Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Patent
1996-12-16
1999-01-26
Katbab, A.
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
382187, G06F 300
Patent
active
058643397
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a device for storing information electronically and which has a pen-sensitive screen for a user to make freehand input. The device may be a handheld device for the storage and manipulation of personal data with a pen/stylus for user input.
BACKGROUND ART
There are already several pen-based handheld computer products on the market for the storage and manipulation of personal data. Examples of these are the Apple Newton, the Tandy Zoomer and the Amstrad PenPad. In these products the user has to become familiar with several unrelated mechanisms in order to perform manipulations on the data stored in the device. The term `manipulations` refers to operations such as moving, deleting, copying etc of data. In addition, the methods of selecting data for manipulation usually effect only a transient selection so that further manipulation of the same data requires the data to be reselected.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to the present invention we provide a computer having: item is subsequently displayed adjacent the said freehand input in a subsidiary screen area associated with the main screen area; of the tag item.
The present invention has the advantage of providing a simple and elegant way of uniting several manipulations using the single artefact of tag items. Tag items provide a way of permanently structuring data and can be reused as often as desired. The artefact of tag items is particularly useful in the context of a small screen device for storing and manipulation of personal information where convenient data manipulation is particularly important.
In the embodiment to be described, a tag item is selected prior to manipulation of the tagged freehand input and creation of a tag item automatically results in selection of the newly created tag item.
In a particular embodiment to be described, the device is configured so that only the subsidiary screen area recognises user input relating to tag item manipulations. The device may comprise means enabling a user to select a plurality of tag items at any one time. This complicates the user interface of the device but may be useful in certain application, for example in associating more than one address with a message.
The tag item manipulations typically comprise moving, copying and deleting tag items and the associated freehand input and may further include the creation of a new page with the tagged item as its title.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
A particular embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a device according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram of the screen of the device of FIG. 1.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
FIG. 1 shows a pen-based handheld device 10 for storing and displaying pages of electronic information comprising a display screen 12. The user makes input using a pen (not shown). The device 10 also comprises buttons 13,14,15 and 16 for copying, moving (`tear` and `stick` buttons) and deleting items. The device 10 also comprises other buttons which are not relevant to the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 2, the screen 12 is divided into two parts--a main part 17 and a subsidiary screen area 18.
The user can make freehand or `scribble` input using the pen on the surface of the screen 12. An example is shown in FIG. 2 in which the words `old` and `new` have been written by the user. It is possible to tag any such freehand input with tag items, examples of which are referenced 20 and 22. In order to create a tag item against an item of freehand input, the user simply taps the pen in the area 18 adjacent to the relevant freehand input. For example, tapping the pen in the area 18 adjacent to the word `old` in FIG. 2 causes the tag item 20 to appear.
The following algorithm provides a simple example of how pen strokes may be associated with tag items (`bullets`):
______________________________________ AssociateStrokeWi
REFERENCES:
patent: Re34476 (1993-12-01), Norwood
patent: 5404439 (1995-04-01), Moran et al.
patent: 5572651 (1996-11-01), Weber et al.
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 34, No. 10A, Mar. 1992, New York US p. 113.
`Multi-Line Listbox Control for Compound Entiries` see p. 113, line 28--line 34.
Hewlett--Packard Company
Katbab A.
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