Patent Application
20100325572
In much of the developed world, computers have changed almost every facet of life. In these areas the norm is for each person to have his/her own computer and maybe even multiple computers. Many citizens of the developing world are eager to become computer literate to expand their horizons of opportunity. However, in many of these areas, the norm of one user per computer is simply unaffordable. To address these cost considerations, a one computer per multiple users paradigm has been explored. The cost and/or logistics of using multiple input devices with a single computer has prevented successful implementation. Instead, the one computer per multiple user paradigm has generally been relegated to a passive learning experience with limited user-input.
This document relates to multiple mouse character entry. More particularly, the document relates to multiple mouse character entry tools for use on a common or shared graphical user interface (GUI). In some implementations, the multiple mouse character entry tools (MMCE tools) can generate a GUI that includes multiple distinctively identified cursors. Individual cursors can be controlled by individual users via a corresponding mouse or other cursor-control mechanism. The MMCE tools can associate a set of characters with an individual cursor in a manner such that an individual user can use the mouse's scroll wheel to scroll to specific characters of the set. The user can select an individual character by clicking a button of the mouse.
In other implementations, MMCE tools can generate a GUI that includes multiple distinctively identified cursors. Individual cursors can be controllable by individual users via a corresponding mouse, or other cursor-control mechanism. The MMCE tools can present a common virtual keyboard on the GUI that is accessible to individual users. An individual user can position an individual cursor over a key and select an individual character from the key by clicking a mouse button. The MMCE tools can populate the selected individual character on a portion of the GUI that is associated with the individual user.
The term “MMCE tool(s)” may refer to device(s), system(s), computer-readable instructions (e.g., one or more computer-readable media having executable instructions), component(s), module(s), and/or methods, among others. In various instances, MMCE tools may be implemented as hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. The above listed examples of the summary are intended to provide a quick reference to aid the reader and are not intended to define the scope of the concepts described herein.
The accompanying drawings illustrate implementations of the concepts conveyed in the present application. Features of the illustrated implementations can be more readily understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Like reference numbers in the various drawings are used wherever feasible to indicate like elements. Further, the left-most numeral of each reference number conveys the figure and associated discussion where the reference number is first introduced.
This document relates to multiple mouse character entry (MMCE). More particularly, the document relates to MMCE tools for use on a common or shared graphical user interface (GUI). The shared GUI is generally generated by a single computer on a single display device (e.g., monitor) due to cost considerations. Multiple users can engage the computer via multiple individual input devices. However, in cost-conscious computing scenarios even the cost of multiple keyboards can be prohibitive. MMCE tools can enable reasonable character entry speeds with mice or other cursor-control mechanisms. MMCE tools can also reduce a footprint associated with character entry on the display. Accordingly, among other uses, MMCE tools can enable a better teaching and learning experience on a shared display. For instance, MMCE tools can allow short-answer activities in educational materials for shared-display multi-mouse systems.
Block 102 can generate a GUI that includes multiple distinctively identified cursors. Individual cursors can be controlled by individual users via a corresponding mouse. An example of such a GUI is introduced below relative to
Block 104 can associate a set of characters with an individual cursor effective that an individual user can use the mouse's scroll wheel to scroll to specific characters of the set. In one case, the set of characters can be the alphabet (in any language). In another case, the set of characters can be letters (i.e., alphabet), numbers and/or symbols. The fact that the set of characters can be presented ‘virtually’ on the GUI can make the present implementations readily adaptable for use with different languages. In contrast, standard keys and keyboards are generally manufactured in English and are problematic to map to other languages (i.e., Russian, Japanese, etc.).
The user can select an individual character by clicking a button of the mouse. As mentioned above, in this discussion, a character can be any symbol, letter and/or numeral, among others. An example of such a GUI is introduced below relative to
As indicated on mouse 204(1), individual mice can include a left input button 210(1), a scroll wheel 212(1) and a right input button 214(1). These components are designated on mice 204(2) and 204(3) with like suffixes (i.e., suffix “(2)” on mouse 204(2) and suffix “(3)” on mouse 204(3)).
In this example each of preview areas 216(1)-216(3) includes three characters. On GUI 200(1) the characters are “A”, “B” and “C”. As will be described below in greater detail, a user can select a character from an individual preview area or scroll so that different characters are displayed in the preview area. The user can then select a character from the preview area. For instance, assume that a user of cursor 202(1) wants to enter the word “CAT”. The user can click the mouse's right input button 214(1) to select character “C”. (If the user wanted to enter an “A” the user could have clicked left input button 210(1). If the user had wanted to enter a “B” then the user could have clicked scroll wheel 212(1)).
In GUI 700(1), cursor 702(1) includes a preview area 706(1) that can list one or more characters and a character entry space 708(1). In this case, preview area 706(1) includes the character “A”. At this point, cursors 702(2)-702(3) are not associated with preview areas, though a character entry space 708(2) is shown that corresponds to cursor 702(3) (as indicated by the same design shared by character entry space 708(2) and cursor 702(3)).
As indicated on mouse 704(1), in this implementation, individual mice can include left side button 710(1), a left top button 712(1), a scroll wheel 714(1), a right top button 716(1), and a right side button 718(1). These components are designated on mice 704(2) and 704(3) with like suffixes (i.e., suffix “(2)” on mouse 704(2) and suffix “(3)” on mouse 704(3)).
This implementation can include five characters on preview area 802: in this case “ABCDE”. The characters of preview area 802 are arranged in a generally horizontal fashion from left to right. The user can select an individual character of the preview area by clicking a corresponding mouse button. For instance, to select the left-most character (i.e., in this case “A”) the user can click the left side-button 710(3). To select the next character (i.e., in this case “B”) the user can click the left top button 712(3). To select the middle character (i.e., in this case “C”) the user can click the scroll wheel 714(3), etc.
Since the answer to question 902 is the word “PACIFIC” users of individual mice can scroll through their respective keys to find one that contains a “P”. For instance, the user of mouse 704(1) may scroll through a number of preview area views, such as 15 previews, to get to the preview with the character “P”. The user of mouse 704(2) can scroll through five previews to get to a preview with the character “P”. The user of mouse 704(3) can scroll through three keys to get to a preview with the character “P”.
Block 1202 can generate a graphical user-interface (GUI) that includes multiple distinctively identified cursors. Individual cursors can be controlled by individual users via a corresponding mouse. Block 1202 is similar to block 102 and as such is not described in more detail herein.
Block 1204 can present a common virtual keyboard (hereinafter, “keyboard”) on the GUI that is accessible to individual users. An individual user can position an individual cursor over a key of the keyboard and select an individual character from the key by clicking a correspondingly positioned mouse button. The virtual keyboard can consist of letters, numbers and/or symbols.
Block 1206 can populate the selected individual character on a portion of the GUI that is associated with the individual user. The portion of the GUI can be thought of as a character entry space. The character entry space can be a fixed position on the GUI or can be proximate to, and move with, a respective cursor.
GUI 1300(1) also includes a virtual keyboard 1312 and character entry spaces 1314(1)-1314(3) that correspond to individual cursors 1302(1)-1302(3). In this configuration, each cursor is distinctly identified via an associated animal design element which is also used to identify the associated character entry spaces 1314(1)-1314(3). In this implementation, virtual keyboard 1312 includes 13 keys designated as 1316(1)-1316(13). While
In some instances, especially in scenarios with relatively high numbers of users, a group of users trying to use a particular key can block or occlude some or all of that key from view and/or access. Such an occurrence is indicated generally at keyboard portion 1602.
Enlargement of a key can be based upon satisfaction of a predefined condition. For instance, the predefined condition can be that if “X” number of cursors are positioned over an individual key then enlarge the key. For instance, assume that X is defined as three. In an instance where three of more cursors are detected over key 1316(7) then that key can be enlarged. When cursors are moved by users such that the predefined condition is no longer met, then the key can be returned to its normal size.
The order in which the blocks are described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described blocks can be combined in any order to implement a method that can be accomplished by MMCE tool 1800, or an alternate method. Furthermore, the method can be implemented in any suitable hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof, such that a computing device can implement the method. In one case, the method is stored on a computer-readable storage media as a set of instructions such that execution by a computing device causes the computing device to perform the method.
Block 1802 can generate a graphical user-interface (GUI) that includes multiple cursors. An individual cursor can be associated with a distinctive design. Individual cursors are controllable by individual users via a corresponding mouse. Such an example is described below relative to
Block 1804 can present a collective character entry area that assigns individual character entry positions or spaces to individual users as indicated via the distinctive design. The user can complete character entry in the assigned character entry position. Upon completion, the user can be assigned a next available character entry position. For instance, the distinctive design associated with the user's cursor can be moved to the next character entry position. This process can be repeated so that the users can collectively fill in the collective character entry area.
In this example, collective character entry area 2002 includes 12 character entry spaces or positions 2008(1)-2008(12) (not all of which are designated with specificity). Character entry space 2008(1) is assigned to cursor 1902(1) as indicated by being associated with the cursor's triangle design element as indicated at 2010(1). Similarly, character entry space 2008(2) is assigned to cursor 1902(4) as indicated by the cursor's square design element as indicated at 2010(2). Similarly, cursor 1902(3) is assigned to character entry space 2008(3) as indicated by the diamond symbol at 2010(3). Finally, cursor 1902(2) is assigned to character entry space 2008(4) as indicated by the circle symbol at 2010(4). The user's can utilize their respective preview areas 2006(1)-2006(4) to select characters for entry in their assigned character entry spaces.
The first user to complete their respective character entry can be assigned the next unassigned character entry space. For instance, in the illustrated example, assume that the user of cursor 1902(4) is the first to complete his/her character entry.
In this case, assume that user of cursor 1902(1) is the next to complete his/her character entry of “S”. As shown in GUI 1900(4) of
An alternative character entry technique can be utilized with some of the above implementations. For instance, relative to
MMCE tools 2312 can include a multiple-user GUI module 2324, a multiple-mouse geometry tracker module 2326, and a multiple-mouse character input module 2328.
Multiple-user GUI module 2324 can generate a graphical user interface that can include multiple independently controllable cursors. The multiple user GUI module can also associate some type of area in which a character entry associated with an individual cursor can be displayed. Various examples are described above relative to
Multiple-user GUI module 2324 can be configured to generate some way to distinguish the individual cursors from one another. For instance, any combination of designs, colors, shapes, etc can be associated with individual cursors. Several examples are illustrated relative to
Multiple-mouse geometry tracker module 2326 tracks manipulation of individual mice 2308(1)-2308(4). The multiple-mouse geometry tracker module can reflect mouse manipulation in the form of ‘movement’, ‘scrolling’, and/or ‘clicking’. The multiple-mouse geometry tracker module can cause mouse manipulation to be reflected in the corresponding cursor.
Multiple-mouse character input module 2328 can correlate user character selections (recorded as mouse scrolling and/or clicking) with specific characters. The multiple-mouse character input module can cause the selected characters to be visualized by the multiple-user GUI module 2324 in the character entry area of the corresponding cursor.
In this case, computing device 2402(1) is manifest as a notebook computer and computing devices 2402(2) is manifest as server. In other cases, individual computing devices can be manifested in different forms than those illustrated here. Computing device 2402(1) is coupled to mice 2408(1)-2408(3) in a wired or wireless fashion. In this case, computing device 2402(1) is also coupled to a monitor 2410 which has a larger display area than that of computing device 2402(1).
One or both of computing devices 2402(1)-2402(2) can include MMCE tools. For discussion purposes, computing device 2402(1) is shown as including MMCE tool 2406(1) and computing device 2402(2) is shown as including MMCE tool 2406(2). In a stand-alone configuration, similar to that of
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter recited in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.
