Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Graphic manipulation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-05
2001-11-20
Jankus, Almis R. (Department: 2672)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Graphic manipulation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06320597
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electronic writeboards and in particular to a method and editor for editing objects representing writing on an electronic writeboard.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electronic writeboards or whiteboards (EWBs) are known in the art and have been used in conjunction with host computers executing applications software to provide enhanced multimedia and teleconferencing capabilities. An example of an electronic writeboard of this nature is sold by SMART Technologies Inc. of Calgary, Alberta, Canada under the name SMART Board. The SMART Board electronic writeboard includes a touch sensitive panel, a tool tray accommodating a plurality of tools such as coloured pens and an eraser as well as a driver and an associated controller.
In use, the electronic writeboard is connected to a host processor such as a personal computer operating in a Windows® environment and executing applications software, via a serial data connection. The electronic writeboard can be operated in one of three modes, namely a projected mouse mode, a projected mark-up mode and a non-projected mode.
In the projected mouse mode, the image displayed on the monitor of the personal computer is projected onto the touch sensitive panel. In this case, the electronic writeboard functions as a giant mouse providing input to the personal computer in response to user contact with the touch sensitive panel. Specifically, the electronic writeboard generates mouse events in response to user contact with the touch sensitive panel, which are conveyed to the personal computer for processing. Thus, by contacting the touch sensitive panel, the personal computer can be conditioned to open and display menus, to activate displayed menus, to drag icons, to execute software and to switch applications by changing input focus. The latter event of course is achieved by contacting the touch sensitive panel outside of the window of the active application running on the personal computer.
In the projected mark-up mode the coloured pens and eraser are used to contact the touch sensitive panel. The active application running on the personal computer tracks where writing and erasing has occurred and maintains a computerized image of what is drawn on and erased from the touch sensitive panel. The computerized image is projected onto the touch sensitive panel so that the user can see the computerized image.
In the non-projected mode, no images are displayed on the touch sensitive panel. Dry-erase markers are used to contact the touch sensitive panel. The application running on the personal computer tracks where writing and erasing has occurred and maintains a computerized image of what is drawn on the touch sensitive panel. However, since no image is displayed on the touch sensitive panel, the electronic writeboard is not interactive when operated in this mode.
During operation in the projected mark-up mode, as writing on the touch sensitive panel occurs, the applications software executed by the host computer creates one or more objects representing the writing. Each object is bounded by a rectangular area encompassing the writing. When an existing object displayed on the touch sensitive panel is modified, the applications software creates a separate object for the annotations made to the existing object and layers the newly created object over the original object so that the image projected onto the touch sensitive panel reflects the modifications made to the object. This however, creates problems when it is desired to manipulate the modified object due to the fact that the original object and the annotations are separate, layered objects. For example, highlighting an object and then trying to move the highlighted object either results in the original object being moved without the annotations or results in only the annotations being moved without the original object. Accordingly improved methods to deal with objects representing writing on an electronic writeboard are desired.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel method and editor for editing objects representing writing on an electronic writeboard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for editing objects representing writing on an electronic writeboard comprising the steps of:
creating an object representing writing on said electronic writeboard;
determining if said created object overlies an existing object by at least a threshold amount; and
merging said created and existing objects to create a new object if said created object overlies said existing object by at least said threshold amount.
Preferably, the created and existing objects are merged if at least 75% of the created object is contained within the existing object. It is also preferred that objects are bounded by geometric shapes in the form of rectangles and that at the determining step, the areas of the rectangles are compared to determine overlap therebetween.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for editing writing on an electronic writeboard comprising the steps of:
creating an object representing writing on said electronic writeboard;
determining if said created object overlies an existing object; and
creating a new object incorporating writing represented by said created and existing objects if said created object overlies said existing object by at least a threshold amount.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided an editor for an electronic writeboard for editing objects representing writing on said electronic writeboard comprising:
means for creating an object representing writing on said electronic writeboard;
means for determining if said created object overlies an existing object by at least a threshold amount; and
means for merging said created and existing objects if said created object overlies said existing object by at least said threshold amount.
According to still yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided an interactive display system comprising:
a touch sensitive panel responsive to user contact in the form of writing on said touch sensitive panel and generating signals representing the location of writing thereon;
a projector to project images on said touch sensitive panel reflecting writing on said touch sensitive panel; and
a computer executing an applications program, said applications program being responsive to said signals and including means to create objects representing writing on said touch sensitive panel, means to determine if created objects overlie existing objects and means to create new objects if created objects overlie existing objects by at least a threshold amount, said applications program providing updated image output to said projector to reflect writing on said touch sensitive panel and being responsive to user contact to allow objects representing writing to be manipulated.
According to still yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer readable medium including computer program code for editing writing on an electronic writeboard, said computer readable medium comprising:
computer program code for creating an object representing writing on said electronic writeboard;
computer program code for determining if the created object overlies an existing object by at least a threshold amount; and
computer program code for merging said created and existing objects to create a new object if said created object overlies said existing object by at least said threshold amount.
The present invention provides advantages in that if an existing object representing writing is modified and the object representing the annotations to the existing object overlies the existing object by a threshold amount, the existing object and the object representing the annotations are merged to create a new single object. Thus, manipulations to the newly created object effect both the original writing and the annotations.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5471578
Cunningham G. F.
Jankus Almis R.
Smart Technologies Inc.
Zavis Katten Muchin
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