System and method for controlling the operating states of an application
OwnerDaniel David Karmazyninventor
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Abstract
System and methods are provided that permit the operating state of a software application to be controlled with a single button on a keyboard. Data may be stored that associate the application's operating states with predetermined successor states. In response to operation of the key, the current operating state of the application is identified, a corresponding successor state is identified, and the application is placed in the successor states. This arrangement reduces reliance on a mouse to select menu commands or the need to memorize keyboard equivalents and reduces the complexity of keyboards.
Claims15
A method of controlling a current operating state of an application, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving an input event associated with the application;
- determining the current operating state of the application associated with the received input event;
- determining a successor state of the application based on the determined operating state;
- and
- changing the current operating state of the application to the determined successor state.
A computer program product for controlling a current operating state of an application, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium embodying program code means for implementing a method comprising the steps of:
- receiving an input event associated with the application;
- determining the current operating state of the application associated with the received input event;
- determining a successor state of the application based on the determined operating state;
- and
- changing the current operating state of the application to the determined successor state.
A keyboard for communicating with a computing device, the keyboard comprising a button adapted to send an input event to the computing device for changing a current operating state of an application to a successor state of the application, the current operating state of the application and the successor state of the application selected from a plurality of possible operating states.
A system for controlling a current operating state of an application, the system comprising:
- a computing device comprising:
- a memory for storing instructions;
- a processor for executing the stored instructions, the executed instructions implementing:
- an input component for receiving an input event associated with the application;
- a current operating state determination component for determining the current operating state of the application associated with the received input event;
- a successor state determination component for determining a successor state of the application based on the determined operating state;
- and
- an operating state changing component for changing the current operating state of the application to the determined successor state;
- and
- a keyboard device coupled to the computing device, the keyboard device comprising:
- a button adapted to send the input event associated with the application to the input component of the computing device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.