UTILITY OBJECT FOR SPECIALIZED DATA ENTRY

• US 20090150776A1
• Filed: 01/23/2009
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chambers, Robert L., Feldman, Kyril, Dodge, Steve, Torset, Todd A., Murayama, Takanobu, Garside, Adrian J., Wick, Thomas R., Zielinski, Tobias
• Granted Patent: US 8,745,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An object is associated with one or more controls in a software application. An object associated with a control determines the operation of the data entry user interface when the data entry user interface is being employed to enter data into the control. More particularly, the object may communicate interface e characteristics to a component that is responsible for providing the user interface to the user. Such a component may be, for example, a shared software module that renders the user interface on a display, receives input data from the user through the user interface, and routes the entered data to a designated destination. Alternately, the object itself may create a user interface having the specified characteristics.

Claims

1. A computer generated user interface for accepting handwritten ink comprising:

a first region for accepting handwritten ink associated with a pen;

a second region whose contents are controlled by configuring an object associated with said user interface.

2. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein said object controls the placement of said user interface near an insertion point in an insertion region.

3. The user interface according to claim 2, wherein said insertion region is associated with an edit control.

4. The user interface according to claim 3, wherein the edit control specifies the offset of a panel housing said first and second regions from said insertion region.

5. The user interface according to claim 4, wherein said offset includes a vertical offset.

6. The user interface according to claim 4, wherein said offset includes a horizontal interface.

7. The user interface according to claim 4, wherein the offset is a default offset.

8. The user interface according to claim 4, wherein the offset is specific to said edit control.

9. The user interface according to claim 4, wherein the offset is definable by a developer.

10. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein said handwritten ink is sent to an insertion point upon said pen moving away from said user interface.

11. The user interface according to claim 10, wherein said pen moves at least a predetermined distance from a surface on which said user interface is displayed before said handwritten ink is sent to said insertion point.

12. The user interface according to claim 10, wherein said handwritten ink is inserted as ink in said insertion region.

13. The user interface according to claim 10, wherein said handwritten ink is converted into text and said text is inserted into said insertion region.

14. The user interface according to claim 1, further comprising a third region, upon whose interaction, sends said handwritten ink in said first region to an insertion point in an insertion region.

15. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein said object is modifiable by a developer.