Electronic device and method for character deletion

• US 9,740,400 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2014
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Hong, Yoojin
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Linh K
• Application Number:
  US14/495,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20150012874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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 performed on an electronic device for character deletion is described. The electronic device has a virtual keyboard including a plurality of virtual keys organized in accordance with a keyboard layout, with each key in a position according to the layout, and the plurality of virtual keys includes a first virtual key. The method for character deletion includes associating a first virtual key of a virtual keyboard with a delete function for deleting characters; determining a language associated with the virtual keyboard; determining a customary direction in which the language is read; and updating the first virtual key to: perform, when selected, a delete function that operates in a particular operating direction based on the customary direction; and display an indicator of the particular operating direction.

Claims

1. A method performed on an electronic device having a virtual keyboard comprising a plurality of virtual keys organized in accordance with a keyboard layout, with each key in a position according to the layout, the plurality of virtual keys including a first virtual key, the method comprising:

associating a first virtual key of a virtual keyboard with a delete function for deleting characters;

determining a language associated with the virtual keyboard;

determining a customary direction in which the language is read; and

updating the first virtual key to;

perform, when selected, a delete function that operates in a particular operating direction based on the customary direction, wherein the particular operation direction is an opposite direction of the customary direction in which the language is read; and

display an indicator of the particular operating direction, wherein the indicator comprises an arrow, and the arrow indicates the articular operating direction of the delete function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the language is determined responsive to detecting a change in a setting of the virtual keyboard.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the change is the setting is a user selection of the language for the virtual keyboard.

4. A system comprising:

a display configured to display a virtual keyboard that having a plurality of virtual keys including a first virtual key;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

associate the first virtual key of the virtual keyboard with a delete function for deleting characters;

determine a language associated with the virtual keyboard;

determine a customary direction in which the language is read; and

update the first virtual key to;

perform, when selected, a delete function that operates in a particular operating direction based on the customary direction, wherein the particular operation direction is an opposite direction of the customary direction in which the language is read; and

display an indicator of the particular operating direction, wherein the indicator comprises an arrow, and the arrow indicates the particular operating direction of the delete function.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the language is determined responsive to detecting a change in a setting of the virtual keyboard.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the change is the setting is a user selection of the language for the virtual keyboard.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

associating the first virtual key of a virtual keyboard with a delete function for deleting characters;

determining a language associated with the virtual keyboard;

determining a customary direction in which the language is read; and

updating the first virtual key to;

perform, when selected, a delete function that operates in a particular operating direction based on the customary direction, wherein the particular operation direction is an opposite direction of the customary direction in which the language is read; and

display an indicator of the particular operating direction, wherein the indicator comprises an arrow, and the arrow indicates the particular operating direction of the delete function.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the language is determined responsive to detecting a change in a setting of the virtual keyboard.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the change is the setting is a user selection of the language for the virtual keyboard.