Method of connecting shapes on a display of a computer system
First Claim
1. A method for connecting an end point of an open shape to an object;
- wherein both the open shape and the object are prepared by the interaction of a pointer with a display screen of a computer system; and
wherein the end point lies within a predefined distance of the object; and
wherein the open shape has a plurality of segments including an end segment, which end segment is a terminal portion of the open shape closest to said object; and
wherein said end segment is defined between said end point and an end segment point on the open shape;
the method comprising the following steps;
identifying a kink on the object, which kink is an intersection point on the object where the open shape will connect to the object; and
replacing the end segment with a connection segment drawn between said end segment point and said intersection point on said display screen.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for recognizing shapes characterized by a stroke grouper receptive to a plurality of strokes formed on a screen of a pen-based computer system; a shape recognition engine receptive to a stroke group produced by the stroke grouper; and a knowledge base coupled to the shape recognition engine, where the knowledge base includes, at a minimum, knowledge concerning closed polygons and closed curves. Preferably, the closed curves of the knowledge base include both circles and ellipses. A method for recognizing digitized shapes in a computer system includes the steps of receiving at least one user-initiated stroke; grouping the user-initiated stroke with related strokes to form a stroke group; and analyzing the stroke group to make a best-guess shape represented by the stroke group. Preferably, the method also looks for other shapes which are related to the best-guess shape and modifying at least one of the location, size, or shape of the best-guess shape to conform with the other shapes. The strokes are typically grouped when they are related in time, or space, or in both time and space. A method for recognizing and forming shapes includes the steps of: creating a live group including at least one live stroke; characterizing shape sides from the live group, where a shape side is either straight or curved; forming a polygon from the shape sides if all the shape sides are straight; forming an ellipse from the shape sides if all the shape sides are curved; and forming a composite curve from the shape sides if the shape sides are a mixture of straight sides and curved sides. The step of characterizing shape sides preferably includes the steps of: finding kinks in the live group; defining shape sides as segments between the kinks; and determining whether the shape sides are straight or curved.
203 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method for connecting an end point of an open shape to an object;
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wherein both the open shape and the object are prepared by the interaction of a pointer with a display screen of a computer system; and wherein the end point lies within a predefined distance of the object; and wherein the open shape has a plurality of segments including an end segment, which end segment is a terminal portion of the open shape closest to said object; and wherein said end segment is defined between said end point and an end segment point on the open shape; the method comprising the following steps; identifying a kink on the object, which kink is an intersection point on the object where the open shape will connect to the object; and replacing the end segment with a connection segment drawn between said end segment point and said intersection point on said display screen. - View Dependent Claims (3, 7, 9)
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2. A method for connecting an end point of an open shape to an object;
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wherein both the open shape and the object being prepared by the interaction of a pointer with a display screen of a computer system; and wherein the end point lies within a predefined distance of the object; and wherein the open shape has a plurality of segments including an end segment, which end segment is a terminal portion of the open shape closest to said object; and wherein said end segment is defined between the end point and a kink on said open shape; the method comprising the following steps; identifying an intersection point on the object where the open shape will connect to the object; and replacing the end point of the end segment with said intersection point, and drawing a straight segment between the intersection point and said kink on said open shape. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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4. A method for connecting an end point of an open shape to an object;
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wherein both the open shape and the object are prepared by the interaction of a pointer with a display screen of a computer system; and wherein the end point lies within a predefined distance of the object; and wherein the open shape has a plurality of segments including an end segment, which end segment is a terminal portion of the open shape closest to said object; and wherein said end segment is defined between said end point and an end segment point on the open shape; the method comprising the following steps; identifying an open end on the object which is the intersection point where the open shape will connect to the object; and determining whether the tangents at the end point and the open end are separated by less than a predefined angle; and if the two tangents are separated by less than the predefined angle, connecting the open shape and the object with a smooth connection segment by replacing the end segment with a connection segment drawn between said end segment point and said intersection point on said display screen. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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Specification