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Method for selecting objects on a computer display

  • US 5,523,775 A
  • Filed: 06/08/1994
  • Issued: 06/04/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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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:

  • (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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