APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING VIRTUAL KEYBOARD

• US 20110078567A1
• Filed: 05/13/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pantech Co. Ltd. (Pantech Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pantech Co. Ltd. (Pantech Incorporated)
• Inventors: LEE, Young Hee, KIM, Byungsun
• Application Number:
  US12/779,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20110078567A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• 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

An apparatus includes a key providing unit to arrange one key group in a main touch area and to arrange remaining key groups in sub-touch area, a touch screen to display a virtual keyboard and to receive an input, and an input recognizing unit to recognize a user-inputted direction gesture. The key providing unit decreases the size of the key group in the main touch area and moves it to the sub-touch area, enlarges a size of a key group corresponding to the direction of the direction gesture and moved into the main touch area. A method to display the virtual keyboard also includes decreasing the size of the key group in the main touch area and rearranging it into the sub-touch area, enlarging a size of a key group in the sub-touch area receiving a click input, and arranging it into the main touch area.

Claims

1. A virtual keyboard apparatus, comprising:

a touch screen comprising a main touch area and a sub-touch area, the touch screen to display a virtual keyboard comprising a plurality of key groups;

a key providing unit to arrange a first key group in the main touch area, and to arrange a second key group in the sub-touch area; and

an input recognizing unit to recognize a type of user input applied to the touch screen, and to calculate a direction of a direction gesture if the user input is the direction gesture,

wherein if the user input is the direction gesture and the direction corresponds to the second key group, the key providing unit decreases a size of the first key group arranged in the main touch area, arranges the first key group in the sub-touch area, enlarges a size of the second key group arranged in the sub-touch area, and arranges the second key group in the main touch area.

2. The virtual keyboard apparatus of claim 1, wherein the key providing unit maintains a relative location between keys of the first key group while decreasing the size of the first key group and arranging the first key group in the sub-touch area.

3. The virtual keyboard apparatus of claim 1, wherein the key providing unit comprises:

a key storing unit to store key area information comprising a direction range corresponding to the first key group and the second key group, and coordinates information of keys of the first key group and the second key group;

a key displaying unit to generate an image of the virtual keyboard to be displayed on the touch screen according to the key area information and the direction of the direction gesture if the user input is the direction gesture; and

a key operating unit to generate a code corresponding to a touched key of the virtual keyboard if the user input is a click input on the main touch area.

4. A method for providing a virtual keyboard, comprising:

arranging a first key group in a main touch area, decreasing a size of a second key group, and arranging the second key group in a sub-touch area;

receiving a user input;

calculating a direction of a direction gesture if the user input is the direction gesture; and

if the direction corresponds to the second key group, decreasing a size of the first key group arranged in the main touch area, arranging the first key group in the sub-touch area, enlarging a size of the second key group arranged in the sub-touch area, and arranging the second key group in the main touch area.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising maintaining a relative location between keys of the first key group while decreasing the size of the first key group and arranging the first key group in the sub-touch area.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

generating a code corresponding to a touched key of the virtual keyboard if the user input is a click input on the touched key of the first key group arranged on the main touch area.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

if the user input is a click input to the second key group arranged in the sub-touch area, decreasing the size of the first key group arranged in the main touch area, arranging the first key group in the sub-touch area, enlarging the size of the second key group arranged in the sub-touch area, and arranging the second key group in the main touch area.

8. A virtual keyboard apparatus, comprising:

a key providing unit to arrange a first key group in a main touch area, to decrease a size of a second key group, and to arrange the second key group in a sub-touch area;

a touch screen to display a virtual keyboard comprising the main touch area and the sub-touch area, and to sense a user input; and

an input recognizing unit to calculate a direction of a direction gesture if the user input is the direction gesture,

wherein if the user input is the direction gesture in a direction corresponding to the second key group, the key providing unit arranges the second key group in the main touch area.

9. The virtual keyboard apparatus of claim 8, wherein if the user input is the direction gesture in a direction corresponding to a third key group, the key providing unit arranges the third key group in the main touch area.

10. The virtual keyboard apparatus of claim 8, wherein the key providing unit comprises:

a key storing unit to store key area information comprising a direction range corresponding to the first key group and the second key group, and coordinates information of keys of the first key group and the second key group;

a key displaying unit to display an image of a virtual keyboard to be displayed on the touch screen according to the key area information and the direction of the direction gesture if the user input is the direction gesture; and

a key operating unit to generate a code corresponding to a touched key of the virtual keyboard if the user input is a click input on the main touch area.

11. A method for providing a virtual keyboard, comprising:

arranging a first one key group in a main touch area, decreasing a size of a plurality of key groups, and arranging the plurality of key groups in a sub-touch area;

receiving a user input;

calculating a direction of a direction gesture if user input is the direction gesture; and

arranging a second key group corresponding to the direction of the direction gesture in the main touch area.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising enlarging a size of the second key group arranged in the sub-touch area, and arranging the second key group in the main touch area.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating a code corresponding to a touched key of the virtual keyboard if the user input is a click input on the main touch area.

14. A virtual keyboard apparatus, comprising:

a key providing unit to arrange a first key group in a main touch area, to decrease a size of a second key group, and to arrange the second key group in a sub-touch area; and

a touch screen to display a virtual keyboard comprising the main touch area and the sub-touch area, and to sense a user input,

wherein if the user input is a click input on the second key group of the sub-touch area, the first key group arranged in the main touch area is decreased in size and arranged in the sub-touch area, and the second key group receiving the click input is enlarged and arranged in the main touch area.

15. The virtual keyboard apparatus of claim 14, wherein the key providing unit maintains a relative location between keys of the first key group while decreasing the size of the first key group and arranging the first key group in the sub-touch area.

16. The virtual keyboard apparatus of claim 14, wherein the key providing unit comprises:

a key storing unit to store key area information comprising coordinates information of keys of the first key group and the second key group;

a key displaying unit to display an image of a virtual keyboard to be displayed on the touch screen according to the key area information and the click input; and

a key operating unit to generate a code corresponding to a touched key of the virtual keyboard if the user input is the click input on the main touch area.

17. A method for providing a virtual keyboard, comprising:

arranging a first key group in a main touch area, decreasing a size of a plurality of key groups, and arranging the plurality of key groups in a sub-touch area;

receiving a user input;

determining a key group touched by a click input if the user input is the click input inputted to the sub-touch area; and

decreasing a size of the first key group arranged in the main touch area, arranging the first key group in the sub-touch area, enlarging a second key group receiving the click input, and arranging the second key group in the main touch area.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising maintaining a relative location between keys of the first key group while the first key group in the main touch area is decreased in size and arranged in the sub-touch area.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating a code corresponding to a touched key of the virtual keyboard if the user input is the click input on the main touch area.