Method for associating an onscreen keyboard with a displayed application window and display apparatus applying the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9389783-B2
Application number	US-201013377393-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2010
Priority date	Jun 9, 2009
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

A method for providing a (UI) and a display apparatus to which the method is applied includes displaying an onscreen keyboard on a screen; displaying a plurality of applications on the screen, selecting one of the plurality of applications on the screen as an input target application into which to enter text using the an onscreen keyboard. Consequently, a user may easily use the onscreen keyboard on the screen on which the plurality of applications are simultaneously displayed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of providing a User Interface (UI), the method comprising:
displaying an onscreen keyboard on a screen;
displaying a plurality of applications on the screen;
selecting one of the plurality of applications as a an application for entering text using the onscreen keyboard;
displaying a first visual element between the selected application and the onscreen keyboard, the first visual element indicating that the selected application is connected with the onscreen keyboard for entering text on the selected application using the onscreen keyboard; and
in response to receiving a touch input on the first visual element, displaying a second visual element on the first visual element for disconnecting the selected application from the onscreen keyboard, and cancelling the selection.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the first visual element comprises displaying a line-shaped indicator that connects the selected application and the onscreen keyboard.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the second visual element comprises:
displaying a disconnection button for entering a command to disconnect the connection between the selected application and the onscreen keyboard.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting one of the applications comprises, in response to a first manipulation of the onscreen keyboard, selecting an application that is displayed in closest vicinity to the onscreen keyboard as the target application of the onscreen keyboard.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first manipulation of the onscreen keyboard comprises touching an automatic connection button that is included in the onscreen keyboard.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the one of the plurality of applications comprises, in response to a second manipulation of the onscreen keyboard, selecting the one of the plurality of applications as the application for entering text using the onscreen keyboard in accordance with a third manipulation of the selected onscreen keyboard that follows the second manipulation of the onscreen keyboard.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second manipulation of the onscreen keyboard comprises touching a manual connection button that is included in the onscreen keyboard.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the third manipulation of the onscreen keyboard comprises dragging a predefined icon that is included in the onscreen keyboard and dropping the predefined icon at the one of the plurality of applications, and selecting the one of the plurality of applications comprises selecting an application at which the predefined icon is dropped as the application for entering text using the onscreen keyboard.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the third manipulation of the onscreen keyboard comprises dual-touching the onscreen keyboard and the one of the plurality of applications, and selecting the one of the plurality of applications comprises selecting an application dual-touched along with the onscreen keyboard as the application for entering text using the onscreen keyboard.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to the selected application and the onscreen keyboard being displayed in different orientations, changing the orientation of the onscreen keyboard or the selected application so that the onscreen keyboard and the selected application are displayed in the same orientation.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the first visual element comprises displaying the first visual element on at least one of a right side, a left side, a top side, and a bottom side of the selected application.

12. A display apparatus comprising:
a touch screen which receives a touch input from one or more users and displays an onscreen keyboard and a plurality of applications thereon; and
a controller which
selects one of the plurality of applications as an application for entering text using the onscreen keyboard, in response to a user manipulation for the onscreen keyboard via the touch screen,
controls a first visual element to be displayed between the selected application and the onscreen keyboard, the first visual element indicating that the selected application is connected with the onscreen keyboard for entering text on the selected application using the onscreen keyboard, and
in response to receiving, via the touch screen, a touch input on the first visual element, displays a second visual element on the first visual element for disconnecting the selected application from the onscreen keyboard, and cancelling the selection.

13. The display apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller displays a line-shaped indicator that connects the selected application and the onscreen keyboard.

14. The display apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, in response to receiving the touch input on the first visual element, the controller controls a disconnection button for entering a command to disconnect the connection between the selected application and the onscreen keyboard to be displayed on the touch screen.

15. The display apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, in response to a first manipulation of the onscreen keyboard, the controller selects an application that is displayed in closest vicinity to the onscreen keyboard as the target application of the onscreen keyboard.

16. The display apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first manipulation of the onscreen keyboard comprises touching an automatic connection button that is included in the onscreen keyboard.

17. The display apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, in response to a second manipulation of the onscreen keyboard, the controller selects the one of the plurality of applications as the application for entering text using the onscreen keyboard in accordance with a third manipulation of the onscreen keyboard that follows the second manipulation of the onscreen keyboard.

18. The display apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the second manipulation of the onscreen keyboard comprises touching a manual connection button that is included in the onscreen keyboard.

19. The display apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the third manipulation of the onscreen keyboard comprises dragging a predefined icon that is included in the onscreen keyboard and dropping the predefined icon at the one of the plurality of applications, and the controller selects an application at which the predefined icon is dropped as the application for entering text using the onscreen keyboard.

20. The display apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the third manipulation of the onscreen keyboard comprises dual-touching the onscreen keyboard and the one of the plurality of applications, and the controller selects an application dual-touched along with the onscreen keyboard as the application for entering text using the onscreen keyboard.

21. The display apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, in response to the selected application and the onscreen keyboard being displayed in different orientations, the controller changes the orientation of the onscreen keyboard or the selected application so that the onscreen keyboard and the selected application are displayed in the same orientation.

22. The display apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller displays the first visual element on at least one of a right side, a left side, a top side, and a bottom side of the selected application.

23. A method of providing a UI, the method comprising:
displaying a command input tool on a screen;
displaying a plurality of applic

Assignees

• Kwahk Ji-Young
• Kwon Giang-Yoon
• Jeon Jin-Young
• Hwang Sang-Woong
• Yoon Jee-Sun
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kwahk Ji-Young
• Kwon Giang-Yoon
• Jeon Jin-Young
• Hwang Sang-Woong
• Yoon Jee-Sun

Classifications

• G06F3/04883

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/04886 Primary

  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 · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F3/0489 Primary

  using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof · CPC title

• G06F3/02

  Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials · CPC title