Mode Switching

• US 20110099299A1
• Filed: 10/28/2009
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Vasudevan, Sripriya P., Rasmussen, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,214,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

Mode switching may be provided. A selection of a non-native mode for a first input device may be received having a native mode. Then the use of the first input device may be enabled in the selected non-native mode. Next, a switch may be detected from the first input device to a second input device and then a switch back to the first input device may be detected. The use of the first input device may be enabled in the native mode in response to detecting the switch back to the first input device.

Claims

1. A method for providing mode switching, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a selection of a non-native mode for a first input device having a native mode;

enabling, by the computing device, the use of the first input device in the selected non-native mode;

detecting, by the computing device, a switch from the first input device to a second input device;

detecting, by the computing device, a switch back to the first input device; and

enabling, by the computing device, the use of the first input device in the native mode in response to detecting the switch back to the first input device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the computing device, the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device having the native mode comprises receiving the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device having the native mode comprising an initial mode of operation assigned to the first input device when the computing device is first booted.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the computing device, the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device having the native mode comprises receiving the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device wherein the non-native mode does not comprise an initial mode of operation assigned to the first input device when the computing device is first booted.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the computing device, the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device having the native mode comprises detecting, by the computing device, the selection of an indication of the non-native mode for the first input device from a ribbon displayed on a display associated with the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the computing device, the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device having the native mode comprises receiving the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device having the native mode comprising one of the following:

ink mode, pan mode, and text mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the computing device, the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device having the native mode comprises receiving the selection of the non-native mode comprising one of the following:

cursor mode, ink mode, pan mode, and text mode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the computing device, the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device having the native mode comprises receiving the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device comprising one of the following:

a mouse, a pen, a finger, and a keyboard.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting, by the computing device, the switch from the first input device to the second input device comprises detecting the switch from the first input device to the second input device comprising one of the following:

a mouse, a pen, a finger, and a keyboard.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the computing device, comprises receiving, by the computing device comprising one of the following:

a mobile terminal, a smart phone, a cellular telephone, a wireless telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an intelligent pager, a portable computer, a hand held computer, a conventional telephone, and a facsimile machine.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, receiving by the computing device, input to disable enabling the use of the first input device in the native mode in response to detecting the switch back to the first input device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting, by the computing device, the switch back to the first input device does not comprise the computing device detecting the use of a right mouse button on the first input device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting, by the computing device, the switch back to the first input device does not comprise the computing device detecting the use of an eraser on a pen comprising the first input device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the computing device, the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device having the native mode comprises receiving the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device having the native mode comprising pan mode when the first input device is one of the following:

a finger and a pen and when the computing device is incapable of differentiating between a finger and a pen.

14. A computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions which when executed perform a method for providing mode switching, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a selection of a non-native mode for a first input device having a native mode comprising an initial mode of operation assigned to the first input device when the computing device is first booted wherein the non-native mode does not comprise the initial mode of operation, wherein receiving the selection of the non-native mode comprises detecting the selection of an indication of the non-native mode for the first input device from a ribbon displayed on a display associated with the computing device;

detecting a switch from the first input device to a second input device;

detecting a switch back to the first input device; and

enabling the use of the first input device in the native mode in response to detecting the switch back to the first input device.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein receiving, by the computing device, comprises receiving, by the computing device comprising one of the following:

a mobile terminal, a smart phone, a cellular telephone, a wireless telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an intelligent pager, a portable computer, a hand held computer, a conventional telephone, and a facsimile machine.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising, receiving by the computing device, input to disable enabling the use of the first input device in the native mode in response to detecting the switch back to the first input device.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein detecting the switch back to the first input device does not comprise the computing device detecting the use of a right mouse button on the first input device.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein detecting the switch back to the first input device does not comprise the computing device detecting the use of an eraser on a pen comprising the first input device.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein receiving, by the computing device, the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device having the native mode comprises receiving the selection of the non-native mode for the first input device having the native mode comprising pan mode when the first input device is one of the following:

a finger and a pen and when the computing device is incapable of differentiating between a finger and a pen.

20. A system for providing mode switching, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

receive a selection of a non-native mode for a first input device having a native mode;

detect a switch from the first input device to a second input device;

detect a switch back to the first input device; and

enable the use of the first input device in the native mode in response to detecting the switch back to the first input device.