Patent · US Expired

Soft input panel system and method

US7411582B2 · kind B2 · utility

19Cited by
26References
31Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 15, 2004
Grant dateAug 12, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 15, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S345/905
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system for receiving user input data into a computer system having a graphical windowing environment. A touch-sensitive display screen for displaying images and detecting user activity is provided. A management component connects to the graphical windowing environment to create an input panel window for display on the screen. An input method which may be a COM object is selected from multiple input methods available, and installed such that the input method can call functions of the management component. Each input method includes a corresponding input panel, such as a keyboard, which it draws in the input panel window. When the user taps the screen at the input panel, the input method calls a function of the management component to pass corresponding input information appropriate information such as a keystroke or character to the management component. In response, the management component communicates the user data to the graphical windowing environment as a message, whereby an application program receives the message as if the message was generated on a hardware input device.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.