Delimiters for selection-action pen gesture phrases

• US 7,454,717 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hinckley, Kenneth P, Ramos, Gonzalo A, Baudisch, Patrick M, Guimbretiere, Francois V
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALVESTEFFER, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US10/970,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20060085767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A pen-based user interface (PBUI) that facilitates input of a delimiter to a scope in a substantially uninterrupted stroke for generating a selection-action gesture phrase. Four delimiter techniques are provided, which include a Multi-stroke delimiter, a button delimiter, timeout delimiter and pigtail delimiter. The Pigtail delimiter uses a small loop to delimit the gesture. The delimiter techniques support integrated scope selection, command activation, and direct manipulation all in a single fluid pen gesture. The delimiter techniques can also be employed to terminate a complex scope consisting of a sequence of multiple pen strokes.

Claims

1. A system embodied on a computer-readable storage medium that facilitates input management of a pen-based user interface, comprising:

an interface component that receives an input stroke defining a scope with respect to at least one object; and

a recognizer component that facilitates insertion of a delimiter in association with the stroke, the delimiter is a self-intersecting pigtail that is input in association with the stroke in an uninterrupted manner to enter the defined scope and facilitate selection of commands to be performed on the scope, wherein subsequent marking of a second pigtail looped in the opposite direction from the delimiter pigtail within the same stroke facilitates redefinition of the scope without interrupting the stroke.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the delimiter is input while in a gesture mode.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the delimiter is input by activation of a button.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the delimiter is a pigtail that is appended to the stroke in an uninterrupted manner to facilitate scope selection, command activation, and direct manipulation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein input of the delimiter, which is a pigtail, triggers presentation of a mark while the pigtail is being created.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein input of the self-intersecting stroke automatically triggers a marking mode while a pen is in communication with the user interface, the marking mode facilitates selection of a command by extending the stroke in one of at least five directions, wherein a pop-up menu centered around the self-intersecting stroke is displayed after a predetermined amount of time after input of the self-intersecting stroke has passed without selection of a command.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein input of the delimiter, which is a pigtail, facilitates integration of a plurality of commands into the stroke that are selectable via subsequently drawn pigtails in the same stroke, wherein the command selected is a function of the number of subsequent pigtails drawn.

8. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the system of claim 1.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an artificial intelligence (AI) component that employs a probabilistic and/or statistical-based analysis to prognose or infer an action that a user desires to be automatically performed.

10. A system embodied on a computer-readable storage medium that facilitates input management of a pen-based user interface, comprising:

a scope component that facilitates insertion of a scope in a selection-action gesture phrase, the scope defined by a stroke drawn with respect to selectable objects; and

a delimiter component that facilitates insertion of a delimiter in the gesture phrase as an uninterrupted continuation of the stroke, insertion of the delimiter enters the defined scope and facilitates selection of at least one command to be performed on the scope, wherein selection of a scope containing no objects invokes a global menu providing a different set of commands from those available when the scope contains at least one object.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the delimiter is a self-intersecting pigtail that terminates insertion of the scope, the scope defined by the portion of the stroke preceding the delimiter.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein marking a subsequent pigtail drawn in the opposite direction from the delimiter pigtail allows the scope to be redefined without interrupting the stroke.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the delimiter is a pigtail having a directional portion which is associated with a command.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the directional portion can execute one of at least five different commands by extending the stroke in the direction associated with the selected command.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the pigtail initiates presentation of a pop-up menu of a plurality of commands in support of a direct manipulation phase, wherein marking subsequent pigtails facilitates access to additional commands.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the pop-up menu provides a visual cue for a command that is directly manipulable.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the pigtail is automatically presented for selection before insertion by extending the stroke to display how to draw the pigtail.

18. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the system of claim 10.

19. A computing device that employs the system of claim 10.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the delimiter initiates a mark mode during which scale independence of a mark is provided and direct manipulation is accessible.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein scale independence terminates before direct manipulation is accessed.

22. The system of claim 10, wherein a pop-up menu is presented in response to the delimiter, and after a predetermined time of which a check is made for crossing of an outer boundary of the menu.

23. The system of claim 10, wherein the scope is defined by a lasso comprising the portion of the stroke prior to the delimiter.

24. A computer readable storage medium having computer executable components that facilitate performing a method of managing input of a pen-based device, the method comprising:

inputting a stroke into the pen-based device that defines a scope;

adding a delimiter in association with the stroke, the delimiter is a self-intersecting pigtail drawn as a continuation of the stroke;

presenting a pop-up menu of commands in response to detecting the delimiter;

selecting one of the commands in a motion that is substantially uninterrupted from the act of inputting;

performing the selected command with respect to the defined scope; and

allowing the scope to be redefined after adding the delimiter and prior to selecting a command when a subsequent pigtail is drawn that loops in the opposite direction from that of the delimiter pigtail.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising scanning the stroke for a self-intersecting stroke that marks presence of the delimiter.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising selecting a button to add the delimiter.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the act of adding occurs during a gesture mode.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising adding the delimiter in accordance with a timeout associated with a substantially stationary pen input device.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising automatically presenting the delimiter for insertion after a predetermined pause time of an input device by extending the stroke to display how to mark the delimiter.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising automatically presenting a pop-up menu of commands located centrally about a delimiter mark.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising providing scale independence of the delimiter mark for a predetermined time after presentation of the mark.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising initiating a direct manipulation phase when the predetermined time expires.

33. The method of claim 32, the act of initiating the direct manipulation phase occurs substantially uninterrupted from the act of inputting.

34. method of claim 24, further comprising providing a feedback signal that indicates the delimiter has been inserted.

35. A computer readable storage medium having computer executable components that facilitate performing a method of managing input of a pen-based device, the method comprising:

inputting a stroke into the pen-based device during a gesture mode to define a scope;

adding a delimiter in association with the stroke, the delimiter is a self-intersecting pigtail drawn continuously as part of the stroke;

presenting a delimiter mark in association with the delimiter;

providing scale independence of the delimiter mark for a predetermined time after presentation of the delimiter mark;

automatically presenting a pop-up menu of commands in response to detecting the delimiter;

initiating a direct manipulation phase when the predetermined time expires in a motion that is substantially uninterrupted from the act of inputting; and

allowing redefinition of the scope without interrupting the stroke when a subsequent pigtail is appended to the stroke that loops in the opposite direction with respect to the delimiter pigtail.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising automatically presenting the delimiter for insertion after a predetermined pause time of an input device by extending the stroke to display how to mark the delimiter, the stroke extending to show additional pigtails that can be marked continuously as part of the stroke to select additional commands associated with each additional pigtail, each additional pigtail labeled with its associated command.

37. A system embodied on a computer-readable storage medium that facilitates input management of a pen-based device, comprising:

means for inputting a scope selection, the scope defined by a stroke;

means for adding a delimiter in association with the scope selection, the delimiter is a self-intersecting pigtail drawn continuously as part of the stroke;

means for automatically presenting a delimiter mark in association with the delimiter;

means for providing scale independence of the delimiter mark for a predetermined time after presentation of the delimiter mark;

means for adding a plurality of additional pigtails to the stroke;

means for distinguishing whether the additional pigtails are drawn as a series of separate loops or as overlapping loops;

means for automatically presenting a pop-up menu of commands in response to detecting the delimiter, the commands presented are a function of the number of additional pigtails added to the stroke after the delimiter and whether the additional pigtails are separate or overlapping; and

means for initiating a direct manipulation phase when the predetermined time expires in a motion that is substantially uninterrupted from the act of inputting.