US 7,096,432 B2Granted

Write anywhere tool

AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation

InventorsLuis M. Huapaya, Erik M. Geidl, Donald D. Karlov, Jeffrey W. Pettiross, Thomas R. Wick

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A transparent graphical user interface that overlays the user interfaces of other applications. The transparent user interface receives handwriting input and displays handwriting objects represented by handwriting input received in the area of the transparent handwriting interface. The transparent user interface of the invention can be expanded to include most of the display area of a computer, thereby allowing the user to write anywhere within the display area. This also allows the user to write multiple lines of text. Additionally, because the user interface is transparent, it allows the user to see the underlying graphical user interfaces for other applications, including applications that receive text recognized from the handwriting input written into the transparent handwriting interface. Further the transparent interface allows the user to interact with underlying graphical user interfaces.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of processing pointer input, comprising:

providing a transparent first graphical user interface overlaying a second graphical user interface;
receiving pointer input in a handwriting area corresponding to the transparent first graphical user interface through contact of the pen against the handwriting area;
displaying handwriting guidelines in the transparent first graphical user interface by
displaying the guidelines at a first position when the pen contacts a first position in the handwriting area;
and
displaying the guidelines at a second position only when the pen is lifted from the first position for a threshold amount of time and subsequently contacts a second position in the handwriting area a threshold distance from the first position;
displaying a translucent area in the first transparent graphical user interface around a contact point of the pen against the handwriting area;
displaying handwriting objects represented by the pointer input in the transparent first graphical user interface;
recognizing text from the pointer input;
and
providing the recognized text to a software application.

8 more elements

A method of processing pointer input, comprising:

providing a transparent first graphical user interface overlaying a second graphical user interface;
receiving pointer input in a handwriting area corresponding to the transparent first graphical user interface;
displaying a translucent area in the first transparent graphical user interface around a contact point of the pen against the handwriting area;
displaying handwriting objects represented by the pointer input in the transparent first graphical user interface;
recognizing text from the pointer input;
providing the recognized text to a software application;
receiving second pointer input in a handwriting area corresponding to the transparent first graphical user interface;
determining if the second pointer input is
confined within a first threshold area,
completed within a threshold time, and
received while no handwriting objects are displayed in a second threshold area around the first threshold area;
and
if the second pointer input is confined within a threshold area, completed within a threshold time, and received while no handwriting objects are displayed in a second threshold area around the first threshold area, determining tat the second pointer input is input for the second graphical user interface;
and
if the second pointer input is determined to be input forte second graphical user interface, providing the second pointer input to the second graphical user interface and otherwise displaying handwriting objects represented by the second pointer input.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/146,487Filed 14 May 2002
Published: US 2003/0214540 A120 Nov 2003
Granted: 22 Aug 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G06F 3/0481
Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]: based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a…
G06F 3/04883
Using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
G06F 2203/04804
Indexing scheme relating to G06F3/048: transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
G06F
Computing and data processing