Virtual Interface Devices

A method of providing a virtual keyboard on a display view of touch sensitive device with a set of auxiliary keys, the method comprising

• providing a window for displaying the auxiliary keys in conjunction with the virtual keyboard,
• displaying a subset of the set of auxiliary keys within the window as a keyboard accessory comprising a strip, said window displaying a partial view of said strip;
• scrolling said strip within said window in response to user touch on said display to alter said partial view and to alter said subset of displayed said keys;
• receiving user input from a touched displayed one of said auxiliary keys.

A data carrier carrying processor control code for a touch screen device to implement an auxiliary virtual keyboard on a touch screen of said device, wherein said device has an operating system configured to provide touch and gesture sensing and image display functions, the device including:

• a processor coupled to a touch sensitive display screen and to non-volatile memory storing processor control code and data defining an image of a set of auxiliary keys and an auxiliary key layout map of said auxiliary keys;
• and
• wherein said processor control code comprises code configured to:
• receive a signal from said operating system that an auxiliary virtual keyboard is to be displayed on said touch screen;
• determine a size of an auxiliary keyboard window in which said auxiliary keyboard is to be displayed as a strip of auxiliary keys;
• instruct said operating system to display a partial view of said auxiliary virtual keyboard within said window so that a subset of said auxiliary keys are displayed to a user, whereby said auxiliary virtual keyboard is scrollable in response to user input to alter the partial view of said auxiliary virtual keyboard to display a different subset of said auxiliary keys;
• receive touch data from said operating system;
• map said touch data to a key of said auxiliary keyboard using said auxiliary key layout map to identify a touched auxiliary key;
• and
• provide a response to said operating system dependent on said identified touched auxiliary key.