US5588100A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for creating a freeform drawing object
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1992-05-18
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Granted: 1996-12-24
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Expires: 2012-05-18
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for creating a freeform drawing object having any desired combination of polygonal and freehand segments. In a preferred embodiment, at any time during creation of the freeform drawing object, a polygonal segment is created by releasing a mouse at a polygonal cursor start point and then depressing it at a polygonal segment end point, and a freehand segment is created by dragging the mouse from a freehand cursor start point to a freehand cursor end point. Interpretation of whether a depress-move-release sequence should be considered a drag is based on the amount of time the mouse button is held down before being released. Any combination of polygonal and freehand segments is thus provided until the freeform object is completed by double clicking the mouse or by clicking the mouse at a cursor location within a predetermined distance from an original cursor point. During the creation of a polygonal segment a polygonal cursor is displayed and a straight rubber band line is drawn from the starting to current cursor location. During the creation of a freehand segment a freehand cursor is displayed which differs in appearance from the polygonal cursor, and a solid line is drawn along the cursor path.
Inventors
- 👤 David C. Parker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 08:35
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0484; G06F3/04845; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/20; G06T11/23
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A method in a computer system for determining a line type for each of a plurality of lines to be created, the line type being either freehand or polygonal, the computer system having a mouse with a button, the button having a released position and a depressed position, the method comprising the steps of: detecting a first change in position of the button; detecting movement of the mouse; and after detecting movement of the mouse, detecting a second change in position of the button; and after detecting the second change in position of the button, when the button is in the released position, creating a line having a freehand line type; and when the button is in the depressed position, creating a line having a polygonal line type.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
128 words
A method in a computer system for determining a line type for each of a plurality of lines to be created, the line type being either freehand or polygonal, the computer system having a mouse with a button, the button having a released position and a depressed position, the method comprising the steps of: detecting a first change in position of the button; detecting movement of the mouse; and after detecting movement of the mouse, detecting a second change in position of the button; and after detecting the second change in position of the button, when the button is in the released position, creating a line having a freehand line type; and when the button is in the depressed position, creating a line having a polygonal line type.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein each line has a starting point and wherein the step of detecting the first change in position of the button further comprises detecting the starting point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein each line has an ending point and wherein the step of detecting the second change in position of the button further comprises detecting the ending point.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of creating the line having the freehand line type creates the line to correspond to movement of the mouse.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of creating the line having the polygonal line type creates the line to correspond to movement of the mouse.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
122 words
A method in a computer system for determining a line type for each of a plurality of lines to be created, the computer system having a pointing device with an indicator, the indicator having a first position and a second position, the method comprising the steps of: detecting a first change in position of the indicator; detecting movement of the pointing device; after detecting movement of the pointing device, detecting a second change in position of the indicator; and after detecting the second change in position of the indicator, when the indicator is in the first position, creating a line having a first line type; and when the indicator is in the second position, creating a line having a second line type.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
122 words
A method in a computer system for determining a line type for each of a plurality of lines to be created, the computer system having a pointing device with an indicator, the indicator having a first position and a second position, the method comprising the steps of: detecting a first change in position of the indicator; detecting movement of the pointing device; after detecting movement of the pointing device, detecting a second change in position of the indicator; and after detecting the second change in position of the indicator, when the indicator is in the first position, creating a line having a first line type; and when the indicator is in the second position, creating a line having a second line type.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the first position of the indicator is a released position and wherein the first line type is a freehand line type.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the second position of the indicator is a depressed position and wherein the second line type is a polygonal line type.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
91 words
A method in a computer system for determining a line type for each of a plurality of lines to be created, the line type being either freehand or polygonal, the computer system having a mouse with a button, the button having a depressed position and a released position, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: for each of the plurality of lines, detecting movement of the mouse; and setting the line type for a line based on the position of the button while the movement of the mouse was detected.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
91 words
A method in a computer system for determining a line type for each of a plurality of lines to be created, the line type being either freehand or polygonal, the computer system having a mouse with a button, the button having a depressed position and a released position, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: for each of the plurality of lines, detecting movement of the mouse; and setting the line type for a line based on the position of the button while the movement of the mouse was detected.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 9 wherein each line has a starting point and wherein the starting point is indicated by a change in position of the button.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 9 wherein each line has an ending point and wherein the ending point is indicated by a change in position of the button.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
85 words
A method in a computer system for determining a line type for each of a plurality of lines to be created, the computer system having a pointing device with an indicator, the indicator having a first position and a second position, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: for each of the plurality of line, detecting movement of the pointing device; and setting the line type for a line based on the position of the indicator while the movement of the pointing device was detected.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
85 words
A method in a computer system for determining a line type for each of a plurality of lines to be created, the computer system having a pointing device with an indicator, the indicator having a first position and a second position, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: for each of the plurality of line, detecting movement of the pointing device; and setting the line type for a line based on the position of the indicator while the movement of the pointing device was detected.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 12 wherein each line has a starting point and wherein the starting point is indicated by a change in position of the indicator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 12 wherein each line has an ending point and wherein the ending point is indicated by a change in position of the indicator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
127 words
A computer system for determining a line type for each of a plurality of lines to be created, the computer system having a pointing device with an indicator, the indicator having a first position and a second position, the computer system comprising: means for detecting a first change in position of the indicator; means for detecting movement of the pointing device; means for detecting a second change in position of the indicator after detecting movement of the pointing device; and after detecting the second change in position of the indicator, means for creating a line having a first line type when the indicator is in the first position; and means for creating a line having a second line type when the indicator is in the second position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
127 words
A computer system for determining a line type for each of a plurality of lines to be created, the computer system having a pointing device with an indicator, the indicator having a first position and a second position, the computer system comprising: means for detecting a first change in position of the indicator; means for detecting movement of the pointing device; means for detecting a second change in position of the indicator after detecting movement of the pointing device; and after detecting the second change in position of the indicator, means for creating a line having a first line type when the indicator is in the first position; and means for creating a line having a second line type when the indicator is in the second position.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the first position of the indicator is a released position and wherein the first line type is a freehand line type.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the second position of the indicator is the depressed position and wherein the second line type is a polygonal line type.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
83 words
A computer system for determining a line type for each of a plurality of lines to be created, the computer system having a pointing device with an indicator, the indicator having a first position and a second position, the computer system comprising: for each of the plurality of lines, means for detecting movement of the pointing device; and means for setting the line type for a line based on the position of the indicator while the movement of the pointing device was detected.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
83 words
A computer system for determining a line type for each of a plurality of lines to be created, the computer system having a pointing device with an indicator, the indicator having a first position and a second position, the computer system comprising: for each of the plurality of lines, means for detecting movement of the pointing device; and means for setting the line type for a line based on the position of the indicator while the movement of the pointing device was detected.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 18 wherein each line has a starting point and wherein the starting point is indicated by a change in position of the indicator.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 18 wherein each line has an ending point and wherein the ending point is indicated by a change in position of the indicator.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
102 words
A computer-readable storage medium containing computer instructions that cause a computer system to: detect a first change in position of an indicator of a pointing device, the indicator having a first position and a second position; detect movement of the pointing device; after detecting movement of the pointing device, detect a second change in position of the indicator; and after detecting the second change in position of the indicator, create a line having a first line type when the indicator is in the first position; and create a line having a second line type when the indicator is in the second position.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
102 words
A computer-readable storage medium containing computer instructions that cause a computer system to: detect a first change in position of an indicator of a pointing device, the indicator having a first position and a second position; detect movement of the pointing device; after detecting movement of the pointing device, detect a second change in position of the indicator; and after detecting the second change in position of the indicator, create a line having a first line type when the indicator is in the first position; and create a line having a second line type when the indicator is in the second position.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the first position of the indicator is a released position and wherein the first line type is a freehand line type.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the second position of the indicator is the depressed position and wherein the second line type is a polygonal line type.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
66 words
A computer-readable storage medium containing computer instructions that cause a computer system to: for each of a plurality of lines, detect movement of a pointing device, the pointing device having an indicator, the indicator having a first position and a second position; and set a line type for a line based on the position of the indicator while the movement of the pointing device was detected.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
66 words
A computer-readable storage medium containing computer instructions that cause a computer system to: for each of a plurality of lines, detect movement of a pointing device, the pointing device having an indicator, the indicator having a first position and a second position; and set a line type for a line based on the position of the indicator while the movement of the pointing device was detected.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 24 wherein each line has a starting point and wherein the starting point is indicated by a change in position of the indicator.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 24 wherein each line has an ending point and wherein the ending point is indicated by a change in position of the indicator.
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) | 1999-12-24 | 2000-06-24 | 2000-12-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-12-24 | 2004-06-24 | 2004-12-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-12-24 | 2008-06-24 | 2008-12-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |