Selection handles in editing electronic documents

• US 6,891,551 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Iwema, Marieke, Cazzanti, Susanne Alysia Clark, Keely, Leroy B.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAO H
• Application Number:
  US09/768,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20020097270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,567 Days
• Field of Search: 345/762, 345/765, 345/810, 345/841, 345/840, 345/744, 345/808, 345/835, 345/839, 345/764, 345/781, 345/784
• US Class Current: 715/762
• 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 computer system and method for highlighting and selecting elements of electronic documents is disclosed. In one embodiment, a selection area identifies an initial selection of data, and one or more selection handles appear on the selection area to allow dynamic resizing of the selection area to select a larger or smaller portion of data or number of items.

Claims

1. A method for selecting portions of electronic data on a display device, comprising the steps of:

generating a selection area identifying a first portion of said electronic data, wherein said selection area includes a plurality of selection handles, said selection handles being peripherally disposed to said selection area;

receiving an input from a user associated with said selection handles for detecting a movement of one of said selection handles from on said display; and

determining whether said movement is associated with an upstream indication or a downstream indication;

resizing said selection area among said selection handles while maintaining a selection of said portions of the electronic data responsive to said step of determining and said user input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic data is text data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of receiving an input further comprises the step of said user selecting and dragging said one of said selection handles.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said display device is a tablet personal computer, and said step of said user selecting and dragging is performed using a stylus.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of resizing is performed in accordance with a directional flow of a language of said electronic data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic data includes one or more graphical image objects.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic data identified by said selection area is displayed in a different color from electronic data not identified by said selection area.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 1.

9. A method for selecting portions of electronic data on a display device, comprising the steps of:

displaying a selection area identifying a first portion of said electronic data, wherein said selection area includes two graphical selection handles on opposing ends of said identified selection area;

receiving an input from a user for movement of at least one of said graphical selection handles; and

resizing said selection area among said graphical selection handles responsive to said user input of movement of the least one graphical selection handle and while maintaining a position of the other said graphical selection handle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of exchanging handles when a first of said selection handles is relocated to an opposite end of said selection area.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of resizing is performed as said selection handle is relocated.

12. A method for selecting portions of electronic data on a display device, comprising the steps of:

generating a selection area identifying a first portion of said electronic data, wherein said selection area includes a plurality of graphic selection handles;

receiving an input from a user associated with a plurality of selection handles; and

resizing said selection area responsive to said user input,

wherein said step of resizing further comprises the step of automatically resizing said selection area to select an entire image object when said user relocates said one of said selection handles over a portion of said image object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said selection area further includes an image object handle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said image object handle is a rotational tool for rotating said selected image object.

15. A portable computing device comprising a display area and a stylus, configured to:

display electronic text data on said display area;

detect a user selection of a portion of said text data using said stylus;

display a selection area identifying said selected portion of said text data, wherein said selection area includes first and second graphical selection handles on opposing ends of said selection area;

detect a user selection and upstream or downstream movement of said first selection handle; and

resize said selection area responsive to said user selection and detected movement of said first selection handle.

16. The device of claim 15, further configured to resize said selection area in accordance with a directional flow of a language of said text data.

17. The device of claim 15, further configured to automatically exchange selection handles when said user selects and moves said first selection handle to an opposite end of said selection area.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein said user selection of said portion of said text data is generated by double-tapping said stylus on said display area, and said portion of said text data is a single word.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein said user selection of said portion of said text data is generated by tapping and dragging said stylus on said display area.

20. The device according to claim 15, wherein said electronic text data comprises electronic ink.