Patents by Inventor Dan W. Altman

Dan W. Altman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7590535
    Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating the selection of alternates for hand written word. Rules select words user based on operating modes and cursor positions and sequential orderings. User interfaces can also be used to select words and to provide alternates for the selected words having alternates. Words that the recognizer believes correct to a high actual or relative probability may be skipped over in automatic processes, and the display of words that the recognizer is less confident are correct can be modified. The user can adjust such sensitivity settings for determining the probability of correctness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Peter H. Williamson, Charlton E. Lui, Dan W. Altman
  • Patent number: 7457466
    Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating the selection of alternates for hand written word. Rules select words user based on operating modes and cursor positions and sequential orderings. User interfaces can also be used to select words and to provide alternates for the selected words having alternates. Words that the recognizer believes correct to a high actual or relative probability may be skipped over in automatic processes, and the display of words that the recognizer is less confident are correct can be modified. The user can adjust such sensitivity settings for determining the probability of correctness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Peter H. Williamson, Charlton E. Lui, Dan W. Altman
  • Patent number: 7440896
    Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating the selection of alternates for hand written word. Rules select words user based on operating modes and cursor positions and sequential orderings. User interfaces can also be used to select words and to provide alternates for the selected words having alternates. Words that the recognizer believes correct to a high actual or relative probability may be skipped over in automatic processes, and the display of words that the recognizer is less confident are correct can be modified. The user can adjust such sensitivity settings for determining the probability of correctness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Peter H. Williamson, Charlton E. Lui, Dan W. Altman
  • Patent number: 7430508
    Abstract: In a computing device that receives handwritten data, a method and system that facilitates the selection of alternates for a hand written word. A mechanism uses rules to select a word for the user based on the operating mode (state) of the system. In a cursor operating mode, a word is selected and the alternates are provided for the word based on the position of on screen cursor relative to the word (within or adjacent the word). If not on a word having alternates, the selection can move to another word that has alternates. If multiple words are selected, (selection mode), the system selects the first word of those selected that has alternates. Menu options to go to the next or previous recognized word may also be placed on the menu for easy navigation among words, and a user can automatically walk through multiple word sets to receive alternates for each word, one-word at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Peter H. Williamson, Charlton E. Lui, Dan W. Altman
  • Patent number: 7197185
    Abstract: A logical separation between pages, such as an implicit page break, is introduced to separate text entered during one handwriting session from text entered during another handwriting session. The amount of time elapsed since ink has been captured on the previous page is a factor that may be used to determine whether to insert an implicit page break into the new page. A change in context, such as a different date or different recognized subject matter labels, is also a factor that may be considered in determining whether to insert an implicit page break.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charlton E Lui, Anthony S Smith, Dan W Altman, Cynthia C Tee, Evan M Feldman
  • Patent number: 7130798
    Abstract: In a computing device that receives handwritten data, a method and system that facilitates the selection of alternates for a hand written word. A mechanism uses rules to select a word for the user based on the operating mode (state) of the system. In a cursor operating mode, a word is selected and the alternates are provided for the word based on the position of on screen cursor relative to the word (within or adjacent the word). If not on a word having alternates, the selection can move to another word that has alternates. If multiple words are selected, (selection mode), the system selects the first word of those selected that has alternates. Menu options to go to the next or previous recognized word may also be placed on the menu for easy navigation among words, and a user can automatically walk through multiple word sets to receive alternates for each word, one-word at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Peter H. Williamson, Charlton E. Lui, Dan W. Altman
  • Patent number: 7031521
    Abstract: A logical separation between pages, such as an implicit page break, is introduced to separate text entered during one handwriting session from text entered during another handwriting session. The amount of time elapsed since ink has been captured on the previous page is a factor that may be used to determine whether to insert an implicit page break into the new page. A change in context, such as a different date or different recognized subject matter labels, is also a factor that may be considered in determining whether to insert an implicit page break.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charlton E. Lui, Anthony S. Smith, Dan W. Altman, Cynthia C. Tee, Evan M. Feldman
  • Patent number: 6990237
    Abstract: A logical separation between pages, such as an implicit page break, is introduced to separate text entered during one handwriting session from text entered during another handwriting session. If the user leaves more than a threshold amount of blank space at the bottom of the page immediately preceding the new page, then an implicit page break may be inserted at the beginning of the new page. The amount of blank space left at the end of the preceding page may be combined with other criteria to determine whether to insert an implicit page break. The amount of time elapsed since ink has been captured on the previous page is another factor that may be used by itself or combined with other factors to determine whether to insert an implicit page break into the new page. A change in context, such as a different date or different recognized subject matter labels, is also a factor that may be considered in determining whether to insert an implicit page break.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charlton E. Lui, Anthony S. Smith, Dan W. Altman, Cynthia C. Tee, Evan M. Feldman
  • Patent number: 6836759
    Abstract: In a computing device that receives handwritten data, a method and system that facilitates the selection of alternates for a hand written word. A mechanism uses rules to select a word for the user based on the operating mode (state) of the system. In a cursor operating mode, a word is selected and the alternates are provided for the word based on the position of on screen cursor relative to the word (within or adjacent the word). If not on a word having alternates, the selection can move to another word that has alternates. If multiple words are selected, (selection mode), the system selects the first word of those selected that has alternates. Menu options to go to the next or previous recognized word may also be placed on the menu for easy navigation among words, and a user can automatically walk through multiple word sets to receive alternates for each word, one-word at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Peter H. Williamson, Charlton E. Lui, Dan W. Altman
  • Patent number: 6833827
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically determining when an application should switch from a writing mode to a text entry mode, and vice-versa. When a soft input panel (SIP) or input method (IM) is selected, the application is notified and enters a text entry mode. Inputting via the IM while in this mode causes a character to be sent to the application, while pen events in the application window enable text editing and the selection of text and ink data in the application widow. When the SIP is deselected, the application is notified and enters a pen (writing) mode, whereby the pen events are interpreted as digital ink strokes instead of characters. Sub-modes of the pen mode are also available, via which the pen events are used to manipulate existing ink in the application window. Visual feedback may be provided to remind the user of the current mode and/or sub-mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charlton E. Lui, Kathryn L. Parker, Dan W. Altman
  • Publication number: 20040234130
    Abstract: A logical separation between pages, such as an implicit page break, is introduced to separate text entered during one handwriting session from text entered during another handwriting session. If the user leaves more than a threshold amount of blank space at the bottom of the page immediately preceding the new page, then an implicit page break may be inserted at the beginning of the new page. The amount of blank space left at the end of the preceding page may be combined with other criteria to determine whether to insert an implicit page break. The amount of time elapsed since ink has been captured on the previous page is another factor that may be used by itself or combined with other factors to determine whether to insert an implicit page break into the new page. A change in context, such as a different date or different recognized subject matter labels, is also a factor that may be considered in determining whether to insert an implicit page break.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charlton E. Lui, Anthony S. Smith, Dan W. Altman, Cynthia C. Tee, Evan M. Feldman
  • Patent number: 6816615
    Abstract: A logical separation between pages, such as an implicit page break, is introduced to separate text entered during one handwriting session from text entered during another handwriting session. If the user leaves more than a threshold amount of blank space at the bottom of the page immediately preceding the new page, then an implicit page break may be inserted at the beginning of the new page. The amount of blank space left at the end of the preceding page may be combined with other criteria to determine whether to insert an implicit page break. The amount of time elapsed since ink has been captured on the previous page is another factor that may be used by itself or combined with other factors to determine whether to insert an implicit page break into the new page. A change in context, such as a different date or different recognized subject matter labels, is also a factor that may be considered in determining whether to insert an implicit page break.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charlton E. Lui, Anthony S. Smith, Dan W. Altman, Cynthia C. Tee, Evan M. Feldman
  • Patent number: 6801660
    Abstract: In a computing device that receives handwritten data, a method and system that maintains an association between alternates for a given ink word, regardless of the handwritten or text state of the word, and regardless of the position of the word as it may be edited in a document. Handwritten data is maintained in an ink word data structure, and once the word is recognized and an alternate is selected for it, the first character of the word remains as an ink word (in a text buffer) pointing to the data structure, with a flag set in the data structure indicating that the word is now recognized as text. In this state, the first character is displayed to the user as a recognized text letter instead of as the handwritten word. The other characters that make up the recognized word are inserted as text into the text buffer. Any alternates returned by the recognizer are thus stored with the ink word data structure displayed as this first character of a recognized word, which also maintains the ink data, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Peter H. Williamson, Dan W. Altman, Charlton E. Lui
  • Patent number: 6771817
    Abstract: In a computing device that receives handwritten data, a method and data structure that enables extended data to be added to an existing ink word data structure without compromising backwards-compatibility. A flag in the header data structure is indicates to new ink processing programs the presence or absence of the extended data, and the size information maintained in the header is adjusted ensure that earlier versions of ink programs do not lose the extended data. The extended data is then added by including it in a copy of the existing ink word data structure, along with a tail structure that includes information describing the extended data and the tail structure to the new ink code, e.g., version and offset information. The tail structure can be used to locate a list of alternate word choices for an ink word that are maintained within the extended data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Peter H. Williamson, Charlton E. Lui, Dan W. Altman
  • Patent number: 6754386
    Abstract: In a computing device that receives handwritten data, a method and system that corrects for parser segmentation errors by sending an entire line of ink to a recognizer, and then comparing, on a word-by-word basis, the initial segmentation guesses of the parser with the more-thoroughly recognized segmentation results of the handwriting recognition engine. In the correction process, the ink words are efficiently adjusted with relatively little data manipulation. As the recognizer is fed a series of strokes on a line, the recognizer returns segmentation information. For ink word breaks that are the same for any given set of data, the existing ink word is unchanged. For ink words that are recognized differently relative to their initial segmentation, one or more new ink words are created and the handwriting (including stroke) data of the parser's ink word is manipulated to create a new ink processor word (or words) to match the recognizer output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Microsft Corporation
    Inventors: Peter H. Williamson, Charlton E. Lui, Dan W. Altman
  • Publication number: 20030193484
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically determining when an application should switch from a writing mode to a text entry mode, and vice-versa. When a soft input panel (SIP) or input method (IM) is selected, the application is notified and enters a text entry mode. Inputting via the IM while in this mode causes a character to be sent to the application, while pen events in the application window enable text editing and the selection of text and ink data in the application widow. When the SIP is deselected, the application is notified and enters a pen (writing) mode, whereby the pen events are interpreted as digital ink strokes instead of characters. Sub-modes of the pen mode are also available, via which the pen events are used to manipulate existing ink in the application window. Visual feedback may be provided to remind the user of the current mode and/or sub-mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: Charlton E. Lui, Kathryn L. Parker, Dan W. Altman
  • Patent number: 6559869
    Abstract: An adaptive auto-scrolling merge operation automatically accepts pen-based input data into a hand-held or palm sized computer and places the input data onto a line of a window in which a user intended the input data to be placed. Computing systems that accept input from users typically accept data items to be inserted into a scrollable window that is displayed by the computer. When a user is inserting data items at the end of the window, computing systems may automatically scroll the displayed portion of the window when data has been added to the last line of the window. Because pen based systems do not use a cursor located at an insertion point to know where a user wants new data items to be inserted, the new data items are inserted into the document at the location corresponding to the place within the window in which the user drew the pen strokes used to create the data item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charlton E. Lui, Chee Chew, Dan W. Altman
  • Patent number: 6552719
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically determining when an application should switch from a writing mode to a text entry mode, and vice-versa. When a soft input panel (SIP) or input method (IM) is selected, the application is notified and enters a text entry mode. Inputting via the IM while in this mode causes a character to be sent to the application, while pen events in the application window enable text editing and the selection of text and ink data in the application widow. When the SIP is deselected, the application is notified and enters a pen (writing) mode, whereby the pen events are interpreted as digital ink strokes instead of characters. Sub-modes of the pen mode are also available, via which the pen events are used to manipulate existing ink in the application window. Visual feedback may be provided to remind the user of the current mode and/or sub-mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charlton E. Lui, Kathryn L. Parker, Dan W. Altman
  • Patent number: 6487569
    Abstract: A notes organizer program is provided that allows a user to organize notes on a limited resource computing device. The notes are organized by associating a note, if desired, with a project. The user can name or rename a note or a project. If the user does not specify a note name, the notes organizer program determines the note name based on the associated project. If there is no associated project, the note name is based on the type of note (e.g., voice, handwritten, etc.). A template project is provided for creating notes from templates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charlton E. Lui, Dan W. Altman, Jossef Goldberg
  • Publication number: 20020057836
    Abstract: A logical separation between pages, such as an implicit page break, is introduced to separate text entered during one handwriting session from text entered during another handwriting session. If the user leaves more than a threshold amount of blank space at the bottom of the page immediately preceding the new page, then an implicit page break may be inserted at the beginning of the new page. The amount of blank space left at the end of the preceding page may be combined with other criteria to determine whether to insert an implicit page break. The amount of time elapsed since ink has been captured on the previous page is another factor that may be used by itself or combined with other factors to determine whether to insert an implicit page break into the new page. A change in context, such as a different date or different recognized subject matter labels, is also a factor that may be considered in determining whether to insert an implicit page break.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Charlton E. Lui, Anthony S. Smith, Dan W. Altman, Cynthia C. Tee, Evan M. Feldman