METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VIRTUAL KEYPAD CONTROL

• US 20140173492A1
• Filed: 12/09/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: YOON, Byoung-Uk, KIM, Moon-Soo, LEE, Seung-Eun, YUN, Yong-Sang
• Granted Patent: US 9,176,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/773
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• 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 is provided including detecting that a first key in a virtual keypad is pressed, the first key being associated with a first symbol, determining, by an electronic device, whether a predetermined input is received after the first key is pressed, reconfiguring the virtual keypad, without displaying the first symbol, when the predetermined input is received; and displaying the first symbol when the predetermined input is not received.

Claims

1. A method for providing a virtual keypad in an electronic device, comprising:

detecting that a first key in the virtual keypad is pressed, the first key being associated with a first symbol;

determining, by the electronic device, whether a predetermined input is received after the first key is pressed;

reconfiguring the virtual keypad, without displaying the first symbol, when the predetermined input is received; and

displaying the first symbol when the predetermined input is not received.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to a software application executed by the electronic device an indication that the first key is pressed only when the predetermined input is not received.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the predetermined input is received comprises determining whether a second key in the virtual keypad is input pressed during a predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the predetermined input is received comprises determining whether the first key is dragged prior to being released, and the virtual keypad is reconfigured based on a direction in which the first key is dragged.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises moving the virtual keypad from a first location in a touchscreen to a second location in the touch screen based on a direction in which the first key is dragged.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual keypad includes an alphanumeric keypad;

and reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises replacing the alphanumeric keypad with a non-alphanumeric keypad.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises resizing the virtual keypad.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises changing a mapping between symbols and keys that are part of the virtual keypad.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises reducing the number keys that are part of the virtual keypad.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises changing a geometric shape of the virtual keypad.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

a touchscreen configured to display a virtual keypad; and

a processor configured to;

detect that a first key in the virtual keypad is pressed, the first key being associated with a first symbol;

determine whether a predetermined input is received after the first key is pressed;

reconfigure the virtual keypad, without displaying the first symbol on the touchscreen, when the predetermined input is received; and

display the first symbol on the touch screen when the predetermined input is not received.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

execute a software application; and

provide to the software application an indication that the first key is pressed only when the predetermined input is not received.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein determining whether the predetermined input is received comprises determining whether a second key in the virtual keypad is pressed during a predetermined period of time.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein determining whether the predetermined input is received comprises determining whether the first key is dragged prior to being released, and the virtual keypad is reconfigured based on a direction in which the first key is dragged.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises moving the virtual keypad from a first location in a touchscreen to a second location in the touch screen based on a direction in which the first key is dragged.

16. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the virtual keypad includes an alphanumeric keypad;

and reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises replacing the alphanumeric keypad with a non-alphanumeric keypad.

17. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises resizing the virtual keypad.

18. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises changing a mapping between symbols and keys that are part of the virtual keypad.

19. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises reducing the number keys that are part of the virtual keypad.

20. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises changing a geometric shape of the virtual keypad.