US4727588A
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US
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System for automatic adjustment and editing of handwritten text image
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1986-10-09
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Granted: 1988-02-23
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Expires: 2006-10-09
Abstract
Abstract A system of information formatting and editing using handwritten input data on an all points addressable tablet. Input words are segmented then reformatted in a consistent manner of spacing and horizontal alignments to provide a legible output while still maintaining the handwritten format. Editing functions such as delete, add and move are provided in an interactive manner.
Inventors
- 👤 Abijah S. Fox
- 👤 Evon C. Greanias
- 👤 Joonki Kim
- 👤 Charles C. Tappert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 16:25
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/60; G06V; G06V30/00; G06V30/10; G06V30/14; G06V30/142; G06V30/1423; G06V30/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
224 words
A data input and display system comprising: x-y tablet means having an input stylus for inputting a handwritten image comprising a series of words and converting into coordinate signals as said words are input; display means to portray said handwritten image on a display screen; and means for formatting said handwritten image as it is input prior to display to modify said handwritten image in accordance with predetermined rules thereby uniformly separating and aligning word portions of said handwritten image with our word portions, and comprising means for completing a line of said handwritten image with succeeding words; and means for determining when a word begins a new paragraph and for either indenting or outdenting said word on a new line or skipping a line and beginning a new sentence with that word, said means for determining comprising, detector means for determining, based on coordinate signals, extremity positions of new words as they are input to said X-Y tablet, extremity store means to store extremity values representing maximum left, right and bottom positions of input words; means to store extremity values of a prior input word; and comparison means for determining whether an input word follows a preceding word on the same line, starts a new line without indenting, skips a line or starts a new line horizontally displaced with respect to prior lines.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
224 words
A data input and display system comprising: x-y tablet means having an input stylus for inputting a handwritten image comprising a series of words and converting into coordinate signals as said words are input; display means to portray said handwritten image on a display screen; and means for formatting said handwritten image as it is input prior to display to modify said handwritten image in accordance with predetermined rules thereby uniformly separating and aligning word portions of said handwritten image with our word portions, and comprising means for completing a line of said handwritten image with succeeding words; and means for determining when a word begins a new paragraph and for either indenting or outdenting said word on a new line or skipping a line and beginning a new sentence with that word, said means for determining comprising, detector means for determining, based on coordinate signals, extremity positions of new words as they are input to said X-Y tablet, extremity store means to store extremity values representing maximum left, right and bottom positions of input words; means to store extremity values of a prior input word; and comparison means for determining whether an input word follows a preceding word on the same line, starts a new line without indenting, skips a line or starts a new line horizontally displaced with respect to prior lines.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for formatting further comprises means for segmenting one word of said handwritten image from another word of said handwritten image.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
90 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said means for segmenting comprise register means to store extremities of strokes during a period of time when said stylus is in contact with said tablet, comparator means to determine whether a succeeding stroke exceeds the stored stroke extremity positions by a predetermined amount, and means to determine whether a succeeding stroke exceeds a predetermined zone of proximity that exceeds said stored extremity positions to determine whether a succeeding stroke is a continuation of a handwritten word or the beginning of a succeeding word.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said comparison means comprises logic means for comparing upper extremity value of an input word with said stored maximum bottom extremity value, said logic means producing an output for skipping a line when said upper extremity value exceeds said stored bottom extremity value by more than a predetermined amount.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said comparison means comprises logic means for comparing the difference between a stored left maximum extremity value and a left extremity value of an input word, said logic means producing an output for beginning a new line without indentation when said comparison is less than a predetermined value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said comparison means comprises logic means for comparing an upper extremity value of an input word with a stored upper extremity value of a prior word; said logic means producing an output for placing an input word on the same line as said preceding word when said comparison results are then a predetermined value and the left extremity of the input word is greater than the stored right extremity of said prior word by a predetermined amount.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said comparison means comprises a new paragraph detector to determine whether an input word is the first word of a new paragraph.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for formatting further comprises means for aligning said handwritten image on parallel horizontal lines.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said means for aligning comprises first means for orienting an input word to be horizontal with respect to a predetermined horizontal orientation, and second means for aligning horizontal words on a common horizontal line.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said first means comprises a word length detector for determining whether an input word is longer than a predetermined length and a word baseline determinator for establishing a baseline for words exceeds said predetermined length.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said second means comprises a first register for storing baselines of input words from said baseline determinator, and a second register storing a running baseline updated by baselines stored in said first registers, and means to move an input word so that it conforms to said running baseline.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
109 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said means for aligning said handwritten image comprises a word length detector receiving an input handwritten image, means to determine whether said word of said handwritten image contains any descender characters, a register to store a running baseline representative of the horizontal alignment of words of said handwritten image, means to establish the word baseline of the input handwritten image, means responsive to said running baseline, descender information and the word baseline to correct the running baseline as a function of the word baseline and, means to transform the position of said input handwritten image as a junction of the corrected running baseline.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising means to edit said handwritten image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said X-Y tablet comprises an interactive zone responsive to said input stylus for generating edit commands to said means for formatting and a zone for entering replacement words.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said means to edit comprises edit coordinate analyzer means for determining the functional command to be performed, means for storing an operand of said functional command to be performed, logic means for performing said operand and means for storing the edited image.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said means to edit comprises means to shift segmented words of said handwritten image into locations on said display means that are positionally different from the position of input on said x-y tablet.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said means to edit comprises means to delete portions of said handwritten image.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-02-22 | 1991-08-24 | 1992-02-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-02-22 | 1995-08-24 | 1996-02-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-02-22 | 1999-08-24 | 2000-02-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |