Soft Keyboard Size Adjustment via Single-Finger Drag Signals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing touch devices require two fingers to expand or shrink soft keyboards, and the keyboards are typically displayed as a whole, limiting user convenience and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that allow a single touch point on a touch screen to control the size and layout of a soft keyboard, using drag signals to adjust size, swipe signals to determine boundaries, and click signals to shrink or divide the keyboard, enabling one-finger operation and customizable display.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If two fingers are used to expand or shrink the soft keyboard, then the keyboard size can be adjusted, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to requiring multiple fingers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidkeyboard size adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The soft keyboard is divided into multiple individual key regions, each detectable as a separate touch point. This segmentation allows the system to interpret different touch patterns (single finger vs. multiple fingers) to achieve various keyboard size adjustments, resolving the contradiction by enabling versatile control through segmented touch detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The processor acts as an intermediary that translates touch patterns into keyboard size adjustments. It detects whether one or multiple touch points are applied and automatically determines the appropriate keyboard expansion or shrinkage, eliminating the need for users to manually coordinate multiple fingers while maintaining size adjustment capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the soft keyboard is displayed as a whole, then the layout is simple, but the adaptability deteriorates due to inability to customize display

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekeyboard display customizationVSAvoidkeyboard layout complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The soft keyboard layout is made dynamic and adjustable based on touch input patterns. Users can swipe to expand the keyboard to full size or divide it into separate key regions, allowing the keyboard to adapt to different usage scenarios while maintaining operational simplicity through gesture-based control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The keyboard display parameters (size, layout configuration) are changed based on detected touch patterns. Single touch points trigger specific layout configurations, while multiple touch points trigger different configurations, enabling customizable display without requiring complex manual adjustment mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9552156B2Method for operating soft keyboard of touching device and the same touching device

Publication Date: 2017.01.24 HTC CORP

AI summary

A method for operating a soft keyboard of a touch device is disclosed, the touch device including a touch screen and a processor, the touch screen being coupled to the processor, and the method including: the processor determining a touch signal generated from a single touch point applied onto a trigger region for the soft keyboard; the processor determining a drag signal generated through move of the single touch point from inside of the trigger region to outside of the trigger region; the processor determining a starting point and an end point of the drag signal, to generate a soft keyboard display signal; and displaying the soft keyboard on the touch screen according to the soft keyboard display signal.