Virtual Input Tool Display on External Screen
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face inconvenience in carrying separate portable input tools like wireless keyboards and mice for interacting with portable terminals such as smartphones and tablets, as these devices are not easily integrated for intuitive input.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device and method that enables a portable terminal to function as a virtual input tool, displaying a virtual touch pad and keyboard on an external display, allowing users to interact with applications without needing physical input devices by recognizing specific inputs and adjusting the representation of these virtual tools to prevent input errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users carry separate portable input tools like wireless keyboards and mice, then input functionality is available, but portability and convenience deteriorate due to carrying multiple devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the portable terminal with virtual input tool functionality by displaying a virtual keyboard and touch pad interface on the terminal's own display. This combines the input device and display device into a single integrated unit, eliminating the need to carry separate wireless keyboards and mice while maintaining full input functionality for applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of physical input tools by rendering a virtual keyboard and touch pad interface on the display. This virtual representation replicates the functionality of physical input devices without requiring the actual hardware, allowing users to interact with applications using the terminal's display and touch capabilities.
2Device complexity
If a virtual input tool is displayed on the portable terminal, then portability is improved, but input precision may deteriorate due to the small display size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the limited display area by utilizing the third dimension (depth/layers) through virtual overlay. The virtual keyboard and touch pad interface are displayed as translucent or layered elements over the application interface, allowing multiple functional layers to coexist on a single physical display surface, thereby maintaining input precision despite the small form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality enhancement by providing magnified or enhanced visual feedback specifically at the virtual input tool locations on the display. This localized visual enhancement ensures that users can accurately interact with the virtual keyboard and touch pad without requiring the entire display to be optimized for input precision.
3Ease of operation
If virtual input tools are displayed on the external device, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional display requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic display management where the virtual keyboard and touch pad interface automatically appear, disappear, or change properties based on user actions and system state. This dynamic behavior allows the system to adapt the complexity of the display based on operational context, providing full input tool functionality when needed while simplifying the display when not required.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A
Figure 3B
AI summary
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a communication circuitry, at least one memory storing instructions, a display, and at least one processor. The at least one processor, when executing the instructions, is configured to display, using the communication circuitry, a first user interface of an application being executed in the electronic device on a display of an external device, while displaying the first user interface on the display of the external device, receive a specified input, and in response to receiving the specified input, display, on the display of the electronic device, a virtual touch pad in a first area and a virtual keyboard in a second area distinct from the first area.