboard of claim 11, wherein the change in system state is a change in an application state in a computing device in communication with the keyboard, the keyboard being configured to receive the change in the application state through a public application programming interface and being further configured to display on the keyboard display user options related to the change in application state.

13. The keyboard of claim 11, wherein the change in system state is a change in a computing device state in communication with the keyboard, the keyboard being configured to receive the change in the computing device state through a private application programming interface and being further configured to display on the keyboard display user options related to the change in computing device state.

14. The keyboard of claim 10 further comprising a touch sensor, wherein the change in system state is a change in user state detected by the touch sensor, the keyboard being configured to display on the keyboard display user options related to the change in user state.

15. The keyboard of claim 11, wherein the keyboard is configured to change the keyboard mapping state of the plurality of keys in response to the state input indicating a change in application state, computing device state, or user state.

16. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a computing device to change a keyboard state, the instructions being executable to perform a method comprising:

receiving a state input indicating a change in a system state;

changing keyboard data in response to the state input, the keyboard data including one or more of image data or keyboard mapping data;

adjusting a keyboard display state using the keyboard data, wherein adjusting the keyboard display state includes one or more of displaying the image data on a keyboard display or adjusting a keyboard mapping state according to the keyboard mapping data;

wherein the system state is one or more of an application state, a computing device state, or a user state.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the adaptive input device is one or more of a mechanical keyboard with mechanically depressible keys, and a touch screen device configured to present a virtual keyboard.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions for:

detecting a change in an application state; and

generating the state input indicating a change in an application state;

receiving the state input indicating a change in an application state, wherein the state input is received through an application programming interface.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

detecting a change in a computing device state; and

generating the state input indicating a change in computing device state.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for receiving the state input indicating a change in a computing device state, wherein the state input is received through a private application programming interface and the change in computing device state is one or more of a change in an operating system component in the computing device or a hardware component in the computing device.