Virtual Keyboard Key Sizing for One-Hand Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small-sized touch screens with virtual keyboards face issues of key misoperation due to small key areas, exacerbated by the thumb's larger press area and shared display space, leading to increased operational errors and reduced input speed.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for building a virtual keyboard that detects the touch area of finger operation, determines the optimal number of keys based on the touch area and key region size, and arranges keys according to a preset strategy to adapt the key size to the finger touch area, reducing misoperation probability during one-hand operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If all keys (number and letter keys) are displayed in the virtual keyboard on a small-sized touch screen, then the completeness of the keyboard is improved, but the area of each key becomes too small, leading to frequent misoperation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the virtual keyboard into multiple pages, with each page containing a subset of keys. Users can switch between pages to access different key sets. This segmentation allows the keyboard to be complete across all pages while keeping each individual key large enough to avoid misoperation on small screens.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension (page switching) to organize keyboard keys. Instead of cramming all keys into a single crowded layout, keys are distributed across multiple pages, adding a navigation dimension that resolves the conflict between completeness and key size.
2Loss of information
If the display area is allocated for showing user operation information, then the information display capability is improved, but the key region area is compressed, making misoperation more likely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of the key region area based on the detected finger touch area. When a user's finger is detected, the system dynamically resizes the key region to ensure each key is at least as large as the finger touch area, preventing misoperation while still allowing information display in remaining screen space.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of key region area dynamically based on finger touch area detection. This parameter adjustment ensures that keys remain large enough for accurate touch input while allowing the display area to utilize remaining screen real estate for operation information.
3Ease of operation
If the virtual keyboard is designed for one-hand operation with thumb input, then the ease of operation is improved, but the probability of misoperation increases due to the thumb's larger press area
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the key region size based on real-time detection of finger touch area. When thumb input is detected (larger touch area), the key region expands accordingly to prevent misoperation. This dynamic adaptation maintains ease of one-hand operation while eliminating the reliability issue caused by fixed key sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual keyboard automatically detects the user's finger touch area and self-adjusts the key region size accordingly. This self-service mechanism ensures that the keyboard adapts to the user's actual input method without requiring manual configuration, maintaining both ease of operation and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses a method and a device for building a virtual keyboard. The method includes the steps: detecting a touch area of finger operation; determining the number of keys to be arranged in a key region of the virtual keyboard according to the detected touch area of finger operation and an area of the key region of the virtual keyboard; and arranging the determined number of keys in the key region of the virtual keyboard according to a preset strategy. The number of keys arranged in a key region of the virtual keyboard is determined in the present disclosure according to the touch area of user's finger operation and the area of the key region of the virtual keyboard so that the area of each key in the virtual keyboard is adaptable to the touch area of fingers.