METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PLACING AN INSERTION POINT IN AN ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT

• US 20020032705A1
• Filed: 06/17/1998
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: ISHII, KOJI, HIGASHIYAMA, NOBUYA, SONNAD, RAHUL
• Granted Patent: US 7,024,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/530
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40

Abstract

A method for placing an insertion point in an electronic document in an electronic system for creating and editing an electronic document. Context information regarding a location of a cursor in the electronic document is collected. A coinciding rule is selected from one of a number of rules based on the collected context information. In response to selecting a coinciding rule, the cursor is changed to indicate an anticipated location of the insertion point and the associated formatting rules to be applied. A determination is made whether an indication has been received to place the insertion point in the electronic document, and, if so, then formatting is performed to place the insertion point in the electronic document.

Claims

1. For an electronic system for creating and editing an electronic document, a method for placing an insertion point in the electronic document, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting context information regarding a location of a cursor in the electronic document;

(b) selecting one of a plurality of rules based on the collected context information;

(c) in response to selecting the rule, changing a presentation of the cursor to indicate an anticipated location of the insertion point and the type of formatting that will be applied to text and objects located in close proximity to the cursor location;

(d) determining whether an indication has been received to place the insertion point in the electronic document; and

(e) if so, then performing formatting to place the insertion point in the electronic document.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the presentation is a cursor.

3. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the step of determining whether an indication has been received to place the insertion point in the electronic document comprises determining whether a button on a mouse has been double-clicked.

4. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

if an indication has not been received to place the insertion point in the electronic document, then repeating steps (a)-(e).

5. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the step of performing formatting to place the insertion point in the electronic document comprises adding and deleting properties from the electronic document.

6. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the step of collecting context information regarding a location of a cursor in the electronic document is performed in response to a change in the location of the cursor.

7. The method recited in claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of rules is associated with one of a plurality of triggers, and wherein the step of selecting a coinciding rule from one of a plurality of rules based on the collected context information comprises matching the collected context information with one of the plurality of triggers and selecting the rule associated with the matched trigger as the coinciding rule.

8. The method recited in claim 7, wherein each one of the plurality of rules is further associated with a sequence of formatting steps, and wherein the step of performing formatting to place the insertion point in the electronic document comprises performing the sequence of formatting steps associated with the coinciding rule.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 8.

19. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the indication comprises a first click and a second click and wherein the insertion point is placed at a first location in response to the first click and wherein the insertion point is placed at a second location in response to the second click.

20. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving an actualization input before performing the step of performing formatting to place the insertion point in the electronic document.

10. For an electronic system for creating and editing an electronic document, a method for displaying a cursor, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting context information regarding a location of the cursor;

(b) applying the collected context information to a database of a plurality of rules to determine whether the collected context information coincides with one of the plurality of rules;

(c) if so, then determining one of a plurality of cursors associated with the coinciding rule; and

(d) displaying the associated cursor.

11. The method recited in claim 10 wherein the associated cursor indicates the anticipated location of an insertion point in the electronic document.

12. The method recited in claim 10 wherein the plurality of cursors comprises a left alignment icon, a right alignment icon, a center alignment icon, and a text wrap icon.

13. The method recited in claim 10 further comprising the step of repeating steps (a)-(d) as the cursor is moved around the electronic document.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 13.

16. The method recited in claim 15 wherein the step of adjusting the location of the insertion point based upon the coinciding rule comprises applying formatting properties to the electronic file.

17. The method recited in claim 16 wherein the formatting properties are stored in association with the coinciding rule.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 17.

15. For an electronic system for creating and editing an electronic file, a method for adjusting the location of an insertion point in an electronic file to match the location of a cursor, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting context information regarding a location of a cursor in the electronic file;

(b) applying the collected context information to a database of a plurality of rules to determine whether the collected context information coincides with one of the plurality of rules;

(c) if so, then adjusting the location of the insertion point based upon the coinciding rule;

(d) determining whether the location of the insertion point matches the location of the cursor; and

(e) if not, then repeating steps (a)-(d).