Method and mechanism for coordinating input of asynchronous data

• US 6,292,857 B1
• Filed: 06/05/1997
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sidoroff, Donald D., Yang, Yongqi
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Application Number:
  US08/870,028
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 707/541, 345/340, 345/347, 345/156, 345/157, 345/163, 345/168-173, 382/181, 382/186-189, 382/310-311, 704/200, 704/231, 710/1, 710/5, 710/40, 710/44, 710/46, 710/47, 710/48, 710/52, 710/54, 710/57, 710/67, 710/73, 710/260, 710/263, 712/167, 712/169
• US Class Current: 710/54
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/32 Digital ink

Abstract

A method and mechanism for handling user input. Messages corresponding to the user input are placed in a message queue. An input handler differentiates between messages in the queue, such as handwritten character strokes, which are to be handled in real time, and ordered messages, such as characters, cursor movement and editing commands, which are to be handled in a synchronized order of input. The input handler handles each ordered message only after completion of any previous ordered message, while real time messages are handled regardless of the completion status of the ordered messages. In this manner, handwritten character strokes are immediately written to the display area. Ordered messages, which may correspond to handwritten characters having a recognition delay time associated therewith, are handled in the same order as input by the user regardless of any recognition delay time.

Claims

1. In a computer system, a method of handling user input, comprising, placing messages corresponding to user input information into a message queue, differentiating between real time messages in the queue which are to be handled at least in part in real time and ordered messages in the queue which are to be handled in a synchronized order of input, processing the ordered messages in a synchronized order of input by handling each ordered message only after completion of the processing of any previous ordered message, and handling at least in part the real time messages while awaiting completion of processing of an ordered message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user input includes handwritten character information, wherein messages corresponding to the handwritten character information are placed as ordered messages in the message queue, and wherein processing each ordered message includes providing the character information to a handwriting recognition engine.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the user input includes keystroke character information from a physical or virtual keyboard.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the user input includes speech information, wherein messages corresponding to the speech information are placed as ordered messages in the message queue, and wherein processing each ordered message includes providing the speech information to a speech recognition engine.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein handling each ordered message includes polling the completion status of the processing of the previous ordered message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein handling each ordered message includes receiving information indicative of the completion of the processing of the previous ordered message.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the user input includes pen events for inputting character information, wherein messages corresponding to the pen events for inputting character information are placed as real-time messages in the message queue, and wherein handling the real time message includes causing display changes corresponding to the pen events.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the user input includes a command to delete a previous character, and wherein the message corresponding to said command is a real-time message handled by canceling the recognition of the previous character.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the user input includes a command to delete a previous character, and wherein the message corresponding to said command is an ordered message until a handwritten character previous thereto is being processed for recognition thereof, and a real-time message when the previous character is being processed for recognition thereof, the real time message handled by terminating the recognition of the previous character.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the messages are placed into a single message queue.

11. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

12. In a computer system, a mechanism for handling user input, comprising means for placing messages corresponding to user input information into a message queue, an input handler for differentiating between real-time messages which are to be handled at least in part in real time and ordered messages which are to be handled in a synchronized order of input, the input handler including means for detecting completion of a previous ordered message, and further including means for causing processing of the ordered messages in a synchronized order of input by handling each ordered message only after completion of processing of any previous ordered message and for handling at least in part the real time messages while awaiting completion of processing of an ordered message.

13. The mechanism of claim 12 further comprising means for inputting handwritten character information, wherein messages corresponding to the handwritten character information are placed as ordered messages in the message queue, and further comprising a handwriting recognition engine, wherein the means for causing processing of the ordered messages in a synchronized order of input by handling each ordered message includes means for providing the character information to the handwriting recognition engine.

14. The mechanism of claim 13 further comprising means for inputting keystroke character information from a physical keyboard.

15. The mechanism of claim 13 further comprising means for inputting keystroke character information from a virtual keyboard.

16. The mechanism of claim 13, wherein the means for detecting completion of a previous ordered message includes a flag having a state set by the handwriting recognition engine when recognition of character information is complete.

17. The mechanism of claim 12 further comprising means for inputting speech information, wherein messages corresponding to the speech information are placed as ordered messages in the message queue, and further comprising a speech recognition engine, wherein the means for causing processing of the ordered messages in a synchronized order of input by handling each ordered message includes means for providing the speech information to the speech recognition engine.

18. The mechanism of claim 12 wherein the user input includes pen events for inputting character information, wherein messages corresponding to the pen events for inputting character information are placed as real-time messages in the message queue, and wherein the means for handling at least in part the real time messages includes means for causing display changes corresponding to the pen events.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the messages are placed into a single message queue.

21. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 17.

19. In a computer system, a method of handling input from a user, comprising:

placing messages corresponding to keystroke input and messages corresponding to pen events, including pen event messages related to handwritten characters, into a message queue;

determining from the messages in the message queue when the user has finished a character, and when the character is finished, sending information corresponding to the character to a handwriting recognition engine;

awaiting a result from the handwriting recognition engine, and while awaiting said result, determining which pen event messages are caused by the writing of a handwritten character stroke and handling those messages by outputting information corresponding to the handwritten character stroke to a display; and

handling any message in the message queue while a result from the handwriting recognition engine is not pending.

22. A system for providing output from user input, comprising, a message queue for receiving messages corresponding to real time events that are to be handled at least in part in real time and ordered events that are to be handled in a synchronized order of input, a recognition engine, an output mechanism, and an input handler, the input handler examining the message queue to differentiate between the real time events and the ordered events therein to provide at least some events to the recognition engine and to output real-time information corresponding to the real-time events to the output mechanism while awaiting a result of recognition from the recognition engine.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the user input includes handwritten character information, and wherein the input handler provides handwritten character data to the recognition engine.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the user input includes speech information, and wherein the input handler provides speech data to the recognition engine.