Script character processing method for opening space within text and ink strokes of a document

• US 6,493,736 B1
• Filed: 10/19/1998
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Forcier, Mitchell D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US09/175,057
• Time in Patent Office: 1,513 Days
• Field of Search: 707/541, 707/530, 707/517, 707/500
• US Class Current: 715/273
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

A pen-based processor needs to be usable to input and edit script like a text-based computer but retain a resemblance to the user of a pad and pencil. The disclosed system and method implement input, editing and other manipulation of glyphs including handwritten script, ASCII test, bit-mapped images and drawings in a common document, using a compatible internal representation of the data and a simple, consistent set of user control functions. These functions are invoked using an intuitive and interactive set of user gestures which do not distract the user from the task of inputting or editing the document. A two-step gesture method avoids confusion between strokes and command gestures and allows use of similar gestures for different functions within the same and different contexts. The system infers from customary user writing conventions that certain relationships of data are to be preserved and maintains the relationships, subject to user override, during editing. The display document is formatted to contain lined or unlined areas of glyphs that can be edited, including insertion of a moving space into pre-existing document text and word wrapping. Adjoining drawing areas are unaffected by editing of text data.

Claims

1. A computerized method for providing writing space within text that includes one or more of ink stroke, binary encoded character, or bitmapped image glyphs using a graphical input device on a dynamic document display, the method comprising:

displaying one or more lines of text on the document display;

entering a command to open a writing space at a user-determined location along a selected one of said lines, the computer and document display being responsive to open an amount of added space at said location in the selected line including shifting any pre-existing text in the line on one side of said location in a direction along the line away from said location, the computer and document display being responsive to wrap any words shifted past the end of the line to a successive line;

entering ink strokes with the input device into the added space;

sensing a predetermined user action, the computer and document display being responsive to remove excess added writing space.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which said location is positioned between adjacent first and second pre-existing glyphs having an initial glyph spacing, the computer being responsive to save said initial glyph spacing.

3. A method according to claim 2 in which said computer is responsive to a said predetermined user action to restore said initial glyph spacing relative to the added glyphs upon closing the added space.

4. A method according to claim 3 in which the computer and document display are responsive to fill any space created at the end of the line when the initial glyph spacing is restored by wrapping back words from successive lines.

5. A method according to claim 3 in which the computer and document display are responsive upon restoration of the initial glyph spacing to wrap forward any words positioned past the end of the line to successive lines.

6. A method according to claim 1 in which the user-determined amount of added space has a default value.

7. A method according to claim 1 in which said location is positioned within a selected ink stroke, the computer being responsive to split the stroke and save each part thereof.

8. A method according to claim 7 in which the added space is closed, the computer and document display being responsive to collapse the added space including shifting the pre-existing glyphs on said one side of said location along said line to adjoin any added ink strokes.

9. A method according to claim 8 whereby the computer and document display are responsive to fill any space created at the end of the line when the added space was collapsed by wrapping back words from successive lines.

10. A method according to claim 8 whereby the computer and document display are responsive to wrap forward the adjoined word to successive lines should any portion of the word be positioned past the end of the line.

11. A method according to claim 1 in which said lines extend horizontally across the document display and the direction in which text is shifted in response to said command and the direction of ink stroke entry is a rightward direction.

12. A method according to claim 1 including entering a command to assert a space propagation function, the computer and document display being responsive to supplement the added space, including wrapping any words shifted past the end of the line to a successive line.

13. A method according to claim 12 in which all text following the writing space is wrapped to successive lines, the computer and document display being responsive to wrap the writing space to the beginning of the next line.

14. A method according to claim 1 in which the insert space function is context sensitive to open a different amount of added space at the user-determined location depending on whether said location is within a word or between words.

15. A method according to claim 1 in which the added space remains open for entry of ink strokes while the user enters data elsewhere on the document display.

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

17. A computerized method for providing writing space within text that includes one or more of ink stroke, binary encoded character, or bitmapped image glyphs using a graphical input device on a dynamic document display, the method comprising:

displaying one or more lines of text on the document display;

detecting the entry of an ink stroke that extends into an area containing pre-existing text on a line;

shifting the pre-existing text in a direction along the line away from the entered ink stroke;

displaying the entered stroke so that it does not contact the shifted pre-existing text.

18. A method according to claim 17 in which the computer and document display is responsive to wrap any pre-existing text shifted past the end of the line to a successive line.

19. A method according to claim 17 in which the computer and document display is responsive to wrap the writing space and all text following it on the line to the next line and to shift any text contained in the next line to a third line.

20. A method according to claim 17 in which a predetermined user action is detected by the computer, the computer and document display being responsive to scroll the document to present the writing space at an accessible position.

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