Keyboard input mode switching apparatus, systems, and methods

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor of an information handling device; and

a memory that stores code executable by the processor to:

determine a particular operational state of a software keyboard based on a user providing a user input at a second portion of the software keyboard,

in response to determining the particular operational state:

switch an input mode of operation for a first portion of the software keyboard from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation, and

switch the second portion of the software keyboard from the input mode of operation to a third mode of operation including:

a non-functional portion, and

operations for determining a different mode of operation for the second portion of the software keyboard, and

in response to the user continuously providing the user input at the second portion of the software keyboard:

operating the first portion of the software keyboard in the second mode of operation, and

operating the second portion of the software keyboard in the third mode of operation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the particular operational state comprises a non-key operational state for the software keyboard.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the non-key operational state comprises one of contact and proximity of a pointing body to an area of the second portion of the software keyboard.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the non-key operational state comprises one of contact and proximity of a pointing body to a plurality of areas of the second portion of the software keyboard.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the non-key operational state comprises simultaneous contact and proximity of a pointing body to an area of the second portion of the software keyboard.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the non-key operational state comprises simultaneous contact and proximity of a pointing body to a plurality of areas of the second portion of the software keyboard.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the first mode of operation comprises a character input mode; and

the second mode of operation comprises a directional input mode.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:

the software keyboard comprises an on screen keyboard;

in response to switching from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation, the first portion of the software keyboard comprises a touch pad; and

the directional input mode comprises touch inputs.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to:

monitor the operational state of the software keyboard; and

in response to detecting a change in the operational state:

switch the input mode of the first portion of the software keyboard from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation, and

switch the third mode of the second portion of the software keyboard to the input mode of operation.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

the particular operational state comprises a non-key operational state for the software keyboard;

the non-key operational state comprises one of contact and proximity of a pointing body to an area of the second portion of the software keyboard; and

the code is further executable by the processor to detect the change in the operational state by determining that the pointing body is no longer the one of the contact and the proximity of the pointing body to the area of the portion of the software keyboard.

11. A method, comprising:

determining, by a processing device, a particular operational state of an on screen keyboard (OSK) based on a user providing a user input at a second portion of the OSK;

in response to determining a particular operational state:

switching an input mode of operation for a first portion of the OSK from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation, and

switching the second portion of the OSK from the input mode of operation to a third mode of operation including:

a non-functional portion, and

operations for determining a different mode of operation for the second portion of the OSK; and

in response to the user continuously providing the user input at the second portion of the OSK:

operating the first portion of the OSK in the second mode of operation, and

operating the second portion of the OSK in the third mode of operation.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

detecting the particular operational state comprises detecting a non-key operational state for the OSK; and

the non-key operation state comprises one of:

one of contact and proximity of a pointing body to an area of the second portion of the OSK,

one of contact and proximity of the pointing body to a plurality of areas of the second portion of the OSK,

simultaneous contact and proximity of the pointing body to the area of the second portion of the OSK, and

simultaneous contact and proximity of the pointing body to the plurality of areas of the second portion of the OSK.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

monitoring the operational state of the OSK; and

in response to detecting a change in the operational state:

switching the input mode of the first portion of the OSK from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation, and

switching the third mode of the second portion of the OSK to the input mode of operation.

14. A program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores code executable by a processor, the executable code comprising code to perform:

determining a particular operational state of an on screen keyboard (OSK) based on a user providing a user input at a second portion of the OSK;

in response to determining the particular operational state:

switching an input mode of operation for a portion of the OSK from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation, and

switching the second portion of the OSK from the input mode of operation to a third mode of operation including:

a non-functional portion, and

operations for determining a different mode of operation for the second portion of the OSK; and

in response to the user continuously providing the user input at the second portion of the OSK:

operating the first portion of the OSK in the second mode of operation, and

operating the second portion of the OSK in the third mode of operation.

15. The program product of claim 14 , wherein:

the code that detects the particular operational state further comprises code to perform detecting a non-key operational state for the OSK; and

the non-key operation state comprises one of:

one of contact and proximity of a pointing body to an area of the second portion of the OSK,

one of contact and proximity of the pointing body to a plurality of areas of the second portion of the OSK,

simultaneous contact and proximity of the pointing body to the area of the second portion of the OSK, and

simultaneous contact and proximity of the pointing body to the plurality of areas of the second portion of the OSK.

16. The program product of claim 14 , wherein the executable code further comprises code to perform:

monitoring the operational state of the OSK; and

in response to detecting a change in the operational state:

switching the input mode of the first portion of the OSK from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation, and

switching the third mode of the second portion of the OSK to the input mode of operation.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to switch the second portion of the software keyboard from the first mode of operation to the third mode in response to detecting the particular operational state.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein:

the first mode of operation comprises a character input mode; and

the second mode of operation comprises a directional input mode.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

switching the second portion of the OSK from the first mode of operation to the third mode in response to detecting the particular operational state,

wherein:

the first mode of operation comprises a character input mode, and

the second mode of operation comprises a directional input mode.

20. The program product of claim 14 , wherein:

the executable code further comprises code to perform switching the second portion of the OSK from the first mode of operation to the third mode in response to detecting the particular operational state;

the first mode of operation comprises a character input mode; and

the second mode of operation comprises a directional input mode.