System and method for correction and confirmation dialog for hand printed character input to a data processing system

• US 5,802,388 A
• Filed: 12/19/1996
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tannenbaum, Alan R., Tracey, William J., Lee, Keun J., Desrosiers, Moe R., Galliano, Mario Jose, Zetts, John Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Herndon, Heather R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HONG, STEPHEN S
• Application Number:
  US08/767,137
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 395/792, 395/793, 395/795, 395/796, 395/803, 395/804, 395/347, 395/358, 345/156, 345/173, 345/179, 364/709.11, 382/119
• US Class Current: 715/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/987 with the intervention of an operator

Abstract

A data processing system corrects handprinted character input represented as a sequence of points described by a writing path of a pointing device. The system receives a writing path signal from a pointing device in the data processing system, describing a first hand printed character input. The system performs character recognition on the writing path signal to provide a first character string. The system then displays the first character string in an edit pad area. The system then receives a correcting writing path signal in the edit pad area from the pointing device, describing a correction to the first hand printed character input. The system then performs character recognition on the correcting writing path signal to provide a second character string.

Claims

1. In a data processing system running at least a first and a second multitasked application programs, a method for correcting hand-printed character input represented as a sequence of points described by a writing path of a pointing device, comprising the steps of:

sensing with the first application program the proximity of a pointing device to a display surface in the data processing system to make an input to the first application program;

receiving with the first application program a writing path signal from said pointing device in the data processing system, describing a first hand printed character input;

performing with the first application program character recognition on said writing path signal to provide a first character string to the first application program in the data processing system;

running a first edit pad program in response to performing said character recognition step;

displaying with the first edit pad program said first character string in an edit pad area formed by said first edit pad program in the data processing system;

sensing with the second application program the proximity of a pointing device to a display surface in the data processing system to make an input to the second application program;

receiving with the second application program a second writing path signal from said pointing device in the data processing system, describing a second hand printed character input;

performing with the second application program a second character recognition on said second writing path signal to provide a second character string to the second application program in the data processing system;

running a second edit pad program in response to performing said second character recognition step;

displaying with the second edit pad program said second character string in a second edit pad area formed by said second edit pad program in the data processing system;

selectively removing with the second edit pad program said second edit pad area from display if no proximity of the pointing device is sensed within a predetermined time interval;

selectively extending with the second edit pad program the duration of display of said second edit pad area if proximity of the pointing device is sensed within said predetermined time interval;

receiving with the first edit pad program a correcting writing path signal in said first edit pad area from said pointing device in the data processing system, describing a correction to said first hand printed character input;

performing with the first edit pad program character recognition on said correcting writing path signal to provide a third character string in the data processing system; and

transferring with the first edit pad program said third character string to a character input of said first application program running in the data processing system.

2. The method of claim 1, which further comprises the steps of:

storing said third character string in an archiving buffer in the data processing system;

selectively displaying said third character string from said archiving buffer in said first edit pad area;

receiving a second correcting writing path signal in said first edit pad area from a pointing device in the data processing system, describing a second correction to said first hand printed character input;

performing character recognition on said second correcting writing path signal to provide a fourth character string in the data processing system; and

transferring said fourth character string to a character input of said first application program running in the data processing system.

3. In a data processing system, a method for correcting hand printed character input represented as a sequence of points described by a writing path of a pointing device, comprising the steps of:

running a first application program in a multi-tasking mode in a data processing system;

sensing the proximity of a pointing device to a display surface in the data processing system;

receiving a first writing path signal from said pointing device in the data processing system, describing a first hand printed character input;

performing character recognition on said first writing path signal to provide a first character string in the data processing system;

displaying said first character string in a first edit pad area associated with said first application program in the data processing system;

selectively removing said edit pad area from display if no proximity of the pointing device is sensed within a predetermined time interval;

selectively extending the duration of display of said edit pad area if proximity of the pointing device is sensed within said predetermined time interval;

receiving a first correcting writing path signal in said first edit pad area from a pointing device in the data processing system, describing a correction to said first hand printed character input;

performing character recognition on said first correcting writing path signal to provide a second character string in the data processing system;

transferring said second character string to a character input of said first application program;

running a second application program in a multi-tasking mode in a data processing system;

receiving a second writing path signal from a pointing device in the data processing system, describing a second hand printed character input;

performing character recognition on said second writing path signal to provide a third character string in the data processing system;

displaying said third character string in a second edit pad area associated with said second application program in the data processing system;

receiving a second correcting writing path signal in said second edit pad area from a pointing device in the data processing system, describing a correction to said second hand printed character input;

performing character recognition on said second correcting writing path signal to provide a fourth character string in the data processing system; and

transferring said fourth character string to a character input of said second application program.

4. The method of claim 3, which further comprises the steps of:

storing said second character string in a first archiving buffer in the data processing system;

selectively displaying said second character string from said archiving buffer in said first edit pad area;

receiving a repeat correcting writing path signal in said first edit pad area from a pointing device in the data processing system, describing a repeat correction to said first hand printed character input;

performing character recognition on said repeat correcting writing path signal to provide a repeat character string in the data processing system; and

transferring said repeat character string to a character input of said first application program running in the data processing system.

5. In a data processing system, a method for correcting hand-printed character input represented as a sequence of points described by a writing path of a pointing device, comprising the steps of:

receiving a writing path signal from a pointing device for an application program in the data processing system, describing a first hand printed character input;

determining that said application program in said data processing system is not a pen-aware application;

performing character recognition on said writing path signal to provide a first character string in the data processing system;

displaying said first character string with an edit pad program in an edit pad area in the data processing system in response to said character recognition step;

receiving a correcting writing path signal with said edit pad program in said edit pad area from a pointing device in the data processing system, describing a correction to said first hand printed character input;

performing character recognition on said correcting writing path signal to provide a second character string in the data processing system;

transferring said second character string to a character input of said application program running in the data processing system.

6. In a data processing system, a method for correcting hand-printed character input represented as a sequence of points described by a writing path of a pointing device, comprising the steps of:

receiving a writing path signal from a pointing device in the data processing system;

displaying with an edit pad program an edit pad area in said data processing system in response to said receiving step;

waiting a predetermined time interval for additional writing path signal;

removing said edit pad area from display if no additional writing path signal is received;

receiving an additional writing path signal from said pointing device describing a first hand printed character input;

determining that an application program in said data processing system is not a pen-aware application;

performing character recognition on said additional writing path signal to provide a first character string in the data processing system;

displaying with an edit pad program said first character string in said edit pad area in the data processing system in response to said recognition step;

receiving a correcting writing path signal in said edit pad area from a pointing device in the data processing system, describing a correction to said first hand printed character input;

performing character recognition on said correcting writing path signal to provide a second character string in the data processing system;

transferring said second character string to a character input of said application program running in the data processing system.

7. In a data processing system running at least a first and a second multitasked application programs, apparatus for correcting hand-printed character input represented as a sequence of points described by a writing path of a pointing device, comprising:

means for sensing with the first application program the proximity of a pointing device to a display surface in the data processing system to make an input to the first application program;

means for receiving with the first application program a writing path signal from said pointing device in the data processing system, describing a first hand printed character input;

means for performing with the first application program character recognition on said writing path signal to provide a first character string to the first application program in the data processing system;

means for running a first edit pad program in response to performing said character recognition;

means for displaying with the first edit pad program said first character string in an edit pad area formed by said first edit pad program in the data processing system;

means for sensing with the second application program the proximity of a pointing device to a display surface in the data processing system to make an input to the second application program;

means for receiving with the second application program a second writing path signal from said pointing device in the data processing system, describing a second hand printed character input;

means for performing with the second application program a second character recognition on said second writing path signal to provide a second character string to the second application program in the data processing system;

means for running a second edit pad program in response to performing said second character recognition;

means for displaying with the second edit pad program said second character string in a second edit pad area formed by said second edit pad program in the data processing system;

means for selectively removing with the second edit pad program said second edit pad area from display if no proximity of the pointing device is sensed within a predetermined time interval;

means for selectively extending with the second edit pad program the duration of display of said second edit pad area if proximity of the pointing device is sensed within said predetermined time interval;

means for receiving with the first edit pad program a correcting writing path signal in said first edit pad area from said pointing device in the data processing system, describing a correction to said first hand printed character input;

means for performing with the first edit pad program character recognition on said correcting writing path signal to provide a third character string in the data processing system; and

means for transferring with the first edit pad program said third character string to a character input of said first application program running in the data processing system.