Mobile device text-formatting

• US 8,812,973 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Cohen, Gabriel, Gunn, Ian, Raess, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdul-Ali, Omar
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANK, ANDREW L
• Application Number:
  US13/249,601
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 715/269, 715/773, 715/863, 715/827, 715/771
• US Class Current: 715/773
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to techniques for text entry/modification using a touch-sensitive device. In one example, the techniques include presenting, by a touch-sensitive device, a graphical keyboard. The graphical keyboard includes at least one character image that represents at least one text character and that is selectable by a user to input the at least one text character. User input may be detected that indicates user selection of at least one formatting option associated with text that is presentable by the touch-sensitive device. A presentation of the at least one character image may be modified to display an indication of the selected formatting option.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

outputting, by a computing device and for display, a graphical keyboard, wherein the graphical keyboard comprises a plurality of character graphics that each represents at least one respective character, each of the plurality of character graphics being selectable to input the at least one respective character;

receiving, by the computing device, an indication of a selection of at least one paragraph formatting option; and

outputting, by the computing device and for display, a modified representation of the graphical keyboard, the modified representation comprising the plurality of character graphics arranged in accordance with the at least one paragraph formatting option.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the selection of the at least one paragraph formatting option comprises receiving an indication of a selection of one or more icon images.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the selection of the at least one paragraph formatting option comprises receiving an indication of a selection of an option from a pull-down menu.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the selection of the at least one paragraph formatting option comprises receiving an indication of a change in orientation of the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the selection of the at least one paragraph formatting option comprises receiving an indication of movement of the computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the selection of the at least one paragraph formatting option comprises receiving an indication of a gesture.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the modified representation comprises outputting the graphical keyboard with the plurality of character graphics collectively having an alignment in accordance with the at least one paragraph formatting option.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the modified representation comprises outputting the graphical keyboard with the plurality of character graphics constrained by one or more margins in accordance with the at least one paragraph formatting option.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the modified representation comprises outputting the graphical keyboard with the plurality of character graphics collectively having a justification in accordance with the at least one paragraph formatting option.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the selection of the at least one paragraph formatting option comprises receiving an indication that a cursor has been placed at or near text outputted for display.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the selection of the at least one paragraph formatting option comprises receiving an indication of a selection of text outputted for display.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting, for display, an option to select a formatting type, wherein the formatting type comprises a plurality of paragraph formatting options,

wherein receiving the indication of the selection of the at least one paragraph formatting option comprises receiving an indication of a gesture to transition between the plurality of paragraph formatting options of the formatting type.

13. The method of claim 12,

wherein the plurality of paragraph formatting options includes the at least one paragraph formatting option.

14. A computing device, comprising:

at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is operable to;

output, for display, a graphical keyboard, wherein the graphical keyboard comprises a plurality of character graphics that each represent at least one respective character, each of the plurality of character graphics being selectable to input the at least one respective character;

receive an indication of a selection of at least one paragraph formatting option; and

output, for display, a modified representation of the graphical keyboard, the modified representation comprising the plurality of character graphics arranged in accordance with the at least one formatting option.

15. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions that, when executed, cause a computing device to:

output, by the computing device and for display, a graphical keyboard, wherein the graphical keyboard comprises a plurality of character graphics that each represent at least one respective character, the plurality of character graphics being selectable to input the at least one respective character;

receive, by the computing device, an indication of a selection of at least one paragraph formatting option; and

output, by the computing device and for display, a modified representation of the graphical keyboard, the modified representation comprising the plurality of character graphics arranged in accordance with the at least one paragraph formatting option.