Method and system for instruction of a computer

• US 6,995,859 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2000
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): HASKINS, TWYLER LAMB
• Application Number:
  US09/663,701
• Time in Patent Office: 1,971 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.18, 358/1.15, 358/478, 358/477, 358/474, 358/471, 235/462.01, 235/487, 345/179, 705/60
• US Class Current: 358/1.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0337 Status LEDs integrated in the mouse to provide visual feedback to the user about the status of the input device, the PC, or the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/171 by use of digital ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for enabling instruction of a computer to perform tasks, the method including the steps of: providing a user with at least one form printable on a surface to provide one or more first viewable information zones relating to one or more available commands and one or more second viewable information zones relating to one or more objects; receiving, in a computer system, indicating data from a sensing device operated by the user regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the surface, said movement including a stroke of part of the sensing device on or relative to said surface; determining, in the computer system and from the indicating data, if the stroke substantially links one or more of said first viewable information zones with one or more of said second viewable information zones, and thereby interpreting the stroke as designating (i) a respective one or more of said available commands and (ii) a respective one or more of said objects; and applying in the computer system the designated one or more of said available commands to the designated one or more of said objects.

Claims

1. A method for enabling instruction of a computer to perform tasks, the method including the steps of:

providing a user with at least one form printable on a surface to provide one or more first viewable information zones relating to one or more available commands and one or more second viewable information zones relating to one or more objects;

receiving, in a computer system, indicating data from a sensing device operated by the user regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the surface, said movement including a stroke of part of the sensing device on or relative to said surface;

determining, in the computer system and from the indicating data, if the stroke substantially links one or more of said first viewable information zones with one or more of said second viewable information zones, and thereby interpreting the stroke as designating (i) a respective one or more of said available commands and (ii) a respective one or more of said objects;

applying in the computer system the designated one or more of said available commands to the designated one or more of said objects; and

identifying, in the computer system and from said indicating data, if the stroke has encircled one or more of said second viewable zones relating to said one or more objects, thereby designating said one or more objects.

2. A method for enabling instruction of a computer to perform tasks, the method including the steps of:

providing a user with at least one form printable on a surface to provide one or more first viewable information zones relating to one or more available commands and one or more second viewable information zones relating to one or more objects;

receiving, in a computer system, indicating data from a sensing device operated by the user regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the surface, said movement including a stroke of part of the sensing device on or relative to said surface;

determining, in the computer system and from the indicating data, if the stroke substantially links one or more of said first viewable information zones with one or more of said second viewable information zones, and thereby interpreting the stroke as designating (i) a respective one or more of said available commands and (ii) a respective one or more of said objects;

applying in the computer system the designated one or more of said available commands to the designated one or more of said objects; and

identifying, in the computer system and from said indicating data, if the stroke has intersected one or more of said second viewable zones relating to one or more objects, thereby designating said one or more objects;

wherein at least one of said second viewable zones has a viewable boundary, and including the step of identifying, in the computer system and from said indicating data, if the stroke has crossed said boundary more than once, and to apply a different one or more of said available commands if such an occurrence is identified.

3. A method for enabling instruction of a computer to perform tasks, the method including the steps of:

providing a user with at least one form printable on a surface to provide one or more first viewable information zones relating to one or more available commands and one or more second viewable information zones relating to one or more objects;

receiving, in a computer system, indicating data from a sensing device operated by the user regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the surface, said movement including a stroke of part of the sensing device on or relative to said surface;

determining, in the computer system and from the indicating data, if the stroke substantially links one or more of said first viewable information zones with one or more of said second viewable information zones, and thereby interpreting the stroke as designating (i) a respective one or more of said available commands and (ii) a respective one or more of said objects; and

applying in the computer system the designated one or more of said available commands to the designated one or more of said objects;

wherein the instruction is for designation of a feature of said one or more objects such that said designated one or more of the available commands is carried out with respect to that feature; and

wherein said designated feature is a color attribute of said designated one or more objects, and the method includes the step of setting the value of said color attribute according to the designated one or more commands.

4. The method of claim 3, including the step of providing the user with a further form printable on a surface including one or more viewable information zones relating to said designated one or more of said objects, said one or more zones including representations of the designated one or more objects rendered according to the value of the color attribute.

5. A system for enabling instruction of a computer to perform tasks, the system including:

at least one form printable on a surface to provide one or more first viewable information zones relating to one or more available commands and one or more second viewable information zones relating to one or more objects; and

a computer system for receiving indicating data from a sensing device operated by a user regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the surface, said movement including a stroke of part of the sensing device on or relative to said surface;

wherein the computer system is adapted to determine, from the indicating data received, if the sensing device stroke substantially links one or more of said first viewable information zones with one or more of said second viewable information zones and thereby designates (i) a respective one or more of said available commands, and (ii) a respective one or more of said objects one or more of said available commands, the computer system adapted to apply the designated one or more of said available commands to the designated one or more of said objects;

and wherein the computer system is adapted to identify from said indicating data if the stroke has encircled one or more of said second viewable zones relating to one or more objects, thereby designating said one or more objects.

6. A system for enabling instruction of a computer to perform tasks, the system including:

at least one form printable on a surface to provide one or more first viewable information zones relating to one or more available commands and one or more second viewable information zones relating to one or more objects; and

a computer system for receiving indicating data from a sensing device operated by a user regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the surface, said movement including a stroke of part of the sensing device on or relative to said surface;

wherein the computer system is adapted to determine, from the indicating data received, if the sensing device stroke substantially links one or more of said first viewable information zones with one or more of said second viewable information zones and thereby designates (i) a respective one or more of said available commands and (ii) a respective one or more of said objects one or more of said available commands, the computer system adapted to apply the designated one or more of said available commands to the designated one or more of said objects;

wherein the computer system is adapted to identify from said indicating data if the stroke has intersected one or more of said second viewable zones relating to one or more objects, thereby designating said one or more objects; and

wherein at least one of said second viewable zones has a viewable boundary, the computer system adapted to identify from said indicating data if the stroke has crossed said boundary more than once, and to apply a different one or more of said available commands if such an occurrence is identified.

7. A method for enabling instruction of a computer to perform tasks, the method including the steps of:

providing a user with at least one form printable on a surface to provide one or more first viewable information zones relating to one or more available commands and one or more second viewable information zones relating to one or more objects;

receiving, in a computer system, indicating data from a sensing device operated by the user regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the surface, said movement including a stroke of part of the sensing device on or relative to said surface;

determining, in the computer system and from the indicating data, if the stroke substantially links one or more of said first viewable information zones with one or more of said second viewable information zones, and thereby interpreting the stroke as designating (i) a respective one or more of said available commands and (ii) a respective one or more of said objects; and

applying in the computer system the designated one or more of said available commands to the designated one or more of said objects;

wherein one of said first viewable information zones includes a color palette, said one or more objects include an image to be colored, said stroke includes moving said sensing device from a first color on said color palette to said image, and wherein said stroke designates a command to color said image by “

dragging and dropping”

said first color onto said image.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the surface is a paper page.