Position-based multi-stroke marking menus

• US 7,603,633 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zhao, Shengdong, Hinckley, Kenneth P., Agrawala, Maneesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZAHR, ASHRAF A
• Application Number:
  US11/332,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 715/834
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Provided is multi-stroke marking menu techniques that increase menu breath over an eight-item limit of some orientation-based marking menus. Zone and polygon menus can be provided wherein the breadth can be increased by a factor of about two or more while providing quick selection and maintaining selection accuracy. Various geometric attributes can be analyzed to determine a selection stroke. These attributes can include orientation, position, and/or length of each stroke. Hybrid techniques are also disclosed that further increase menu breadth and performance.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates expanding the capabilities of marking menus, comprising:

at least one processor that executes the following computer executable components stored on a computer readable medium;

an interface component that receives input;

a position component that ascertains and displays a point of origin associated with at least one menu, the point of origin is at least one of located in a fixed position in an input area or selected in the input area based at least in part on received input; and

an orientation component that determines a selection action associated with the at least one menu based at least in part on direction of a stroke, orientation of the stroke, and position of the stroke relative to the point of origin, wherein the at least one menu is divided into a first half-plane zone and a second half-plane zone with a division between the first half plane zone and the second half plane zone running through the point of origin and parallel to orientation of the stroke, and wherein orientation of the first half plane zone and the second half-plane zone is dynamically adjusted based at least in part on the orientation of the stroke, and wherein

a first selection action, associated with a first direction of the stroke, and a second selection action, associated with a second direction of the stroke, are located in the first half-plane zone, and

a third selection action, associated with the first direction of the stroke, and a fourth selection action, associated with the second direction of the stroke, are located in the second half-plane zone, wherein the first selection action, the second selection action, the third selection action, and the fourth selection action are determined based at least in part on the orientation of the stroke, and

the selection action is one of the first selection action, the second selection action, the third selection action, or the fourth selection action, and is determined based at least in part on in which half-plane zone the stroke is positioned and whether the direction of the stroke is in the first direction or the second direction.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a length component that ascertains a menu based in part on the length of the stroke.

3. The system of claim 2, the at least one menu is at least one of a polygon menu, a zone menu, a hybrid menu, a zone menu integrated within a tracking menu, or a polygon menu integrated within a tracking menu.

4. The system of claim 1, the position component further determines a zone based in part on the point of origin and a contact point.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one menu comprises a polygon menu, the polygon menu has N sides, wherein N is an integer number equal to or greater than four, wherein each side of the polygon corresponds to at least one respective selection action, the orientation component determines the selection action based at least in part on the direction of the stroke relative to the respective sides of the polygon menu and the position of the stroke relative to the point of origin and the respective sides of the polygon menu.

6. The system of claim 1, the position component further provides selection visualization, wherein the selection visualization is a prompt that infers a desired action and provides information to facilitate completion of the action.

7. The system of claim 1, the input is a tapping action.

8. The system of claim 1, the input is applied by tension on a button and removal of the button tension before action selection cancels the action.

9. A method for increasing the breadth of marking menus, comprising:

employing a processor executing computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium to implement the following acts;

receiving a request to invoke a menu;

determining a point of origin associated with the menu;

receiving a beginning of a stroke;

receiving a completion of the stroke; and

implementing a menu action associated with the menu based at least in part on position of the stroke in relation to the point of origin and orientation of the stroke based at least in part on relative position between the beginning of the stroke and the completion of the stroke, wherein the menu is divided into two half-plane zones with division between the two half-plane zones running through the point of origin and substantially parallel to the orientation of the stroke, and wherein

a first menu action, associated with the orientation of the stroke in a first direction, and a second menu action, associated with the orientation of the stroke in a second direction, are located in a first half-plane zone, and

a third menu action, associated with the orientation of the stroke in the first direction, and a fourth menu action, associated with the orientation of the stroke in the second direction, are located in a second half plane zone, and

the menu action is one of the first menu action, the second menu action, the third menu action, or the fourth menu action and is implemented based at least in part on in which half-plane zone the stroke is positioned and whether the orientation of the stroke is in the first direction or the second direction.

10. The method of claim 9, after receiving the beginning of the stroke, further comprising:

ascertaining if a prompt is to be provided; and

displaying a visualization tool if it is ascertained that the prompt is to be provided.

11. The method of claim 9, determining a point of origin is based at least in part on a received tapping action.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the menu is a polygon menu, implementing the menu action further comprising:

determining at least one side of the polygon menu corresponding to the stroke based at least in part on the orientation of the stroke relative to the respective sides of the polygon menu, wherein the menu is a polygon menu that has a predefined number of sides greater than or equal to four sides and each side of the polygon corresponds to at least one respective menu action;

determining a side of the at least one side corresponding to the stroke based at least in part on position of the stroke in relation to the point of origin; and

implementing a menu action corresponding to the determined side.

13. The method of claim 9, receiving a request to invoke a menu further comprising deciding a menu type to display.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the menu is a zone menu comprising a plurality of zones, implementing the menu action, further comprising:

determining a zone based at least in part on position of the stroke relative to the point of origin;

determining a menu action associated with the zone based at least in part on orientation of the stroke relative to the zone; and

implementing the determined menu action.

15. The method of claim 14, receiving notification that the button is no longer depressed cancels implementation of the menu action.

16. The method of claim 9, determining a point of origin comprising pre-selecting a portion of a display area to use as the menu area.

17. A system that increases the breadth of a marking menu, comprising:

at least one processor that executes the following computer executable components stored on a computer readable medium;

means for determining a point of origin associated with the marking menu;

means for receiving a pen down event;

means for receiving a pen up event;

means for comparing the relative position of the pen up event in relation to the pen down event to determine a stroke; and

means for automatically initiating a menu command associated with the marking menu based at least in part on orientation of the stroke and position of the stroke relative to the point of origin, wherein the marking menu is divided into two half-plane zones with division between the two half-plane zones running through the point of origin and substantially parallel to the orientation of the stroke, and wherein

a first menu command, associated with the orientation of the stroke in a first direction, and a second menu command, associated with the orientation of the stroke in a second direction, are located in a first half-plane zone, and

a third menu command, associated with the orientation of the stroke in the first direction, and a fourth menu command, associated with the orientation of the stroke in the second direction, are located in a second half-plane zone, and

and the menu command is one of the first menu command, the second menu command, the third menu command, or the fourth menu command and is initiated based at least in part on in which half-plane zone the stroke is positioned and whether the orientation of the stroke is in the first direction or the second direction.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for selectively applying a defined menu origin.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for analyzing a length of the stroke; and

means for selectively invoking the marking menu based at least in part on the length of the stroke.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving a tension input; and

means for invoking the menu selection while the tension input is received and canceling the menu selection if the tension input is no longer received.