Gesture-based repetition of key activations on a virtual keyboard

Abstract

Systems and methods for gesture repetition that is easy to repeat quickly. A user is able to quickly repeat any activation of a key, including any of the alternate, overloaded functions that are associated with the key. In addition, by appropriately defining the gesture, a large number of these repetitions can be quickly generated. These repeated activations can be generated much faster than a key can be repeatedly tapped with sufficient accuracy, and far faster than an alternative function can be repeatedly generated when each repetition would require again waiting past an initial time threshold. Furthermore, the number of repetitions can be easily and precisely controlled by the user. As the desired number of repetitions is approached, the user simply begins to repeat the gesture at a slower pace until precisely the desired number of repetitions is achieved.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for repeating key input performed by an electronic device having a virtual keyboard, the method comprising:
 receiving a user contact action directed to the virtual keyboard;   identifying a key activated by the user contact action;   recognizing a defined initial gesture in the user contact action,
 wherein the initial key activation does not require the defined initial gesture; 
   recognizing each occurrence of a defined repetition gesture in the user contact action after the defined initial gesture,
 wherein the defined repetition gesture alone could be ambiguous with another gesture or input path, and 
 wherein after the defined initial gesture the defined repetition gesture is distinct from other gestures or input paths; and 
   generating a repetition of the key activation for each occurrence of the defined repetition gesture.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the key activated by the user contact action includes identifying a key or a sequence of keys associated with one or more characters or functions. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the defined initial gesture comprises movement to a region that is not adjacent to the key activated by the user contact action. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the defined initial gesture comprises movement off of the virtual keyboard. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the defined initial gesture comprises a pause continuing the user contact action for a time period exceeding a threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the defined initial gesture comprises a change in velocity of the user contact action. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the defined initial gesture does not generate a repetition of the key activation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein recognizing each occurrence of the defined repetition gesture in the user contact action further includes recognizing an occurrence of a defined alternate repetition gesture; and   wherein the alternate repetition gesture is associated with more than one repetition of the key activation,
 such that generating a repetition of the key activation for each occurrence of the defined repetition gesture includes generating more than one repetition of the key activation for each occurrence of the defined alternate repetition gesture. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the alternate repetition gesture is associated with ten repetitions of the key activation,
   such that generating more than one repetition of the key activation for each occurrence of the defined alternate repetition gesture comprises generating ten repetitions of the key activation for each occurrence of the defined alternate repetition gesture.     
     
     
         10 . An electronic device having a virtual keyboard including keys, the device comprising:
 a component that receives a user contact action directed to the virtual keyboard;   a component that identifies a key activated by the user contact action;   a component that recognizes a defined initial gesture in the user contact action,
 wherein the initial key activation does not require the defined initial gesture; 
   a component that recognizes each occurrence of a defined repetition gesture in the user contact action after the defined initial gesture,
 wherein the defined repetition gesture alone could be ambiguous with another gesture or input path, and 
 wherein after the defined initial gesture the defined repetition gesture is distinct from other gestures or input paths; and 
   a component that generates a repetition of the key activation for each occurrence of the defined repetition gesture.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the defined initial gesture comprises movement to a region that is not adjacent to the key activated by the user contact action, or a pause continuing the user contact action for a time period exceeding a threshold, or a change in velocity of the user contact action. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 :
 wherein the component that recognizes each occurrence of the defined repetition gesture in the user contact action further recognizes an occurrence of a defined alternate repetition gesture; and   wherein the alternate repetition gesture is associated with more than one repetition of the key activation,
 such that the component that generates a repetition of the key activation for each occurrence of the defined repetition gesture generates more than one repetition of the key activation for each occurrence of the defined alternate repetition gesture. 
   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the user contact action comprises use of a joystick or an eye-gaze control system, or a movement in three-dimensional space. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the electronic device displays the virtual keyboard on a touchscreen, and wherein the user contact action comprises a user touching the touchscreen with a finger or stylus and sliding the finger or stylus on the touchscreen. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable memory carrying computer-executable instructions for causing one or more processors to repeat a virtual keyboard key activation, the computer-executable instructions comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor:
 receive a user contact action directed to the virtual keyboard;   identify a key activated by the user contact action;   recognize a defined initial gesture in the user contact action,
 wherein the initial key activation does not require the defined initial gesture; 
   recognize each occurrence of a defined repetition gesture in the user contact action after the defined initial gesture,
 wherein the defined repetition gesture alone could be ambiguous with another gesture or input path, and 
 wherein after the defined initial gesture the defined repetition gesture is distinct from other gestures or input paths; and 
   generate a repetition of the key activation for each occurrence of the defined repetition gesture.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable memory of  claim 15 , wherein the defined initial gesture comprises movement to a region that is not adjacent to the key activated by the user contact action, or a pause continuing the user contact action for a time period exceeding a threshold, or a change in the velocity of the user contact action. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable memory of  claim 15 :
 wherein the instructions that recognize each occurrence of the defined repetition gesture in the user contact action further recognize an occurrence of a defined alternate repetition gesture; and   wherein the alternate repetition gesture is associated with more than one repetition of the key activation,
 such that the instructions that generate a repetition of the key activation for each occurrence of the defined repetition gesture generate more than one repetition of the key activation for each occurrence of the defined alternate repetition gesture. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable memory of  claim 15 :
 wherein the key is overloaded with one or more alternative functions or characters, such that an alternative user contact action regarding the overloaded key activates an alternative character or function in the key;   wherein the instructions that identify the key activated by the user contact action include instructions that:
 determine whether the user contact action is one of the alternative user contact actions regarding the overloaded key; and 
 when the user contact action is determined to be one of the alternative user contact actions, activate the alternative character or function in the key; and 
   wherein the instructions that recognize the defined initial gesture in the user contact action recognize the defined initial gesture following the determined user contact action,
 such that the instructions that generate a repetition of the key activation for each occurrence of the defined repetition gesture generate a repetition of the activated character or function in the overloaded key. 
   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable memory of  claim 18 :
 wherein the alternative user contact actions regarding the overloaded key include one or more gestures comprising movement in one or more particular directions following initial activation of the key,
 such that the instructions that activate the alternative character or function in the key recognize movement in a particular direction; and 
   wherein the instructions that recognize the defined initial gesture in the user contact action recognize the defined initial gesture following the recognized movement in a particular direction.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable memory of  claim 18 :
 wherein the alternative user contact actions regarding the overloaded key include a time threshold for the user maintaining activation of the key,
 such that the instructions that activate the alternative character or function in the key determine whether the time that the user maintains activation of the key exceeds the time threshold; and 
   wherein the instructions that recognize the defined initial gesture in the user contact action recognize the defined initial gesture following the time that the user maintains activation of the key.