UTILITY OBJECT FOR SPECIALIZED DATA ENTRY

• US 20090150777A1
• Filed: 01/23/2009
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zielinski, Tobias, Garside, Adrian J., Chambers, Robert L., Feldman, Kyril, Dodge, Steve, Torset, Todd A., Murayama, Takanobu, Wick, Thomas R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,671,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An object is associated with one or more controls in a software application. An object associated with a control determines the operation of the data entry user interface when the data entry user interface is being employed to enter data into the control. More particularly, the object may communicate interface e characteristics to a component that is responsible for providing the user interface to the user. Such a component may be, for example, a shared software module that renders the user interface on a display, receives input data from the user through the user interface, and routes the entered data to a designated destination. Alternately, the object itself may create a user interface having the specified characteristics.

Claims

1. A computer display window having an upper region and a lower region comprising:

an insertion point active in an insertion region; and

a handwriting capture panel including a first region for capturing handwritten ink,

wherein said handwriting capture panel is displayed above said insertion region when said insertion region is in said lower region and wherein said handwriting capture panel is displayed below said insertion region when said insertion region is in said upper region.

2. The computer display window according to claim 1, wherein a separation between upper region and said lower region is definable.

3. A method of controlling a user interface comprising:

receiving information from a software application; and

invoking a user interface based upon the received information, the user interface being configured to receive at least two input characters.

4. A method of controlling a user interface comprising:

receiving information from an edit control; and

invoking a user interface based upon the received information independent of whether text exists in the edit control.