USER INTERFACE FOR INPUT FUNCTIONS

• US 20140129933A1
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thingthing, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Syntellia Inc. (Pinterest, Inc.)
• Inventors: Eleftheriou, Kostas
• Application Number:
  US14/070,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129933A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• 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 electronic device includes a touch screen for inputting text and hardware buttons for performing functions. A user inputs a sequence of letters and then actuates the hardware button which causes the system to perform an auto-correction if the input text is not recognized as a word and a space after the word. The hardware button can have multiple actuation modes including a touch actuation and a depression actuation. Each actuation mode can perform different system functions.

Claims

1. An input method, comprising:

a computer system having a processor operatively coupled to a memory, a touch screen interface comprising a virtual keyboard which records taps of a touch object to generate text input and a hardware button;

tapping the virtual keyboard to input a first plurality of letters which are displayed sequentially on the touch screen;

actuating the hardware button to input a space which is displayed after the first plurality of letters; and

tapping the virtual keyboard to input a second plurality of letters which are displayed sequentially on the touch screen after the space.

2. The input method of claim 1 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch.

3. The input method of claim 1 wherein the hardware button is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

4. The input method of claim 1 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch and the computer system includes a second hardware button that is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

5. The input method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing tactile feedback when the hardware button is actuated.

6. An input method, comprising:

a computer system having a processor operatively coupled to a memory, a touch screen interface comprising a virtual keyboard which records taps of a touch object to generate text input and a hardware button;

tapping the virtual keyboard to input a first plurality of letters which are displayed sequentially on the touch screen;

actuating the hardware button to perform an auto correct function on the first plurality of letters to change the first plurality of letters to a first corrected word;

removing the first plurality of letters from the touch screen; and

displaying the first corrected word on the touch screen.

7. The input method of claim 6 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch.

8. The input method of claim 6 wherein the hardware button is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

9. The input method of claim 6 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch and the computer system includes a second hardware button that is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

10. The input method of claim 6 further comprising:

providing tactile feedback when the hardware button is actuated.

11. An input method, comprising:

a computer system having a processor operatively coupled to a memory, a touch screen interface comprising a virtual keyboard which records taps of a touch object to generate text input and a hardware button;

tapping the virtual keyboard to input a first plurality of letters which are displayed sequentially on the touch screen;

actuating the hardware button to perform letter delete function on the first plurality of letters;

removing a last letter input of the first plurality of letters from the touch screen; and

tapping the virtual keyboard to add a replacement letter to the first plurality of letters which is displayed on the touch screen.

12. The input method of claim 11 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch.

13. The input method of claim 11 wherein the hardware button is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

14. The input method of claim 11 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch and the computer system includes a second hardware button that is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

15. The input method of claim 11 further comprising:

providing tactile feedback when the hardware button is actuated.

16. An input method, comprising:

a computer system having a processor operatively coupled to a memory, a touch screen interface comprising a virtual keyboard which records taps of a touch object to generate text input and a hardware button;

tapping the virtual keyboard to input a first plurality of letters which are displayed sequentially on the touch screen;

actuating the hardware button to perform a word delete function on the first plurality of letters;

removing the first plurality of letters from the touch screen; and

tapping the virtual keyboard to input a second plurality of letters which are displayed sequentially on the touch screen.

17. The input method of claim 16 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch.

18. The input method of claim 16 wherein the hardware button is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

19. The input method of claim 16 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch and the computer system includes a second hardware button that is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

20. The input method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing tactile feedback when the hardware button is actuated.

21. An input method, comprising:

a computer system having a processor operatively coupled to a memory, a touch screen interface comprising a virtual keyboard which records taps of a touch object to generate text input and a hardware button;

tapping the virtual keyboard to input a first plurality of letters which are displayed sequentially on the touch screen;

actuating the hardware button to input a punctuation mark which is displayed after the first plurality of letters; and

tapping the virtual keyboard to input a second plurality of letters which are displayed sequentially on the touch screen after the space.

22. The input method of claim 21 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch.

23. The input method of claim 21 wherein the hardware button is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

24. The input method of claim 21 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch and the computer system includes a second hardware button that is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

25. The input method of claim 21 further comprising:

providing tactile feedback when the hardware button is actuated.

26. An input method, comprising:

a computer system having a processor operatively coupled to a memory, a touch screen interface comprising a virtual keyboard which records taps of a touch object to generate text input and a hardware button;

tapping the virtual keyboard to input a first plurality of letters which are displayed sequentially on the touch screen;

actuating the hardware button to perform a word delete function on the first plurality of letters;

removing the first plurality of letters from the touch screen; and

tapping the virtual keyboard to input a second plurality of letters which are displayed sequentially on the touch screen.

27. The input method of claim 26 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch.

28. The input method of claim 26 wherein the hardware button is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

29. The input method of claim 26 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch and the computer system includes a second hardware button that is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

30. The input method of claim 26 further comprising:

providing tactile feedback when the hardware button is actuated.

31. An input method, comprising:

a computer system having a processor operatively coupled to a memory, a touch screen interface comprising a virtual keyboard which records taps of a touch object to generate text input, a hardware button and an output controller for controlling the touch screen and an audio output;

displaying the virtual keyboard on the touch screen, wherein each letter occupies approximately an equal area on the virtual keyboard;

tapping the virtual keyboard to input a first plurality of letters which are displayed sequentially on the touch screen;

providing visual feedback to the tapping the virtual keyboard for each of the first plurality of letters;

actuating the hardware button to cause the output controller to provide feedback through the audio output mechanism;

tapping the virtual keyboard to input a second plurality of letters which are displayed sequentially on the touch screen; and

providing the audio feedback to the tapping the virtual keyboard for each of the second plurality of letters.

32. The input method of claim 31 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch.

33. The input method of claim 31 wherein the hardware button is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

34. The input method of claim 31 wherein the hardware button is an electrical switch and the computer system includes a second hardware button that is a touch sensitive mechanism that is distinct from the touch screen.

35. The input method of claim 31 further comprising:

providing tactile feedback when the hardware button is actuated.