Method, system, and apparatus for keystroke entry without a keyboard input device
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for receiving alpha-numeric input in the absence of a keyboard input device, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- displaying one or more alpha-numeric characters on a display screen, the one or more alpha-numeric characters being displayed by a setup utility provided by a basic input output system (BIOS) executing on a computer;
determining, by way of a processor, whether input was received selecting a location on the display screen;
determining, by way of the processor, whether the selected location contains one of the one or more alpha-numeric characters by examining a character located at the selected location and one or more adjacent characters; and
in response to determining that the selected location contains one of the one or more alpha-numeric characters, entering the selected alpha-numeric character into a keyboard buffer by way of the processor such that the alpha-numeric character appears to have been typed on a keyboard.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system, and apparatus for entering alpha-numeric and non-alpha numeric data without the use of a keyboard input device are provided. According to one method, a grid is displayed on a display screen that includes one or more alpha-numeric characters. Distinguishing characters are displayed adjacent to each alpha-numeric character. In response to receiving a selection within the grid, a determination is made as to whether the selected location contains an alpha-numeric character and, if so, a further determination is made as to whether a distinguishing character is present on two sides of the selected location. If a distinguishing character is present on two sides of the selected location, then the character located at the selected location is entered into a keyboard buffer as if a keyboard input device had been utilized to type the character. The grid may also include character strings corresponding to non-alphanumeric keystrokes that may be selected and entered into the keyboard buffer in a similar manner.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for receiving alpha-numeric input in the absence of a keyboard input device, the computer-implemented method comprising:
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displaying one or more alpha-numeric characters on a display screen, the one or more alpha-numeric characters being displayed by a setup utility provided by a basic input output system (BIOS) executing on a computer; determining, by way of a processor, whether input was received selecting a location on the display screen; determining, by way of the processor, whether the selected location contains one of the one or more alpha-numeric characters by examining a character located at the selected location and one or more adjacent characters; and in response to determining that the selected location contains one of the one or more alpha-numeric characters, entering the selected alpha-numeric character into a keyboard buffer by way of the processor such that the alpha-numeric character appears to have been typed on a keyboard. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
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display, by a setup utility provided by a basic input output system (BIOS) executing on a computer, a grid comprising one or more alpha-numeric characters, each of the alpha-numeric characters being displayed with a blank space on either side; receive a selection at a location within the grid; in response to receiving the selection, determining if the selected location within the grid contains an alpha-numeric character; if the selected location within the grid contains an alpha-numeric character, determine whether a blank space is located on both sides of the selected location; in response to determining that a space is located on both sides of the selected location, enter the character at the selected location into a keyboard buffer as if a keyboard had been utilized to type the character. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for receiving alpha-numeric data entry without the use of a keyboard input device, the method comprising:
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displaying a grid using text mode characters wherein substantially all of the locations within the grid include an alpha-numeric character, each of the alpha-numeric characters being displayed with a blank space on either side; receiving a selection from a non-keyboard input device at a location within the grid, by way of the processor; in response to receiving the selection, determining by way of the processor if the selected location within the grid contains an alpha-numeric character; if the selected location within the grid contains an alpha-numeric character, determining by way of the processor whether a blank space is located on both sides of the selected location; in response to determining that a blank space is located on both sides of the selected location, entering the character at the selected location into a keyboard buffer by way of the processor as if a keyboard had been utilized to type the character; in response to determining that a space is not located on both sides of the selected location, determining by way of the processor whether the alpha-numeric character at the selected location is part of a recognizable string of characters corresponding to a non-alphanumeric keystroke; in response to determining that the alpha-numeric character at the selected location is part of a recognizable string, entering the non-alphanumeric keystroke into the keyboard buffer by way of the processor such that the keystroke appears to have been typed on a keyboard; if the selected location within the grid does not contain an alpha-numeric character, determining by way of the processor whether the selected location contains a blank space; in response to determining that the selected location contains a blank space, determining by way of the processor whether an alpha-numeric character is adjacent to the selected location; and in response to determining that an alpha-numeric character is adjacent to the selected location, entering the alpha-numeric character that is adjacent to the selected location into a keyboard buffer by way of the processor as if a keyboard had been utilized to type the character.
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Specification