Snipping tool

• US 7,966,558 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Liu, Sally, Missimer, Constance A, Duncan, Richard J, Jabrane, Khalil, van Dongen, Neils
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US11/424,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20070294630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,832 Days
• Field of Search: 715/243, 715/253, 715/230, 715/255, 715/272, 715/273, 715/277, 715/246, 715/247, 715/700, 382/312, 382/321
• US Class Current: 715/243
• 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: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Systems and methods for capturing content and performing operations associated with the content are described. A stylus or other pointing device may be used designate content to be captured. After content is designated, a new window is generated that includes the designated content and user interface elements for annotating, conveying or otherwise acting upon the designated content.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for capturing content displayed on a display device, the method comprising:

displaying content in a first window on a display device;

receiving a designation input including a free form shape that designates a portion of the content to be captured; and

in response to receiving the designation input, displaying on the display device a new window in addition to the first window, the new window including the portion of the content designated by the free form shape of the designation input and at least one conveyance menu option.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one conveyance menu option includes a menu option for creating an email message.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one conveyance menu option includes a menu option for saving the designated content to a computer-readable medium.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further including receiving annotation content from a user and including the annotation content in the new window.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the annotation content comprises a handwritten note.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the new window is positioned so that the content designated by the free form shape of the designation input is located in the same position on the display device as it was when it was displayed on the display device to provide context to the content designated by the free form shape of the designation input.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further including:

in response to a command from a user, resizing the new window without changing the location or size of the designated content.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a floating toolbar on the display device in addition to the content in response to receiving an activate command, the activate command indicating a request to use a snipping tool.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising automatically copying the content designated by the free form shape of the designation input to a clipboard to produce clipboard content.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising updating the content designated by the free form shape of the designation input when modifications are made to the clipboard content.

11. At least one computer-readable storage medium containing computer-executable instructions for causing a computer device to perform operations comprising:

displaying content in a first window on a display device;

receiving a designation input including a free form shape that designates a first portion of the content in the first window to be captured;

altering an appearance of a second portion of the content in the first window, the second portion of the content including content other than the content designated by the free form shape of the designation input, and the second portion of the content remaining visible after the appearance of the second portion of the content is altered; and

displaying on the display device a new window in addition to the first window in response to receiving the designation input, the new window including the first portion of the content designated by the free form shape of the designation input and at least one menu option.

12. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise providing a plurality of options corresponding to respective types of designation inputs adapted to capture the content of the first window.

13. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the window includes a menu option for emailing the designated content.

14. A system comprising:

a display device;

a processing unit; and

a memory comprising computer storage media including instructions that when executed by the processing unit;

display content in a first window on the display device;

receive a designation input via the display device, the designation input including a free form shape that designates a first portion of the content to be captured; and

in response to receiving the designation input, display a second window on the display device in addition to the first window, the second window including the first portion of the content and the first window including a second portion of the content surrounding the first portion of the content.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the display device includes a touch-sensitive digitizing display surface.

16. the system of claim 14, wherein the display device includes a proximity-sensitive digitizing display surface.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer storage media include instructions executable by the processing unit to cause a computing device to resize the second window when an annotation approaches an edge of the second window.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer storage media include instructions executable by the processing unit to parse an annotation made to the first portion of the content and insert the annotation into a subject line of an email message.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer storage media include instructions executable by the processing unit to insert a title of a webpage identified in the first portion of the content into a subject line of an email message.