Keyboard navigation in hierarchical user interfaces
First Claim
1. A method performed by a computer for navigating user interface elements, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a processor associated with the computer, a display of a graphical user interface of a computer program application, the graphical user interface including user interface elements comprising a hierarchical arrangement of parent graphical user interface elements and sibling graphical user interface elements;
searching the display, by the processor, to identify the parent graphical user interface elements and the sibling graphical user interface elements;
collecting from the display, by the processor, text labels for the identified parent and sibling graphical user interface elements;
grouping, by the processor, the user interface elements alphabetically into parent groups and sibling groups based on alphanumeric characters contained in the collected text labels for the user interface elements;
detecting, by the processor, a user navigation input comprising a sibling navigation input and a user navigation input comprising a parent navigation input, the sibling navigation input comprising a sibling navigation key press plus a key press of a first alphanumeric character, the first alphanumeric character identifying a sibling group of user interface elements, and the parent navigation input comprising a parent navigation key press plus a key press of a second alphanumeric character, the second alphanumeric character identifying a parent group of user interface elements;
when the detected navigation input is the sibling navigation input;
identifying, by the processor, a sibling group of user interface elements having a text label alphabetically corresponding to the key press of the first alphanumeric character; and
shifting, by the processor, input focus to the identified sibling group; and
when the detected navigation input is the parent navigation input;
identifying, by the processor, a parent group of user interface having a text label alphabetically corresponding to the key press of the second alphanumeric character; and
shifting, by the processor, input focus to the identified parent group.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for navigating user interface elements of a computer program application. In one aspect, a method includes grouping user interface elements of an application into groups based on a hierarchical arrangement of the elements, detecting a navigation key press of a sibling or a parent navigation key, and if it is a sibling navigation key, shifting input focus to a next sibling group in the hierarchy, and if it is a parent navigation key, shifting input focus to a parent group in the hierarchy. In another aspect, a method for navigating editable cells of a table includes detecting a forward or a backward navigation key; if it is a forward navigation key, shifting input focus to a next editable cell of the table; and if it is a backward navigation key, shifting input focus to a previous editable cell of the table.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method performed by a computer for navigating user interface elements, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a processor associated with the computer, a display of a graphical user interface of a computer program application, the graphical user interface including user interface elements comprising a hierarchical arrangement of parent graphical user interface elements and sibling graphical user interface elements; searching the display, by the processor, to identify the parent graphical user interface elements and the sibling graphical user interface elements; collecting from the display, by the processor, text labels for the identified parent and sibling graphical user interface elements; grouping, by the processor, the user interface elements alphabetically into parent groups and sibling groups based on alphanumeric characters contained in the collected text labels for the user interface elements; detecting, by the processor, a user navigation input comprising a sibling navigation input and a user navigation input comprising a parent navigation input, the sibling navigation input comprising a sibling navigation key press plus a key press of a first alphanumeric character, the first alphanumeric character identifying a sibling group of user interface elements, and the parent navigation input comprising a parent navigation key press plus a key press of a second alphanumeric character, the second alphanumeric character identifying a parent group of user interface elements; when the detected navigation input is the sibling navigation input; identifying, by the processor, a sibling group of user interface elements having a text label alphabetically corresponding to the key press of the first alphanumeric character; and shifting, by the processor, input focus to the identified sibling group; and when the detected navigation input is the parent navigation input; identifying, by the processor, a parent group of user interface having a text label alphabetically corresponding to the key press of the second alphanumeric character; and shifting, by the processor, input focus to the identified parent group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:
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receive a display of a graphical user interface of a computer program application, the graphical user interface including graphical user interface elements comprising a hierarchical arrangement of parent graphical user interface elements and sibling graphical user interface elements; search the display to identify the parent graphical user interface elements and the sibling graphical user interface elements; collect from the display text labels for the identified parent and sibling graphical user interface elements; group the user interface elements of a user interface alphabetically into parent groups and sibling groups based on alphanumeric characters contained in the collected text labels for the user interface elements; detect a user navigation input comprising a sibling navigation input and a user navigation input comprising a parent navigation input, the sibling navigation input comprising a sibling navigation key press plus a key press of a first alphanumeric character, the first alphanumeric character identifying a sibling group of user interface elements, and the parent navigation input comprising a parent navigation key press plus a key press of a second alphanumeric character, the second alphanumeric character identifying a parent group of user interface elements; when the detected navigation input is the sibling navigation input; identifying a sibling group of user interface elements having a text label alphabetically corresponding to the key press of the first alphanumeric character; and shifting input focus to the identified sibling group; and when the detected navigation input is the parent navigation input; identifying a parent group of user interface having a text label alphabetically corresponding to the key press of the second alphanumeric character; and shifting input focus to the identified parent group. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A system comprising:
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means for receiving a display of a graphical user interface of a computer program application, the graphical user interface including user interface elements comprising a hierarchical arrangement of parent user interface elements and sibling user interface elements; means for searching the display to identify the parent user interface elements and the sibling user interface elements; means for collecting from the display text labels for the identified parent and sibling user interface elements; means for grouping the user interface elements alphabetically into parent groups and sibling groups based on alphanumeric characters contained in the collected text labels for the user interface elements; means for detecting a user navigation input comprising a sibling navigation input and a user navigation input comprising a parent navigation input, the sibling navigation input comprising a sibling navigation key press plus a key press of a first alphanumeric character, the first alphanumeric character identifying a sibling group of user interface elements, and the parent navigation input comprising a parent navigation key press plus a key press of a second alphanumeric character, the second alphanumeric character identifying a parent group of user interface elements; means for, when the detected navigation input is the sibling navigation input; identifying a sibling group of user interface elements having a text label alphabetically corresponding to the key press of the first alphanumeric character; and shifting input focus to the identified sibling group; and means for, when if the detected navigation input is the parent navigation input; identifying a parent group of user interface elements having a text label alphabetically corresponding to the key press of the second alphanumeric character; and shifting input focus to the identified parent group. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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Specification