Dynamic Virtual Keyboard Adaptation for Mobile Form Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Filling out electronic forms on handheld mobile devices with virtual keyboards is challenging due to limited screen space, obscuration of form elements by the virtual keyboard, and the lack of navigation aids like the Tab key, making it difficult for users to navigate and interact with multiple input fields efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A virtual keyboard module that dynamically adapts to the electronic form by adding navigation buttons, command buttons, and specialized input components based on the form's attributes, allowing for easier navigation and interaction without the need for extensive zooming and panning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a virtual keyboard is displayed on a handheld device screen, then user input capability is provided, but screen space for form elements is reduced and form elements become obscured
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual keyboard is segmented into multiple pages (alphabetical, numerical, symbolic) that can be switched between, allowing the keyboard to occupy less permanent screen space while still providing full input functionality. The keyboard can be divided into different sections that appear as needed rather than all at once.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual keyboard is implemented as a dynamic, movable component that can be repositioned, resized, and adjusted based on the current form context. The keyboard can automatically adjust its position and size to minimize obstruction of form elements while remaining accessible to the user.
2Ease of manufacture
If a standard virtual keyboard is used across multiple applications, then development time is reduced, but navigation efficiency for specific forms deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual keyboard dynamically adapts its layout and configuration based on the specific form being filled out. It can automatically adjust key arrangements, add context-relevant keys, or modify navigation options based on the form's structure and requirements, providing optimized navigation for each specific form while remaining a general-purpose component.
Solution Approach 2:
The keyboard's behavior and configuration parameters are automatically adjusted based on the form context. This includes changing key layouts, navigation modes, and interaction patterns to match the specific requirements of different forms, allowing a single keyboard implementation to serve multiple applications with form-specific optimization.
3Ease of operation
If the virtual keyboard is positioned to maximize input access, then data entry is facilitated, but navigation to form elements requires excessive zooming and panning
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual keyboard incorporates additional navigation dimensions beyond simple left-right movement. It adds vertical navigation capabilities and multi-level access methods, allowing users to navigate both keyboard keys and form elements efficiently without requiring excessive zooming or panning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual keyboard acts as an intermediary that provides direct access to form elements through integrated navigation controls. Instead of requiring separate zooming and panning operations to reach form elements, the keyboard includes built-in navigation mechanisms that directly transport users to the relevant input fields.
Data Source
AI summary
In one example embodiment, a mobile computing device displays at least part of an electronic form containing input objects to accept user input. A virtual keyboard module parses the form to discover attributes of the input objects and automatically determines whether the form includes a command button or other non-textual input object, based on results of the parsing. In response to discovering that the form includes a non-textual input object, the virtual keyboard module automatically adds a corresponding non-textual virtual keyboard component to a virtual keyboard, and the virtual keyboard module displays the virtual keyboard with the added non-textual virtual keyboard component on the display of the mobile device. The added non-textual virtual keyboard component may be configured to allow a user to invoke, from the virtual keyboard, a function associated with the corresponding non-textual input object in the form. Other embodiments are described and claimed.