Method for monitoring the language used for character generation by an operating system

• US 6,014,616 A
• Filed: 11/13/1997
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hyun-Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US08/969,617
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 704/1, 704/8, 704/2, 704/3, 707/536, 707/535, 707/530, 707/531, 379/88.05, 379/88.06, 341/28, 382/185, 345/333, 345/141, 345/150, 345/145, 345/171, 345/157
• US Class Current: 704/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/454 Multi-language systems; Localisation; Internationalisation

Abstract

A method for monitoring the language used by an operating system to communicate with a user via a display device. Two compatible types of operating systems are those that use a WINDOWS 3.1 operating system format and a WINDOWS 95 operating system format. The cursor in the character input area of the display device has a different color depending on the language being used by the operating system. This greatly enhances efficiency when alternately typing information in multiple languages. The method provides a small window that indicates which language is currently being used by the operating system. Contained in this window is a language conversion button that has a language indicating symbol positioned on it. The color of the symbol matches the color of the cursor. When the button is selected using a mouse or a shortcut key, the operating system switches the linguistic characters generated by signals from the keyboard to that of a different language. Thus, a user does not have to check the language interface window to determine which linguistic character generating mode the operating system is in. This greatly reduces mistakes and increases the efficiency of document production.

Claims

1. A process for indicating a multilingual input mode for an operating system, comprising the steps of:

determining whether said operating system is in a character input mode;

if the operating system is in the character input mode, then;

reading a plurality of data representative of a current active keyboard language from a specific language input control program of said operating system;

displaying a colored cursor corresponding to a current active keyboard language at a character input position on a display device;

determining whether a key input is entered and whether said key input is a language conversion command; and

if said key input is said language conversion command, then;

returning to the step of reading a plurality of data to read a plurality of changed keyboard language data and to display a different colored cursor corresponding to another keyboard language set in said operating system.

2. The process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

if the key input is not the language conversion command, then displaying a character; and

moving a colored cursor caret to a next character input position.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein colors of said cursor can be selected in a keyboard language setting program.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein a color of said cursor can be changed by clicking a language conversion button contained in an input method editor window appearing on said display device, said language conversion button having a language indication symbol colored identically to said cursor.

5. The process of claim 1, said operating system being one of a WINDOWS 3.1 operating system and a WINDOWS 95 operating system and their derivatives.

6. The process of claim 1, said operating system being capable of using both a color of a cursor and a shape of said cursor to signify a language currently used by said operating system to match a plurality of symbols with a plurality of signals sent by an input device.

7. A process for monitoring a language used for character generation by an operating system, comprising the steps of:

determining whether said operating system is ready to receive a plurality of signals representative of linguistic characters from an input device, said operating system running on a computer system comprising a central processing unit, said input device and a display device;

reading a first plurality of data corresponding to a first language currently used by said operating system to communicate with a user via said display device, said first plurality of data being matched with a plurality of signals sendable by said input device thereby allowing said user to generate a plurality of symbols by manipulating said input device;

displaying a cursor on said display device, said cursor having a color signifying that said first language is currently being used by said operating system to match said symbols with said signals sent by said input device;

receiving said signals from said input device;

determining whether said signals received from said input device include a command to change from using said first language to using a second language to match said symbols with said signals sent by said input device;

if said signals include said command to change from said first language to said second language;

reading a second plurality of data corresponding to said second language;

changing said symbols generated in response to said signals to correlate with said second language thereby allowing said user to generate symbols representative of said second language by manipulating said input device;

changing said color of said cursor on said display device to signify that said second language is currently being used to generate said symbols in response to manipulation of said input device; and

returning to said step of receiving said signals from said input device; and

if said signals do not include a command to change from said first language to said second language;

displaying said symbols of said first language that match said signals sent from said input device on said display device at a position identified by said cursor;

moving said cursor to a next symbol insertion position; and

returning to said step of displaying a cursor on said display device, said cursor having a color signifying said first language.

8. The process of claim 7, said operating system having a plurality of data sets corresponding to a plurality of languages usable for matching said signals with said symbols.

9. The process of claim 7, said color of said cursor being selectable by said user.

10. The process of claim 7, said operating system being one of a WINDOWS 3.1 operating system and a WINDOWS 95 operating system and their derivatives.

11. The process of claim 7, said operating system displaying a window on said display device, said window containing a plurality of buttons.

12. The process of claim 11, said buttons comprising a language conversion button, a linguistic character width button, and a Chinese character input button, each of said buttons being clickable using a mouse, said language conversion button displaying a language currently used by said operating system and converting said language to another when clicked on by said mouse.

13. The process of claim 12, said language conversion button having a language indicating symbol colored identically to said cursor.

14. The process of claim 7, said input device being any one of a keyboard, a light-pen, a touch sensitive kiosk, a mouse, a voice recognition system, and a combination thereof.

15. The process of claim 7, said operating system changing non-user entered symbols used to format a user interface for said operating system on said display device.

16. The process of claim 7, said operating system being capable of using both said color of said cursor and a shape of said cursor to signify a language currently used by said operating system to match said symbols with said signals sent by said input device.

17. A process for identifying a type of symbols generated by an operating system, comprising the steps of:

matching a first set of data corresponding to a first language currently used by said operating system to generate a plurality of symbols with a plurality of signals sendable by an input device, said matching allowing a user to generate a plurality of symbols by manipulating an input device, said operating system running on a computer system comprising a central processing unit, said input device and a display device;

displaying a cursor on said display device, said cursor having a color signifying that said first language is currently being used by said operating system to match said symbols with said signals sent by said input device;

receiving said signals from said input device;

deteimining whether said signals received from said input device include a command to change from using said first language to using a second language to match said symbols with said signals sent by said input device;

if said signals include said command to change from said first language to said second language;

matching a second set of data corresponding to said second language to said signals sendable by said input device;

changing said color of said cursor on said display device to signify that said second language is currently being used to generate said symbols in response to manipulation of said input device; and

returning to said step of receiving said signals from said input device; and

if said signals do not include a command to change from said first language to said second language;

displaying said symbols of said first language corresponding to said signals sent from said input device on said display device;

moving said cursor; and

returning to said step of displaying a cursor on said display device, said cursor having a color signifying said first language.

18. The process of claim 17, said operating system having a plurality of sets of data corresponding to a plurality of languages usable for matching said signals sendable by said input device with said symbols.

19. The process of claim 17, said color of said cursor being selectable by said user.

20. The process of claim 17, said operating system being one of a WINDOWS 3.1 operating system and a WINDOWS 95 operating system and their derivatives.

21. The process of claim 17, said operating system displaying a window on said display device, said window containing a plurality of buttons.

22. The process of claim 21, said buttons comprising a language conversion button, a linguistic character width button, and a Chinese character input button, each of said buttons being clickable using a mouse, said language conversion button displaying a language currently used by said operating system and converting said language to another when clicked on by said mouse.

23. The process of claim 22, said language conversion button having a language indicating symbol colored identically to said cursor.

24. The process of claim 17, said operating system being capable of using both said color of said cursor and a shape of said cursor to signify a language currently used by said operating system to match said symbols with said signals sent by said input device.

25. The process of claim 17, said input device being any one of a keyboard, a light-pen, a touch sensitive kiosk, a mouse, a voice recognition system, and a combination thereof.

26. The process of claim 17, said operating system changing non-user entered symbols used to format a user interface for said operating system on said display device.