Extended eraser functions

• US 7,661,068 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lund, Arnold M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, MY CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US11/451,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20070285399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/179, 178/18.01, 178/18.02, 178/19.01, 178/19.04, 715/700, 715/762, 715/763, 715/863
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that allow an eraser to be used for additional operations. A pen feature is provided that supports various eraser gestures. An eraser gesture is detected from a pen input device. If the eraser gesture matches a supported eraser gesture, then an operation associated with the supported eraser gesture is performed. For example, a scratchout gesture made with the eraser can undo a previous erasure of text made by the eraser. A customization feature is provided that allows a user to customize some or all of the eraser gestures.

Claims

1. A method for using an eraser for additional operations, the method comprising:

providing a pen feature that supports a plurality of eraser gestures;

detecting an eraser gesture; and

performing an operation associated with the eraser gestures;

wherein the operation comprises providing a status of a particular application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the erasure gesture comprises a scratchout gesture.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the operation comprises an undo of a prior erasure operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation associated with the eraser gesture comprises a customizable operation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pen comprises a digitized pen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pen comprises an electromagnetic pen.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the eraser gesture comprises a separate input in combination with an eraser input.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the separate input comprises a key press.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the eraser gesture comprises a scratchout gesture, a circle gesture, a tap gesture, a tap and hold gesture, and a tap and other input combination gesture.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation comprises taking a particular application out of a current state.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation comprises deleting a selected item.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation comprises displaying a context menu with additional operation items selectable by a user.

13. The method of claim 12, upon selecting one of the additional operation items from the context menu, performing an additional operation associated with the selected one of the additional operation items.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the the method of claim 1.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform a method comprising:

providing a pen feature that supports a plurality of eraser gestures;

detecting an eraser gesture;

if the eraser gesture matches a supported eraser gesture, performing an operation associated with the supported eraser gesture; and

providing a customization feature that allows a user to customize at least a portion of the plurality of eraser gestures;

wherein the operation comprises providing a status of a particular application.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, having computer-executable instructions for detecting the erasure gesture as a combination of an eraser input plus a separate input.

17. A method for providing a scratchout gesture with an eraser comprising:

providing a pen input feature;

detecting an eraser gesture from a user;

determining that the eraser gesture comprises a scratchout gesture made with an eraser end of a pen input device;

undoing an erasure operation previously caused by the eraser end of the pen to restore a previously erased portion of input; and

displaying the previously erased portion of input.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 17.