Method and apparatus for virtual keypad control

• US 9,176,667 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2013
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoon, Byoung-Uk, Kim, Moon-Soo, Yun, Yong-Sang, Lee, Seung-Eun
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US14/100,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20140173492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• 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

A method is provided including detecting that a first key in a virtual keypad is pressed, the first key being associated with a first symbol, determining, by an electronic device, whether a predetermined input is received after the first key is pressed, reconfiguring the virtual keypad, without displaying the first symbol, when the predetermined input is received; and displaying the first symbol when the predetermined input is not received.

Claims

1. A method for providing a virtual keypad of a touch screen in an electronic device, comprising:

detecting that a first key in the virtual keypad is touch;

determining whether a second key in the virtual keypad is touched within a predetermined time period after the first key is touch;

deactivating the virtual keypad, when the second key is touched within the predetermined time period;

detecting a drag on at least one of the first key or the second key; and

reconfiguring the virtual keypad in response to detecting the drag.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the drag comprises a slide-out for dragging out of a touch detection region of the touch screen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises determining a position for displaying the virtual keypad based on a location of the dragged key that is the first key or the second key.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises reconfiguring the virtual keypad based on a direction of the drag.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises moving the virtual keypad from a first location in a touchscreen to a second location in the touch screen based on a direction in which the first key is dragged.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

displaying the virtual keypad at a location opposite to the first location of the dragged key, when the dragged key is at a first location; and

displaying the virtual keypad at a location opposite to the second location of the dragged key, when the dragged key is at a second location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises replacing shape of the virtual keypad based on a direction of the drag.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises reducing the size of the virtual keypad by replacing shape of the virtual keypad.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises changing at least one of the number of keys in the virtual keypad, size of the virtual keypad, dimension of the virtual keypad, shape of the virtual keypad, type of keys in the virtual keypad, and/or mappings between keys and symbols in the virtual keypad.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the first key is dragged, when the second key is not touched within the predetermined time period;

deactivating the virtual keypad in response to determining the first key is dragged; and

reconfiguring the virtual keypad.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

a touchscreen configured to display a virtual keypad; and

a processor configured to;

detect that a first key in the virtual keypad is touch;

determine whether a second key in the virtual keypad is touched within a predetermined time period after the first key is touch;

deactivate the virtual keypad, when the second key is touched within the predetermined time period;

detect a drag on at least one of the first key or the second key; and

reconfigure the virtual keypad

in response to detecting the drag.

12. The electronic device of claim 11,

wherein the drag comprises a slide-out for dragging out of the touch detection region of the touch screen.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor configured to determine a position for displaying the virtual keypad based on a location of the dragged key that is the first key or the second key.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor configured to reconfigure the virtual keypad based on a direction of the drag.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein reconfiguring the virtual keypad comprises moving the virtual keypad from a first location in a touchscreen to a second location in the touch screen based on a direction in which the first key is dragged.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor configured to

display the virtual keypad at a location opposite to the first location of the dragged key, when the dragged key is at a first location, and

display the virtual keypad at a location opposite to the second location of the dragged key, when the dragged key is at a second location.

17. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor configured to replace shape of the virtual keypad based on a direction of the drag.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the processor configured to reduce the size of the virtual keypad by replacing shape of the virtual keypad.

19. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor configured to change at least one of the number of keys in the virtual keypad, size of the virtual keypad, dimension of the virtual keypad, shape of the virtual keypad, type of keys in the virtual keypad, and/or mappings between keys and symbols in the virtual keypad.

20. The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising:

the processor configured to

determine whether the first key is dragged, when the second key is not touched within the predetermined time period;

deactivate the virtual keypad in response to determining the first key is dragged; and

reconfigure the virtual keypad.