Soft Keyboard Display for a Portable Multifunction Device

• US 20080082934A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ording, Bas, Kocienda, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/773
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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 computer-implemented method for displaying soft keyboards at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display is disclosed. An application with a plurality of objects is displayed on the touch screen display. A first gesture by a user on a first object in the plurality of objects is detected. In response to the first gesture, a first soft keyboard is displayed that contains a plurality of keys including primarily letter keys and including a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first soft keyboard. A second gesture by the user on a second object in the plurality of objects is detected, the second object being other than the key for selecting the second soft keyboard. In response to the second gesture, the second soft keyboard is displayed, which contains a plurality of keys including number keys and including a key for selecting the first soft keyboard.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display,

displaying a first application with a first plurality of objects on the touch screen display;

while displaying the first application;

detecting a first gesture by a user on a first object in the first plurality of objects;

responding to the first gesture by displaying a first soft keyboard, the first soft keyboard containing a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys in the first soft keyboard including primarily letter keys, the plurality of keys in the first soft keyboard including a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first soft keyboard;

detecting a second gesture by the user on a second object in the first plurality of objects, the second object being other than the key for selecting the second keyboard; and

responding to the second gesture by displaying the second soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard containing a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys in the second soft keyboard including number keys, the plurality of keys in the second soft keyboard including a key for selecting the first soft keyboard;

displaying a second application with a second plurality of objects on the touch screen display;

while displaying the second application;

detecting a third gesture by the user on a third object in the second plurality of objects; and

responding to the third gesture by displaying the first soft keyboard;

displaying a third application with a third plurality of objects on the touch screen display;

while displaying the third application;

detecting a fourth gesture by the user on a fourth object in the third plurality of objects; and

responding to the fourth gesture by displaying the second soft keyboard.

2. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display,

displaying an application with a plurality of objects on the touch screen display;

while displaying the application;

detecting a first gesture by a user on a first object in the plurality of objects;

responding to the first gesture by displaying a first soft keyboard, the first soft keyboard containing a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys in the first soft keyboard including primarily letter keys, the plurality of keys in the first soft keyboard including a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first soft keyboard;

detecting a second gesture by the user on a second object in the plurality of objects, the second object being other than the key for selecting the second soft keyboard; and

responding to the second gesture by displaying the second soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard containing a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys in the second soft keyboard including number keys, the plurality of keys in the second soft keyboard including a key for selecting the first soft keyboard.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the first object comprises an icon prompting input comprised primarily of letters.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the first object comprises a text input box.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the second object comprises an icon prompting input comprised primarily of numbers.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the second object comprises a numeric input box.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the second object comprises a telephone number input box.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the first soft keyboard includes a QWERTY arrangement of letter keys.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the first soft keyboard does not contain any numeric keys.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, including

displaying a second application with a second plurality of objects on the touch screen display;

while displaying the second application;

detecting a third gesture by the user on a third object in the second plurality of objects; and

responding to the third gesture by displaying the first soft keyboard.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, including

displaying a third application with a third plurality of objects on the touch screen display;

while displaying the third application;

detecting a fourth gesture by the user on a fourth object in the third plurality of objects; and

responding to the fourth gesture by displaying the second soft keyboard.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the first gesture, second gesture, third gesture, and fourth gesture are finger-tapping gestures by the user.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the first and third gestures are substantially the same, and the second and fourth gestures are substantially the same.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, including

displaying a third application with a third plurality of objects on the touch screen display;

while displaying the second application;

detecting a fourth gesture by the user on a fourth object in the third plurality of objects; and

responding to the fourth gesture by displaying the second soft keyboard.

15. A graphical user interface on a portable electronic device with a touch screen display, comprising:

an application with a plurality of objects, including a first object and a second object;

a first soft keyboard containing a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys in the first soft keyboard including primarily letter keys, the plurality of keys in the first soft keyboard including a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first soft keyboard; and

the second soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard containing a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys in the second soft keyboard including number keys, the plurality of keys in the second soft keyboard including a key for selecting the first soft keyboard;

wherein;

in response to detecting a first gesture by a user on the first object, the first soft keyboard is displayed, and

in response to detecting a second gesture by the user on the second object, the second object being other than the key for selecting the second soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard is displayed.

16. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the programs including;

instructions for displaying an application with a plurality of objects on the touch screen display;

instructions for detecting a first gesture by a user on a first object in the plurality of objects;

instructions for responding to the first gesture by displaying a first soft keyboard, the first soft keyboard containing a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys in the first soft keyboard including primarily letter keys, the plurality of keys in the first soft keyboard including a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first soft keyboard;

instructions for detecting a second gesture by the user on a second object in the plurality of objects, the second object being other than the key for selecting the second soft keyboard; and

instructions for responding to the second gesture by displaying the second soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard containing a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys in the second soft keyboard including number keys, the plurality of keys in the second soft keyboard including a key for selecting the first soft keyboard.

17. A computer-program product, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable electronic device with a touch screen display, cause the device to;

display an application with a plurality of objects on the touch screen display;

detect a first gesture by a user on a first object in the plurality of objects;

respond to the first gesture by displaying a first soft keyboard, the first soft keyboard containing a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys in the first soft keyboard including primarily letter keys, the plurality of keys in the first soft keyboard including a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first soft keyboard;

detect a second gesture by the user on a second object in the plurality of objects, the second object being other than the key for selecting the second soft keyboard; and

respond to the second gesture by displaying the second soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard containing a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys in the second soft keyboard including number keys, the plurality of keys in the second soft keyboard including a key for selecting the first soft keyboard.

18. A portable electronic device with a touch screen display, comprising:

means for displaying an application with a plurality of objects on the touch screen display;

means for detecting a first gesture by a user on a first object in the plurality of objects;

means for responding to the first gesture by displaying a first soft keyboard, the first soft keyboard containing a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys in the first soft keyboard including primarily letter keys, the plurality of keys in the first soft keyboard including a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first soft keyboard;

means for detecting a second gesture by the user on a second object in the plurality of objects, the second object being other than the key for selecting the second soft keyboard; and

means for responding to the second gesture by displaying the second soft keyboard, the second soft keyboard containing a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys in the second soft keyboard including number keys, the plurality of keys in the second soft keyboard including a key for selecting the first soft keyboard.