Method and apparatus for implementing a graphical user interface keyboard and a text buffer on electronic devices

A method for implementing a graphical user interface (GUI) keyboard and a text buffer on an electronic device comprising:

• providing a plurality of keys on the GUI keyboard, wherein each key corresponds to a character;
• receiving a first pair of Cartesian coordinates that is representative of a current location of a pointer upon pointer-down;
• enhancing a first key on the GUI keyboard that corresponds to the first pair of Cartesian coordinates;
• inserting a first character in the text buffer that corresponds to the first key to identify an active character;
• subsequently receiving a second pair of Cartesian coordinates that is representative of the current location of the pointer prior to pointer-up;
• enhancing a second key instead of the first key that corresponds to the second pair of Cartesian coordinates;
• replacing the active character with a second character that corresponds to the second key, thus making the second character the active character;
• and
• accepting a character that is active upon pointer-up as a text character, wherein the first character that was active upon pointer-down is different from the character that is active upon pointer-up;
• the enhancing step comprising enlarging a key that is enhanced and further comprising enlarging a predetermined number of keys surrounding the key that is enhanced, wherein the predetermined number of keys is five.

A method for implementing a graphical user interface (GUI) keyboard and a text buffer on an electronic device comprising:

• providing a plurality of keys on the GUI keyboard, wherein each key corresponds to a character;
• receiving a first pair of Cartesian coordinates that is representative of a current location of a pointer upon pointer-down;
• enhancing a first key on the GUI keyboard that corresponds to the first pair of Cartesian coordinates;
• inserting a first character in the text buffer that corresponds to the first key to identify an active character;
• subsequently receiving a second pair of Cartesian coordinates that is representative of the current location of the pointer prior to pointer-up;
• enhancing a second key instead of the first key that corresponds to the second pair of Cartesian coordinates;
• replacing the active character with a second character that corresponds to the second key, thus making the second character the active character;
• and
• accepting a character that is active upon pointer-up as a text character, wherein the first character that was active upon pointer-down is different from the character that is active upon pointer-up;
• the enhancing step comprising enlarging a key that is enhanced and further comprising enlarging a predetermined number of keys surrounding the key that is enhanced, wherein the predetermined number of keys is three.

A method for implementing a graphical user interface (GUI) keyboard and a text buffer on an electronic device, comprising:

• providing a plurality of keys on the GUI keyboard, wherein each key corresponds to a character;
• enlarging a key on the GUI keyboard that represents the current location of the pointer and wherein the character that is active corresponds to the key that is enlarged;
• enlarging a predetermined number of keys around the key that represents the current location of the pointer, wherein the predetermined number of keys is eight;
• receiving a key selection from a pointer upon pointer-down that corresponds to a location of the pointer;
• inserting a character in the text buffer that corresponds to the key selection to identify an active character;
• as the pointer changes its location by moving across the plurality of keys, replacing the active character with a subsequent character that corresponds to the location of the pointer;
• inserting a character in the text buffer that corresponds to the key selection to identify an active character.

An apparatus for implementing a graphical user interface (GUI) keyboard and a text buffer on an electronic device, wherein the GUI keyboard has a plurality of keys, comprising:

• a display unit;
• a touch sensitive surface overlaid on top of the display unit;
• an input interface, coupled to the touch sensitive surface, for translating pressure on the touch sensitive surface into Cartesian coordinates;
• a processing unit, coupled to the input interface, programmed to highlight a key that represents a current location of a pointer, select and insert a character into an active position within a text buffer that corresponds to the key highlighted to identify an active character, replace the active character, as the pointer moves across the GUI keyboard, with a subsequent character that corresponds to the current location of the pointer prior to pointer-up, thus making the subsequent character the active character, and accept a character that is active upon pointer-up as a text character, wherein the character active upon pointer-down is different from the character active upon pointer-up;
• a keyboard graphic module coupled to the processing unit;
• and
• a display driver coupled to the processing unit and to the display unit.