Selection handles in editing electronic documents

• US 20020097270A1
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cazzanti, Susanne Alysia, Iwena, Marieke, Keely, Leroy B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,891,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

A computer system and method for highlighting and selecting elements of electronic documents is disclosed. In one embodiment, a selection area identifies an initial selection of data, and one or more selection handles appear on the selection area to allow dynamic resizing of the selection area to select a larger or smaller portion of data or number of items.

Claims

1. A method for selecting portions of electronic data on a display device, comprising the steps of:

generating a selection area identifying a first portion of said electronic data, wherein said selection area includes one or more selection handles;

receiving an input from a user associated with said one or more selection handles; and

resizing said selection area responsive to said user input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic data is text data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of receiving an input further comprises the step of said user selecting and dragging said one of said selection handles.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said display device is a tablet personal computer, and said step of said user selecting and dragging is performed using a stylus.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of resizing is performed in accordance with a directional flow of a language of said electronic data.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said selection area includes two selection handles on opposing sides of said highlight selection area.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of exchanging handles when a first of said selection handles is relocated to an opposite side of said selection area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic data includes one or more graphical image objects.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of resizing further comprises the step of automatically resizing said selection area to highlight an entire image object when said user relocates said one of said selection handles to highlight a portion of said image object.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said selection area further includes an image object handle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said image object handle is a rotational tool.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic data identified by said selection area is displayed in a different color from electronic data not identified by said selection area.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of resizing is performed as said selection handle is relocated.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 1.

16. The device of claim 15, further configured to resize said selection area in accordance with a directional flow of a language of said text data.

17. The device of claim 15, further configured to automatically exchange selection handles when said user selects and moves said first selection handle to an opposite side of said selection area.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein said user selection of said portion of said text data is generated by double-tapping said stylus on said display area, and said portion of said text data is a single word.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein said user selection of said portion of said text data is generated by tapping and dragging said stylus on said display area.

15. A portable computing device comprising a display area and a stylus, configured to:

display electronic text data on said display area;

detect a user selection of a portion of said text data using said stylus;

display a selection area identifying said selected portion of said text data, wherein said selection area includes first and second selection handles on opposing sides of said selection area;

detect a user selection and movement of said first selection handle; and

resize said selection area responsive to said user selection and movement of said first selection handle.