Generating a visual user interface

• US 8,839,123 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2007
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Landry, Robin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, William
• Application Number:
  US11/942,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,493 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/773, 715/834, 715762-763, 715/780, 715/826
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• 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

Abstract

An interface engine is configured to generate a user interface on a display coupled to an electronic device. The interface engine is configured to display characters, in the user interface, that may input into the electronic device. The interface engine is configured to generate the user interface to include character sections. The interface engine is configured to associate a sub-set of the characters with each character sections. The sub-set of characters included in each character section can be based on the frequency that the characters are used and/or the patterns in which the characters are used. Additionally, the sub-set of characters associated with each character section can be selected by the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing, by a computing device with a display, a configuration interface comprising a character section selection menu, a current character selections window displaying selections from the character section selection menu, an operation selection menu, and a current action selections window displaying selections from the operation selection menu;

receiving a user selection of characters to associate with a plurality of scrollable subsets of characters via the character section selection menu;

displaying the user selection of characters to associate with the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters in the current character selections window;

receiving user input associating a swiping action with a spacing operation via the operation selection menu;

displaying the user input associating the swiping action with the spacing operation in the current action selections window;

storing the association of the swiping action with the spacing operation and the association of the user selected characters with the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters in a repository of the computing device;

receiving user input defining a user-defined location on the display for the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters;

storing the user-defined location for the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters in the repository of the computing device;

providing a visual interface to receive a user input of the swiping action, the visual interface comprising the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters on the display, wherein the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters are configured to adjust independently of each other in response to signals received from the display; and

performing the spacing operation in response to receiving the user input of the swiping action via the visual interface in the display of the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving signals from the display related to the visual interface, wherein the received signals represent physical actions performed on the display; and

translating the received signals into operations related to the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising changing at least one character to be displayed in a corresponding scrollable subset of characters of the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising transferring a selected character associated with one of the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters to an application hosted by the computing device.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

comparing selected characters from the visual interface to frequently used words; and

providing a completed word when the selected characters match a portion of the completed word.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving additional signals from an input device; and

translating the additional signals into the operations associated with the visual interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration interface further comprises a location selection menu for selecting a location on the display to display the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters are associated with characters based on a frequency of use of the characters.

9. A system comprising:

a repository to store an association of a swiping action with a spacing operation and an association of user selected characters with a plurality of scrollable subsets of characters; and

a processor coupled to the repository, wherein the processor is to;

provide a configuration interface comprising a character section selection menu, a current character selections window displaying selections from the character section selection menu, an operation selection menu, and a current action selections window displaying selections from the operation selection menu,

receive a user selection of characters to associate with the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters via the character section selection menu,

display the user selection of characters to associate with the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters in the current character selections window,

receive user input associating the swiping action with the spacing operation via the operation selection menu,

display the user input associating the swiping action with the spacing operation in the current action selections window,

receive user input defining a user-defined location on a display for the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters,

store the user-defined location for the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters in the repository,

provide a visual interface to receive a user input of the swiping action, the visual interface comprising the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters on the display, wherein the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters are configured to adjust independently of each other in response to signals received from the display, and

perform the spacing operation in response to receiving the user input of the swiping action via the visual interface in the display.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further to:

receive signals from the display related to the visual interface, wherein the received signals represent physical actions performed on the display; and

translate the received signals into operations related to the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further to:

change at least one character to be displayed in a corresponding scrollable subset of characters of the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further to:

receive additional signals from an input device; and

translate the additional signals into operations associated with the visual interface.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein

the configuration interface further comprises a location selection menu for selecting a location on the display to display the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters.

14. A device, comprising:

a repository to store an association of a swiping action with a spacing operation and an association of user selected characters with a plurality of scrollable subsets of characters;

a processor coupled to the repository; and

an interface engine executed by the processor that;

provides a configuration interface comprising a character section selection menu, a current character selections window displaying selections from the character section selection menu, an operation selection menu, and a current action selections window displaying selections from the operation selection menu,

receives a user selection of characters to associate with the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters via the character section selection menu,

displays the user selection of characters to associate with the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters in the current character selections window;

receives user input associating a swiping action with a spacing operation via the operation selection menu,

displays the user input associating the swiping action with the spacing operation in the current action selections window,

receives user input defining a user-defined location on a display for the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters,

stores the user-defined location for the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters in the repository,

provides a visual interface to receive a user input of the swiping action, the visual interface comprising the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters on the display, the selection of characters for a corresponding scrollable subset of characters arranged to be rotably displayed on the display, wherein the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters are configured to adjust independently of each other in response to signals received from the display, and

performs the spacing operation in response to receiving the user input of the swiping action via the visual interface in the display.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the interface engine further:

receives signals from the display related to the visual interface; and

translates received signals into a first operation to rotate one of the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters to display new characters from the scrollable subset of characters on the display.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the interface engine further:

translates the received signals into a second operation to transfer a selected character from the scrollable subsets of characters to an application hosted by the device.

17. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

an input device coupled to the interface engine, wherein the interface engine further;

receives additional signals from the input device; and

translates the additional signals into operations associated with the visual interface.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the configuration interface further comprises a location selection menu for selecting a location on the display to display the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

providing a configuration interface comprising a character section selection menu, a current character selections window displaying selections from the character section selection menu, an operation selection menu, and a current action selections window displaying selections from the operation selection menu;

receiving a user selection of characters to associate with a plurality of scrollable subsets of characters via the character section selection menu;

displaying the user selection of characters to associate with the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters in the current character selections window;

receiving, by the processor, user input associating a swiping action with a spacing operation via the operation selection menu;

displaying the user input associating the swiping action with the spacing operation in the current action selections window;

storing the association of the swiping action with the spacing operation and the association of the user selected characters with the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters in a repository coupled to the processor;

receiving user input defining a user-defined location on a display for the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters;

storing the user-defined location for the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters in the repository;

providing a visual interface to receive a user input of the swiping action, the visual interface comprising the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters on the display, wherein the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters are configured to adjust independently of each other in response to signals received from the display; and

performing the spacing operation in response to receiving the user input of the swiping action via the visual interface in the display.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, the operations further comprising:

receiving signals from the display related to the visual interface, wherein the received signals represent physical actions performed on the display; and

translating the received signals into operations related to the plurality of scrollable subsets of characters, wherein the operations comprise comparing selected characters from the visual interface to frequently used words and providing a completed word when the selected characters match a portion of the completed word.