API to Replace a Keyboard with Custom Controls

• US 20110179373A1
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Moore, Bradford Allen, Swales, Stephen W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,052,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/773
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• 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

Abstract

A method and system for display a user interface object. A user interface object for receiving user input to the application program is determined and the user interface object is displayed on the display. A first set of characteristics of the user interface object is control in accordance with the application program. The first set of characteristics include appearance of the user interface object and user interactions with the application program via the user interface object. A second set of characteristics of the user interface different form the first set of characteristics are controlled in accordance with the control program. The second set of characteristics include the display state of the user interface object.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at an electronic device including one or more processors, a touch-screen display, and memory storing one or more programs including an application program and a control program, performing the operations of;

determining a user interface object for receiving user input to the application program and displaying the user interface object on the display;

in accordance with the application program, controlling a first set of characteristics of the user interface object, wherein the first set of characteristics include appearance of the user interface object and user interactions with the application program via the user interface object;

in accordance with the control program, controlling a second set of characteristics of the user interface object different from the first set of characteristics, wherein the second set of characteristics include display state of the user interface object.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein controlling the display state comprises updating the display state of the user interface object as if the user interface object were a standard, on-screen user interface control associated with the electronic device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the standard, on-screen interface control is an on-screen keyboard.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein updating the display state comprises displaying and hiding the user interface object in accordance with user interaction with the electronic device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein updating the display state includes one or more of:

determining position of the user interface object on the display;

rotating the user interface object on the display in response to a rotation indication; and

hiding the user interface object in response to a hiding indication.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the rotation indication comprises the user physically rotating the electronic device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the hiding indication comprises the user interacting with a region of the display not associated with the application program.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the rotation indication and the hiding indication are processed by the control program as if the user interface object were a standard, on-screen user interface control associated with the electronic device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user interface object is associated with an accessory view that is associated with an input field, wherein the accessory view includes a plurality of interface objects associated with the input field.

10. A portable electronic device, comprising:

A touch screen display;

memory;

one or more processors;

one or more programs stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instruction for;

determining a user interface object for receiving user input to the application program and displaying the user interface object on the display;

in accordance with the application program, controlling a first set of characteristics of the user interface object, wherein the first set of characteristics include appearance of the user interface object and user interactions with the application program via the user interface object;

in accordance with the control program, controlling a second set of characteristics of the user interface object different from the first set of characteristics, wherein the second set of characteristics include display state of the user interface object.

11. The computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by a computer system, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

determining a user interface object for receiving user input to the application program and displaying the user interface object on the display;

in accordance with the application program, controlling a first set of characteristics of the user interface object, wherein the first set of characteristics include appearance of the user interface object and user interactions with the application program via the user interface object

in accordance with the control program, controlling a second set of characteristics of the user interface object different from the first set of characteristics, wherein the second set of characteristics include display state of the user interface object.