US Patent 9207852 Input mechanisms for electronic devices

Elements of a graphical user interface, such as a virtual keypad, can have display characteristics adjusted based upon aspects such as a relative hand or finger position of a user. In one example, the transparency of a keypad used to enter text on a portable computing device can be adjusted based on the distance of a user's hand, such that the user can still view content displayed through the interface. A user can also select elements, such as text fields for text entry, by adjusting a relative position of the user's hand and performing a selection gesture or other such action. Various types of functionality can be activated in response to a selection gesture, such as to display a keypad of an appropriate transparency.