Systems and methods for processing input data before, during, and/or after an input focus change event

• US 20060112349A1
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Garside, Adrian J., Winkler, David V., Clow, Josh A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,461,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/780
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media process computer input data (such as electronic ink data, speech input data, keyboard input data, etc.), including focus change data, in a manner so that the input insertion range better comports with the user'"'"'s original intent. More specifically, user input data may be accepted, before, during, and/or after a focus change event is initiated, and the systems and methods will process this input data in an intuitive manner, directing the data to areas of an application program or the operating system that better comport with the user'"'"'s original intent. In this manner, loss of input data may be avoided and misdirected input data may be avoided, thereby lowering user frustration during focus change events.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sending data to a manager object indicating a first range of an application program that has obtained focus;

receiving input data including information destined for the first range;

creating an input object for receiving the input data;

associating the input object with the manager object;

storing data identifying the first range in the input object;

recognizing the input data to thereby provide data corresponding to recognized text associated with the input data;

sending data corresponding to the recognized text to the input object;

sending data corresponding to the recognized text and data identifying the first range from the input object to the manager object;

sending data corresponding to the recognized text and data identifying the first range from the manager object to the application program; and

inserting data corresponding to the recognized text at the first range in the application program.

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

notifying the input object that input data is being received.

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

receiving a change in focus after receipt of the input data has started but before the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range, wherein the change in focus does not affect where the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted in the application program.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the change in focus changes focus from the first range to a second range in the application program, and wherein the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the change in focus changes focus from the first range in the application program to a different application program, and wherein the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range.

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

receiving a change in focus after the input object is created but before the input data is fully recognized, wherein the change in focus does not affect where the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the change in focus changes focus from the first range to a second range in application program, and wherein the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the change in focus changes focus from the first range in the application program to a different application program, and wherein the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the input data includes electronic ink data.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the input data includes speech data.

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

12. A method, comprising:

notifying a TSF manager object that a first range in a TSF-enabled application program has obtained focus and receiving data at the TSF manager object identifying the first range associated with the focus;

receiving ink input data in an ink input area;

creating an input object for receiving the ink input data from the ink input area;

associating the input object with the TSF manager object;

storing data identifying the first range associated with the focus in the input object;

recognizing the ink input data to thereby provide data corresponding to recognized text associated with the ink input data;

sending data corresponding to the recognized text to the input object;

sending data corresponding to the recognized text and data identifying the first range associated with the focus from the input object to the TSF manager object;

sending data corresponding to the recognized text and data identifying the first range associated with the focus from the TSF manager object to the TSF-enabled application program; and

inserting data corresponding to the recognized text at the first range associated with the focus in the TSF-enabled application program.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the ink input area creates the input object.

14. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a change in focus after receipt of the ink input data has started but before the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range, wherein the change in focus does not affect where the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted in the TSF-enabled application program.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the change in focus changes focus from the first range to a second range in the TSF-enabled application program, and wherein the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the change in focus changes focus from the first range in the TSF-enabled application program to a different application program, and wherein the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range.

17. A method according to claim 12, wherein the TSF manager object is notified that the TSF-enabled application program has obtained focus and informed of the first range associated with the focus by a tiptsf.dll component.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the TSF manager object sends the data corresponding to the recognized text and the data identifying the first range to the TSF-enabled application program via the tiptsfdll component.

19. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a change in focus after the input object is created but before the ink input data is fully recognized, wherein the change in focus does not affect where the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the change in focus changes focus from the first range to a second range in the TSF-enabled application program, and wherein the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein the change in focus changes focus from the first range in the TSF-enabled application program to a second application program, and wherein the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range.

22. A computer-readable medium including computer executable instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 12.

23. A system, comprising:

an input system for receiving input data; and

a processor system programmed and adapted to;

(a) send data to a manager object indicating a first range of an application program that has obtained focus;

(b) create an input object for receiving the input data;

(c) associate the input object with the manager object;

(d) store data in the input object identifying the first range;

(e) recognize the input data to thereby provide data corresponding to recognized text associated with the input data;

(f) send data corresponding to the recognized text to the input object;

(g) send data corresponding to the recognized text and data identifying the first range from the input object to the manager object;

(h) send data corresponding to the recognized text and data identifying the first range from the manager object to the application program; and

(i) insert data corresponding to the recognized text at the first range in the application program.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein the processor system further is programmed and adapted to notify the input object that input data is being received.

25. A system according to claim 23, wherein the processor system further is programmed and adapted to receive a change in focus, wherein when the change in focus is received after receipt of the input data has started but before the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range, the processor system is programmed and adapted such that the change in focus does not affect where the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted in the application program.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein when the change in focus changes focus from the first range to a second range in the application program, the processor system is programmed and adapted such that the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range.

27. A system according to claim 25, wherein when the change in focus changes focus from the first range in the application program to a different application program, the processor system is programmed and adapted such that the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range.

28. A system according to claim 23, wherein the processor system further is programmed and adapted to receive a change in focus, wherein when the change in focus is received after the input object is created but before the input data is fully recognized, the processor system is programmed and adapted such that the change in focus does not affect where the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein when the change in focus changes focus from the first range to a second range in application program, the processor system is programmed and adapted such that the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range.

30. A method according to claim 28, wherein when the change in focus changes focus from the first range in the application program to a different application program, the processor system is programmed and adapted such that the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range.

31. A system according to claim 23, wherein the input data includes electronic ink data.

32. A system according to claim 23, wherein the input data includes speech data.

33. A system, comprising:

an input system for receiving ink input data from an ink input area; and

a processor system programmed and adapted to;

(a) notify a TSF manager object that a first range in a TSF-enabled application program has obtained focus;

(b) receive data identifying the first range associated with the focus;

(c) create an input object for receiving the ink input data from the ink input area;

(d) associate the input object with the TSF manager object;

(e) store data identifying the first range associated with the focus;

(f) recognize the ink input data to thereby provide data corresponding to recognized text associated with the ink input data;

(g) send data corresponding to the recognized text to the input object;

(h) send data corresponding to the recognized text and data identifying the first range associated with the focus from the input object to the TSF manager object;

(i) send data corresponding to the recognized text and data identifying the first range associated with the focus from the TSF manager object to the TSF-enabled application program; and

(j) insert data corresponding to the recognized text at the first range associated with the focus in the TSF-enabled application program.

34. A system according to claim 33, wherein the processor system further is programmed and adapted to receive input indicating a change in focus, wherein when the input indicating the change in focus is received after receipt of the ink input data has started but before the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted at the first range, the processor system is programmed and adapted such that the change in focus does not affect where the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted in the TSF-enabled application program.

35. A system according to claim 34, wherein the change in focus changes focus from the first range to a second range in the TSF-enabled application program, and wherein the processor system is programmed and adapted to insert the data corresponding to the recognized text at the first range.

36. A system according to claim 34, wherein the change in focus changes focus from the first range in the TSF-enabled application program to a different application program, and wherein the processor system is programmed and adapted to insert the data corresponding to the recognized text at the first range.

37. A system according to claim 33, wherein the processor system is programmed and adapted to notify the TSF manager object that the TSF-enabled application program has obtained focus and inform the TSF manager object of the first range associated with the focus via a tiptsf.dll component.

38. A system according to claim 37, wherein the processor system is programmed and adapted to send the data corresponding to the recognized text and the data identifying the first range to the TSF-enabled application program via the tiptsf.dll component.

39. A system according to claim 33, wherein the processor system further is programmed and adapted to receive input indicating a change in focus, wherein when the input indicating the change in focus is received after the input object is created but before the ink input data is fully recognized, the processor system further is programmed and adapted such that the change in focus does not affect where the data corresponding to the recognized text is inserted.

40. A system according to claim 39, wherein the change in focus changes focus from the first range to a second range in the TSF-enabled application program, and wherein the processor system is programmed and adapted to insert the data corresponding to the recognized text at the first range.

41. A system according to claim 39, wherein the change in focus changes focus from the first range in the TSF-enabled application program to a second application program, and wherein the processor system is programmed and adapted to insert the data corresponding to the recognized text at the first range.