Uniform event handling across multiple computing devices

• US 8,392,935 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Grabowski, Michal
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VAN H
• Application Number:
  US13/073,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 719/318, 345/156, 345/163, 345/173
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/542 Intercept
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

A capture module is configured to provide input events of a particular type to an object of an application executing on a computer. The capture module receives an input event directed to the object of the application executing on the computer. The input event is generated responsive to a user interaction with an input device of the computer. If the input event is of the first type, the capture module translates the input event to a second type. The first type may be a touch input event and the second type may be a mouse input event. The capture module also selectively filters the input event of the second type and dispatches the input event of the second type to the object of the application responsive to the filtering.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of translating a first type of input event to a second type of input event, the method comprising:

receiving an input event directed to an object of an application executing on a computer, the input event generated responsive to a user interaction with an input device of the computer;

responsive to the input event being of the first type, translating the input event of the first type to an input event of the second type;

marking the input event of the second type as a translated event;

selectively filtering the input event of the second type, wherein the selective filtering passes events of the second type marked as translated through a filter; and

dispatching the input event of the second type to the object of the application responsive to the filtering.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of input event is a touch input event and the second type of input event is a mouse input event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is a browser and receiving an input event directed to an object of an application comprises:

receiving an input event directed to a document object model of a web page rendered by the browser.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

responsive to the input event being of the first type, stopping propagation of the input event of the first type to the document object model of the web page.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein translating the input event of the first type to an input event of the second type comprises:

translating the input event of the first type to an equivalent input event of the second type.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein translating the input event of the first type to an input event of the second type comprises:

analyzing characteristics of a plurality of input events of the first type; and

translating the plurality of input events of the first type to one or more input events of the second type responsive to the characteristics.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively filtering the input event of the second type comprises:

determining whether to cancel the input event of the second type responsive to the object of the application to which the input event of the second type is directed;

wherein a canceled input event is not dispatched to the object.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the input event of second type is not canceled and propagates to the object responsive to the input event of the second type being directed to a text field object, a combo box object, or a submit button object.

9. A computer for translating a first type of input event to a second type of input event, the computer comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program code comprising;

a reception module for receiving an input event directed to an object of an application executing on a computer, the input event generated responsive to a user interaction with an input device of the computer;

a translation module for translating, responsive to the input event being of the first type, the input event of the first type to an input event of the second type, and for marking the input event of the second type as a translated event;

a filtration module for selectively filtering the input event of the second type, and for passing events of the second type marked as translated through a filter; and

a dispatch module for dispatching the input event of the second type to the object of the application responsive to the filtering; and

a processor for executing the computer program code.

10. The computer of claim 9, wherein the first type of input event is a touch input event and the second type of input event is a mouse input event.

11. The computer of claim 9, wherein the application is a browser and wherein the reception module is adapted to receive an input event directed to a document object model of a web page rendered by the browser.

12. The computer of claim 11, wherein the reception module is further adapted to stop propagation of the input event of the first type to the document object model of the web page responsive to the input event being of the first type.

13. The computer of claim 9, wherein translating the input event of the first type to an input event of the second type comprises translating the input event of the first type to an equivalent input event of the second type.

14. The computer of claim 9, wherein translating the input event of the first type to an input event of the second type comprises:

analyzing characteristics of a plurality of input events of the first type; and

translating the plurality of input events of the first type to one or more input events of the second type responsive to the characteristics.

15. The computer of claim 9, wherein selectively filtering the input event of the second type comprises:

determining whether to cancel the input event of the second type responsive to the object of the application to which the input event of the second type is directed;

wherein a canceled input event is not dispatched to the object.

16. The computer of claim 15, wherein the input event of second type is not canceled and propagates to the object responsive to the input event of the second type being directed to a text field object, a combo box object, or a submit button object.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable computer program instructions for translating a first type of input event to a second type of input event, the computer program instructions comprising:

a reception module for receiving an input event directed to an object of an application executing on a computer, the input event generated responsive to a user interaction with an input device of the computer;

a translation module for translating, responsive to the input event being of the first type, the input event of the first type to an input event of the second type, and for marking the input event of the second type as a translated event;

a filtration module for selectively filtering the input event of the second type, and for passing events of the second type marked as translated through a filter; and

a dispatch module for dispatching the input event of the second type to the object of the application responsive to the filtering.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first type of input event is a touch input event and the second type of input event is a mouse input event.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the application is a browser and wherein the reception module is adapted to receive an input event directed to a document object model of a web page rendered by the browser.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the reception module is further adapted to stop propagation of the input event of the first type to the document object model of the web page responsive to the input event being of the first type.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein translating the input event of the first type to an input event of the second type comprises translating the input event of the first type to an equivalent input event of the second type.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein translating the input event of the first type to an input event of the second type comprises:

analyzing characteristics of a plurality of input events of the first type; and

translating the plurality of input events of the first type to one or more input events of the second type responsive to the characteristics.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein selectively filtering the input event of the second type, comprises:

for determining whether to cancel the input event of the second type responsive to the object of the application to which the input event of the second type is directed; and

wherein a canceled input event is not dispatched to the object.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the input event of second type is not canceled and propagates to the object responsive to the input event of the second type being directed to a text field object, a combo box object, or a submit button object.