Free form user-designed single-handed touchscreen keyboard

Abstract

A user thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard design interface is provided by a processor on a touchscreen display of a handheld device that allows a user to create a user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard. User thumb gestures that specify two-dimensional (2D) range of motion limits of a thumb of the user are detected. A 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard is ergonomically tailored to the user's specific hand characteristics using the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user as part of the user's personal keyboard design process. The user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard is implemented as a touchscreen display user input interface that controls inputs to the processor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 by a processor of a handheld device:
 detecting, as entered by a user on a touchscreen display of the handheld device within a user thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard design interface, user thumb gestures that specify two-dimensional (2D) range of motion limits of a thumb of the user; 
 ergonomically tailoring, using the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user as part of the user's personal keyboard design process, a 2D keyboard boundary of a user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard to the user's specific hand characteristics, where use of the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user prevents the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user from inhibiting use of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard by the user; 
 implementing, responsive to additional user inputs within the 2D keyboard boundary that specify input key locations within the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user, a touchscreen display user input interface to the processor that comprises a set of touchscreen input keys associated with respective touchscreen input key processor function assignments; and 
 controlling input to the processor via the touchscreen input key processor function assignments responsive to user selections of the touchscreen input keys on the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where:
 detecting the user thumb gestures that specify the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user comprises:
 detecting, as drawn by the thumb of the user on the touchscreen display, locations of multiple line sections that identify an extent of the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user on the touchscreen display in directions represented by the multiple line sections; and 
   ergonomically tailoring the 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard to the user's specific hand characteristics comprises:
 interpolating the multiple line sections to form the 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 downloading a user-modifiable thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard template that, when displayed, comprises a perimeter outline with a shape of a quarter-circle;   displaying the perimeter outline of the downloaded user-modifiable thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard template on the touchscreen display; and   where detecting the user thumb gestures that specify the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user comprises:
 detecting a plurality of user thumb-push operations on the touchscreen display that cross a boundary along the displayed perimeter outline of the user-modifiable thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard template and that adjust the user-modifiable thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard template to the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a plurality of keyboard category specification options to the user comprising a word category option, a sentence/phrase category option, a letter and attribute category option, and a keyboard control category option; and   detecting user selections of:
 a plurality of category options from the plurality of keyboard category specification options; 
 a quantity of keys per selected category option; 
 keyboard category boundaries within the 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard of each selected category option; 
 input key shapes of each of the set of touchscreen input keys; and 
 the touchscreen input key processor function assignments that specify processor inputs provided by each of the set of touchscreen input keys. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting, via the user thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard design interface in response to additional user thumb gestures on the touchscreen display of the handheld device, assignment of a user-specified image to a touchscreen input key of the set of touchscreen input keys, where the touchscreen input key when selected comprises a plurality of selectable multi-word text message phrases as the touchscreen input key processor function assignments; and   assigning the user-specified image as a rendered image of the touchscreen input key; and   where controlling the input to the processor via the touchscreen input key processor function assignments responsive to the user selections of the touchscreen input keys on the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard comprises:
 displaying, responsive to detecting a selection of a user contact with the touchscreen input key with the rendered image, a pop-up dialog box that comprises the plurality of selectable multi-word text message phrases rendered for selection; and 
 detecting termination of the user contact over one of the rendered plurality of selectable multi-word text message phrases, where the detected termination selects the one of the rendered plurality of selectable multi-word text message phrases as input to the processor. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , where implementing the touchscreen display user input interface to the processor comprises:
 integrating the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard as a selectable touchscreen keyboard of the processor with a keyboard toggle operation that toggles between the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard and a processor-implemented default touchscreen keyboard.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , where detecting the user thumb gestures that specify the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user comprises:
 detecting the thumb of the user contacting a surface of the touchscreen display at an origin and then drawing at least two user thumb drawn edges and one user thumb drawn arc, with a resulting interpolation of the at least two user thumb drawn edges and one user thumb drawn arc that forms the 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard that is ergonomically tailored to the user's specific hand characteristics.   
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a touchscreen display of a handheld device; and   a processor programmed to:
 detect, as entered by a user on the touchscreen display of the handheld device within a user thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard design interface, user thumb gestures that specify two-dimensional (2D) range of motion limits of a thumb of the user; 
 ergonomically tailor, using the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user as part of the user's personal keyboard design process, a 2D keyboard boundary of a user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard to the user's specific hand characteristics, where use of the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user prevents the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user from inhibiting use of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard by the user; 
 implement, responsive to additional user inputs within the 2D keyboard boundary that specify input key locations within the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user, a touchscreen display user input interface to the processor that comprises a set of touchscreen input keys associated with respective touchscreen input key processor function assignments; and 
 control input to the processor via the touchscreen input key processor function assignments responsive to user selections of the touchscreen input keys on the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , where:
 in being programmed to:
 detect the user thumb gestures that specify the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user, the processor is programmed to one of:
 detect, as drawn by the thumb of the user on the touchscreen display, locations of multiple line sections that identify an extent of the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user on the touchscreen display in directions represented by the multiple line sections; or 
 detect the thumb of the user contacting a surface of the touchscreen display at an origin and then drawing at least two user thumb drawn edges and one user thumb drawn arc, with a resulting interpolation of the at least two user thumb drawn edges and one user thumb drawn arc that forms the 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard that is ergonomically tailored to the user's specific hand characteristics; and 
 
   in being programmed to ergonomically tailor the 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard to the user's specific hand characteristics, the processor is programmed to:
 interpolate the multiple line sections to form the 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , where the processor is further programmed to:
 download a user-modifiable thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard template that, when displayed, comprises a perimeter outline with a shape of a quarter-circle;   display the perimeter outline of the downloaded user-modifiable thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard template on the touchscreen display; and   where, in being programmed to detect the user thumb gestures that specify the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user, the processor is programmed to:
 detect a plurality of user thumb-push operations on the touchscreen display that cross a boundary along the displayed perimeter outline of the user-modifiable thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard template and that adjust the user-modifiable thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard template to the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , where the processor is further programmed to:
 provide a plurality of keyboard category specification options to the user comprising a word category option, a sentence/phrase category option, a letter and attribute category option, and a keyboard control category option; and   detect user selections of:
 a plurality of category options from the plurality of keyboard category specification options; 
 a quantity of keys per selected category option; 
 keyboard category boundaries within the 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard of each selected category option; 
 input key shapes of each of the set of touchscreen input keys; and 
 the touchscreen input key processor function assignments that specify processor inputs provided by each of the set of touchscreen input keys. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , where the processor is further programmed to:
 detect, via the user thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard design interface in response to additional user thumb gestures on the touchscreen display of the handheld device, assignment of a user-specified image to a touchscreen input key of the set of touchscreen input keys, where the touchscreen input key when selected comprises a plurality of selectable multi-word text message phrases as the touchscreen input key processor function assignments; and   assign the user-specified image as a rendered image of the touchscreen input key; and   where, in being programmed to control the input to the processor via the touchscreen input key processor function assignments responsive to the user selections of the touchscreen input keys on the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard, the processor is programmed to:
 display, responsive to detecting a selection of a user contact with the touchscreen input key with the rendered image, a pop-up dialog box that comprises the plurality of selectable multi-word text message phrases rendered for selection; and 
 detect termination of the user contact over one of the rendered plurality of selectable multi-word text message phrases, where the detected termination selects the one of the rendered plurality of selectable multi-word text message phrases as input to the processor. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , where, in being programmed to implement the touchscreen display user input interface to the processor, the processor is programmed to:
 integrate the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard as a selectable touchscreen keyboard of the processor with a keyboard toggle operation that toggles between the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard and a processor-implemented default touchscreen keyboard.   
     
     
         14 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, where the computer readable program code when executed on a computer causes the computer to:
 detect, as entered by a user on a touchscreen display of the handheld device within a user thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard design interface, user thumb gestures that specify two-dimensional (2D) range of motion limits of a thumb of the user; 
 ergonomically tailor, using the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user as part of the user's personal keyboard design process, a 2D keyboard boundary of a user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard to the user's specific hand characteristics, where use of the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user prevents the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user from inhibiting use of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard by the user; 
 implement, responsive to additional user inputs within the 2D keyboard boundary that specify input key locations within the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user, a touchscreen display user input interface to the processor that comprises a set of touchscreen input keys associated with respective touchscreen input key processor function assignments; and 
 control input to the processor via the touchscreen input key processor function assignments responsive to user selections of the touchscreen input keys on the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard. 
   
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , where, in causing the computer to:
 detect the user thumb gestures that specify the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to:
 detect, as drawn by the thumb of the user on the touchscreen display, locations of multiple line sections that identify an extent of the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user on the touchscreen display in directions represented by the multiple line sections; and 
   ergonomically tailor the 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard to the user's specific hand characteristics, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to:
 interpolate the multiple line sections to form the 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard. 
   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , where the computer readable program code when executed on the computer further causes the computer to:
 download a user-modifiable thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard template that, when displayed, comprises a perimeter outline with a shape of a quarter-circle;   display the perimeter outline of the downloaded user-modifiable thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard template on the touchscreen display; and   where, in causing the computer to detect the user thumb gestures that specify the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to:
 detect a plurality of user thumb-push operations on the touchscreen display that cross a boundary along the displayed perimeter outline of the user-modifiable thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard template and that adjust the user-modifiable thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard template to the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user. 
   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , where the computer readable program code when executed on the computer further causes the computer to:
 provide a plurality of keyboard category specification options to the user comprising a word category option, a sentence/phrase category option, a letter and attribute category option, and a keyboard control category option; and   detect user selections of:
 a plurality of category options from the plurality of keyboard category specification options; 
 a quantity of keys per selected category option; 
 keyboard category boundaries within the 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard of each selected category option; 
 input key shapes of each of the set of touchscreen input keys; and 
 the touchscreen input key processor function assignments that specify processor inputs provided by each of the set of touchscreen input keys. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , where the computer readable program code when executed on the computer further causes the computer to:
 detect, via the user thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard design interface in response to additional user thumb gestures on the touchscreen display of the handheld device, assignment of a user-specified image to a touchscreen input key of the set of touchscreen input keys, where the touchscreen input key when selected comprises a plurality of selectable multi-word text message phrases as the touchscreen input key processor function assignments; and   assign the user-specified image as a rendered image of the touchscreen input key; and   where, in causing the computer to control the input to the processor via the touchscreen input key processor function assignments responsive to the user selections of the touchscreen input keys on the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to:
 display, responsive to detecting a selection of a user contact with the touchscreen input key with the rendered image, a pop-up dialog box that comprises the plurality of selectable multi-word text message phrases rendered for selection; and 
 detect termination of the user contact over one of the rendered plurality of selectable multi-word text message phrases, where the detected termination selects the one of the rendered plurality of selectable multi-word text message phrases as input to the processor. 
   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , where, in causing the computer to implement the touchscreen display user input interface to the processor, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to:
 integrate the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard as a selectable touchscreen keyboard of the processor with a keyboard toggle operation that toggles between the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard and a processor-implemented default touchscreen keyboard.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , where, in causing the computer to detect the user thumb gestures that specify the 2D range of motion limits of the thumb of the user, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to:
 detect the thumb of the user contacting a surface of the touchscreen display at an origin and then drawing at least two user thumb drawn edges and one user thumb drawn arc, with a resulting interpolation of the at least two user thumb drawn edges and one user thumb drawn arc that forms the 2D keyboard boundary of the user-designed thumb-operated touchscreen keyboard that is ergonomically tailored to the user's specific hand characteristics.