Apple Inc.

Other

Ernest H Beernink

Stephen P Capps

John R Meier

David T Temkin

Donna M Auguste

Giulia Maria Pagallo

Gregg S Foster

Frederich N Tou

Radmilo Bozinovic

Michael C Tchao

Eugeny Chechetkin

A method for formatting both recognized and unrecognized handwritten words in the same paragraphs of a document prepared on a pen-based computer system is provided. A recognizer analyzes handwritten material input into the computer system and identifies some parts of that material as recognized text words and other parts as unrecognized ink words. The recognized ink words are converted to a standard text format and are usually displayed in a standard font. The ink words remain displayed as handwriting. Both types of words are surrounded by 'bounding boxes' which are then included in paragraphs. Paragraphs are formatted by a step of aligning the words of a paragraph between margins and in straight lines separated from one another by defined line separation distances. The words' bounding boxes in each line are separated from one another by defined word separation distances. Handwritten words written over displayed paragraphs are inserted within the paragraphs near words they were written over.

System and method for organizing recognized and unrecognized objects on

A method for the angle-independent recognition of handwritten objects including: a) receiving a handwritten stroke; b) normalizing the stroke; c) matching the normalized stroke against a stroke database to obtain at least one character part interpretation; and d) recognizing a handwritten object using one or more of the character part interpretations. Preferably, the step of normalizing the stroke includes the step of normalizing an angle of the stroke by first determining a stroke angle and then rotating the stroke by the stroke angle until the stroke is at a normalized position. An apparatus for the angle independent recognition of handwritten objects includes: a) a central processing unit (CPU); b) a pointer mechanism coupled to the CPU for providing a handwritten stroke to the CPU; c) a mechanism for normalizing the strokes provided by the pointer mechanism; d) a mechanism for matching the normalized strokes against a stroke database to obtain a number of character part interpretations; and e) a mechanism for recognizing a handwritten object using the character part interpretations. Preferably, the mechanism for normalizing the strokes includes a mechanism for detecting stroke angles of the strokes, and a mechanism for rotating the strokes by the stroke angles to create normalized strokes. The mechanism for recognizing the handwritten object preferably includes a controller, a number of recognition domains coupled to the controller, and an arbiter coupled to the controller for resolving multiple interpretations of the object.

Method and apparatus for recognizing handwritten words

A string inserter for a computer system having a graphical user interface and a pointer capable of interacting with a graphical user interface includes an insertion marker, an insertion initiater, and an insertion implementer. The insertion marker is displayed on a screen of the computer system at an insertion point in displayed text corresponding to a string of text information. The insertion initiater is operative to detect a selection of the insertion marker with a the pointer mechanism of the computer system and to provide an insertion menu on the screen that includes a number of insertion labels. The insertion implementer is responsive to a selection of an insertion label with the pointer and is operative to insert an insertion string corresponding to the selection into the string of text information. A method for inserting an insertion string into a string of text information on a computer system includes the steps of displaying an insertion marker on a screen of the computer system, detecting a selection of the insertion marker with a pointer mechanism of the computer system and providing an insertion menu including a number of insertion labels in response thereto, and detecting a selection of an insertion label and inserting an insertion string corresponding to this selection into the string of text information.

String inserter for pen-based computer systems and method for providing

A method for correcting textual material recognized on a pen-based computer in accordance with the present invention includes the step of receiving an input on a screen of the computer system. The input is then recognized, and a bounding box defining the bounds of the input is defined. A determination of the intention and placement of the recognized input is then made according to the relationship between the bounding box of the recognized input and the bounding boxes of the already existing textual objects. When a substantial overlap is found of the recognized input with an existing textual object and the number of characters of the recognized input is less than a predetermined number, the recognized input is considered as an overwrite of the existing text. If the conditions are not met, the recognized input is considered as an insertion of a new textual object, i.e., a new word. A best potential character is determined from the recognized input if the overwrite conditions are met, and the most overlapped character of the overlapped textual object is replaced by the best potential character.

Method for correcting handwriting on a pen-based computer

According to the present invention, a variety of correction methods and systems are disclosed. A first method aspect of the present invention teaches a computer implemented correction method for correcting words and characters entered into a pointer based computer system. The correction method includes the step of receiving a selected word including at least one character, displaying the selected word within a boxed input corrector implemented on the pointer based computer system; receiving a correction input and performing an action indicated by the correction input. The action is determined by a type of the correction input, the types of correction inputs including character editing input, gesture input, navigation input, and external input generated by events external to the boxed input corrector. One embodiment of the present invention teaches a boxed input correction system comprising a pen-based computer system including a central processing unit, memory accessible by the central processing unit, and a dual-function display system having a display screen. The boxed input correction system also includes a boxed input corrector which receives and displays a selected word, receives a correction input indicating an action to be performed on the selected word, and performs the action. When the selected word is an ink word, the boxed input corrector displays the ink word centered within a single box and, when the selected word is a string of one or more well defined characters, the boxed input corrector displays the selected word such that each well defined character has a box associated therewith.

Boxed input correction system and method for pen based computer systems

A method and apparatus for training a recognizer includes displaying a practice word on a display screen of a pen-based computer system and entering a handwritten word that is similar to the practice word on the display screen. A recognized candidate list that includes candidate words and an associated confidence level for each candidate word is derived from the handwritten word by a recognizer. The confidence level indicates how confidently the handwritten word has been matched to the associated candidate word. The candidate list is displayed and a training database is updated with training data derived from the handwritten word. The training data is used by the recognizer to recognize other handwritten words with greater accuracy. A practice word that is either easily recognized by the recognizer or recognized with difficulty can be displayed, and the easily recognized practice words are randomly retrieved from a dictionary tree of characters to provide words of reasonable length and a variety of types and combinations of characters.

Method and apparatus for training a recognizer

A method for formatting paragraphs on a screen of a computer system including the steps of: a) entering a word on a screen of a computer system using a pointing mechanism; b) finding an associated paragraph, if any, that the word is to be associated with; c) adding the word to the associated paragraph, if one exists; and d) starting a new paragraph with the word if there is not a closely related exiting paragraph. A newly-entered word can be added to an associated paragraph in basically four ways. The word can be added in a new line at the top of the paragraph, in a new line at the bottom of the paragraph, at the end of an existing line, or between words of an existing line. After a word has been entered, the text within the paragraph is repositioned as desired by the user, either implicitly or through an explicit command. For example, the words within a paragraph can be caused to 'reflow' so that they are aligned between the left and right margins of the paragraph. Alternatively, the words within the paragraph can be centered or right-justified.

Method and apparatus for formatting paragraphs

A computer system and method capable of handwriting recognition and user identification are presented. The computer system includes a CPU, a dual-function display assembly and a stylus. The dual-function display assembly senses the relative position of the stylus with respect to the dual-function display. When an appropriate prompt is displayed, a user responds by application of the stylus to the dual-function display to enter user identity, handwriting, handwriting style, handwriting preferences, and other input to the computer system. Using user-specific handwriting preferences and data, improved handwriting recognition for the user is enabled.

Method and apparatus for recognizing handwriting of different users of a

A gesture sensitive button for graphical user interfaces characterized by a digital computer, a screen coupled to the digital computer, a pointer mechanism used for pointing locations on the screen, a 'button' image displayed on the screen, and a gesture recognizer for detecting gestures made on the screen by the pointing mechanism. The button is responsive to at least two different button gestures made on the screen on or near the button. A process implementing the gesture sensitive button of the present invention includes: providing a button image on a computer screen; detecting a gesture made on the screen by a pointer such as a stylus, mouse, or trackball; determining whether the gesture is associated with the button image; and initiating one of at least two processes if the gesture is associated with the button image. The gesture sensitive button conserves real estate on the computer screen by permitting a single button to control multiple functions and processes.

Gesture sensitive buttons for graphical user interfaces

A method for deleting objects displayed on the screen of a display assembly of a pointer based computer system is described. The method includes the steps of detecting a pointer created stroke and processing the stroke for gesture recognition. Thereafter, the processed stroke is checked to determine whether it meets the path definition requirements of a scrub gesture. In another step, a determination is made as to whether an object displayed on the screen has been selected. If an object is selected and the processed stroke meets the requirements of a scrub gesture, the selected object is deleted. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the selected object determining step includes the substep of determining whether any objects were preselected at the time the scrub gesture was made. When no suitable objects are preselected, a determination is made as to whether the scrub gesture substantially overlaps a displayed object. If a displayed object is substantially overlapped, it is selected for deletion. In another preferred embodiment, the scrub gesture determining step includes the substep of determining whether the number of times that the processed stroke changes the direction of its turn angles exceeds a predetermined number, wherein the stroke will not be considered a scrub gesture unless the predetermined number of direction changes is exceeded. In yet another preferred aspect of the invention, the stroke processing step includes the substeps of defining a multiplicity of corners in the stroke, removing selected corners that are associated with segments that are shorter than a designated length, and removing selected corners that have an associated turn angle that is less than a predetermined angle.

Method for deleting objects on a computer display

A method for correcting recognized words in a computer system including the steps of: (a) entering an ink object into a computer system with a pointing device; (b) recognizing the ink object as a word object; (c) displaying the word object on a display of the computer system; (d) detecting a correction request made by a user pertaining to the displayed word object; and (e) displaying a list of alternative words for the word object on the display. Preferably, the list of alternative words includes a shifted-case version of the word object, a number of alternative words provided by a word recognizer, and the original ink object that was entered into the computer system. A user can select one of these alternative words to replace the misrecognized word object. Alternatively, a user may enter a word into the computer system by means of a keyboard image to replace the original word object with the newly entered word. When using the keyboard correction mode, the user has the opportunity to add the word to a dictionary list used by a word recognizer of the computer system.

Method and apparatus for correcting words

A recognition system for a pen-based computer system characterized by: a tablet for inputting strokes from a stylus; a low-level recognizer responsive to the strokes and operative to perform low-level recognition on the strokes; a high-level recognizer responsive to at least some of the strokes and operative to perform high-level recognition on those strokes; and a recognition interface permitting communication between the recognizers and an application program. The high-level recognizer includes a controller capable of receiving units to be recognized; a number of recognition domains coupled to the controller, where each of the recognition domains can receive one or more units from the controller and is capable of providing an interpretation of the meaning of the one or more units to the controller; and an arbiter coupled to the controller which is capable of resolving conflicts between multiple interpretations developed by the recognition domains. A method implemented by the high-level recognition system includes the steps of creating a stroke object from a stroke generated by the stylus on the tablet; grouping the stroke object with at least one other stroke object, if possible; classifying the stroke object by passing the stroke object to a number of recognition domains; and arbitrating between conflicting classifications generated by the recognition domains. This permits unstructured, free-form inputs to a pen-based computer system to be recognized and acted upon by the system.

Method and apparatus for computerized recognition

A method and apparatus for setting the case of text in a pen-aware computer system is described. In general, the case of one or more letters of a designated text object can be changed with a convenient and simple input gesture. The case resetting gesture takes the form of a substantially vertically extending line that overlies a textual object that includes a character or characters that are intended to have their case reset. The direction and position of the case setting gesture are used to determine which characters are to be affected and whether the designated case is upper or lower case.

Growing community of inventors

San Carlos, CA, United States of America

Ernest H Beernink