Methods and apparatus for dynamically adapting a virtual keyboard
First Claim
1. A method for providing a dynamically customized virtual keyboard, the method comprising:
- in a first portion of a display of a mobile computing device, displaying at least part of an electronic form containing input objects to accept user input;
displaying a virtual keyboard in a second portion of the display, wherein the second portion of the display is distinct from the first portion of the display, and wherein the virtual keyboard comprises at least a first alphabetic button to enable a user to enter a first alphabetic character and a second alphabetic button to enable the user to enter a second alphabetic character;
automatically parsing the electronic form to discover attributes of at least one of the input objects in the electronic form;
automatically determining whether the electronic form includes a non-textual input object, based on results of the parsing; and
in response to discovering that the electronic form includes a non-textual input object, automatically adding a corresponding non-textual virtual keyboard component to the virtual keyboard;
wherein displaying the virtual keyboard comprises displaying the virtual keyboard with the first and second alphabetic buttons and with the added non-textual virtual keyboard component in the second portion of the display; and
wherein the added non-textual virtual keyboard component is configured to allow a user to invoke, from the virtual keyboard, a function associated with the corresponding non-textual input object in the electronic form.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one example embodiment, a mobile computing device displays at least part of an electronic form containing input objects to accept user input. A virtual keyboard module parses the form to discover attributes of the input objects and automatically determines whether the form includes a command button or other non-textual input object, based on results of the parsing. In response to discovering that the form includes a non-textual input object, the virtual keyboard module automatically adds a corresponding non-textual virtual keyboard component to a virtual keyboard, and the virtual keyboard module displays the virtual keyboard with the added non-textual virtual keyboard component on the display of the mobile device. The added non-textual virtual keyboard component may be configured to allow a user to invoke, from the virtual keyboard, a function associated with the corresponding non-textual input object in the form. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
18 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A method for providing a dynamically customized virtual keyboard, the method comprising:
-
in a first portion of a display of a mobile computing device, displaying at least part of an electronic form containing input objects to accept user input; displaying a virtual keyboard in a second portion of the display, wherein the second portion of the display is distinct from the first portion of the display, and wherein the virtual keyboard comprises at least a first alphabetic button to enable a user to enter a first alphabetic character and a second alphabetic button to enable the user to enter a second alphabetic character; automatically parsing the electronic form to discover attributes of at least one of the input objects in the electronic form; automatically determining whether the electronic form includes a non-textual input object, based on results of the parsing; and in response to discovering that the electronic form includes a non-textual input object, automatically adding a corresponding non-textual virtual keyboard component to the virtual keyboard; wherein displaying the virtual keyboard comprises displaying the virtual keyboard with the first and second alphabetic buttons and with the added non-textual virtual keyboard component in the second portion of the display; and wherein the added non-textual virtual keyboard component is configured to allow a user to invoke, from the virtual keyboard, a function associated with the corresponding non-textual input object in the electronic form. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. At least one non-transitory machine accessible medium comprising:
-
instructions that, when executed by a mobile computing device, enable the mobile computing device to perform operations comprising; in a first portion of a display of the mobile computing device, displaying at least part of an electronic form containing input objects to accept user input; displaying a virtual keyboard in a second portion of the display, wherein the second portion of the display is distinct from the first portion of the display, and wherein the virtual keyboard comprises at least a first alphabetic button to enable a user to enter a first alphabetic character and a second alphabetic button to enable the user to enter a second alphabetic character; automatically parsing the electronic form to discover attributes of at least one of the input objects in the electronic form; automatically determining whether the electronic form includes a non-textual input object, based on results of the parsing; and in response to discovering that the electronic form includes a non-textual input object, automatically adding a corresponding non-textual virtual keyboard component to the virtual keyboard; wherein displaying the virtual keyboard comprises displaying the virtual keyboard with the first and second alphabetic buttons and with the added non-textual virtual keyboard component in the second portion of the display; and wherein the added non-textual virtual keyboard component is configured to allow a user to invoke, from the virtual keyboard, a function associated with the corresponding non-textual input object in the electronic form. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A mobile computing device comprising:
-
a processor; a display responsive to the processor; at least one local storage device responsive to the processor; and instructions in the local storage device that, when executed by the mobile computing device, enable the mobile computing device to perform operations comprising; in a first portion of the display, displaying at least part of an electronic form containing input objects to accept user input; displaying a virtual keyboard in a second portion of the display, wherein the second portion of the display is distinct from the first portion of the display, and wherein the virtual keyboard comprises at least a first alphabetic button to enable a user to enter a first alphabetic character and a second alphabetic button to enable the user to enter a second alphabetic character; automatically parsing the electronic form to discover attributes of at least one of the input objects in the electronic form; automatically determining whether the electronic form includes a non-textual input object, based on results of the parsing; and in response to discovering that the electronic form includes a non-textual input object, automatically adding a corresponding non-textual virtual keyboard component to the virtual keyboard; wherein displaying the virtual keyboard comprises displaying the virtual keyboard with the first and second alphabetic buttons and with the added non-textual virtual keyboard component in the second portion of the display; and wherein the added non-textual virtual keyboard component is configured to allow a user to invoke, from the virtual keyboard, a function associated with the corresponding non-textual input object in the electronic form. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification