Freeform encounter selection tool

• US 20040021701A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: B. Keely, Leroy, Jarrett, Robert J., Iwema, Marieke, Jones, F. David
• Granted Patent: US 7,137,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/863
• 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

Abstract

A freeform selection tool for a computer system with a graphical user interface allows a user to draw a freeform selection path so as to select one or more graphical objects. The user is provided with the freedom to input selection ink, in any orientation, and using any desired selection path size provided by the select tool. The selecting tool may change the visual appearance of any graphical object once selected. The selecting tool provides the ability to select ink or graphical object with a particular property to be used for the selection. The selecting tool can recognize various selection gestures coordinated with a semantic relationship of the ink so that the number of selection ink strokes can be minimized. The selecting tool may change for different selection modes depending on the type of graphical object encountered and change of the context for a particular selection.

Claims

1. A system having a plurality of computer executable components for a computer processor, the system comprising:

a user interface component for displaying a selection of at least one graphical object based upon a freeform selection path on a display surface, and

a selection component for selecting the at least one graphical object encountered by the freeform selection path.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1, in which the user interface component is configurable to change the graphical appearance of the at least one graphical object encountered by the freeform selection path, the graphical appearance being difference from a graphical appearance of the freeform selection path.

3. The system in accordance with claim 2, in which the user interface component is configurable to surround the at least one graphical object with a graphical halo.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1, in which the at least one graphical object includes a first property and the selection component is configurable to selection the at least one graphical object responsive to the first property.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1, in which the freeform selection path comprises selection ink.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1, in which the freeform selection path has a first end and a second end, the user interface component being configurable to display a graphical handle at the first end and the second end of the freeform selection path.

7. The system in accordance with claim 5, in which the at least one graphical object comprises ink strokes created by an input device responsive with the display surface.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1, in which the least one graphical object further includes a plurality of graphical objects formed in ink strokes, and the system further including a classifier component configured to classify said plurality of graphical objects into a semantic structure for providing input to said selection component.

9. The system in accordance with claim 8, in which the plurality of graphical objects are selected responsive to the semantic structure.

10. The system in accordance with claim 9, in which the semantic structure is a word object.

11. The system in accordance with claim 9, in which the semantic structure is a paragraph object.

12. The system in accordance with claim 2, in which the freeform selection path further comprises selection ink and the at least one graphical object further comprises an ink stroke.

13. The system in accordance with claim 4, in which the freeform selection path further comprises selection ink and the at least one graphical object further comprises an ink stroke and the first property includes a color value.

14. The system in accordance with claim 1, in which the display surface is responsive to electromagnetic input.

15. The system in accordance with claim 1, in which the display surface is responsive to pressure input.

16. The system in accordance with claim I, in which the least one graphical object comprises a first graphical object and a second graphical object, the first graphical object being formed in ink and the second graphical object including text, and the system further including a recognizer component configured to recognize the second graphical object so as to cause the user interface component to display a graphical cursor.

17. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a display; and

a memory for storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by said processor, cause the computer system to perform the steps of;

displaying a selection of a plurality graphical ink objects based upon a freeform selection path of selection ink drawn on the display, and

selecting the plurality of graphical ink objects responsive to a detection by the selection ink.

18. The computer system in accordance with claim 17, in which the computer executable instructions causes the computer system to display a change in a graphical appearance of the plurality of graphical ink objects responsive to said detection, the graphical appearance being difference from a graphical appearance of the selection ink.

19. The computer system in accordance with claim 18, in which the computer executable instructions causes the computer system to display the plurality of graphical ink objects with a graphical halo for each graphical ink object.

20. The computer system in accordance with claim 17, in which the graphical ink objects further includes a first plurality of graphical ink objects having a first property and a second plurality of graphical ink objects having a second property, the first property and the second property being different, and in which the computer executable instructions causes the computer system to select only the graphical ink objects having the first property regardless of the graphical ink objects having the second property.

21. The computer system in accordance with claim 17, in which the computer executable instructions cause the computer system to display a graphical handle at each of a first end and a second end of the selection path.

22. The computer system in accordance with claim 17, in which the computer executable instructions cause the computer system to classify said plurality of graphical objects into a semantic structure.

23. The computer system in accordance with claim 22, in which the semantic structure is a word ink object.

24. The computer system in accordance with claim 22, in which the semantic structure is a paragraph ink object.

25. The computer system in accordance with claim 17, in which the display is responsive to electromagnetic input from a stylus.

26. The computer system in accordance with claim 17, in which the display is responsive to pressure input from a stylus.

27. The computer system in accordance with claim 17, in which the computer executable instructions cause the computer system to recognize the graphical ink objects and a text word so as to display a graphical cursor for selecting said text word.

28. The computer system in accordance with claim 17, in which the computer executable instructions cause the computer system to perform a union select mode operable to select the plurality of graphical ink objects with a plurality of freeform selection paths.

29. A freeform selection tool for a computer system, comprising:

a user interface module for collecting points for a freeform selection path and displaying a selection of a plurality of graphical objects based upon the freeform selection path on a display surface; and

an encounter selection module for selecting the graphical objects responsive to the freeform selection path.

30. The freeform selection tool in accordance with claim 29, in which the freeform selection path comprises selection ink and the graphical objects comprises handwritten ink.

31. The freeform selection tool in accordance with claim 30, in which the encounter selection module includes an ink classification mode for classify the plurality of graphical objects into a semantical structure.

32. The freeform selection tool in accordance with claim 30, in which the encounter selection module includes a union selection mode for a union select mode operable to select the plurality of graphical objects on said display surface with a plurality of freeform selection paths.

33. The freeform selection tool in accordance with claim 30, in which the encounter selection module includes a property detection mode for selecting a plurality of graphical objects responsive to a predetermined property value of said graphical objects.

34. The freeform selection tool in accordance with claim 30, in which the user interface module changes a graphical appearance of the plurality of graphical objects responsive the freeform selection path, the graphical appearance of the graphical objects being different from a graphical appearance of the freeform selection path.

35. The freeform selection tool in accordance with claim 30, in which the user interface module displays a graphical hollow appearance for the plurality of graphical objects responsive the freeform selection path for each of graphical object selected by the encounter selection module.

36. A method of selecting an ink object graphically represented to a user, comprising the steps of:

receiving user input for displaying a selection the ink object based upon a freeform selection path on a display surface, and

selecting the ink object responsive to an encounter with the freeform selection path.

37. The method in accordance with claim 36, further including a step of displaying a change in a graphical appearance of the ink object responsive to said detection, the graphical appearance being difference from a graphical appearance of the selection path.

38. The method in accordance with claim 36, further including a step of displaying a graphical halo for the ink object.

39. The method in accordance with claim 36, further including a step of selecting the ink object only based on a color value of the ink object.

40. The method in accordance with claim 36, further including a step of displaying a graphical handle responsive to receiving user input for indicating a first end and a second end of the selection path.

41. A method of selecting a plurality of graphical objects in a computer system, comprising the steps of:

receiving user input for displaying a selection of the plurality graphical objects based upon a plurality of freeform selection paths on a display surface, and

selecting the plurality of graphical objects responsive to an encounter with the freeform selection paths, wherein the graphical objects are selected for the different freeform selection paths.

42. The method in accordance with claim 41, in which the plurality of graphical objects are ink objects and the plurality of selection paths are selection ink.

43. The method in accordance with claim 41, in which the plurality of graphical objects includes ink objects and non-ink objects and the plurality of selection paths are selection ink.

44. The method in accordance with claim 42, further including a step of classifying the ink object into a semantical structure for selection.