Position-based multi-stroke marking menus

• US 20070168890A1
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zhao, Shengdong, Agrawala, Maneesh, Hinckley, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 7,603,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Provided is multi-stroke marking menu techniques that increase menu breath over an eight-item limit of some orientation-based marking menus. Zone and polygon menus can be provided wherein the breadth can be increased by a factor of about two or more while providing quick selection and maintaining selection accuracy. Various geometric attributes can be analyzed to determine a selection stroke. These attributes can include orientation, position, and/or length of each stroke. Hybrid techniques are also disclosed that further increase menu breadth and performance.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates expanding the capabilities of marking menus, comprising:

an interface component that receives an input;

a position component that ascertains and displays a point of origin; and

an orientation component that determines a selection action based in part on a stroke direction.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a length component that ascertains a menu based in part on the length of the stroke.

3. The system of claim 2, the menu is one of a polygon menu, a zone menu, a hybrid menu, a zone menu integrated within a tracking menu, and a polygon menu integrated within a tracking menu.

4. The system of claim 1, the position component further determines a zone based in part on the point of origin and a contact point.

5. The system of claim 1, the position component further provides selection visualization.

6. The system of claim 5, the selection visualization is a prompt that infers a desired action and provides information to facilitate completion of the action.

7. The system of claim 1, the input is a tapping action.

8. The system of claim 1, the input is applied by tension on a button and removal of the button tension before action selection cancels the action.

9. A method for increasing the breadth of marking menus, comprising:

receiving a request to invoke a menu;

determining a point of origin;

receiving a beginning of a stroke;

receiving a completion of a stroke; and

implementing a menu action based in part of a relative position between the beginning of the stroke and the completion of the stroke.

10. The method of claim 9, after receiving a beginning of a stroke, further comprising:

ascertaining if a prompt should be provided; and

displaying a visualization tool if it is ascertained that the prompt should be provided.

11. The method of claim 9, determining a point of origin is based on a received tapping action.

12. The method of claim 9, receiving a request to invoke a menu comprising receiving a tension input.

13. The method of claim 9, receiving a request to invoke a menu further comprising deciding a menu type to display.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a notification that a button is being depressed.

15. The method of claim 14, receiving notification that the button is no longer depressed cancels implementation of the menu action.

16. The method of claim 9, determining a point of origin comprising pre-selecting a portion of a display area to use as the menu area.

17. A system that increases the breadth of a marking menu, comprising:

means for receiving a pen down event;

means for receiving a pen up event;

means for comparing the relative position of the pen up event in relation to the pen down event; and

means for automatically initiating a menu command based in part of the compared relative position.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for selectively applying a defined menu origin.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for analyzing a length of a stroke; and

means for selectively invoking a menu based in part on the length of the stroke.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving a tension input; and

means for invoking the menu selection while the tension input is received and canceling the menu selection if the tension input is no longer received.