Method of visualizing an input location

• US 8,416,193 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2009
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Michael Curt
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, PREMAL R
• Application Number:
  US12/469,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20100295788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-168, 715/261, 715/773, 715/765
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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

One or more sensors to determine a location of an input. The data related to the location of the input, such as a character, may be displayed on an application on a display device. In addition, data that is related to the proximate areas of the location of the input may also be displayed, such as surrounding characters. If the user desires to enter the character into the application, the displayed character may be selected. If the user does not wish to select the character, the user may move the input to a new location and data related to the new location may be displayed on the application on the display device and the data related to the new location may be selected and entered in the application.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sensing an input location of an input to an input device;

presenting for display on a display device communicatively coupled to the input device;

a selection indication that visually identifies a location of an input queue on the display device; and

input choices that are positionally related to the input location and that are presented proximal to the selection indication, the selection indication visually spanning a display space between the input choices and the input queue such that the input choices are visually linked to the input queue, the input queue indicating a location where at least one of the input choices, if selected, is displayable; and

adding at least one of the input choices to the input queue on the display device in response to a selection of the at least one of the input choices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a user to adjust a repeat time associated with a repeat function for one or more of the input choices.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting for display one or more different input choices responsive to receiving an indication of a slide gesture from the input location to a different input location.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising highlighting one of the input choices when the input is substantially covering the input location related to the one of the input choices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising increasing a repeat time, wherein the repeat time comprises an elapsed time prior to starting a repeat function for the at least one of the input choices.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising enabling the repeat time to be adjusted.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an illustration on the display device that the at least one of the input choices is being inserted at the input queue.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the input contacts at least one other input location, and wherein said presenting comprises highlighting the at least one of the input choices based on the at least one of the input choices being related to the input location most covered by the input location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the input location further comprises using a sensor proximate to an input device which receives the input to create an x location and a y location of the input.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the input is received via touch input to the display device.

11. A computer storage device storing computer executable instructions for:

sensing an input to an input device, the input at least partially overlapping an input location and at least one other input location;

presenting for display on a display device;

a selection indication that visually identifies a location of an input queue on the display device; and

input choices related to the input location and the at least one other input location, the input choices being presented for display adjacent to the selection indication and the input queue, the input queue indicating a location where at least one of the input choices, if selected, is displayable, and the selection indication visually linking the input choices to the input queue and being visually separate from the input choices and the input queue;

highlighting one of the input choices associated with the input location based on the input overlapping the input location to a greater degree than the input overlaps the at least one other input location; and

responsive to the one of the input choices being selected and released, adding the one of the input choices to the input queue.

12. The computer storage device of claim 11, further comprising enabling a user to adjust a repeat time associated with a repeat function for one or more of the input choices.

13. The computer storage device of claim 11, further comprising computer executable instructions for presenting for display one or more different input choices responsive to receiving an indication of a slide gesture from the input location to a different input location.

14. The computer storage device of claim 11, further comprising computer executable instructions for increasing a repeat time comprising an elapsed time prior to starting a repeat function for the input choice that is selected.

15. The computer storage device of claim 11, further comprising computer executable instructions for displaying an illustration on the display device that indicates that the one of the input choices will be inserted at the input queue if the input to the input location is released.

16. The computer storage device of claim 11, wherein sensing the input comprises using a sensor proximate to the input device to create an x location and a y location of the input.

17. A computer system comprising a memory storing computer executable instructions and a processor configured to execute the computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions being executable for:

sensing an input location of an input to an input device;

presenting for display on a display device;

a selection indication that visually identifies a location of an input queue on the display device; and

input choices that are related to the input location on the display device, the selection indication visually associating the input choices with the input queue by providing a visual linking indicium that spans a visual region between the input choices and the input queue; and

responsive to a selection of one of the input choices, adding the one of the input choices to the input queue.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the input location is associated with the one of the input choices, and wherein said presenting further comprises highlighting the one of the input choices based on the input overlapping the input location to a greater degree than the input overlaps another input location.

19. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising computer executable instructions for increasing a repeat time comprising an elapsed time prior to starting a repeat function for the one of the input choices.

20. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising computer executable instructions for displaying an illustration on the display device that indicates that the one of the input choices will be inserted at the input queue if the input to the input location is released.