Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Manipulating Soft Keyboards

• US 20120117506A1
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Koch, Jonathan, Victor, B. Michael, Cieplinski, Avi E., Missig, Julian
• Granted Patent: US 8,587,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/773
• 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 includes, at an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface: concurrently displaying a first text entry area and an unsplit keyboard on the display; detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive surface; and, in response to detecting the gesture on the touch-sensitive surface, replacing the unsplit keyboard with an integrated input area. The integrated input area includes a left portion with a left side of a split keyboard, a right portion with a right side of the split keyboard, and a center portion in between the left portion and the right portion.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a touch-sensitive surface;

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 one or more programs including instructions for;

concurrently displaying on the display

a first text entry area, and

an integrated input area, the integrated input area including;

a left portion with a left side of a split keyboard;

a right portion with a right side of the split keyboard; and

a center portion in between the left portion and the right portion;

detecting a first input on the touch-sensitive surface;

in response to detecting the first input, entering a reconfiguration mode for the integrated input area; and

,

while in the reconfiguration mode for the integrated input area;

detecting a second input by a first thumb and/or a second thumb;

in response to detecting the second input, adjusting the size of at least one of the left side and the right side of the split keyboard in the integrated input area;

detecting a third input; and

,

in response to detecting the third input, exiting the reconfiguration mode for the integrated input area.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first input includes a first thumb and a second thumb, distinct from the first thumb.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the third input includes the first thumb and/or the second thumb.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the second input includes a horizontal movement of a left thumb towards a left vertical side of the display; and

in response to detecting the horizontal movement of the left thumb towards the left vertical side of the display, reducing the size of the left side of the split keyboard.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the second input includes a horizontal movement of a left thumb away from a left vertical side of the display; and

in response to detecting the horizontal movement of the left thumb away from the left vertical side of the display, increasing the size of the left side of the split keyboard.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the second input includes a horizontal movement of the first thumb towards a vertical side of the display closest to the first thumb; and

in response to detecting the horizontal movement of the first thumb towards the vertical side of the display closest to the first thumb, reducing the size of the left side and the right side of the split keyboard.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the second input includes a horizontal movement of the first thumb away from a vertical side of the display closest to the first thumb; and

in response to detecting the horizontal movement of the first thumb away from the vertical side of the display closest to the first thumb, increasing the size of the left side and the right side of the split keyboard.

8. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface;

concurrently displaying on the display

a first text entry area, and

an integrated input area, the integrated input area including;

a left portion with a left side of a split keyboard;

a right portion with a right side of the split keyboard; and

a center portion in between the left portion and the right portion;

detecting a first input on the touch-sensitive surface;

in response to detecting the first input, entering a reconfiguration mode for the integrated input area; and

,

while in the reconfiguration mode for the integrated input area;

detecting a second input by a first thumb and/or a second thumb;

in response to detecting the second input, adjusting the size of at least one of the left side and the right side of the split keyboard in the integrated input area;

detecting a third input; and

,

in response to detecting the third input, exiting the reconfiguration mode for the integrated input area.

9. A graphical user interface on an electronic device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, a memory, and one or more processors to execute one or more programs stored in the memory, the graphical user interface comprising:

concurrently displayed;

a first text entry area, and

an integrated input area, the integrated input area including;

a left portion with a left side of a split keyboard;

a right portion with a right side of the split keyboard; and

a center portion in between the left portion and the right portion;

wherein;

a first input is detected on the touch-sensitive surface;

in response to detecting the first input, a reconfiguration mode for the integrated input area is entered; and

,

while in the reconfiguration mode for the integrated input area;

a second input by a first thumb and/or a second thumb is detected;

in response to detecting the second input, the size of at least one of the left side and the right side of the split keyboard in the integrated input area is adjusted;

a third input is detected; and

,

in response to detecting the third input, the reconfiguration mode for the integrated input area is exited.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface, cause the device to:

concurrently display on the display

a first text entry area, and

an integrated input area, the integrated input area including;

a left portion with a left side of a split keyboard;

a right portion with a right side of the split keyboard; and

a center portion in between the left portion and the right portion;

detect a first input on the touch-sensitive surface;

in response to detecting the first input, enter a reconfiguration mode for the integrated input area; and

,

while in the reconfiguration mode for the integrated input area;

detect a second input by a first thumb and/or a second thumb;

in response to detecting the second input, adjust the size of at least one of the left side and the right side of the split keyboard in the integrated input area;

detect a third input; and

,

in response to detecting the third input, exit the reconfiguration mode for the integrated input area.