Method for automatically and intelligently scrolling handwritten input

• US 6,256,009 B1
• Filed: 02/24/1999
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wecker, David B., Lui, Charlton E., Altman, Dan W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, LUNYI
• Application Number:
  US09/256,525
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 345/124, 345/125, 345/123, 345/341, 345/973, 345/173-183, 178/18-1-, 178/19-1-
• US Class Current: 345/684
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method for automatically and intelligently scrolling handwritten ink entered into a computer device. The method detects when the user is on the last available line for writing, and starts a timer on each pen-up event or resets the timer on a pen-down event. An automatic scroll is performed after the writing on the last line has halted for more than a threshold amount of time. The threshold time may be variable based on criteria, such as the x-coordinate of the last writing, the writing speed of the user, the last character that was written, and the current zoom percentage of the display. The zoom percentage may also be used to determine the number of lines to scroll. New ink written after the automatic scrolling operation may be moved up to the scrolled ink, if the method determines that the user intended to write the new ink directly after the scrolled ink.

Claims

1. In a computer system having a program for receiving ink written by a user, a method of automatically scrolling the ink, comprising the steps of, determining when the ink has achieved a scroll point, detecting a pause in user writing, comparing a duration of the pause against a threshold time, and if the threshold time is achieved, scrolling the ink.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining when the ink has achieved the scroll point includes the step of determining when the user is writing on a last line.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining when the ink has achieved the scroll point includes the step of querying a mechanism for parsing the ink.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of detecting the pause in user writing comprises the step of receiving a pen up event.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of comparing a duration of the pause against a threshold time includes the step of starting a timer in response to detecting the pause.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of starting the timer comprises the step of storing a time stamp.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining the threshold time based on one or more criteria.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the threshold time is determined on one or more criteria including an x-coordinate of the ink.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the threshold time is determined as a first value if the pause corresponds to an x-coordinate below a predetermined number, and determined as a second value if the pause corresponds to an x-coordinate above the predetermined number.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the threshold time is inversely related to the x-coordinate that corresponds to the pause.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the threshold time is one of four values selected based on the x-coordinate that corresponds to the pause.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the threshold time is determined on one or more criteria including a zoom percentage.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the threshold time is determined on one or more criteria including a writing speed of the user.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein the threshold time is determined on one or more criteria including an x-coordinate of the ink and a zoom percentage.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein the threshold time is determined on one or more criteria including an x-coordinate of the ink and a writing speed of the user.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein the threshold time is determined on one or more criteria, including an x-coordinate of the ink, a zoom percentage, and a writing speed of the user.

17. The method of claim 7 wherein the threshold time is determined on one or more criteria including at least one character written by the user.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of scrolling the ink comprises the steps of, determining an amount to scroll based on a zoom percentage, and scrolling that amount.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of scrolling the ink moves at least some existing ink to a new position, and further comprising the step of detecting new ink after the step of scrolling.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of moving the new ink relative to the new position of the existing ink.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of, determining a time difference based on a time of the scrolling and a time that the new ink was detected, comparing the time difference against a predetermined time, and if the time difference did not achieve the predetermined time, leaving the new ink in a current position thereof relative to the new position of the existing ink.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the time difference achieved the predetermined time, and further comprising the step of moving the new ink relative to the new position of the existing ink.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of, determining whether the new ink was written on a last line, and if the new ink was not written on the last line, leaving the new ink in a current position thereof relative to the new position of the existing ink.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the new ink was written on the last line, and further comprising the step of moving the new ink relative to the new position of the existing ink.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of, determining whether the new ink was written to the right of ink on a last scrolled line, and if the new ink was not written to the right thereof, leaving the new ink in a current position thereof relative to the new position of the existing ink.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the new ink was written to the right of the ink on the last scrolled line, and further comprising the step of moving the new ink relative to the new position of the existing ink.

27. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of, determining whether the new ink was written between a last scrolled line and a last line, and if the new ink was written therebetween, leaving the new ink in a current position thereof relative to the new position of the existing ink.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the new ink was not written between a last scrolled line and a last line, and further comprising the step of moving the new ink relative to the new position of the existing ink.

29. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of, determining a time difference based on a time of the scrolling and a time that the new ink was detected, determining whether the new ink was written on a last line, and if either the time difference did not achieve a predetermined time or if the new ink was not written on the last line, leaving the new ink in a current position thereof relative to the new position of the existing ink.

30. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of, determining a time difference based on a time of the scrolling and a time that the new ink was detected, determining whether the new ink was written on a last line, determining whether the new ink was written to the right of ink on a last scrolled line, and if either (a) the time difference did not achieve the predetermined time, (b) the new ink was not written on the last line, or (c) the new ink was not written to the right ink of the ink on the last scrolled line, leaving the new ink in a current position thereof relative to the new position of the existing ink.

31. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of, determining a time difference based on a time of the scrolling and a time that the new ink was detected, determining whether the new ink was written on a last line, determining whether the new ink was written to the right of ink on a last scrolled line, determining whether the new ink was written between the last scrolled line and the last line, and if either (a) the time difference did not achieve the predetermined time, (b) the new ink was not written on the last line, (c) the new ink was not written to the right ink of the ink on the last scrolled line, or (d) the new ink was written between the last scrolled line and the last line, leaving the new ink in a current position thereof relative to the new position of the existing ink.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of moving the new ink relative to the new position of the existing ink.

33. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

(a) receiving ink written by a user;

(b) determining that the ink has achieved a scroll point;

(c) detecting a pause in user writing;

(d) comparing a duration of the pause against a threshold time; and

(e) if the threshold time is achieved, scrolling the ink.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein the step of detecting the pause in user writing comprises the step of detecting a pen up event.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein the threshold time is determined based on an x-coordinate of the ink.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein the threshold time is determined based on a writing speed of the user.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein the threshold time is based on a zoom percentage.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein the threshold time is based on at least one character written by the user.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein the step of scrolling the ink moves at least some existing ink to a new position, and having further computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

(1) detecting new ink after the step of scrolling;

(2) determining a time difference based on a time of the scrolling and a time that the new ink was detected;

(3) determining whether the new ink was written on a last line;

(4) determining whether the new ink was written to the right of ink on a last scrolled line;

(5) determining whether the new ink was written between the last scrolled line and the last line; and

(6) leaving the new ink in a current position thereof relative to the new position of the existing ink if either;

(a) the time difference did not achieve the predetermined time;

(b) the new ink was not written on the last line;

(c) the new ink was not written to the right ink of the ink on the last scrolled line;

or

(d) the new ink was written between the last scrolled line and the last line.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 39 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of moving the new ink relative to the new position of the existing ink.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein the step of receiving ink written by a user includes the step of receiving information from a touch-sensitive input device.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein the step of receiving ink written by a user includes the step of receiving information from a tablet input device.