Method and apparatus for using stylus-tablet input in a computer system
First Claim
1. A method of processing outputs from an input tablet, the method comprising the steps of:
- forming a plurality of data structures from outputs of an input tablet;
storing said data structures in an ink pool memory of a computer system, the ink pool memory being independent of at least one application program running in the computer system;
creating multiple stroke objects from the data structures in the ink pool memory;
determining whether said at least one application program is stylus-aware; and
issuing one or more stroke commands to the multiple stroke objects within the ink pool if the application is stylus-aware, wherein one or more of the stroke commands include a step of producing an image of a stroke object on a computer display.
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Abstract
A stylus-aware computer system and method are provided for processing information obtained by moving a stylus over a tablet of the type that displays images as well as inputs stylus information. As a user moves the stylus with respect to the tablet, the tablet generates outputs describing the position of the stylus with respect to the tablet. A tablet driver converts this data into standardized packet objects recognized by the computer system and sends the packet objects to a stroke manager. The stroke manager converts the package objects to stroke objects which represent the trajectory of the stylus with respect to the tablet at times between two transitions such as placing the stylus on the tablet and lifting the stylus off the tablet. The stroke manager notifies an application of the stroke object through an event queue. The application may then issue stroke commands which dictate how the stroke is used. The stroke may, for example, be drawn on the tablet, erased from the tablet, removed from memory, etc.
254 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of processing outputs from an input tablet, the method comprising the steps of:
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forming a plurality of data structures from outputs of an input tablet; storing said data structures in an ink pool memory of a computer system, the ink pool memory being independent of at least one application program running in the computer system; creating multiple stroke objects from the data structures in the ink pool memory; determining whether said at least one application program is stylus-aware; and issuing one or more stroke commands to the multiple stroke objects within the ink pool if the application is stylus-aware, wherein one or more of the stroke commands include a step of producing an image of a stroke object on a computer display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of inputting information into a stylus-aware computer system having a stylus and a tablet, the method comprising the following steps:
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moving the stylus with respect to the tablet, the movement being divided into strokes separated from one another by stroke events, the strokes being defined by a collection of stylus-tablet interaction parameters between stroke events; convening the strokes into tablet outputs which include the stroke events and stylus-tablet interaction parameters; converting the tablet outputs into standardized packet objects containing the stroke events and the stylus-tablet interaction parameters; and creating stroke objects from the packet objects, each stroke object containing only those packet objects generated from tablet data between two successive stroke events, wherein the stylus-tablet interaction parameters include at least discrete positional information associated with the stroke, and wherein the stroke events include at least moving the stylus within proximity of the tablet, stylus down on the tablet, stylus up from the tablet, and stylus function change, such that each packet object includes at least a discrete position and an associated stroke event. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer system comprising:
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processing means; memory means coupled to said processing means; input tablet means coupled to said processing means; a computer implemented process running on said processing means and residing, at least in part, in said memory means; means for determining whether said computer-implemented process is a stylus-aware application; and means for converting inputs from said input tablets to a form acceptable to said computer-implemented process if it is not of the type which expects inputs from said input tablet, the means for converting inputs including a stroke manager which creates stroke objects from the inputs from the input tablets, the stroke objects containing information used by the computer-implemented process. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification