Dynamically updating a smart physical keyboard

• US 9,146,622 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cresp, Jacques, Livigni, Fabrice, Sert, Richard, Siles, Alain, Viale, Joel
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Gene W
• Application Number:
  US13/531,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20130342467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-172, 710/62, 710/65, 710/67, 715/751
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and program product for dynamically updating an input language of a smart physical keyboard. A local computer receives an indication that a remote session has been started, where starting the remote session includes the local computer accessing a remote computer. The local computer determines a keyboard input language for the remote session. The local computer then updates one or more keys of a smart physical keyboard to display the keyboard input language for the remote session.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically updating an input language of a smart physical keyboard, the method comprising the steps of:

a local computer receiving an indication that a first remote session has been started, wherein starting the first remote session includes the local computer accessing a first remote computer;

the local computer determining a first keyboard input language identifier for the first remote session, wherein a first keyboard input language identifier is a universal identifier comprising one or more alphanumeric characters associated with a first keyboard input language, and wherein the step of the local computer determining the first keyboard input language identifier for the first remote session includes the local computer retrieving the first keyboard input language identifier for the first remote session from the first remote computer;

the local computer determining a first keyboard input language for the first remote session by comparing the retrieved first keyboard input language identifier to a database comprising one or more keyboard input languages and corresponding keyboard input language identifiers;

the local computer updating one or more keys of a smart physical keyboard to display the first keyboard input language for the first remote session;

the local computer storing the first keyboard input language for the first remote session in association with a first process identifier corresponding to the first remote session, wherein the first process identifier comprises one or more alphanumeric characters that are analyzed by an operating system of the local computer in determining an active window of the local computer;

the local computer identifying a second session as an active window of the local computer;

the local computer updating one or more keys of a smart physical keyboard to display a second keyboard input language associated with the second session;

the local computer identifying the first remote session as an active window of the local computer;

the local computer identifying the first process identifier corresponding to the first remote session; and

the local computer updating one or more keys of a smart physical keyboard to display the first keyboard input language for the first remote session based on identifying the first process identifier corresponding to the active window of the local computer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the local computer receiving an indication that the first remote session is an inactive window;

the local computer retrieving a process identifier for the active window;

the local computer determining a keyboard input language for the active window;

the local computer updating one or more keys of the smart physical keyboard to display the keyboard input language for the active window.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

the local computer receiving an indication that the first remote session is the active window;

the local computer retrieving the first process identifier for the remote session;

the local computer determining the first keyboard input language that corresponds with the first process identifier for the first remote session; and

the local computer updating one or more keys of the smart physical keyboard to display the first keyboard input language that corresponds with the first process identifier for the first remote session.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the local computer determining that the first remote session has ended; and

the local computer deleting the first process identifier and the first keyboard input language.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second session is a remote session.

6. A computer program product for dynamically updating an input language of a smart physical keyboard, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage devices, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions on a local computer to receive an indication that a first remote session has been started, wherein starting the first remote session includes the local computer accessing a first remote computer;

program instructions on the local computer to determine a first keyboard input language identifier for the first remote session, wherein a first keyboard input language identifier is a universal identifier comprising one or more alphanumeric characters associated with a first keyboard input language, and wherein the step of the local computer determining the first keyboard input language identifier for the first remote session includes the local computer retrieving the first keyboard input language identifier for the first remote session from the first remote computer;

program instructions on the local computer to determine a first keyboard input language for the first remote session by comparing the retrieved first keyboard input language identifier to a database comprising one or more keyboard input languages and corresponding keyboard input language identifiers;

program instructions on the local computer to update one or more keys of a smart physical keyboard to display the first keyboard input language for the first remote session;

program instructions on the local computer to store the first keyboard input language for the first remote session in association with a first process identifier corresponding to the first remote session, wherein the first process identifier comprises one or more alphanumeric characters that are analyzed by an operating system of the local computer in determining an active window of the local computer;

program instructions on the local computer to identify a second session as an active window of the local computer;

program instructions to update one or more keys of a smart physical keyboard to display a second keyboard input language associated with the second session;

program instructions to identify the first remote session as an active window of the local computer;

program instructions to identify the first process identifier corresponding to the first remote session; and

program instructions to update one or more keys of a smart physical keyboard to display the first keyboard input language for the first remote session based on identifying the first process identifier corresponding to the active window of the local computer.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, the

program instructions further comprising:

program instructions on a local computer to receive an indication that the first remote session is an inactive window;

program instructions on a local computer to retrieve a process identifier for the active window;

program instructions on a local computer to determine a keyboard input language for the active window; and

program instructions on a local computer to update one or more keys of the smart physical keyboard to display the keyboard input language for the active window.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising:

program instructions on the local computer to receive an indication that the first remote session is the active window;

program instructions on the local computer to retrieve the first process identifier for the first remote session;

program instructions on the local computer to determine a first keyboard input language that corresponds with the first process identifier for the first remote session; and

program instructions on the local computer to update one or more keys of the smart physical keyboard to display the first keyboard input language that corresponds with the first process identifier for the first remote session.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising:

program instructions to determine that the first remote session has ended; and

program instructions to delete the first process identifier and the first keyboard input language.

10. The compute program product of claim 6, wherein the second session is a remote session.

11. A computer system for dynamically updating an input language of a smart physical keyboard, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions on a local computer to receive an indication that a first remote session has been started, wherein starting the first remote session includes the local computer accessing a first remote computer;

program instructions on the local computer to determine a first keyboard input language identifier for the first remote session, wherein a first keyboard input language identifier is a universal identifier comprising one or more alphanumeric characters associated with a first keyboard input language, and wherein the step of the local computer determining the first keyboard input language identifier for the first remote session includes the local computer retrieving the first keyboard input language identifier for the first remote session from the first remote computer;

program instructions on the local computer to determine a first keyboard input language for the first remote session by comparing the retrieved first keyboard input language identifier to a database comprising one or more keyboard input languages and corresponding keyboard input language identifiers;

program instructions on the local computer to update one or more keys of a smart physical keyboard to display the first keyboard input language for the first remote session; and

program instructions on the local computer to store the first keyboard input language for the first remote session in association with a first process identifier corresponding to the first remote session, wherein the first process identifier comprises one or more alphanumeric characters that are analyzed by an operating system of the local computer in determining an active window of the local computer;

program instructions on the local computer to identify a second session as an active window of the local computer;

program instructions to update one or more keys of a smart physical keyboard to display a second keyboard input language associated with the second session;

program instructions to identify the first remote session as an active window of the local computer;

program instructions to identify the first process identifier corresponding to the first remote session; and

program instructions to update one or more keys of a smart physical keyboard to display the first keyboard input language for the first remote session based on identifying the first process identifier corresponding to the active window of the local computer.

12. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions on the local computer to receive an indication that the first remote session is an inactive window;

program instructions on the local computer to retrieve a process identifier for the active window;

program instructions on the local computer to determine a keyboard input language for the active window; and

program instructions on the local computer to update one or more keys of the smart physical keyboard to display the keyboard input language for the active window.

13. The computer system of claim 12, further comprising:

program instructions on the local computer to receive an indication that the first remote session is the active window;

program instructions on the local computer to retrieve the first process identifier for the first remote session;

program instructions on the local computer to determine a first keyboard input language that corresponds with the first process identifier for the first remote session; and

program instructions on the local computer to update one or more keys of the smart physical keyboard to display the first keyboard input language that corresponds with the first process identifier for the first remote session.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the second session is a remote session.

15. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions to determine that the first remote session has ended; and

program instructions to delete the first process identifier and the first keyboard input language.