Temporary Lines for Writing

• US 20070097102A1
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Iwema, Marieke, Geidl, Erik, Lui, Charlton, Pettiross, Jeffrey, Keely, Leroy, Huapaya, Luis
• Granted Patent: US 7,825,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• 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

Abstract

A user is provided with guidelines that are temporarily displayed with content, in order to assist the user in accurately writing electronic ink. The guidelines may appear when the user moves a writing tool close to a display and writing surface. Alternately, the guidelines may appear after the user has begun to write electronic ink, so that the guidelines can correspond to the angle at which the user is writing, the size of the user'"'"'s handwriting, or both. As the user writes the electronic ink onto the writing surface, the handwritten electronic ink is added to the content being rendered on the display. After the user has finished writing electronic ink and moves the writing tool away from the writing surface, the guidelines may be deleted. Accordingly, the user can employ the temporary guidelines without the guidelines themselves becoming a permanent part of the content.

Claims

1. A method of providing guidelines for handwriting, comprising:

displaying content;

detecting a position of a stylus relative to the displayed content;

displaying at least one guideline in the content at a location corresponding to the detected position of the stylus;

detecting movement of the stylus outside of an electronic ink input area corresponding to the displayed content for longer than a threshold amount of time, wherein the threshold time varies depending upon movement of the stylus; and

deleting the at least one guideline in response to detecting movement of the stylus outside of the electronic ink input area corresponding to the displayed content for longer than the threshold amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an angle that the electronic ink is being written; and

adjusting an angle of the at least one guideline in response to the angle the electronic ink is being written

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one guideline comprises at least two guidelines, the method further comprising:

determining a height that the electronic ink is being written; and

adjusting a position of at least one guideline of the at least two guideline in response to the height of the electronic ink is being written.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a color is selected for the at least one guideline so that the at least one guideline is a different color than the text.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a second position of the stylus relative to the displayed content; and

extending the at least one guideline in a direction of the detected second position of the stylus, wherein the at least one guideline is extended by lengthening the at least one guideline;

6. A method of displaying guidelines, comprising:

displaying content;

detecting a position of a stylus relative to the displayed content;

displaying at least one guideline in the content at a location corresponding to the detected position of the stylus;

collecting electronic ink produced by movement of the stylus;

determining an angle that the electronic ink is being written; and

adjusting an angle of the at least one guideline in response to the angle the electronic ink is being written.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the angle that the electronic ink is being written is greater than 10 degrees.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the angle that the electronic ink is being written at is a first angle, the method further comprising:

determining that the electronic ink is being written at a second angle, the second angle varying from the first angle; and

adjusting the angle of the at least one guideline in response to the second angle the electronic ink is being written.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting movement of the stylus outside of an electronic ink input area corresponding to the displayed content for longer than a threshold amount of time, wherein the threshold time varies depending upon movement of the stylus; and

deleting the at least one guideline in response to detecting movement of the stylus outside of the electronic ink input area corresponding to the displayed content for longer than the threshold amount of time.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one guideline comprises at least two guidelines, the method further comprising:

determining a height that the electronic ink is being written; and

adjusting a position of at least one guideline of the at least two guideline in response to the height of the electronic ink is being written.

11. A method of displaying guidelines, comprising:

displaying content;

detecting a position of a stylus relative to the displayed content;

displaying at least two guidelines in the content at a location corresponding to the detected position of the stylus;

collecting electronic ink produced by movement of the stylus;

determining a height that the electronic ink is being written; and

adjusting a position of at least one guideline of the at least two guideline in response to the height of the electronic ink that is being written.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjusting of the position of the at least one guideline causes the at least two guidelines to be positioned closer together.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining an angle that the electronic ink is being written; and

adjusting an angle of the at least two guidelines in response to the angle the electronic ink is being written.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting movement of the stylus outside of an electronic ink input area corresponding to the displayed content for longer than a threshold amount of time, wherein the threshold time varies depending upon movement of the stylus; and

deleting the at least two guidelines in response to detecting movement of the stylus outside of the electronic ink input area corresponding to the displayed content for longer than the threshold amount of time.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a second position of the stylus relative to the displayed content; and

in response to the detecting of the second position of the stylus, extending the at least two guidelines in a direction of the detected second position of the stylus, wherein the at least two guidelines are extended by lengthening the at least two guidelines.

16. A method of displaying guidelines, comprising:

displaying content;

detecting a position of a stylus relative to the displayed content;

displaying at least one guideline in the content at a location corresponding to the detected position of the stylus;

detecting a second position of the stylus relative to the displayed content;

in response to the detecting of the second position of the stylus, extending the at least one guideline in a direction of the detected second position of the stylus, wherein the at least one guideline is extended by lengthening the at least one guideline; and

collecting electronic ink produced by movement of the stylus.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining an angle that the electronic ink is being written; and

adjusting an angle of the at least one guideline in response to the angle the electronic ink is being written.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting movement of the stylus outside of an electronic ink input area corresponding to the displayed content for longer than a threshold amount of time, wherein the threshold time varies depending upon movement of the stylus; and

deleting the at least one guideline in response to detecting movement of the stylus outside of the electronic ink input area corresponding to the displayed content for longer than the threshold amount of time.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one guideline comprises at least two guidelines, the method further comprising:

determining a height that the electronic ink is being written; and

adjusting a position of at least one guideline of the at least two guideline in response to the height of the electronic ink is being written.