Invocation control over keyboard user interface

• US 9,436,385 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Koenig, Kimberly, Thayer, Weston, Somji, Shiraz, Kikin-Gil, Ruth, Rinker, Christopher Jon, Pinjala, Ravi, Berry, Ivor
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadeese
• Application Number:
  US14/146,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20150169219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 715/773, 345/156, 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines

Abstract

A touch-based device provides invocation control over a keyboard user interface (UI). The device displays a keyboard UI overlaid on an application UI to allow a user to interact with the application UI. A dismissal UI is displayed adjacent to the keyboard UI to allow the user to dismiss the keyboard UI. The keyboard UI is dismissed in response to detecting a user action on the dismissal UI. The device presents a lock UI and an invocation UI adjacent to the lock UI. In response to detecting another user action on the lock UI, the user is prevented from invoking the keyboard UI.

Claims

1. A method executed on a computing device to provide invocation control over a keyboard user interface (UI), the method comprising:

displaying a keyboard UI overlaid on an application UI to allow an interaction with the application UI;

displaying a dismissal UI adjacent to the keyboard UI to allow a dismissal of the keyboard UI;

in response to detecting a first user action on the dismissal UI, dismissing the keyboard UI;

presenting a lock UI and an invocation UI adjacent to the lock UI; and

in response to detecting a second user action on the lock UI,

preventing an invocation of the keyboard UI,

dismissing the lock UI and the invocation UI,

displaying an invocation indicator and an unlock UI adjacent to the invocation indicator; and

disabling the dismissal UI, the invocation UI, the lock UI, and the unlock UI in response to detecting one or more of a disabling of the touch enablement of the application UI, an attachment of an input device, and receipt of an input from the input device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing the dismissal UI adjacent to a top edge of the keyboard UI; and

placing a right edge of the dismissal UI in line with a right edge of the keyboard UI.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing an operation including at least one from a set of;

hiding the keyboard UI, deactivating the keyboard UI, and removing the keyboard UI to dismiss the keyboard UI.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing the keyboard UI in an unlocked state to allow the invocation of the keyboard UI subsequent to dismissing the keyboard UI.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

invoking the keyboard UI in response to detecting another user action in an area of the application UI configured for text editing.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

invoking the keyboard UI in response to detecting another user action on the invocation UI including at least one from a set of;

a tap action and an upward swipe action.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing an unlocked status of the keyboard UI to a locked status to prevent the user from invoking the keyboard UI in at least one from a set of;

the application UI and a desktop UI.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sliding the lock UI in a lateral direction in response to a swipe action as the second user action; and

sliding the lock UI back to an original position in response to activation of the lock UI.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a graphic alerting about a locked status of the keyboard UI within the invocation indicator.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

unlocking the keyboard UI in response to detecting another user action on the unlock UI.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying the invocation UI and the lock UI in response to unlocking the keyboard UI.

12. A computing device to provide invocation control over a keyboard user interface (UI), the computing device comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor executing an application in conjunction with instructions stored in the memory, wherein the application is configured to;

display a keyboard UI overlaid on an application UI to allow an interaction with the application UI;

display a dismissal UI adjacent to the keyboard UI to allow a dismissal of the keyboard UI;

in response to detecting a first user action on the dismissal UI, dismiss the keyboard UI;

present a lock UI and an invocation UI adjacent to the lock UI in proximity to a bottom corner of a display application UI;

in response to detecting a second user action on the lock UI,

prevent an invocation of the keyboard UI,

dismiss the lock UI and the invocation UI, and

display an invocation indicator and an unlock UI adjacent to the invocation indicator in proximity to the bottom corner of the display application UI; and

disable the dismissal UI, the invocation UI, the lock UI, and the unlock UI in response to detecting one or more of a disabling of the touch enablement of the application UI, an attachment of an input device, and receipt of an input from the input device.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the application is further configured to:

detect a predetermined number of consequent activations of the dismissal UI; and

provide a notification describing the lock UI and the unlock UI to enable an activation of the lock UI and the unlock UI.

14. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the application is further configured to:

display a button control in place of the dismissal UI, the invocation UI, the lock UI, and the unlock UI; and

change a graphic associated with the button control to reflect one from a set of;

an unlocked status and a locked status of the keyboard UI.

15. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the application is further configured to:

swap a location of the lock UI and the invocation UI; and

swap another location of the invocation indicator and the unlock UI.

16. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the application is further configured to:

provide control of the dismissal UI, the invocation UI, the lock UI, and the unlock UI through an application user interface (API).

17. A non-transitory computer-readable memory device with instructions stored thereon to provide invocation control over a keyboard user interface (UI), the instructions comprising:

displaying a keyboard UI overlaid on an application UI to allow an interaction with the application UI;

displaying a dismissal UI adjacent to the keyboard UI to allow a dismissal of the keyboard UI;

in response to detecting a first user action on the dismissal UI, dismissing the keyboard UI;

presenting a lock UI and an invocation UI adjacent to the lock UI in proximity to a predefined location on the application UI;

in response to detecting a second user action on the lock UI,

preventing an invocation of the keyboard UI,

dismissing the lock UI and the invocation UI, and

displaying an invocation indicator and an unlock UI adjacent to the invocation indicator in proximity to the predefined location on the application UI;

providing control of the dismissal UI, the invocation UI, the lock UI, and the unlock UI through an application programming interface (API); and

disabling the dismissal UI, the invocation UI, the lock UI, and the unlock UI in response to detecting one or more of a disabling of the touch enablement of the application UI, an attachment of an input device, and receipt of an input from the input device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable memory device of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise:

placing the keyboard UI in an unlocked state to allow an invocation of the keyboard UI subsequent to dismissing the keyboard UI; and

invoking the keyboard UI in response to detecting another user action in an area of the application UI configured to edit text.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable memory device of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise:

placing the keyboard UI in an unlocked state to allow an invocation of the keyboard UI subsequent to dismissing the keyboard UI; and

invoking the keyboard UI in response to detecting another user action on the invocation UI including at least one from a set of;

a tap action and an upward swipe action.