Generic Shortcut Translation Across Input Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing application programs that accept inputs from multiple device types, such as mice, keyboards, and voice inputs, require developers to implement device-specific shortcuts for each input device type, leading to complexity and the omission of shortcut support for many device types, as existing solutions like XForms do not provide support for reusable shortcuts across devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of generic shortcut sequences that can be initiated across various input devices, using an event translator to map device-type-specific inputs to generic inputs, allowing comparison with predefined generic shortcut sequences to initiate specific operations, thereby eliminating the need for device-specific shortcuts and simplifying the development process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If device-specific shortcuts are implemented for each input device type, then each input device can initiate application features, but the development complexity increases and many device types have shortcut support omitted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal shortcut mechanism that works across multiple input device types (keyboard, mouse, voice, touch) through a single unified system. The application defines shortcuts once using abstract input sequences, and the input method framework automatically translates these to device-specific actions, eliminating the need for separate shortcut implementations for each device type.
Solution Approach 2:
The input method framework serves as an intermediary layer between the application's abstract shortcut definitions and the specific input devices. It provides translation rules that map generic shortcut sequences to device-specific input actions, allowing the application to remain device-agnostic while still supporting multiple input methods.
2Ease of operation
If multiple device-type-specific shortcuts are implemented, then each input device can initiate the same application feature, but the application developer must decide whether to implement shortcut support for each device type
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal shortcut mechanism that works across multiple input device types (keyboard, mouse, voice, touch) through a single unified system. The application defines shortcuts once using abstract input sequences, and the input method framework automatically translates these to device-specific actions, eliminating the need for separate shortcut implementations for each device type.
Solution Approach 2:
The input method framework provides self-service by automatically generating device-specific shortcut implementations based on the application's abstract definitions. The framework's translation rules automatically adapt the shortcuts to each input device type without requiring manual intervention or decision-making from the application developer.
3Adaptability or versatility
If generic shortcut sequences are used across multiple devices, then the usability benefits of shortcuts are enabled without separate implementations, but the system requires an event translator to map device inputs to generic inputs
Solution Approach 1:
The input method framework serves as an intermediary layer between the application's abstract shortcut definitions and the specific input devices. It provides translation rules that map generic shortcut sequences to device-specific input actions, allowing the application to remain device-agnostic while still supporting multiple input methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the representation parameters of input sequences from device-specific concrete forms to generic abstract forms. The event translator converts device-specific input events into a standardized generic input sequence format, which then can be matched against defined shortcuts without requiring device-specific handling in the application.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are methods, computer programs and apparatus supporting use of generic shortcuts. Generic shortcut sequences are sequences of generic inputs that are defined to an application program to initiate specific operations of the application, and which translate to a respective input sequence receivable from each of a plurality of different types of input device. An application program written to support generic shortcut sequences will initiate specific application operations when received device-specific inputs translate into a sequence of generic inputs and the sequence includes a generic shortcut sequence. An event translator applies mappings between receivable device-type-specific inputs and respective generic inputs, to allow received input sequences to be translated into sequences of generic inputs. The resulting sequences of generic inputs are compared with defined generic shortcut sequences. If a match is identified between the sequence of generic inputs (generated by translating received device-specific inputs) and a defined generic shortcut sequence, the generic shortcut sequence initiates its respective application operation.