Modifying electronic documents with recognized content or other associated data

• US 20050099398A1
• Filed: 11/07/2003
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Winkler, David Vaughn, Garside, Adrian James, Clow, Joshua
• Granted Patent: US 8,074,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/171 by use of digital ink

Abstract

Systems and methods enhance editing capabilities associated with a wide variety of different types of electronic documents. Such systems and methods may include a processor that maintains an electronic document having a first portion (e.g., an individual word, character, character string, or the like) provided by a recognizer (e.g., by handwriting or speech recognition software), and they may provide access to potential alternative characters, words, or character strings generated by the recognizer during various user editing functions and operations. Other data associated with the first portion of the document also may be stored and made available to the user during various functions and operations. This invention further relates to computer-readable media including instructions for performing various methods and/or operating various systems for editing electronic documents, including systems and methods like those described above.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

maintaining an electronic document, wherein at least a first portion of content in the electronic document includes content generated by a recognizer;

storing data associated with the first portion of the content, wherein the data is stored in a data structure that includes information not included in the electronic document;

receiving input selecting the first portion of the content; and

providing at least one selectable alternative for the first portion of the content based at least in part on the data associated with the first portion.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

changing the content of the electronic document when one of the selectable alternatives is selected.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the content is provided by a handwriting recognizer.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the data associated with the first portion of the content includes one or more potential alternative characters, words, or character strings identified by the handwriting recognizer.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data associated with the first portion of the content includes an expanded version of the electronic document separate from the electronic document, and wherein the data associated with the first portion of the content includes properties associated with the first portion of the content that are not included in the electronic document.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the content includes a word, character, or character string generated by a handwriting recognizer, and the data associated with the first portion of the content includes one or more potential alternative words, characters, or character strings generated by the handwriting recognizer.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input including a change to the content of the electronic document; and

changing the stored data associated with the first portion of the content, if necessary, based on the change to the content of the electronic document.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input changing the stored data associated with the first portion of the content of the electronic document; and

changing the electronic document, if necessary, based on the input changing the stored data associated with the first portion of the content of the electronic document.

9. A computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 1.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving input in an electronic document, wherein the electronic document includes a data structure having a plurality of independent data sets;

maintaining a supporting data structure based on content in at least a portion of the electronic document, wherein the supporting data structure includes a plurality of supporting data sets such that at least some of the independent data sets in the electronic document include an associated supporting data set in the supporting data structure; and

receiving input requesting display of or access to information contained in at least one supporting data set.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving input selecting information from the at least one supporting data set; and

changing the electronic document based on the selected information from the at least one supporting data set.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein at least some of the independent data sets correspond to words, characters, or character strings in the electronic document.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein at least some of the supporting data sets store potential alternative words, characters, or character strings corresponding to the words, characters, or character strings stored in the associated independent data sets.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the potential alternative words or characters stored in the supporting data sets are generated by a recognizer.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the supporting data structure includes an expanded version of the electronic document maintained separate from the electronic document, wherein at least some of the supporting data sets include one or more properties associated with its corresponding independent data set in the electronic document, and wherein the properties are not stored in the data structure of the electronic document.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein at least some of the supporting data sets include one or more properties associated with its corresponding independent data set in the electronic document, wherein the properties are not stored in the data structure of the electronic document.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the one or more properties includes at least one member selected from the group of:

handwriting recognizer generated alternative words, characters, or character strings;

speech recognizer generated alternative words, characters, or character strings;

language of a word, character, or character string;

identifier of a word, character, or character string source;

original electronic ink data associated with a word, character, or character string;

time of input of a word, character, or character string; and

spacing data associated with a word, character, or character string.

18. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving input changing the supporting data structure; and

changing the electronic document based on the input changing the supporting data structure.

19. A computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 10.

20. A system, comprising:

a processor programmed and adapted to;

(a) maintain an electronic document, wherein at least a first portion of content in the electronic document includes content generated by a recognizer, and (b) store data associated with the first portion of the content, wherein the data is stored in a data structure that includes information not included in the electronic document; and

an input device that receives a selection that optionally includes the first portion of the content,

wherein the processor further is programmed and adapted to provide at least one selectable alternative for the first portion of the content based at least in part on the data associated with the first portion.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the processor further is programmed and adapted to change the content of the electronic document when one of the selectable alternatives is selected.

22. A system according to claim 20, wherein the first portion of the content is provided by a handwriting recognizer.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the data associated with the first portion of the content includes one or more potential alternative words, characters, or character strings identified by the handwriting recognizer.

24. A system according to claim 20, wherein the data associated with the first portion of the content includes an expanded version of the electronic document separate from the electronic document, and wherein the data associated with the first portion of the content includes properties associated with the first portion of the content that are not included in the electronic document.

25. A system according to claim 20, wherein the first portion of the content includes a word, character, or character string generated by a handwriting recognizer, and the data associated with the first portion of the content includes one or more potential alternative words, characters, or character strings generated by the handwriting recognizer.

26. A system according to claim 20, wherein the processor further is programmed and adapted to receive input including a change to the content of the electronic document, and to change the stored data associated with the first portion of the content, if necessary, based on the change to the content of the electronic document.

27. A system according to claim 20, wherein the processor further is programmed and adapted to receive input changing the stored data associated with the first portion of the content of the electronic document, and to change the electronic document, if necessary, based on the input changing the stored data associated with the first portion of the content of the electronic document.

28. A system, comprising:

a processor programmed and adapted to;

(a) receive input in an electronic document, wherein the electronic document includes a data structure having a plurality of independent data sets, and (b) maintain a supporting data structure based on content in at least a portion of the electronic document, wherein the supporting data structure includes a plurality of supporting data sets such that at least some of the independent data sets in the electronic document include an associated supporting data set in the supporting data structure; and

an input device adapted to receive input requesting display of or access to information contained in at least one supporting data set.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein the processor further is programmed and adapted to receive input selecting information from the at least one supporting data set, and change the electronic document based on the selected information from the at least one supporting data set.

30. A system according to claim 28, wherein at least some of the independent data sets correspond to words, characters, or character strings in the electronic document.

31. A system according to claim 30, wherein at least some of the supporting data sets store potential alternative words, characters, or character strings corresponding to the words, characters, or character strings stored in the associated independent data sets.

32. A system according to claim 31, wherein the potential alternative words, characters, or character strings stored in the supporting data sets are generated by a recognizer.

33. A system according to claim 28, wherein the supporting data structure includes an expanded version of the electronic document maintained separate from the electronic document, wherein at least some of the supporting data sets include one or more properties associated with its corresponding independent data set in the electronic document, and wherein the properties are not stored in the data structure of the electronic document.

34. A system according to claim 28, wherein at least some of the supporting data sets include one or more properties associated with its corresponding independent data set in the electronic document, wherein the properties are not stored in the data structure of the electronic document.

35. A system according to claim 34, wherein the one or more properties includes at least one member selected from the group of:

handwriting recognizer generated alternative words, characters, or character strings;

speech recognizer generated alternative words, characters, or character strings;

language of a word, character or character string;

identifier of a word, character, or character string source;

original electronic ink data associated with a word, character, or character string;

time of input of a word, character, or character string; and

spacing data associated with a word, character, or character string.

36. A system according to claim 28, wherein the processor further is programmed and adapted to receive input changing the supporting data structure, and to change the electronic document based on the input changing the supporting data structure.