Making electronic ink universally legible
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsColin R. Anthony, Daniel W. Crevier, Jeffrey J. Weir, Sam J. George
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Enhancement of electronic ink is achieved by automatically displaying a contrasting outline for the ink. The outline provides a visual transition between the ink and the underlying background. The outlining color may be chosen independent of the background color(s). Thus, a user may choose any ink color desired, without regard to the background, and the written ink will be legible over the background. Moreover, the user does not need to change ink color based on the background, but instead may maintain the same ink color over the entire background if the user so desires.
Claims20
A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions adapted to be executed by a processor for implementing a method comprising:
- receiving a user-input ink stroke of a first color;
- rendering the ink stroke in the first color;
- determining a second color based on and different from the first color;
- rendering a first outline of the ink stroke in the second color;
- determining a third color based on the first color and different from the first and second colors;
- and
- rendering a second outline of the first outline in the third color, wherein the first outline extends beyond the ink stroke by a first width and the second outline extends beyond the first outline by a second width that is larger than the first width.
A computing system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- computer-readable storage media coupled to the processor, the computer-readable storage media containing computer-executable instructions executable by the processor for implementing a program module for;
- receiving a user-input ink stroke of a first color;
- rendering the ink stroke in the first color over a background;
- determining a second color that is based on the first color, that is different from the first color, and that is determined without regard to a coloring of the background;
- rendering an outline of the ink stroke in the second color;
- changing the first color of the ink stroke to a third color, different from the first color, for rendering the ink stroke in the third color;
- determining a fourth color based on and different from the third color of the ink stroke, and that is determined without regard to the coloring of the background;
- and
- rendering the outline of the ink stroke in the fourth color.
A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing steps, the steps comprising:
- receiving a first user selection of a first color;
- receiving ink;
- displaying the ink in the first color over a background;
- determining a second color that is based on the first color, that is different from the first color, and that is determined without regard to a coloring of the background;
- displaying a region in the second color, wherein the region surrounds and is immediately adjacent to the ink, wherein the portion of the display extends from the ink a distance no further than a width of the ink;
- receiving a second user selection, after the step of displaying the region, to change the color of the ink from the first color to a third color;
- responsive to the second user selection, displaying the ink in the third color, determining a fourth color that is based on the third color, that is different from the third color, and that is determined without regard to the coloring of the background;
- and
- displaying the region in the fourth color.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.