Linking and managing mathematical objects

• US 8,250,482 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2009
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Willekes, Tom, Rounding, Kathryn, Forrest, Gregory Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US12/477,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20100313155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 345418-475, 715/764, 715/769, 715/823, 715/856, 715851-853, 715/801
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/111 Mathematical or scientific formatting; Subscripts; Superscripts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

A method for relating at least two mathematical objects in a computing apparatus having a graphical user interface is described. The method comprises receiving instructions via the graphical user interface to relate a first mathematical object with a second mathematical object; updating the second mathematical object using data of the first mathematical object; linking the first mathematical object to the second mathematical object; and creating a visual link between the first mathematical object and the second mathematical object.

Claims

1. A method for relating at least two mathematical objects in a computing apparatus having a graphical user interface, said method comprising:

receiving an instruction from a user to relate a first mathematical object with a second mathematical object, said instruction, without changing the locations of said first and second mathematical objects, being a path from said first mathematical object to said second mathematical object;

updating said second mathematical object using data of said first mathematical object;

linking said first mathematical object to said second mathematical object; and

creating a visual link between said first mathematical object and said second mathematical object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual link is shown on said graphical user interface when at least one mathematical object associated thereto is selected.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said visual link is directly linked to said at least one mathematical object.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said visual link is indirectly linked to said at least one mathematical object via at least one other mathematical object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual link is hidden when no mathematical object associated thereto is selected.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual link comprises a link removal button.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

detecting clicking on said link removal button;

identifying said visual link that said link removal button is associated thereto;

identifying said at least two mathematical objects that said visual link associated thereto;

deleting said visual link; and

deleting said link between said at least two mathematical objects.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

highlighting at least one of said first and second mathematical objects.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said mathematical objects comprise at least one of table objects, graph objects, equation objects and shape objects.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting selection of a table object;

attaching a control panel to said table object, said control panel providing a user interface for adjusting data in said table object.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said first mathematical object is a user-selected mathematical object.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

showing a link handle on said graphical user interface at the proximity of said first mathematical object;

detecting dragging on said link handle by a pointer;

creating a visual indication, said visual indication originating from said link handle and extending along said pointer;

detecting the dropping operation by said pointer; and

identifying said second mathematical object as the mathematical object that said dropping operation is performed thereon.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying said first mathematical object comprises:

detecting a drawing by a pointer starting on a mathematical object; and

identifying said mathematical object as said first mathematical object.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying said second mathematical object comprises:

detecting a drawing by a pointer ending on a mathematical object; and

identifying said mathematical object as said second mathematical object.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting changing of said first mathematical object; and

updating said second mathematical object using data of said first mathematical object.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in the event that said first and second mathematical objects have the same type, merging said first mathematical object into said second mathematical object; and

deleting said first mathematical object.

17. A method for relating a first mathematical object and a second mathematical object in a computing apparatus having a graphical user interface, said method comprising:

receiving an instruction from a user to relate the first mathematical object to the second mathematical object, said instruction, without changing the locations of said first and second mathematical objects, being a path from said first mathematical object to said second mathematical object;

merging said first mathematical object into said second mathematical object; and

deleting said first mathematical object.

18. An interactive input system comprising:

a coordinate input device; and

a processing structure receiving an instruction via the coordinate input device to link a source mathematical object with a target mathematical object, wherein said instruction, without changing the locations of said source mathematical object and said target mathematical object, is a path from said source mathematical object to said target mathematical object, and linking the objects and displaying a visual indication of the link in the event that at least one of the objects is selected.

19. The interactive input system of claim 18, wherein linking the objects comprises causing a representation of data represented by the source mathematical object to be displayed by the target mathematical object.

20. The interactive input system of claim 19, wherein the data represented by the source mathematical object is a set of coordinates, and the representation displayed by the target mathematical object is a chart of the coordinates.

21. The interactive input system of claim 19, wherein the data represented by the source mathematical object is a set of coordinates, and the representation displayed by the target mathematical object is an equation representing the relationship between the coordinates in the set.

22. The interactive input system of claim 19, wherein the data represented the source mathematical object is a set of coordinates, and the representation displayed by the target mathematical object is a table.

23. The interactive input system of claim 19, wherein the data represented by the source mathematical object is a chart, and the representation displayed by the target mathematical object is also a chart.

24. The interactive input system of claim 19, wherein the data represented by the source mathematical object is a chart, and the representation displayed by the target mathematical object is an equation representing the chart.

25. The interactive input system of claim 19, wherein the data represented by the source mathematical object is a chart, and the representation displayed by the target mathematical object is a table of coordinates of points on the chart.

26. The interactive input system of claim 19, wherein the data represented by the source mathematical object is an equation/formula, and the representation displayed by the target mathematical object is a chart of the equation/formula.

27. The interactive input system of claim 19, wherein the data represented by the source mathematical object is an equation/formula, and the representation displayed by the target mathematical object is also an equation/formula.

28. The interactive input system of claim 19, wherein the data represented by the source mathematical object is an equation/formula, and the representation displayed by the target mathematical object is a table of coordinates that satisfy the equation/formula.

29. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program for relating at least two mathematical objects in a computing apparatus having a graphical user interface, the computer program comprising:

computer program code receiving an instruction from a user to relate a first mathematical object with a second mathematical object, said instruction, without changing the locations of said first and second mathematical objects, being a path from said first mathematical object to said second mathematical object;

computer program code updating said second mathematical object using data of said first mathematical object;

computer program code linking said first mathematical object to said second mathematical object; and

computer program code creating a visual link between said first mathematical object and said second mathematical object.

30. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program for relating a first mathematical object and a second mathematical object in a computing apparatus having a graphical user interface, the computer program comprising:

computer program code receiving an instruction from a user to relate the first mathematical object to the second mathematical object, said instruction, without changing the locations of said first and second mathematical objects, being a path from said first mathematical object to said second mathematical object;

computer program code merging said first mathematical object into said second mathematical object; and

computer program code deleting said first mathematical object.