Method and medium for computer readable keyboard display incapable of user termination

• US 6,784,873 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Martha Trout
• Original Assignee: plaNet Consulting, Inc. (CSG Systems International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Boesen, Peter V., Mann, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, TAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/632,922
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/175, 345/174, 345/168
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 medium for a computer readable input area. The input area is created by a computer program on a display capable of receiving touch-screen input. The computer on which the input area in used is at least a 32-bit system. The input area may contain a keyboard which is an image map. External programming may selectively access the input area through a dynamic link library. The input area has no task bar and may not be minimized, maximized, or deleted. Therefore, the input area becomes an integral component and provides the user with a constant and reliable method of inputting information into the computer program.

Claims

1. A method of entering data on a touch screen display, the method comprising:

invoking a computer program in which user input is sought;

invoking an input area, including a plurality of data input fields;

invoking a graphical keyboard area incapable of user termination independent of termination of the input area, the graphical keyboard area having a plurality of keys on the display;

selecting keys on the keyboard to provide the desired input; and

automatically terminating the graphical keyboard area after the desired input is received in the input area.

2. The method of entering data on a touch screen display of claim 1 wherein the input area is created by an executable code.

3. The method of entering data on a touch screen display of claim 2 wherein the executable code is compiled visual basic code.

4. The method of entering data on a touch screen display of claim 1 wherein the computer program invokes the input area.

5. The method of entering data on a touch screen display of claim 4 wherein the computer program accesses a dynamic link library file in order to invoke the input area.

6. The method of entering data on a touch screen display of claim 5 wherein the dynamic link library file is a C++ program.

7. The method of entering data on a touch screen display of claim 1 wherein the computer program is executing on a personal computer.

8. The method of entering data on a touch screen display of claim 1 wherein the computer program is executing on a pen-based computer.

9. The method of entering data on a touch screen display of claim 1 wherein the computer program is executing on a computer with a touch-screen display.

10. A method of providing a user interface for receiving information from a user using a user immutable graphical keyboard linked to an input area, comprising:

invoking the input area;

determining that input from the user using the graphical keyboard is needed within the input area;

invoking the graphical keyboard on a touch screen display to receive input from a user, the graphical keyboard placed in a set position;

persistently maintaining the graphical keyboard on the touch screen display such that the user cannot move, resize, remove, or close the graphical keyboard through the user interface while the input area remains and requires input;

receiving input within the input area from the user through the graphical keyboard;

determining that further input from the user is no longer needed in the input area; and

removing the graphical keyboard.