Lasso select

• US 7,890,890 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lui, Charlton E., Bhattacharyay, Subha, Schobbe, Gerhard A., Jarrett, Robert J., Iwema, Marieke, Dresevic, Bodin, Jones, F. David, Rimas, Emily K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Ba
• Application Number:
  US11/115,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20050198590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,121 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 382/186, 382/187, 382/202, 382/203
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32

Abstract

A lasso select tool that allows a user to draw a flexible line of selection ink in order to select one or more graphical objects for manipulation. As the user draws this selection line, the lasso select tool continuously redraws and displays a connection line connecting one end of the selection line with the opposite end of the selection line. This connection line thus graphically demonstrates to the user the area that is presently encompassed by the resulting lasso enclosure. Further, the lasso select tool will change the appearance of any object selected with the lasso enclosure. The lasso select tool also selects objects that are only substantially encompassed by the lasso enclosure. For example, the lasso select tool may select ink objects that are only 60% or more encompassed by the lasso enclosure.

Claims

1. Computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, enable a lasso-select function to be carried out via a computing device, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

a user interface module that collects selection ink, displays a selection line based upon the collected selection ink, the selection line having a starting point and an end point, and redraws the end point as additional segments of the selection line are created through the collection of selection ink as a result of receiving user input via said computing device;

an encounter select module that selects each object intersected by the selection line;

a lasso select module that creates a connection line between the starting point and end point of the selection line to thereby form a lasso enclosure while additional segments of the selection line are still being created and selects each object with a portion thereof encircled by the lasso enclosure,

wherein the connection line is deleted and redrawn as the end point is redrawn; and

a selection line shape determining module that;

provides the collected selection ink to the encounter select module when the selection line is determined to be approximately straight,

provides the collected selection ink to the lasso select module when the selection line is determined to not be approximately straight, and

after determining the selection line has changed from approximately straight to not approximately straight, converts the selection line from an encounter selection line to a lasso selection line, provides the collected selection ink to the lasso select module, and deselects objects selected by the encounter selection line when the objects are not substantially encircled by the lasso enclosure.

2. The media recited in claim 1, wherein the lasso select module selects an object that is at least 80% encircled by the lasso enclosure.

3. The media recited in claim 1, wherein the lasso selects module selects an object that is at least 60% or more encircled by the lasso enclosure.

4. The media recited in claim 1, wherein the lasso select module selects

only image objects that are at least 80% encircled by the lasso enclosure;

only electronic ink objects that are at least 60% encircled by the lasso enclosure; and

only text box objects that are at least 80% encircled by the lasso enclosure.

5. The media recited in claim 1,

wherein the portion of the object is a configurable parameter based at least in part on the object type, and

wherein the type of the object is one of a text object, a graphic object, or an electronic ink object.

6. The media recited in claim 1, wherein the connection line appears differently from the selection line to facilitate distinction therewith.

7. The media recited in claim 1, wherein the lasso select module divides an object into a grid of units prior to determining that a portion of the object is encircled by the lasso enclosure.

8. One or more computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method for selection of graphical objects in a display area, the method comprising:

receiving user inputs defining a selection line on the display area;

using the selection line as an encounter selection line that selects an object intersected by the selection line while the selection line is substantially straight;

upon receiving additional user inputs that cause the selection line to no longer be substantially straight, converting the encounter selection line to a lasso selection line; and

upon converting the selection line from the encounter selection line to the lasso selection line, deselecting an object selected by the encounter selection line when the object is not substantially encircled by a lasso enclosure associated with the lasso selection line.

9. The media recited in claim 8, further comprising:

upon converting the selection line from the encounter selection line to the lasso selection line, forming a connection line between a starting point and an end point of the lasso selection line to thereby form a lasso enclosure.

10. The media recited in claim 9, further comprising selecting each object having a portion thereof encircled by the perimeter of the lasso enclosure.

11. The media recited in claim 10, further comprising selecting only objects that are at least 60% encircled by the lasso enclosure.

12. The media recited in claim 10, further comprising selecting only objects that are at least 80% encircled by the lasso enclosure.

13. The media recited in claim 10, further comprising:

selecting only image objects that are at least 80% encircled by the lasso enclosure;

selecting only electronic ink objects that are at least 60% encircled by the lasso enclosure; and

selecting only text box objects that are at least 80% encircled by the lasso enclosure.

14. The media recited in claim 9, further comprising selecting an object based on a percentage of a cumulative length of segments that pertain to the object and are encircled by the lasso enclosure.

15. The media recited in claim 8, wherein the defining the selection line on the display area comprises discarding a fraction of the received user inputs.

16. One or more computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to carry out the following acts:

displaying a selection line having multiple segments based upon a received user input, the selection line having a starting point and an end point,

wherein the end point is redrawn as additional segments of the selection line are created and displayed as a result of user input;

while the selection line is approximately straight, using the selection line as an encounter selection line that selects each object intersected by the selection line;

upon receiving additional user input that causes the selection line to no longer be approximately straight, converting the encounter selection line to a lasso selection line; and

upon converting the selection line from the encounter selection line to the lasso selection line;

generating a lasso enclosure by connecting the starting point and the end point of the selection line with a straight connection line while additional segments of the selection line are still being created and displayed,

deselecting an object selected by the encounter selection line when the object is not substantially encircled by the lasso enclosure,

continuously redrawing the connection line as the end point is redrawn,

selecting an object having at least a portion thereof encircled by the perimeter of the lasso enclosure, and

changing the appearance of the selected object.