In-context paint stroke characteristic adjustment

• US 7,884,834 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Niles, Gregory, Mouilleseaux, Jean-Pierre, Sheeler, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung; Kee M
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRADDOCK, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US11/734,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20080252645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 345/442, 345/441, 345/619, 345/680, 700/83, 700/98, 715/720, 715/788
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/203 Drawing of straight lines or curves

Abstract

In-context paint stroke characteristic adjustment, in which a first user input selecting a path of a paint stroke rendered on a display is received, an anchor point on the path is defined based on the first user input, and a characteristic adjustment control is rendered adjacent to the anchor point. A second user input is received via the characteristic adjustment control, and a characteristic of the paint stroke is adjusted at the anchor point based on the second user input.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a first user input selecting a path of a paint stroke rendered on a display;

defining, by a data processing apparatus, an anchor point on the paint stroke path based on the first user input;

rendering, by the data processing apparatus, a characteristic adjustment control adjacent to the anchor point, the characteristic adjustment control including a first drag point handle aligned along an axis that passes through the characteristic adjustment control and forms an angle with the paint stroke path, the first drag point handle including a sub-handle, wherein the first drag point handle and the sub-handle are configured to adjust characteristics of the paint stroke in response to user input;

receiving, by the data processing apparatus, a second user input via the characteristic adjustment control, the second user input including an input to the sub-handle; and

adjusting, by the data processing apparatus, a characteristic of the paint stroke at the anchor point based on the second user input.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the first user input comprises a mouse down event on the path, and

wherein the second user input comprises a mouse drag event.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first user input and/or the second user input comprise keyboard keystrokes.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the paint stroke characteristic is a width characteristic of the paint stroke, a color characteristic of the paint stroke, a spacing characteristic of sub-elements of the paint stroke, a jitter characteristic of the sub-elements of the paint stroke, an opacity characteristic, an angle characteristic of the paint stroke, or a fall-off characteristic of the paint stroke.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic adjustment control'"'"'s axis is substantially perpendicular to the paint stroke path.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the second user input further comprises a mouse drag event dragging the first drag point handle.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the characteristic adjustment control comprises a second drag point handle aligned along the axis on an opposite side of the path than the first drag point handle, the first and second drag point handles being equidistant from the anchor point.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third user input selecting the anchor point; and

deleting the anchor point based on receiving the third user input.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein rendering the characteristic adjustment control adjacent to the anchor point further comprises rendering the characteristic adjustment control over the anchor point.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the paint stroke comprises a plurality of sub-elements.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the paint stroke is defined by a movement of a brush icon along the path.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising re-rendering the paint stroke based on the adjusted paint stroke characteristic.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising rendering the path over the paint stroke.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the paint stroke characteristic at the anchor point further comprises adjusting the paint stroke characteristic at the anchor point and an adjacent point adjacent to the anchor point, based on the second user input.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the paint stroke characteristic at the adjacent point is further based on a fall-off value.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third user input selecting the path;

defining a second anchor point based on the third user input; and

adjusting a characteristic of the paint stroke at the second anchor point based on the second user input.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third user input;

translating the anchor point along the path based on the third user input.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the third user input comprises a mouse drag event.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the third user input further comprises a mouse drag event along the path.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the third user input further comprises a mouse drag event along an axis.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first user input selecting a path of a paint stroke rendered on a display;

defining an anchor point on the path based on the first user input;

rendering a characteristic adjustment control adjacent to the anchor point, the characteristic adjustment control including a first drag point handle aligned along an axis that passes through the characteristic adjustment control and forms an angle with the paint stroke path, the first drag point handle including a sub-handle, wherein the first drag point handle and the sub-handle are configured to adjust characteristics of the paint stroke in response to user input;

receiving a second user input via the characteristic adjustment control, the second user input including an input to the sub-handle; and

adjusting a characteristic of the paint stroke at the anchor point based on the second user input.

22. The medium of claim 21,

wherein the first user input comprises a mouse down event on the path, and

wherein the second user input comprises a mouse drag event.

23. The medium of claim 21, wherein the first user input and/or the second user input comprise keyboard keystrokes.

24. The medium of claim 21, wherein the paint stroke characteristic is a width characteristic of the paint stroke, a color characteristic of the paint stroke, a spacing characteristic of sub-elements of the paint stroke, a jitter characteristic of the sub-elements of the paint stroke, an opacity characteristic, an angle characteristic of the paint stroke, or a fall-off characteristic of the paint stroke.

25. The medium of claim 21, wherein the characteristic adjustment control'"'"'s axis is substantially perpendicular to the paint stroke path.

26. The medium of claim 25, wherein the second user input further comprises a mouse drag event dragging the first drag point handle.

27. The medium of claim 25, wherein the characteristic adjustment control comprises a second drag point handle aligned along the axis on an opposite side of the path than the first drag point handle, the first and second drag point handles being equidistant from the anchor point.

28. The medium of claim 21, the operations further comprising:

receiving a third user input selecting the anchor point; and

deleting the anchor point based on receiving the third user input.

29. The medium of claim 21, wherein rendering the characteristic adjustment control adjacent to the anchor point further comprises rendering the characteristic adjustment control over the anchor point.

30. The medium of claim 21, wherein the paint stroke comprises a plurality of sub-elements.

31. The medium of claim 21, wherein the paint stroke is defined by a movement of a brush icon along the path.

32. The medium of claim 21, the operations further comprising re-rendering the paint stroke based on the adjusted paint stroke characteristic.

33. The medium of claim 21, the operations further comprising rendering the path over the paint stroke.

34. The medium of claim 21, wherein adjusting the paint stroke characteristic at the anchor point further comprises adjusting the paint stroke characteristic at the anchor point and an adjacent point adjacent to the anchor point, based on the second user input.

35. The medium of claim 21, wherein adjusting the paint stroke characteristic at the adjacent point is further based on a fall-off value.

36. The medium of claim 21, the operations further comprising:

receiving a third user input selecting the path;

defining a second anchor point based on the third user input; and

adjusting a characteristic of the paint stroke at the second anchor point based on the second user input.

37. The medium of claim 21, the operations further comprising:

receiving a third user input;

translating the anchor point along the path based on the third user input.

38. The medium of claim 37, wherein the third user input comprises a mouse drag event.

39. The medium of claim 37, wherein the third user input further comprises a mouse drag event along the path.

40. The medium of claim 37, wherein the third user input further comprises a mouse drag event along an axis.

41. A device comprising:

a display configured to;

render a paint stroke, and

render a characteristic adjustment control adjacent to an anchor point, the characteristic adjustment control including a first handle passing through the characteristic adjustment control and perpendicular to the paint stroke, the first handle including a sub-handle perpendicular to the first handle, wherein the first drag point handle and the sub-handle are configured to adjust characteristics of the paint stroke in response to user input;

an input device configured to;

receive a first user input selecting a path of the paint stroke, and

receive a second user input via the characteristic adjustment control, the second user input including an input to the sub-handle; and

a processor configured to;

define the anchor point on the path based on the first user input, and

adjust a characteristic of the paint stroke at the anchor point based on the second user input.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein the input device is a mouse.

43. The device of claim 41, wherein the input device is a keyboard.

44. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a first user input selecting a path of a paint stroke rendered on a display;

defining an anchor point on the path based on the first user input;

rendering a characteristic adjustment control adjacent to the anchor point, the characteristic adjustment control including a first drag point handle aligned along an axis that passes through the characteristic adjustment control and forms an angle with the paint stroke path, the first drag point handle including a sub-handle, wherein the first drag point handle and the sub-handle are configured to adjust characteristics of the paint stroke in response to user input;

receiving a second user input via the characteristic adjustment control, the second user input including an input to the sub-handle; and

adjusting a characteristic of the paint stroke at the anchor point based on the second user input.

45. The system of claim 44,

wherein the first user input comprises a mouse down event on the path, and

wherein the second user input comprises a mouse drag event.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the first user input and/or the second user input comprise keyboard keystrokes.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein the paint stroke characteristic is a width characteristic of the paint stroke, a color characteristic of the paint stroke, a spacing characteristic of sub-elements of the paint stroke, a jitter characteristic of the sub-elements of the paint stroke, an opacity characteristic, an angle characteristic of the paint stroke, or a fall-off characteristic of the paint stroke.

48. The system of claim 44, wherein the characteristic adjustment control'"'"'s axis is substantially perpendicular to the paint stroke path.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the second user input further comprises a mouse drag event dragging the first drag point handle.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein the characteristic adjustment control comprises a second drag point handle aligned along the axis on an opposite side of the path than the first drag point handle, the first and second drag point handles being equidistant from the anchor point.

51. The system of claim 44, the operations further comprising:

receiving a third user input selecting the anchor point; and

deleting the anchor point based on receiving the third user input.

52. The system of claim 44, wherein rendering the characteristic adjustment control adjacent to the anchor point further comprises rendering the characteristic adjustment control over the anchor point.

53. The system of claim 44, wherein the paint stroke comprises a plurality of sub-elements.

54. The system of claim 44, wherein the paint stroke is defined by a movement of a brush icon along the path.

55. The system of claim 44, the operations further comprising re-rendering the paint stroke based on the adjusted paint stroke characteristic.

56. The system of claim 44, the operations further comprising rendering the path over the paint stroke.

57. The system of claim 44, wherein adjusting the paint stroke characteristic at the anchor point further comprises adjusting the paint stroke characteristic at the anchor point and an adjacent point adjacent to the anchor point, based on the second user input.

58. The system of claim 44, wherein adjusting the paint stroke characteristic at the adjacent point is further based on a fall-off value.

59. The system of claim 44, the operations further comprising:

receiving a third user input selecting the path;

defining a second anchor point based on the third user input; and

adjusting a characteristic of the paint stroke at the second anchor point based on the second user input.

60. The system of claim 44, the operations further comprising:

receiving a third user input;

translating the anchor point along the path based on the third user input.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the third user input comprises a mouse drag event.

62. The system of claim 60, wherein the third user input further comprises a mouse drag event along the path.

63. The system of claim 60, wherein the third user input further comprises a mouse drag event along an axis.