METHOD OF VISUALIZING AN INPUT LOCATION

• US 20100295788A1
• Filed: 05/21/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Michael Curt
• Granted Patent: US 8,416,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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

One or more sensors to determine a location of an input. The data related to the location of the input, such as a character, may be displayed on an application on a display device. In addition, data that is related to the proximate areas of the location of the input may also be displayed, such as surrounding characters. If the user desires to enter the character into the application, the displayed character may be selected. If the user does not wish to select the character, the user may move the input to a new location and data related to the new location may be displayed on the application on the display device and the data related to the new location may be selected and entered in the application.

Claims

1. A method of assisting entering keystrokes to an electronic computing device comprising:

sensing an input location wherein the input location comprises a location of an input near an input device in communication with the electronic computing device;

illustrating an input choice that is related to the input location on a display device in communication with the electronic computing device; and

if the input choice was selected and released, adding the input choice to an input queue on the electronic computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a selection indication at the input location in an application that is displayed on the display device

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a plurality of input choices that are proximate the input location.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising highlighting the input choice if the input is substantially covering the input location related to the input choice.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising for input choices that are not directional input choices,

increasing a repeat time wherein the repeat time comprises an elapsed time required to start a repeat function for the input choice that is selected;

if the input choice is selected, adding the input choice to the input queue on the electronic computing device and displaying the input choice on the display device; and

if a selected input choice is not released, not adding the input choice to the input queue on the electronic computing device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising if the input choice is released, displaying an illustration on the display device in communication with the electronic computing device that the input choice is being inserted at the input location.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising allowing the repeat time to be adjusted.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein if the input covers more than one input location, highlighting the input choice related to the input location most covered by the input location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the input location further comprises using a sensor proximate to the input device to create an x location and a y location of the input.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the input is a pointer and the input device is a keyboard.

11. A computer storage medium comprising computer executable instructions for assisting entering keystrokes to an electronic computing device, the computer executable instructions comprising computer executable instructions for:

sensing an input location wherein the input location comprises a location of an input near an input device in communication with the electronic computing device wherein if the input covers more than one input location, highlighting the input choice related to the input location most covered by the input location;

illustrating an input choice that is related to the input location on a display device in communication with the electronic computing device; and

if the input choice was selected and released, adding the input choice to an input queue on the electronic computing device.

12. The computer storage medium of claim 11, further comprising computer executable instructions for displaying a selection indication at the input location in an application that is displayed on the display device

13. The computer storage medium of claim 11, further comprising computer executable instructions for displaying a plurality of input choices that are proximate the input location and highlighting the input choice if the input is substantially covering the input location related to the input choice.

14. The computer storage medium of claim 11, further comprising computer executable instructions for input choices that are not directional input choices,

increasing a repeat time wherein the repeat time comprises an elapsed time required to start a repeat function for the input choice that is selected;

if the input choice is selected, adding the input choice to the input queue on the electronic computing device and displaying the input choice on the display device; and

if a selected input choice is not released, not adding the input choice to the input queue on the electronic computing device.

15. The computer storage medium of claim 11, further comprising computer executable instructions for displaying an illustration on the display device in communication with the electronic computing device that the input choice is being inserted at the input location if the input choice is released.

16. The computer storage medium of claim 11, wherein sensing the input location further comprises using a sensor proximate to the input device to create an x location and a y location of the input.

17. A computer system comprising a processor physically configured according to computer executable instructions for assisting entering keystrokes to an electronic computing device, a memory for supporting the computer executable instructions and an input/output device, the computer executable instructions comprising computer executable instructions for:

sensing an input location wherein the input location comprises a location of an input near an input device in communication with the electronic computing device wherein if the input covers more than one input location, highlighting the input choice related to the input location most covered by the input location;

illustrating an input choice that is related to the input location on a display device in communication with the electronic computing device; and

if the input choice was selected and released, adding the input choice to an input queue on the electronic computing device.

18. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising computer executable instructions for displaying a plurality of input choices that are proximate the input location and highlighting the input choice if the input is substantially covering the input location related to the input choice.

19. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising computer executable instructions for input choices that are not directional input choices,

increasing a repeat time wherein the repeat time comprises an elapsed time required to start a repeat function for the input choice that is selected;

if the input choice is selected, adding the input choice to the input queue on the electronic computing device and displaying the input choice on the display device; and

if a selected input choice is not released, not adding the input choice to the input queue on the electronic computing device.

20. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising computer executable instructions for displaying an illustration on the display device in communication with the electronic computing device that the input choice is being inserted at the input location if the input choice is released.