Multidirectional Swipe Key for Virtual Keyboard Cursor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current touch sensitive computing devices, such as tablets and smartphones, face limitations in cursor movement and directional input methods, which often require tapping or using unidirectional buttons, making them inefficient, especially on small screens.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a multidirectional swipe key on virtual keyboards that translates swipe gestures into cursor movement or directional input, allowing for continuous movement and acceleration based on gesture characteristics, and optionally providing a directional pad for enhanced input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional tapping or unidirectional buttons are used for cursor movement, then the device structure remains simple, but the input efficiency and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual keyboard key is designed to serve multiple functions: it can be tapped for character input and swiped for directional cursor movement. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate directional buttons, improving input efficiency without significantly increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The key's functionality changes dynamically based on the interaction mode: tapping mode for character input and swiping mode for directional movement. This dynamic behavior allows a single key to perform multiple operations, enhancing ease of operation while maintaining relatively simple device structure
2Adaptability or versatility
If unidirectional buttons are used for cursor movement, then the keyboard layout remains simple, but the adaptability for various input directions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A single keyboard key is designed to handle multiple directional movements (up, down, left, right) through swipe gestures, replacing the need for separate unidirectional buttons. This provides versatile directional input capability while keeping the keyboard layout relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from unidirectional button presses to bidirectional swiping motions on a single key. By allowing swipes in multiple directions from the same key location, the system achieves versatile directional input without adding separate buttons for each direction
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for providing a multidirectional swipe key for a virtual keyboard of a touch sensitive computing device. The multidirectional swipe key can be used to translate one or more swipe gestures started from the key into cursor movement (or directional input). The characteristics of the multidirectional swipe key gestures, such as the swipe direction and/or swipe length, may affect the resulting cursor movement (or directional input). The multidirectional swipe key may be configured such that held swipe gestures cause continual cursor movement (or directional input). The multidirectional swipe key may also be configured such that dragging the gesture to make a longer swipe accelerates cursor movement (or directional input) and vice versa.