System and method for injecting ink into an application

• US 20030227492A1
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ieperen, Taco van, Wilde, Keith Correy
• Granted Patent: US 7,499,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A touch system includes a touch panel having a touch surface and a projector for projecting images onto the touch surface. A computer executing an applications program is coupled to the touch panel and the projector. The computer is responsive to contact output generated by the touch panel in response to proximity of a pointer to the touch surface and updates image data conveyed to the projector so that the images presented on the touch surface reflect the pointer activity. The computer executes a gesture responsive ink injection routine to detect when a selected gesture is made with the pointer on the touch surface. The gesture responsive ink injection routine performs recognition to convert ink drawn on the touch surface into a form suitable for the applications program when the selected gesture is recognized and enters the recognized text into the application.

Claims

1. A method of injecting ink into an application executed by a computer and displayed on a touch panel, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting when a predetermined gesture is made with a pointer on said touch panel, on which ink has been entered and overlies said application;

performing recognition to convert said ink into a form suitable for said application; and

entering the recognized ink into said application.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined gesture is a stationary pointer contact on said touch panel.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said predetermined gesture is a stationary pointer contact exceeding a threshold duration.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said recognized ink is entered into the application at the location of said stationary pointer contact.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of providing visual feedback on said touch panel while said pointer is stationary on said touch panel.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of visually presenting the recognized ink on said touch panel prior to said entering.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said recognized ink is presented as a selectable item in a menu, said entering being performed upon selection of said item.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said menu further includes a clear ink item.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein said visual feedback is a display of said recognized ink.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said recognized ink is said visual feedback when the percentage accuracy of said recognition is over a threshold.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said percentage accuracy threshold is 90%.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein a number of options for said recognized ink are presented on said touch panel prior to said entering.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said recognized ink options are presented as selectable items in a menu, said entering being performed upon selection of one of said items.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said menu further includes a clear ink item.

15. A system for injecting ink into an application executed by a computer and displayed on a touch panel, said system comprising:

means for detecting when a predetermined gesture is made with a pointer on said touch panel, on which ink has been entered and overlies said application;

means for performing recognition to convert said ink into a form suitable for said application; and

means for entering the recognized ink into said application.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein said predetermined gesture is a stationary pointer contact on said touch panel.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein said predetermined gesture is a stationary pointer contact exceeding a threshold duration.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein said recognized ink is entered into said application at the location of said stationary pointer contact.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein said recognition means converts said ink into text.

20. A touch system comprising:

a touch panel having a touch surface;

a projector presenting images onto said touch surface; and

a computer executing an applications program and being coupled to said touch panel and said projector, said computer being responsive to contact output generated by said touch panel in response to proximity of a pointer to said touch surface and updating image data conveyed to said projector so that images presented on said touch surface reflect pointer activity, said computer executing a gesture responsive ink injection routine to detect when a selected gesture is made with said pointer on said touch surface, said gesture responsive ink injection routine performing recognition to convert ink drawn on said touch surface into a form suitable for said applications program when said selected gesture is recognized and entering said recognized ink into said applications program.

21. A touch system according to claim 20 wherein said recognized ink is converted into text.

22. A touch system according to claim 21 wherein said selected gesture is a stationary pointer contact on said touch panel.

23. A touch system according to claim 22 wherein said selected gesture is a stationary pointer contact exceeding a threshold duration.

24. A touch system according to claim 23 wherein said recognized text is entered into said applications program at the location of said stationary pointer contact.

25. A touch system according to claim 24 wherein said gesture responsive ink injection routine provides visual feedback that is presented on said touch surface while said pointer is stationary on said touch panel.

26. A touch system according to claim 25 wherein said gesture responsive ink injection routine presents said recognized text as a selectable item in a menu.

27. A computer program product including a computer readable medium having a computer program for injecting ink into an application executed by a computer and displayed on a touch panel embodied thereon, said computer program including:

computer program code for detecting when a predetermined gesture is made with a pointer on said touch panel, on which ink has been entered and overlies said application;

computer program code for performing recognition to convert said ink into a form suitable for said application; and

computer program code for entering the recognized ink into said application.

28. A computer program product according to claim 27 wherein said computer program code for converting converts said ink into text.

29. A computer program product according to claim 28 wherein said computer program code for detecting acknowledges the predetermined gesture when the predetermined gesture has been maintained for a threshold duration.

30. A computer program product according to claim 29 wherein said predetermined gesture is a stationary pointer contact on said touch panel.

31. A computer program product according to claim 30 wherein said computer program code for entering enters the recognized text into said application at the location of said stationary pointer contact.