Input Data Processing During Focus Change Events

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Solution Overview

Problem

In pen-based computing systems, user input, such as electronic ink, speech, and keyboard input, is often misdirected or lost due to focus changes, leading to user frustration as the recognition and insertion of text occur before or during focus changes, resulting in incorrect or undesired locations for the recognized text.

Innovation Solution

Systems and methods that process input data before, during, and after focus change events to ensure accurate insertion in the intended application program or component, using techniques like creating input objects, associating them with manager objects, and sending recognized text with focus range data to maintain correct insertion locations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If handwriting recognition is performed before focus change, then recognition accuracy is improved, but text insertion location becomes incorrect

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecognition accuracyVSAvoidinsertion location accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs handwriting recognition in advance before the focus change occurs, allowing the recognized text to be prepared and ready for insertion. The insertion location is predetermined based on the focus state at the time of input, ensuring that even though focus changes afterward, the text is inserted at the correct original location rather than the current focus location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If focus change is allowed to occur freely, then user interface responsiveness is improved, but input data may be misdirected or lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterface responsivenessVSAvoidinput data direction accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system determines and locks in the insertion location before the focus change occurs. By establishing the target location in advance based on the current focus state, the system ensures that subsequent focus changes do not affect where the input data will be inserted, thereby maintaining both interface responsiveness and input direction accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary mechanism that decouples the focus change event from the input data insertion process. The insertion location is determined by the focus state at the time of input rather than the focus state at the time of insertion, acting as a buffer that protects against misdirection caused by focus changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If text insertion is delayed until after focus change, then insertion location accuracy is improved, but user input may be lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsertion location accuracyVSAvoiduser input data

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs recognition and prepares the text for insertion before the focus change occurs, but actually executes the insertion after the focus change is complete. The insertion location is predetermined based on the focus state at input time, ensuring that the text is inserted at the correct location even though the actual insertion happens after focus has changed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If handwriting recognition speed is increased, then productivity is improved, but insertion location errors increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecognition speedVSAvoidinsertion location accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system determines the insertion location in advance before recognition completes and before focus changes occur. This preliminary determination of location is independent of recognition speed, allowing fast recognition to proceed without compromising location accuracy, as the location is locked in based on the focus state at the time of input initiation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS7461348B2Systems and methods for processing input data before, during, and/or after an input focus change event

Publication Date: 2008.12.02 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media process computer input data (such as electronic ink data, speech input data, keyboard input data, etc.), including focus change data, in a manner so that the input insertion range better comports with the user's original intent. More specifically, user input data may be accepted, before, during, and/or after a focus change event is initiated, and the systems and methods will process this input data in an intuitive manner, directing the data to areas of an application program or the operating system that better comport with the user's original intent. In this manner, loss of input data may be avoided and misdirected input data may be avoided, thereby lowering user frustration during focus change events.