KEYBOARD INPUT MODE SWITCHING APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS

• US 20180032247A1
• Filed: 07/28/2017
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Itoh, Hiroshi, Tan, Garner Jervis Kong, Wang, ZhePeng
• Granted Patent: US 10,942,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability

Abstract

A keyboard input mode switching apparatus includes a processor for an information handling device and a memory that stores code executable by the processor. The code is executable by the processor to determine an operational state of a keyboard and, in response to detecting a particular operational state, switch an input mode of a portion of the keyboard.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor of an information handling device; and

a memory that stores code executable by the processor to;

determine an operational state of a keyboard, and

in response to detecting a particular operational state, switch an input mode of a portion of the keyboard.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the keyboard comprises an on screen keyboard.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the particular operational state comprises a non-key operational state for the keyboard.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the non-key operational state comprises one of contact and proximity of a pointing body to an area of the portion of the keyboard.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the non-key operational state comprises one of contact and proximity of a pointing body to a plurality of areas of the portion of the keyboard.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the non-key operational state comprises simultaneous contact and proximity of a pointing body to an area of the portion of the keyboard.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the non-key operational state comprises simultaneous contact and proximity of a pointing body to a plurality of areas of the portion of the keyboard.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the input mode is switched from a first input mode to a second input mode; and

the second input mode is a non-character input mode.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the keyboard comprises an on screen keyboard;

the portion of the keyboard comprises a touch pad; and

the non-character input mode comprises touch inputs.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first mode is a character input mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code is further executable by the processor to:

monitor the operational state of the keyboard; and

in response to detecting a change in the operational state, switch the input mode of the portion of the keyboard from non-character inputs to character inputs.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the particular operational state comprises a non-key operational state for the keyboard;

the non-key operation state comprises one of contact and proximity of a pointing body to an area of the portion of the keyboard; and

the code is further executable by the processor to detect the change in the operational state by determining that the pointing body is no longer the one of contacting and proximate to the area of the portion of the keyboard.

13. A method, comprising:

determining, by a processing device, an operational state of an on screen keyboard (OSK); and

in response to detecting a particular operational state, switching an input mode of a portion of the OSK.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

detecting the particular operational state comprises detecting a non-key operational state for the keyboard; and

the non-key operation state comprises one of;

one of contact and proximity of a pointing body to an area of the portion of the keyboard,

one of contact and proximity of the pointing body to a plurality of areas of the portion of the keyboard,

simultaneous contact and proximity of the pointing body to the area of the portion of the keyboard, and

simultaneous contact and proximity of the pointing body to the plurality of areas of the portion of the keyboard.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring the operational state of the keyboard; and

in response to detecting a change in the operational state, switching the input mode of the portion of the keyboard from non-character inputs to character inputs.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the particular operational state comprises a non-key operational state for the keyboard;

the non-key operation state comprises one of contact and proximity of a pointing body to an area of the portion of the keyboard; and

detecting the change in the operational state comprises determining that the pointing body is no longer the one of contacting and proximate to the area of the portion of the keyboard.

17. A program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium that stores code executable by a processor, the executable code comprising code to perform:

determining an operational state of an on screen keyboard (OSK); and

in response to detecting a particular operational state, switching an input mode of a portion of the OSK.

18. The program product of claim 17, wherein:

the code that detects the particular operational state further comprises code to perform detecting a non-key operational state for the keyboard; and

the non-key operation state comprises one of;

one of contact and proximity of a pointing body to an area of the portion of the keyboard,

one of contact and proximity of the pointing body to a plurality of areas of the portion of the keyboard,

simultaneous contact and proximity of the pointing body to the area of the portion of the keyboard, and

simultaneous contact and proximity of the pointing body to the plurality of areas of the portion of the keyboard.

19. The program product of claim 17, wherein the executable code further comprises code to perform:

monitoring the operational state of the keyboard; and

in response to detecting a change in the operational state, switching the input mode of the portion of the keyboard from non-character inputs to character inputs.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the particular operational state comprises a non-key operational state for the keyboard;

the non-key operation state comprises one of contact and proximity of a pointing body to an area of the portion of the keyboard; and

the code that detects the change in the operational state further comprises code to perform determining that the pointing body is no longer the one of contacting and proximate to the area of the portion of the keyboard.