Method for selecting objects on a computer display
First Claim
1. A method of selecting one or more items on a display screen of a stylus-based computer system, the computer system providing bounding boxes surrounding the items displayed on the display screen, the computer system also providing a normal nib of activated pixels at a location where the stylus contacts the display screen, the computer system also providing a normal ink image of a path traversed by the stylus on the display screen, the width of the normal ink image corresponding to the size of the normal nib, the method comprising the following steps:
- (a) automatically generating a highlight nib having a larger size than the normal nib when the stylus is held stationary on the display screen for a predetermined time period, the highlight nib capable of producing a highlight ink image which is wider than the normal ink image, the width of the highlight ink image corresponding to the size of the highlight nib;
(b) determining a highlight path traversed by the stylus on the display screen and defined by the highlight nib, the highlight path defining a highlight stroke with a surrounding bounding box;
(c) displaying the highlight stroke in a highlight ink image which has a greater width than the normal ink image;
(d) selecting one or more of the items displayed on the screen based upon, at least in part, the identity of those items which have had their bounding boxes intersected by the bounding box of the highlight stroke; and
(e) highlighting the items selected on the display screen.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for selecting objects displayed on a screen of a pen-based computer system characterized by the steps of: (a) determining that a selection gesture has been made on the screen of the pen-based computer by a stylus; (b) detecting a path made by the stylus across at least a portion of an object depicted on the screen; (c) displaying a line image on the screen along the path; (d) determining a selection of at least a portion of the object as indicated by the path; and (e) displaying selection indicia on the screen representing the selection. The step of displaying the selection indicia can occur concurrently with or after the complete path is made by the stylus on the object. Preferably, the line image is removed after the step of displaying the selection indicia.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of selecting one or more items on a display screen of a stylus-based computer system, the computer system providing bounding boxes surrounding the items displayed on the display screen, the computer system also providing a normal nib of activated pixels at a location where the stylus contacts the display screen, the computer system also providing a normal ink image of a path traversed by the stylus on the display screen, the width of the normal ink image corresponding to the size of the normal nib, the method comprising the following steps:
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(a) automatically generating a highlight nib having a larger size than the normal nib when the stylus is held stationary on the display screen for a predetermined time period, the highlight nib capable of producing a highlight ink image which is wider than the normal ink image, the width of the highlight ink image corresponding to the size of the highlight nib; (b) determining a highlight path traversed by the stylus on the display screen and defined by the highlight nib, the highlight path defining a highlight stroke with a surrounding bounding box; (c) displaying the highlight stroke in a highlight ink image which has a greater width than the normal ink image; (d) selecting one or more of the items displayed on the screen based upon, at least in part, the identity of those items which have had their bounding boxes intersected by the bounding box of the highlight stroke; and (e) highlighting the items selected on the display screen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A stylus-based computer system comprising:
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a cpu; a memory; a display screen sensitive to the position of a stylus and communicating with the cpu such that a normal nib of activated pixels is displayed at a location where the stylus contacts the display screen, the normal nib having a normal width, and a highlight nib having a larger number of activated pixels than the normal nib is automatically displayed when the stylus is held stationary on the display screen for a predetermined period, the highlight nib having a highlight width which is wider than the normal width, wherein when the highlight nib is displayed, any items displayed on the display screen which are contacted by the highlight nib are selected. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification