Administration of keyboard input in a computer having a display device supporting a graphical user interface

• US 7,346,859 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Keohane, Susann Marie, McBrearty, Gerald Francis, Shieh, Johnny Meng-Han, Mullen, Shawn Patrick, Murillo, Jessica
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad; Amr A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Willis; Randal L
• Application Number:
  US10/815,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20050223394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 345/173, 345/168
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

Administration of keyboard input in a computer having a display device supporting a graphical user interface (“GUI”), including storing keyboard input intended by a user for a second widget when keyboard focus is on a first widget, wherein the first widget receives no keyboard input; changing keyboard focus to the second widget; and providing the stored keyboard input to the second widget.

Claims

1. A method for administration of keyboard input in a computer having a display device supporting a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

), the method comprising;

storing keyboard input intended by a user for a second widget when keyboard focus is on a first widget, wherein the first widget receives no keyboard input;

changing keyboard focus to the second widget;

prompting the user for an indication whether to provide the stored keyboard input to the second widget, including receiving the indication in response to the prompting; and

providing the stored keyboard input to the second widget in dependence upon the indication.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

changing keyboard focus to the second widget further comprises a keyboard device driver'"'"'s receiving a request for keyboard input data;

receiving the indication in response to the prompting further comprises the keyboard device driver'"'"'s receiving an indication to provide the stored keyboard input to the second widget; and

providing the keyboard input to the second widget in dependence upon the indication further comprises the keyboard device driver'"'"'s returning the stored keyboard input to the requesting application.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein storing keyboard input intended by a user for a second widget when keyboard focus is on a first widget further comprises reading keyboard input through a keyboard device driver.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein storing keyboard input intended by a user for a second widget when keyboard focus is on a first widget further comprises a keyboard device driver'"'"'s reading input data from a keyboard, including reading the input in the absence of a read request for the keyboard device driver.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein changing keyboard focus further comprises changing keyboard focus in response to the user'"'"'s manipulating at least one user input device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the GUI includes a multiplicity of windows, the method further comprising:

directing keyboard focus to a window having a keyboard focus policy and a multiplicity of widgets including the first widget and the second widget; and

directing keyboard focus to the first widget in dependence upon the keyboard focus policy of the window.

7. A system for administration of keyboard input in a computer having a display device supporting a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

), the system comprising;

means for storing keyboard input intended by a user for a second widget when keyboard focus is on a first widget, wherein the first widget receives no keyboard input;

means for changing keyboard focus to the second widget;

means for prompting the user for an indication whether to provide the stored keyboard input to the second widget, inctuding receiving the indication in response to the prompting; and

means for providing the stored keyboard input to the second widget in dependence upon the indication.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein:

means for changing keyboard focus to the second widget further comprises means for receiving a request for keyboard input data;

means for receiving the indication in response to the prompting further comprises means for receiving an indication to provide the stored keyboard input to the second widget; and

means for providing the keyboard input to the second widget in dependence upon the indication further comprises means for returning the stored keyboard input to the requesting application.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein means for storing keyboard input intended by a user for a second widget when keyboard focus is on a first widget further comprises means for reading keyboard input through a keyboard device driver.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein means for storing keyboard input intended by a user for a second widget when keyboard focus is on a first widget further comprises means for reading input data from a keyboard, including means for reading the input in the absence of a read request for the keyboard device driver.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein means for changing keyboard focus further comprises means for changing keyboard focus in response to the manipulation of at least one user input device.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the GUI includes a multiplicity of windows, the system further comprising:

means for directing keyboard focus to a window having a keyboard focus policy and a multiplicity of widgets including the first widget and the second widget; and

means for directing keyboard focus to the first widget in dependence upon the keyboard focus policy of the window.

13. A computer program product for administration of keyboard input in a computer having a display device supporting a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

), the computer program product having recorded upon it computer program instructions capable of;

storing keyboard input intended by a user for a second widget when keyboard focus is on a first widget, wherein the first widget receives no keyboard input;

changing keyboard focus to the second widget;

prompting the user for an indication whether to provide the stored keyboard input to the second widget, including receiving the indication in response to the prompting; and

providing the stored keyboard input to the second widget.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein storing keyboard input intended by a user for a second widget when keyboard focus is on a first widget further comprises reading keyboard input through a keyboard device driver.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein storing keyboard input intended by a user for a second widget when keyboard focus is on a first widget further comprises reading input data from a keyboard, including reading the input in the absence of a read request for the keyboard device driver.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein changing keyboard focus further comprises changing keyboard focus in response to the manipulation of at least one user input device.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the GUI includes a multiplicity of windows, the computer program product also having recording upon it computer program instructions capable of:

directing keyboard focus to a window having a keyboard focus policy and a multiplicity of widgets including the first widget and the second widget; and

directing keyboard focus to the first widget in dependence upon the keyboard focus policy of the window.