Systems and Methods for Modifying Virtual Keyboards on a User Interface

• US 20130234942A1
• Filed: 03/07/2012
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yoo, Hayeon, Kwak, So Young, Oh, Sun-Min
• Granted Patent: US 9,035,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1673 Arrangements for projecting a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0426 tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886
• 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 apparatus for modifying virtual keyboards is disclosed. An electronic device displays (705) a first virtual keyboard on a user interface. The electronic device detects (710) a selection of the first virtual keyboard and identifies (715) a user interaction with the first virtual keyboard. The user interaction can be a drag-and-drop resizing, a multiplicative selection of the user interface, or other gestures. After identifying a location associated with the user interaction, the electronic device determines (735, 750, 760) a second virtual keyboard of a different type than the first virtual keyboard based on the location and displays (740, 765) the second virtual keyboard on the user interface.

Claims

1. A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying a first virtual keyboard on a user interface of the electronic device;

identifying a user interaction with the first virtual keyboard, the user interaction comprising selecting a location on the user interface;

determining, by a processor and based on the location, a second virtual keyboard of a different type than the first virtual keyboard; and

displaying the second virtual keyboard on the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

identifying a predefined area on the user interface that the location is within; and

determining the second virtual keyboard based on the predefined area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifying the predefined area comprises:

identifying a horizontal coordinate of the location and a vertical coordinate of the location; and

determining that the horizontal coordinate and the vertical coordinate are within the predefined area.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifying the predefined area comprises:

detecting a drag motion across the user interface;

resizing the first virtual keyboard during the drag motion; and

detecting the drag motion reaching the predefined area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the user interaction comprises:

tracking a drag motion across the user interface; and

detecting a termination of the drag motion at the location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the user interaction comprises:

detecting a first user selection of the first virtual keyboard; and

detecting a second user selection at the location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first virtual keyboard is one of a QWERTY keyboard, a reduced QWERTY keyboard, or a keypad.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second virtual keyboard is one of a QWERTY keyboard, a reduced QWERTY keyboard, or a keypad.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

calculating a distance between the location and a portion of the first virtual keyboard; and

comparing the distance to a predefined distance to determine the second virtual keyboard.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a user interface configured to display content and receive input from a user;

a processor, coupled to the user interface, for;

displaying a first virtual keyboard on the user interface;

identifying a user interaction with the first virtual keyboard, the user interaction comprising selecting a location on the user interface;

determining, based on the location, a second virtual keyboard that has a different layout from the first virtual keyboard; and

displaying the second virtual keyboard on the user interface.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is also for:

identifying a horizontal coordinate of the location and a vertical coordinate of the location;

determining that the horizontal coordinate and the vertical coordinate are within a predefined area on the user interface; and

determining a layout for the second virtual keyboard based on the predefined area.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is also for:

tracking a drag motion by the user across the user interface;

resizing the first virtual keyboard during the drag motion; and

detecting the drag motion reaching the predefined area.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is also for:

tracking a drag motion by the user across the user interface, wherein a termination position of the drag motion selects the location.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is also for:

detecting a first touch by the user; and

detecting a second touch by the user, wherein the first touch selects the first virtual keyboard and the second touch selects the location.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first virtual keyboard is an alphanumeric keyboard.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the second virtual keyboard is a numeric keypad.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is also for:

calculating a distance between the location and a portion of the first virtual keyboard; and

comparing the distance to a predefined distance to determine the second virtual keyboard.

18. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the user interface comprises a touchscreen.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the touchscreen is a multi-touch touchscreen.

20. A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting a user selection of a portion of a first virtual keyboard displayed on a user interface of the electronic device;

tracking a drag motion of the user selection across the user interface, the drag motion terminating at a location;

determining, by a processor and based on the location, a second virtual keyboard; and

displaying the second virtual keyboard on the user interface.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the determining comprises:

identifying a predefined area on the user interface that the location is within; and

determining the second virtual keyboard based on the predefined area.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the determining comprises:

calculating a distance between the location and the portion of the first virtual keyboard; and

comparing the distance to a predefined distance to determine the second virtual keyboard.