Free form wiper

• US 20070109281A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Barabe, Benoit, Simmons, Alex
• Granted Patent: US 7,526,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A free-form wiper tool may be used to select and move document objects in an electronic document. A free-form wipe selection may be determined by analyzing the shape of a free-form selection in order to distinguish it from a free-form lasso selection. Once determined, document objects situated on the document in an intended direction are selected. The group of selected objects may be moved, although selected objects may be restricted in their movement, so as to be wiped or moved along only one degree of motion. Selection input may be made using a stylus and a tablet computer, and document objects may include electronic ink.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enabling a free-form wiper in an electronic document, the method comprising:

receiving a free-form selection path;

determining an intended direction associated with the free-form selection path from among eight directions, up, down, left, right, up and left, up and right, down and left, and down and right; and

selecting document objects on the electronic document, objects that are situated in the intended direction relative to the free-form selection path.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining whether the free-form selection path is intended to be a free-form wiper.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the free-form selection path is intended to be a free-form wiper comprises determining the type of selection intended by the free-form selection path from among two selection types, free-form wiper and free-form lasso.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein determining whether the free-form selection path is intended to be a free-form wiper comprises analyzing rays tangent to endpoints of the free-form selection path to determine if the rays intersect.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the free-form selection path is received using a touch-sensitive display.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the document objects comprise electronic ink.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining an intended direction of the free-form selection path comprises:

analyzing the selection path to determine an intended direction.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein analyzing the selection path to determine an intended direction comprises:

determining a segment connecting the two ends of the free-form selection path;

measuring an angle of variance between the segment and a reference segment; and

comparing the angle of variance to a plurality of ranges, wherein each range is associated with a possible direction of the free-form selection path.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein analyzing the selection path to determine an intended direction comprises:

determining a first ray associated with a start point of the selection path from among four directions;

up, down, left, and right;

determining a second ray associated with an end point of the selection path from among the same four directions; and

determining the intended direction as falling between the first and second rays.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein analyzing the selection path comprises analyzing the curvature of the selection path with respect to the end points of the selection path.

11. A system for selecting and wiping document objects on an electronic document, the system comprising:

an input device for receiving a free-form selection input;

a display for displaying the electronic document;

a memory storing executable instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the executable instructions, including steps of;

receiving the free-form selection input from the input device;

determining an orientation associated with the free-form selection input;

determining an intended direction associated the free-form selection input; and

selecting document objects that are situated in the intended direction relative to the free-form selection input.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the steps of:

determining whether the free-form selection input constitutes a free-form wiper input;

receiving a movement input; and

moving the selected document objects in accordance with the movement input.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the input device and the display are integrated, such that input directed to the display is sensed by the input device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein receiving the free-form selection input comprises receiving one or more strokes by a stylus upon the integrated input device display.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein receiving a movement input comprises receiving one or more strokes by a stylus upon the integrated input device display.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein moving the selected document objects in accordance with the movement input comprises moving the objects along a single degree of motion.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein determining whether the free-form selection input constitutes a free-form wiper input comprises:

determining the type of selection intended by the free-form selection input from among two selection types, free-form wiper and free-form lasso.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein determining an intended direction associated with the free-form selection input comprises determining the intended direction from among at least four directions, up, down, left, and right.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the steps of:

receiving a selection command.

20. A computer-implemented method for selecting and moving a group of objects on an electronic document, the method comprising:

receiving a selection input;

receiving a free-form selection path as input upon a display, wherein the display shows at least a portion of the electronic document;

determining an intended direction of the free-form wiper from among eight directions, up, down, left, right, up and left, up and right, down and left, and down and right;

selecting document objects on the electronic document, objects that are situated in the intended direction relative to the free-form selection path;

receiving a movement input; and

moving the selected document objects in accordance with the movement input.