Patent Description:
At present, a user may use a terminal device, copy content from an interface, and paste the content into another interface.

For example, the user copies a mobile phone number from a text message into a contacts interface. First the user triggers the terminal device to select and copy the mobile phone number in the text message interface, and then the user triggers the terminal device to exit the text message interface, and triggers the terminal device to display the contacts interface. Then, the user taps and holds at an input position corresponding to the mobile phone number in the contacts interface, to trigger the terminal device to display the copied mobile phone number in a clipboard, and at last the user taps the mobile phone number, to trigger the terminal device to paste the mobile phone number at the input position corresponding to the mobile phone number in the contacts interface.

However, in the foregoing method of copy and paste, there are relatively too many operation steps for copying a mobile phone number. If the user needs to copy and paste a plurality of pieces of information such as email accounts and company addresses, the user needs to trigger a terminal device for many times to perform the foregoing operation steps for many times. This causes more cumbersome operation steps in the terminal device.

<CIT> discloses that in accordance with some embodiments, a method is performed at an electronic device (e.g., portable multifunction device <NUM>, FIG. IA, configured in accordance with any one of Computing Device A-D, Figure 1E) with a touch-sensitive surface and display (in some embodiments, the touch-sensitive surface and the display are integrated, as is shown for touch screen <NUM>, FIG. The method includes: presenting content in a first application. The method also includes: receiving a request from the user to open a second application that is distinct from the first application, the second application including an input-receiving field. In response to receiving the request, the method includes: presenting the second application with the input-receiving field. Before receiving any user input at the input-receiving field, the method includes: providing a selectable user interface object to allow the user to paste at least a portion of the content into the input-receiving field. In response to detecting a selection of the selectable user interface object, the method includes: pasting the portion of the content into the input-receiving field. In this way, users are provided with proactive paste actions in a second application based content previously viewed in a first action.

<CIT> discloses that in the clipboard <NUM> shown in <FIG> (b), first to fifth contents <NUM> to <NUM> are included. If the clipboard <NUM> occupies one prescribed region of the screen only, as shown in <FIG> (b), the controller180 can receives a selection of a prescribed location <NUM>, on which a paste operation will be performed, from a user. As one example of the location selection, an input 1000f of a touch to a target content of a paste operation is received and the touch input is then shifted to a prescribed location by maintaining the corresponding touch. If the corresponding touch is removed from the prescribed location <NUM>, the controller <NUM> can input the corresponding content to the prescribed location by a paste operation.

<CIT> discloses that the mobile terminal receives a message <NUM> including contact information from a transmission device and can output the message in a message interface <NUM>. In the embodiment of FIG. <NUM> (a), a counterpart receives a request for contact information of 'Tim' from a user and can provide the contact information of 'Tim' to the user. In this instance, the message <NUM> including the contact information can include a contact name and number. Further, as shown in FIG. <NUM> (a), the mobile terminal can sense a first input signal <NUM> input on the message <NUM> including the contact information. The first input signal <NUM> can include a touch input, a gesture input and the like input on a region corresponding to the message <NUM> in the display unit. As shown in FIG. <NUM> (b), the mobile terminal can execute a contact add interface <NUM>. In particular, the mobile terminal can be connected to the contact add interface <NUM>, whereas there is no separately connected interface when a first input signal <NUM> input on a text message is sensed. The mobile terminal then executes a contact interface and a message interface by multitasking and can display the contact add interface on the display unit. Further, a user can store contact information included in a message, which is received from a counterpart, in the mobile terminal.

<CIT> discloses that As shown in <FIG>, the user may perform the dragging input on a phone number of a display interface, and the mobile terminal receives the dragging input and then automatically discern the character string of the phone number and pitches on characters of the phone number. With the progress of the dragging input, the mobile terminal switches the current display interface to a dialing interface, and the dialing interface includes a dialing control area, as shown in <FIG>. The dialing control area may include a phone number entry area and dialing keys. When the phone number is on the interface of the dialing control area, and if the user's finger is released, the mobile terminal automatically pastes the phone number to the phone number input area of the dialing control area and displays the phone number.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a content inputting method and a terminal device, to resolve a problem that in a conventional method of copy and paste, operation steps in the terminal device are cumbersome as a user needs to trigger a terminal device for many times to perform operation steps for many times.

To solve the foregoing technical problem, the embodiments of this disclosure are implemented as follows:.

According to a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a content inputting method, which is defined in claim <NUM>.

According to a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a terminal device, which is defined in claim <NUM>.

According to a third aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is defined in claim <NUM>.

It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary only, and are not restrictive of the present disclosure.

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure are described below clearly and completely with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Clearly, the described embodiments are some rather than all of the embodiments of the present disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present disclosure without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

It should be noted that "/" in this specification represents or. For example, A/B may represent A or B. "and/or" in this specification merely describes an association relationship between associated objects, and indicates that there may be three relationships. For example, A and/or B may represent that there are three cases: There is only A, there are both A and B, and there is only B. The term "a plurality of" refers to two or more.

In the specification and claims of the present disclosure, terms such as "first" and "second" are used for distinguishing different objects, but are not used for describing a particular sequence of the objects. For example, a first input and a second input are used for distinguishing different inputs, but are not used for describing a particular sequence of the inputs.

It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present disclosure, words such as "example" or "for example" is used to indicate an example, an instance, or a description. Any embodiment or design solution described as "an example" or with "for example" in the embodiments of the present disclosure should not be explained as being more preferred or having more advantages than another embodiment or design solution. Exactly, use of the words such as "example" or "for example" is intended to present a related concept in a specific manner.

The terminal device in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be a terminal device with an operating system. The operating system may be an Android (Android) operating system, or may be an iOS operating system or another possible operating system, which is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

In a content inputting method in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a terminal device first receives a first input of a user for target content in a first interface; and then in response to the first input, the terminal device selects the target content, and displays the target content in a target input area. The target input area is an input area in the first interface, or the target input area is an input area in a second interface, and the first interface and the second interface are different. In one case, the target input area is an input area in the first interface, that is, in a case in which content is input in a same interface, the user does not need to tap the input area again and select paste to trigger the terminal device to display the target content in the input area. In the other case, the target input area is an input area in the second interface, and the first interface and the second interface are different. That is, in a case in which content is input in different interfaces, the target content is displayed in the target input area in the second interface by using the first input, and the target content is content in the first interface. That is, the terminal device directly inputs, after the first input, the target content selected in the first interface in an input area in another interface. Compared with the conventional method of copy and paste, the user does not need to trigger the terminal device to exit the first interface first, manually trigger the terminal device to bring up the second interface, to receive an input of the user and select an input area, and then trigger the terminal device to paste copied content in the input area, thereby avoiding frequent switching between different applications. Therefore, operation steps are simpler in the content inputting method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and a time for operating content inputting is shortened. When content needs to be input in an input area for a plurality of times, more time for operating is saved.

The following uses the Android operating system as an example to describe a software environment to which the content inputting method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure is applied.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram of a possible architecture of an Android operating system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In <FIG>, the architecture of the Android operating system includes <NUM> layers, which are an application layer, an application framework layer, a system runtime library layer, and a kernel layer (which may specifically be a Linux kernel layer).

The application layer includes various applications in the Android operating system (that include system applications and third-party applications).

The application framework layer is an application framework, and a developer may develop some applications based on the application framework layer following a rule of developing the application framework.

The system runtime library layer includes a library (also referred to as a system library) and a running environment of the Android operating system. The library mainly provides various resources required in the Android operating system. The running environment of the Android operating system is used for providing a software environment for the Android operating system.

The kernel layer is an operating system layer of the Android operating system, and is the lowest layer in software layers of the Android operating system. The kernel layer provides core system services and hardware-related drivers for the Android operating system based on the Linux kernel.

The Android operating system is used as an example. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, a developer may develop, based on the system architecture of the Android operating system shown in <FIG>, a software program to implement the content inputting method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, so that the content inputting method can be performed based on the Android operating system shown in <FIG>. That is, a processor or the terminal device may run the software program in the Android operating system to implement the content inputting method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

The content inputting method according to claim <NUM> is described below with reference to <FIG> is a schematic flowchart of a content inputting method according to claim <NUM> of the present invention. As shown in <FIG>, the content inputting method includes step <NUM> and step <NUM>.

Step <NUM>: A terminal device receives a first input of a user for target content in a first interface.

For example, the target content may be a text, an image, a video, audio, a link, a file, and the like.

It should to be noted that, a manner of inputting of a user related to this embodiment of the present disclosure may be a touch screen input, a fingerprint input, a gravity input, a key input, or the like. The touch screen input is a pressing input, a long pressing input, a swipe input, a tap input, a floating input (the user's input near a touch screen), or the like of the user on a touch screen of the terminal device. The fingerprint input is a swipe fingerprint input, a long pressing fingerprint input, a single tap fingerprint input, and a double tap fingerprint input of a user on a fingerprint reader of the terminal device. The gravity input is an input by shaking the terminal device in a specific direction by a user, shaking for a specific quantity of times, or the like. The key input corresponds to a user's single tap input, double tap input, long pressing input, combined key input, or the like on a power key, volume key, home key, or the like of the terminal device. An input of the user such as the first input is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present disclosure.

Step <NUM>: In response to the first input, the terminal device selects the target content, and displays the target content in a target input area.

The target input area is an input area in a second interface, and the first interface and the second interface are different; and the second interface is a last interface displayed before the first interface is displayed by the terminal device.

It can be understood that, in the case in which the target input area is an input area in the first interface, the user may select the target content in a current interface, and display the target content in an input area in the current interface. In the case in which the target input area is an input area in the second interface, the user may select the target content in a current interface, and display the target content in an input area in another interface other than the current interface.

Optionally, the first interface and the second interface may be different interfaces in a same application, or the first interface and the second interface may be interfaces in different applications.

It can be understood that, when the first interface and the second interface are interfaces in different applications, in the content inputting method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure, copy and paste in different applications may be performed; and when the first interface and the second interface are different interfaces in a same application, in the content inputting method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure, copy and paste in a same application may be performed.

Optionally, in the case in which the target input area is an input area in the second interface, the second interface is an interface displayed at a second time point that is before the first interface is displayed and that has a shortest time interval with a first time point for displaying the first interface.

That is, the terminal device displays the second interface at the second time point, and displays the first interface on a display screen at the first time point. Between the second time point and the first time point, the terminal device does not display another interface other than the second interface.

Optionally, the second interface may be a last interface displayed before the first interface is displayed by the terminal device. In this case, the second interface and the first interface may be different interfaces in a same application, or the second interface and the first interface may be different interfaces in different applications. Alternatively, the second interface may be a last interface switched to be run in the background when the first interface is displayed. The terminal device may first display the target content in the second interface running in the background, and then display the second interface.

Based on this solution, the terminal device may determine the interface displayed at the second time point that is before the first interface is displayed and that has the shortest time interval with the first time point for displaying the first interface as the second interface, and then determine the target input area in the second interface, so as to display the target content in the target input area in the second interface. Compared with the conventional method of copy and paste, the user does not need to trigger the terminal device to exit the first interface first, manually trigger the terminal device to bring up the second interface, to receive an input of the user and select an input area, and then trigger the terminal device to paste copied content in the input area, thereby avoiding frequent switching between different applications.

Optionally, in the case in which the target input area is an input area in the second interface, the second interface is an interface displayed separately on a display screen with the first interface.

It can be understood that, in this solution, the terminal device currently displays the first interface and the second interface separately. After receiving the first input of the user for the target content in the first interface, the terminal device may display the target content in an input area in another interface displayed separately on a display screen, to facilitate user operations in which the user does not need to perform too many operation steps.

In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the terminal device first receives the first input of the user for the target content in the first interface; and then in response to the first input, the terminal device selects the target content, and displays the target content in the target input area. The target input area is an input area in the first interface, or the target input area is an input area in the second interface, and the first interface and the second interface are different. In one case, the target input area is an input area in the first interface, that is, in a case in which content is input in a same interface, the user does not need to tap the input area again and select paste to trigger the terminal device to display the target content in the input area. In the other case, the target input area is an input area in the second interface, and the first interface and the second interface are different. That is, in a case in which content is input in different interfaces, the target content is displayed in the target input area in the second interface by using the first input, and the target content is content in the first interface. That is, the terminal device may directly input, after the first input, the target content selected in the first interface in an input area in another interface. Compared with the conventional method of copy and paste, the user does not need to trigger the terminal device to exit the first interface first, manually trigger the terminal device to bring up the second interface, to receive an input of the user and select an input area, and then trigger the terminal device to paste copied content in the input area, thereby avoiding frequent switching between different applications. Therefore, operation steps are simpler in the content inputting method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and a time for operating content inputting is shortened. When content needs to be input in an input area for a plurality of times, more time for operating is saved.

In a possible implementation, the content inputting method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure may further include step <NUM> after the target content is selected.

Step <NUM>: The terminal device determines the target input area.

It should be noted that, both the first interface and the second interface may include one or more input areas. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present disclosure.

It can be understood that an area in which a cursor pointer is located may be an area in which the user needs to input content.

Generally, when the terminal device displays one interface, there may be no cursor pointer in any input area in at least one input areas in the interface, or a cursor pointer may be displayed in any input area by default, and when there is no cursor pointer in any input area in the interface, the user may manually input to trigger putting a cursor pointer in an input area selected by the user.

Example <NUM>: In the case in which the second interface is an interface displayed at a second time point that is before the first interface is displayed and that has a shortest time interval with a first time point for displaying the first interface, the target input area is a first input area that is in the second interface and in which a cursor pointer at a third time point before the first interface is displayed that has a shortest time interval with a first time point is located.

In other words, the target input area is an input area that is in the second interface and in which the cursor pointer is located last time before the first interface is displayed.

In a case in which the second interface is displayed separately on a display screen, for example, the second interface includes two areas that are a first area and a second area, an interface of a first application is displayed in the first area, an interface of a second application is displayed in the second area, and the target input area may be an input area of an area that is in the first area and the second area and in which the cursor pointer is located last time. In a case in which the second interface is not displayed separately on a display screen, for example, the second interface is an interface of a third application, the target input area is an input area that is in the interface of the third application and in which the cursor pointer is located last time.

Based on this solution, the terminal device may determine the interface displayed at the second time point that is before the first interface is displayed and that has the shortest time interval with the first time point for displaying the first interface as the second interface, and then determine the first input area that is in the second interface and in which the cursor pointer at the third time point before the first interface is displayed that has the shortest time interval with the first time point is located as the target input area, so as to display the target content in the target input area. Compared with the conventional method of copy and paste, the target input area in which content is to be input is determined based on information about the cursor pointer, and the target content is displayed in the target input area, so that the user does not need to trigger the terminal device to exit the first interface first, manually trigger the terminal device to bring up the second interface, to receive an input of the user and select an input area, and then trigger the terminal device to paste copied content in the input area, thereby avoiding frequent switching between different applications.

Example <NUM>: In the case in which the second interface is an interface displayed at a second time point that is before the first interface is displayed and that has a shortest time interval with a first time point for displaying the first interface, the target input area is at least two second input areas in the second interface before the first interface is displayed, the second interface includes at least two third interfaces displayed separately on a display screen, and each second input area corresponds to a different third interface.

In other words, in this solution, if the second interface are interfaces displayed separately on a display screen, and there is an input area included in the at least two third interfaces displayed separately on a display screen, the terminal device may paste the target content in the input area in the at least two third interfaces. For example, the second interface includes a chat interface of a communications application <NUM> and a chat interface of a communications application <NUM>, and the terminal device paste the target content in an input area in the chat interface of the communications application <NUM> and an input area in the chat interface in the communications application <NUM>.

Optionally, in this scenario, each third interface may include an input area, or may not include an input area. In a case in which an input area is included, one third interface includes one input area.

Based on this solution, in the case in which the second interface is displayed separately on a display screen, the at least two second input areas in the second interface before the first interface is displayed are determined as the target input area. Then, the target content is displayed in the target input area, that is, in a case in which content is input in a plurality of areas in a same interface, the user does not need to repeatedly tap an input area and select paste to trigger the terminal device to display the target content in the input area, and steps of inputting content are simplified.

Example <NUM>: In a case in which the target input area is an input area in the first interface, the target input area is a first input area that is in the first interface and in which a cursor pointer at a fourth time point that has a shortest time interval with a time point for receiving the first input is located. In other words, the target input area may be the first input area that is in the first interface and in which the cursor pointer is located last time.

It can be understood that, in this scenario, the first interface may include one or more input areas.

Based on this solution, in a case in which the first interface includes a plurality of input areas, for example, the user needs to fill in a plurality of pieces of information in a form in the first interface, a cursor pointer may be triggered first and displayed in one input area in the plurality of input areas, and the target content is copied in the first interface and then displayed in the input area in which the cursor pointer is located.

In a possible implementation, in the case in which the second interface is the interface displayed at the second time point that is before the first interface is displayed and that has the shortest time interval with the first time point for displaying the first interface, step <NUM> in the content inputting method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure may specifically be performed through step 202a.

Step 202a: In response to the first input, the terminal device selects the target content, updates the first interface to the second interface, and displays the target content in the target input area.

It can be understood that, the terminal device may display the second interface first, and after determining the target input area, the terminal device then displays the target content in the target input area, so that the user may see the process of copy and paste in the interface, thereby gaining a better visualization effect.

Based on this solution, the terminal device may first update the first interface to the second interface, and then determine the target input area in the second interface. At last, the terminal device displays the target content in the target input area. After selecting the target content, the user can input the target content in the target input area by inputting only once. In a case in which content needs to be input in a plurality of areas, the content inputting method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, compared with a manner of copy and paste in a related technology, does not require a user to manually switch between interfaces for a plurality of times, so that operating is convenient, and there is better user experience.

Optionally, the first input may include a first sub-input and a second sub-input.

Further, step <NUM> or step 202a can specifically be performed through step 202b and step 202c.

Step 202b: The terminal device selects the target content in response to the first sub-input.

For example, after the terminal device receives the first sub-input, the terminal device may first display a selection mark, for example, highlight the target content.

Step 202c: The terminal device displays the target content in the target input area in response to the second sub-input.

The second sub-input may be a second sub-input of the user for the target content, may be an input of the user for the target content, may be an input for a control displayed in an interface, may be an input for a physical key, or may be an input for a preset gesture. This is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present disclosure.

Specifically, step 202c may be performed through step 202c1.

Step 202c1: In response to the second sub-input, the terminal device updates the first interface to the second interface, and displays the target content in a first input area in the second interface.

The second interface may be a previous interface displayed before the first interface is displayed.

For example, after the terminal device selects the target content, the user may tap and hold onto the target content to trigger the terminal device to perform step 202c.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram of a display interface according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, a first interface is a text message interface, and a second interface is a new contact interface. As shown in <FIG>, an interface <NUM> is a new contact interface. When a user needs to input a mobile phone number of a new contact in a corresponding area for inputting the mobile phone number, the user may trigger a terminal device to display the text message interface, and the user triggers the terminal device to select (that is, a first sub-input) the mobile phone number in the text message interface, as shown in an interface <NUM>, and then taps and holds onto (that is, a second sub-input) the mobile phone number. Then, the terminal device updates the interface <NUM> to an interface <NUM>, and a corresponding area for inputting the mobile phone number in the interface <NUM> includes the mobile phone number selected by the user in the interface <NUM>.

In a content inputting method in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the terminal device first receives the first sub-input of the user for target content, and the terminal device selects the target content in response to the first sub-input; and then the terminal device receives the second sub-input of the user for the target content, and the terminal device displays the target content in a target input area in response to the second sub-input. That is, the terminal device may directly input, after the second sub-input, the target content selected in the first interface in the target input area. Compared with the conventional method of copy and paste, in a case in which content is input in a same interface, the user does not need to tap an input area again and select paste to trigger the terminal device to display the target content in the input area; or in a case of inputting in different interfaces, the user does not need to manually trigger the terminal device to exit the first interface first, manually trigger the terminal device to bring up the second interface, to receive an input of the user and select an input area, and then trigger the terminal device to paste copied content in the input area, thereby avoiding frequent switching between different applications. Operation steps are simpler in the content inputting method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and a time for operating content inputting is shortened. When content needs to be input in an input area for a plurality of times, more time for operating is saved.

In a possible implementation, the content inputting method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure may further include step <NUM> and step <NUM> after the target content is selected by the terminal device.

Step <NUM>: The terminal device displays a first control in response to the first sub-input.

The first control is used to copy and paste content.

Step <NUM>: The terminal device receives the second sub-input of the user for the first control.

Further, step 202a may specifically be performed through step 202a1.

Step 202a <NUM>: The target content is displayed in the target input area in response to the second sub-input of the user for the first control.

For example, it is assumed that the first control is "copy and paste". With reference to the interface <NUM> in <FIG>, when the terminal device receives the first sub-input of the user, as shown in <FIG>, the terminal device may display the "copy and paste" control and another control such as a "select all" control, a "copy" control, or a "search" control in an interface <NUM>, and after the terminal device receives the second sub-input of the user for the "copy and paste" control, the terminal device may display the target content in the target input area.

As shown in <FIG>, it is assumed that three input areas, a corresponding area for inputting a mobile phone number, a corresponding area for inputting an e-mail address, and a corresponding area for inputting a company respectively, are included in an interface 301a. If the user taps the corresponding area for inputting a mobile phone number, a cursor pointer appears in the corresponding area for inputting a mobile phone number, and when the user controls the terminal device to display a text message interface such as the interface <NUM> in <FIG> after the interface 301a is displayed, and when the user controls the terminal device to select a phone number in a text message and taps a "copy and paste" control, the terminal device may update the interface <NUM> to the interface 301a, and display the mobile phone number selected in the text message interface in the area for inputting a mobile phone number in which the cursor pointer in the interface 301a is located, as shown in an interface 303a.

Based on this solution, after the terminal device receives the first sub-input of the user and selects the target content, the terminal device may display the first control used to copy and paste content, and the user may control the terminal device to display the target content in the target input area through the second sub-input for the first control, to facilitate operations of the user.

In a possible implementation, the content inputting method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure may further include step <NUM> to step <NUM> before step <NUM>.

Step <NUM>: The terminal device receives a third input of the user in the second interface.

The third input may be an input of the user to trigger the terminal device to put a cursor pointer in the target input area in the second interface.

Step <NUM>: The terminal device displays at least one application icon in response to the third input.

Optionally, the terminal device may display a sub-interface over the second interface, and display the at least one application icon in the sub-interface; or the terminal device may hover and display the at least one application icon over the second interface, and certainly may alternatively display the at least one application icon in another display manner. This is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present disclosure.

For example, the at least one application icon may be an application icon of at least one application started by the user lately, or may be an application icon of at least one application in which the user copies content most frequently. The terminal device may determine the at least one application icon based on data on historical actions of the user operating the terminal device.

Step <NUM>: The terminal device receives a fourth input of the user for a first application icon, where the first application icon indicates a first application.

Step <NUM>: The terminal device updates the second interface to the first interface of the first application in response to the fourth input.

For example, with reference to the interface 301a in <FIG> and an interface <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, when the user controls a cursor pointer to appear in an input area, the terminal device may display a sub-interface in the interface 301a, where the sub-interface includes application icons of three applications, and the user may select an application icon that needs to be used based on a requirement.

Based on this solution, the user may first open the second interface in which content needs to be input, and then the user may control the terminal device to display the at least one application icon in the second interface, so that the user can be facilitated to quickly find a position at which content that is to be copied is located, thereby shortening a time for inputting content.

Optionally, the second interface includes a second control.

For example, when the cursor pointer appears in the first input area, the second control may be displayed in the second interface. The second control may be used as a control in an interface of an input method, or may be used as an independent control and displayed in the second interface. This is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present disclosure.

Further, step <NUM> may specifically be performed through step 206a.

Step 206a: The terminal device receives the third input of the user for the second control.

Based on this solution, the terminal device may display the second control in the second interface, to facilitate inputting of the user for the second control to trigger the terminal device to display an application icon, thereby helping the user to quickly find an application that needs to be used.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram of a possible structure of a terminal device according to claim <NUM> of the present invention. As shown in <FIG>, the terminal device <NUM> includes a receiving module <NUM>, a selection module <NUM>, and a display module <NUM>, where the receiving module <NUM> is configured to receive a first input of a user for target content in a first interface; the selection module <NUM> is configured to select the target content in response to the first input received by the receiving module <NUM>; and the display module <NUM> is configured to display the target content in a target input area in response to the first input received by the receiving module <NUM>, wherein the target input area is an input area in a second interface, and the first interface and the second interface are different; the second interface is a last interface displayed before the first interface is displayed by a terminal device.

Optionally, with reference to <FIG>, as shown in <FIG>, the terminal device further includes a determining module <NUM>, where the determining module <NUM> is configured to determine the target input area after the target content is selected by the selection module <NUM>.

Optionally, the target input area is an input area in the second interface; and the second interface is an interface displayed at a second time point that is before the first interface is displayed and that has a shortest time interval with a first time point for displaying the first interface; or the second interface is an interface displayed separately on a display screen with the first interface.

Optionally, the second interface is the interface displayed at the second time point that is before the first interface is displayed and that has the shortest time interval with the first time point for displaying the first interface; and the target input area is a first input area that is in the second interface and in which a cursor pointer at a third time point before the first interface is displayed that has a shortest time interval with a first time point is located; or the target input area is at least two second input areas in the second interface before the first interface is displayed, the second interface includes at least two third interfaces displayed separately on a display screen, and each second input area corresponds to a different third interface.

Optionally, the target input area is an input area in the first interface; and the target input area is a first input area that is in the first interface and in which a cursor pointer at a fourth time point that has a shortest time interval with a time point for receiving the first input is located.

Optionally, the second interface is the interface displayed at the second time point that is before the first interface is displayed and that has the shortest time interval with the first time point for displaying the first interface; and the display module <NUM> is further configured to: update the first interface to the second interface, and display the target content in the target input area.

Optionally, the first input includes a first sub-input and a second sub-input; the selection module <NUM> is specifically configured to select the target content in response to the first sub-input received by the receiving module <NUM>; and the display module <NUM> is specifically configured to display, in response to the second sub-input received by the receiving module <NUM>, the target content selected by the selection module <NUM> in the target input area.

Optionally, the display module <NUM> is further configured to display a first control after the target content is selected by the selection module <NUM>, where the first control is used to copy and paste content; and the display module <NUM> is specifically configured to: receive the second sub-input of the user for the first control displayed by the display module <NUM>, and display the target content in the target input area.

Optionally, the receiving module <NUM> is further configured to receive a third input of the user in the second interface before receiving the first input of the user for the target content in the first interface, where the third input is an input of the user to trigger putting a cursor pointer in the target input area; the display module <NUM> is further configured to display at least one application icon in response to the third input received by the receiving module <NUM>; the receiving module <NUM> is further configured to receive a fourth input of the user for a first application icon, where the first application icon indicates a first application; and the display module <NUM> is further configured to update the second interface to the first interface of the first application in response to the fourth input received by the receiving module <NUM>.

Optionally, the first interface and the second interface are different interfaces in a same application; or the first interface and the second interface are different interfaces in different applications.

Optionally, the second interface includes a second control; and the receiving module <NUM> is specifically configured to receive the third input of the user for the second control.

The terminal device <NUM> provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure can implement processes implemented by the terminal device in the foregoing method embodiments. To avoid repetition, details are not described herein again.

According to the terminal device provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the terminal device first receives the first input of the user for the target content in the first interface; and then in response to the first input, the terminal device selects the target content, and displays the target content in the target input area. The target input area is an input area in the first interface, or the target input area is an input area in the second interface, and the first interface and the second interface are different. In one case, the target input area is an input area in the first interface, that is, in a case in which content is input in a same interface, the user does not need to tap the input area again and select paste to trigger the terminal device to display the target content in the input area. In the other case, the target input area is an input area in the second interface, and the first interface and the second interface are different. That is, in a case in which content is input in different interfaces, the target content is displayed in the target input area in the second interface by using the first input, and the target content is content in the first interface. That is, the terminal device may directly input, after the first input, the target content selected in the first interface in an input area in another interface. Compared with the conventional method of copy and paste, the user does not need to trigger the terminal device to exit the first interface first, manually trigger the terminal device to bring up the second interface, to receive an input of the user and select an input area, and then trigger the terminal device to paste copied content in the input area, thereby avoiding frequent switching between different applications. Therefore, operation steps are simpler in the content inputting method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and a time for operating content inputting is shortened. When content needs to be input in an input area for a plurality of times, more time for operating is saved.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram of a hardware structure of a terminal device implementing the various embodiments of the present disclosure. The terminal device <NUM> includes, but not limited to: a radio frequency unit <NUM>, a network module <NUM>, an audio output unit <NUM>, an input unit <NUM>, a sensor <NUM>, a display unit <NUM>, a user input unit <NUM>, an interface unit <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, a processor <NUM>, a power supply <NUM>, and the like. A person skilled in the art can understand that the structure of the terminal device shown in <FIG> does not constitute a limitation to the terminal device. The terminal device may include more or fewer components than those shown in the figure, a combination of some components, or different arrangement of components. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the terminal device includes, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a palmtop computer, a vehicle-mounted terminal, a wearable device, a pedometer, and the like.

The user input unit <NUM> is configured to receive a first input of a user for target content in a first interface; the processor <NUM> is configured to select the target content in response to the first input; and the display unit <NUM> is configured to display the target content in a target input area in response to the first input, where the target input area is an input area in the first interface, or the target input area is an input area in a second interface, and the first interface and the second interface are different.

It should be understood that, in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the radio frequency unit <NUM> may be configured to receive and send information or a signal in a call process. Specifically, after receiving downlink data from a base station, the radio frequency unit <NUM> sends the downlink data to the processor <NUM> for processing. In addition, the radio frequency unit <NUM> sends uplink data to the base station. Generally, the radio frequency unit <NUM> includes, but is not limited to, an antenna, at least one amplifier, a transceiver, a coupler, a low noise amplifier, and a duplexer, and the like. In addition, the radio frequency unit <NUM> may further communicate with another communications device through a wireless communication system and network.

The terminal device provides wireless broadband Internet access for the user by using the network module <NUM>, for example, helping the user to send and receive an e-mail, browse a web page, and access streaming media.

The audio output unit <NUM> may convert audio data received by the radio frequency unit <NUM> or the network module <NUM> or stored in the memory <NUM> into an audio signal, and output the audio signal as sound. In addition, the audio output unit <NUM> may further provide an audio output (for example, a call signal receiving sound and a message receiving sound) related to a specific function performed by the terminal device <NUM>. The audio output unit <NUM> includes a speaker, a buzzer, a telephone receiver, and the like.

The input unit <NUM> is configured to receive an audio signal or a video signal. The input unit <NUM> may include a graphics processing unit (Graphics Processing Unit, GPU) <NUM> and a microphone <NUM>. The graphics processing unit <NUM> processes image data of a static picture or a video obtained by an image capturing apparatus (for example, a camera) in a video capturing mode or an image capturing mode. A processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit <NUM>. An image frame processed by the graphics processing unit <NUM> may be stored in the memory <NUM> (or another storage medium) or sent by the radio frequency unit <NUM> or the network module <NUM>. The microphone <NUM> may receive a sound and may process such a sound into audio data. The processed audio data may be converted, in a call mode, into a format that may be sent to a mobile communication base station by using the radio frequency unit <NUM> for output.

The terminal device <NUM> further includes at least one sensor <NUM>, for example, an optical sensor, a motion sensor, and other sensors. Specifically, the optical sensor includes an ambient light sensor and a proximity sensor. The ambient light sensor may adjust luminance of a display panel <NUM> based on brightness of an ambient light. The proximity sensor may turn off the display panel <NUM> and/or a backlight when the terminal device <NUM> is moved to an ear. As a type of the motion sensor, an accelerometer sensor can detect an acceleration in each direction (generally, three axes), and detect a value and a direction of gravity when the accelerometer sensor is static, and may be configured to recognize a terminal device posture (such as screen switching between landscape and portrait modes, a related game, or magnetometer posture calibration), a function related to vibration recognition (such as a pedometer or a knock), and the like. The sensor <NUM> may further include a fingerprint sensor, a pressure sensor, an iris sensor, a molecular sensor, a gyroscope, a barometer, a hygrometer, a thermometer, and an infrared sensor.

The display unit <NUM> is configured to display information inputted by a user or information provided to a user. The display unit <NUM> may include the display panel <NUM>, and the display panel <NUM> may be configured in a form of a liquid crystal display (Liquid Crystal Display, LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (Organic Light-Emitting Diode, OLED), or the like.

The user input unit <NUM> may be configured to: receive an inputted digit or character information, and generate a key signal input related to user setting and function control of the terminal device. Specifically, the user input unit <NUM> includes a touch panel <NUM> and another input device <NUM>. The touch panel <NUM>, also referred to as a touchscreen, can collect a touch operation of a user on or near the touch panel <NUM> (for example, an operation performed by the user with any suitable object or accessory such as a finger or a stylus on or near the touch panel <NUM>). The touch panel <NUM> may include two parts: a touch detection apparatus and a touch controller. The touch detection apparatus detects a touch position of the user, detects a signal brought by the touch operation, and sends the signal to the touch controller. The touch controller receives touch information from the touch detection apparatus, converts the touch information into touch point coordinates, and sends the touch point coordinates to the processor <NUM>, and can receive and execute a command sent by the processor <NUM>. In addition, the touch panel <NUM> may be implemented in a plurality of forms such as a resistive type, a capacitive type, an infrared ray, and a surface acoustic wave. In addition to the touch panel <NUM>, the user input unit <NUM> may further include the another input device <NUM>. Specifically, the another input device <NUM> may include, but is not limited to, a physical keyboard, a function key (for example, a volume control key or a switch key), a trackball, a mouse, and a joystick.

Further, the touch panel <NUM> can cover the display panel <NUM>. When detecting a touch operation on or near the touch panel <NUM>, the touch panel <NUM> transmits the touch operation to the processor <NUM> to determine a type of the touch event. Then, the processor <NUM> provides a corresponding visual output on the display panel <NUM> based on the type of the touch event. Although in <FIG>, the touch panel <NUM> and the display panel <NUM> are configured as two independent components to implement input and output functions of the terminal device, in some embodiments, the touch panel <NUM> and the display panel <NUM> may be integrated to implement the input and output functions of the terminal device. This is not specifically limited herein.

The interface unit <NUM> is an interface for connecting an external apparatus to the terminal device <NUM>. For example, the external apparatus may include a wired or wireless headset jack, an external power supply (or a battery charger) port, a wired or wireless data port, a storage card port, a port for connecting an apparatus having an identification module, an audio input/output (I/O) port, a video I/O port, a headset jack, or the like. The interface unit <NUM> may be configured to: receive an input (for example, data information or power) from the external apparatus, and transmit the received input to one or more elements in the terminal device <NUM>, or may be configured to transmit data between the terminal device <NUM> and the external apparatus.

The memory <NUM> may be configured to store a software program and various data. The memory <NUM> may mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store an operating system, an application required for at least one function (for example, a sound playback function or an image playback function), and the like. The data storage area may store data (for example, audio data or an address book) or the like created based on use of the mobile phone. In addition, the memory <NUM> may include a high-speed random access memory, or may include a non-volatile memory, for example, at least one disk storage device, a flash memory, or another non-volatile solid-state storage device.

The processor <NUM> is a control center of the terminal device, connects various parts of the entire terminal device through various interfaces and circuits, and performs various functions of the terminal device and processes data by running or executing the software programs and/or the modules stored in the memory <NUM> and invoking data stored in the memory <NUM>, to monitor the terminal device as a whole. The processor <NUM> may include one or more processing units. Optionally, the processor <NUM> may be integrated with an application processor and a modem processor. The application processor mainly processes an operating system, a user interface, an application, and the like, and the modem processor mainly processes wireless communication. It can be understood that the above-mentioned modem processor may alternatively not be integrated in the processor <NUM>.

The terminal device <NUM> may further include the power supply <NUM> (such as a battery) that supplies power to each component. Optionally, the power supply <NUM> may be logically connected to the processor <NUM> by using a power management system, to implement functions such as charging, discharging, and power consumption management by using the power management system.

Optionally, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a terminal device that, with reference to <FIG>, includes a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, and a computer program that is stored in the memory <NUM> and executable on the processor <NUM>. When the computer program is executed by the processor <NUM>, the processes in the foregoing content inputting method embodiment are implemented and a same technical effect can be achieved. To avoid repetition, details are not described herein again.

An embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, and when a processor executes the computer program, the foregoing processes of the content inputting method embodiment are implemented and a same technical effect can be achieved. To avoid repetition, details are not described herein again. The computer readable storage medium may be a read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), a random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), a magnetic disk, a compact disc, or the like.

It should be noted that in this specification, the terms "comprise", "include" and any other variant thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, a method, an article, or an apparatus that includes a series of elements not only includes the elements, but may further include other elements not expressly listed, or further include elements inherent to this process, method, article, or apparatus. An element limited by "includes/comprises a. " does not, without more constraints, preclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

Claim 1:
A content input method for a terminal device comprising a first interface, a second interface and a display, wherein the method comprises:
receiving (<NUM>) a first input of a user for target content in a first interface; and
characterized by in response to the first input, selecting (<NUM>) the target content, and displaying (<NUM>) the target content in a target input area, wherein
the target input area is an input area in a second interface, and the first interface and the second interface are different; and the second interface is a last interface displayed before the first interface is displayed by the terminal device.