Abstract: A system and method for selectively displaying selection indication fields is described. A user may select multiple items using various selection indication fields. The fields may be displayed all the time or may only appear if a pointing device or cursor is near the field or an associated item.

Abstract: A system and method for switching between handwriting recognizers is described. A user may select between various recognizers to associate received handwritten ink with the recognizers. Accordingly, a user is able to write in a first language, switch and write in a second language, then switch again and write in the first language using aspects of the present invention.

Abstract: A user is provided with guidelines that are temporarily displayed with content, in order to assist the user in accurately writing electronic ink. The guidelines may appear when the user moves a writing tool close to a display and writing surface. Alternately, the guidelines may appear after the user has begun to write electronic ink, so that the guidelines can correspond to the angle at which the user is writing, the size of the user's handwriting, or both. As the user writes the electronic ink onto the writing surface, the handwritten electronic ink is added to the content being rendered on the display. After the user has finished writing electronic ink and moves the writing tool away from the writing surface, the guidelines may be deleted. Accordingly, the user can employ the temporary guidelines without the guidelines themselves becoming a permanent part of the content.

Abstract: A user input panel dynamically expands to accommodate user input, such as handwritten or keyboard input. Expansion may occur in one or two out of four possible directions, depending upon the language to be written or typed. For example, when writing English words, the input panel may expand to the right as the user writes and then downward when the input panel has fully expanded rightward.

Abstract: A process and system for using handwritten input in an auto-suggest list input is described. Handwritten input is recognized as text and forwarded to an auto-suggest list provider that provides a list of suggested results based on the recognized.

Abstract: The reproduction of one or more selected regions from a primary desktop onto an extended desktop, without any other portion of the primary desktop, is disclosed. The user or a software application may thereby have discretion as to what is and is not presented on the extended desktop. Selected regions may be windows, regions that are custom-defined regardless of whether they include a window, or even pre-defined non-window regions. Because the selected regions are already on the user's primary desktop, the user is always able to view and manipulate the extended desktop, by manipulation of the primary desktop, without having to do anything special. In addition, windows or other regions that are obscured by other object on the primary desktop are not necessarily obscured on the extended desktop. An application programming interface is also described that allows a software application and/or a software developer to access reproduction functionality.

Abstract: A transparent graphical user interface that overlays the user interfaces of other applications. The transparent user interface receives handwriting input and displays handwriting objects represented by handwriting input received in the area of the transparent handwriting interface. The transparent user interface of the invention can be expanded to include most of the display area of a computer, thereby allowing the user to write anywhere within the display area. This also allows the user to write multiple lines of text. Additionally, because the user interface is transparent, it allows the user to see the underlying graphical user interfaces for other applications, including applications that receive text recognized from the handwriting input written into the transparent handwriting interface. Further the transparent interface allows the user to interact with underlying graphical user interfaces.

Abstract: A method for managing a plurality of application window representations is described. The method includes steps of defining a set of application window representation positions in a predefined region, displaying a plurality of application window representations in the application window representation positions, receiving an input to open a first application window, creating a first application window representation in the predefined region, determining whether a second application window representation of the plurality needs to be repositioned into a hidden application window representation position, and repositioning the second application window representation into the hidden application window representation upon determining that the second application window representation needs to be repositioned, wherein the hidden application window representation position is within a glom.

Abstract: A method for displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen is described. The method includes steps of associating a first window with a second window, where the second window is independent of the first window, arranging the first window and the second window on a display screen, where the first window and the second window are configured to fit within a predetermined region of the display screen, and notifying an application program corresponding to the first window that the second window is associated with the first window. An indicator may appear on the display as a target region when a user desires to associate the first and the second windows. Subsequent operations performed on the first window are performed automatically on the second window. For example, when a user is comparing two documents, she can scroll down one document and have the second document automatically scroll as well.

Abstract: A method for displaying at least one visualization of windows on a display screen is described. The method includes steps of receiving an input corresponding to a request to access visualizations of windows for a plurality of windows, and for each window of the plurality of windows, displaying a visualization of at least a portion of the content of the window in an area separately defined from the plurality of windows, wherein the at least a portion of the content includes dynamic video content. Another method provides for grouping and ordering the visualizations when displayed. Another method allows for display of visualizations related to child and/or parent windows.

Abstract: A method referred to as visual window browsing allows a user to browse through windows on their desktop. Aspects of the invention include responsive to a command, moving open windows to form a visual stack with the topmost window in the stack being in focus. Responsive to a browse the windows in the visual stack can be browsed, where the topmost window moves to the bottom of the visual stack and the other windows move higher in the stack, with the second highest window becoming the topmost window and being in focus. Successive browse commands causes this behavior to repeat allowing a user to cycle through each of the open windows.

Abstract: A method for displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen is described. The method includes steps of associating a first window with at least one second window, the at least one second window being independent of and external to the first window, and combining the first window and the at least one second window into a common window on a display screen, the first window and the at least one second window being configured to share a common window frame. An indicator may appear on the display as a target region when a user desires to associate the first and the second windows. Subsequent operations performed on the common window are performed automatically on any underlying window. For example, when a user chooses to save the contents of the common window, the contents of all of the windows of the common window may be saved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system or method for displaying rich presentation taskbar buttons for a corresponding application. In one example, the rich presentation taskbar button may receive content from an application through a programming interface. The present invention further relates to a system and method for displaying a rich presentation taskbar button and for displaying and/or dismissing a thumbnail of an application window associated with the rich presentation taskbar button. The present invention may further include a system and method of pinning the thumbnail on a display or dismissing a thumbnail. The present invention also relates to a system and method for displaying multiple taskbar buttons in a taskbar including controlling the size of individual taskbar buttons, consolidating taskbar buttons and placing taskbar buttons into an overflow based on the type of taskbar button in the taskbar.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for convenient display of a user interface providing dynamic information. The user interface may contain a designated area that provides the dynamic information and a predetermined location. When a cursor hovers over the predetermined location, the user interface may be displayed in front of any overlapping element on the display. The user interface may be displayed behind the overlapping elements on the display when the cursor is moved away from the user interface or predetermined location.

Abstract: A system and method for determining whether a flick gesture has occurred is described. A flick gesture is a simple gesture that may be easily detected and is characterized by minimal interference with other applications or gestures.

Abstract: A system and method for determining whether a flick gesture has occurred is described. A flick gesture is a simple gesture that may be easily detected and is characterized by minimal interference with other applications or gestures.

Abstract: A system and method for determining whether a flick gesture has occurred is described. A flick gesture is a simple gesture that may be easily detected and is characterized by minimal interference with other applications or gestures.

Abstract: User interfaces for editing text in pen-based computing systems include: (a) a display portion that displays text; and (b) a correction interface that displays an editable text portion corresponding to at least a portion of the text. The correction interface accepts input via a stylus to enable changes to the editable text portion on a character-by-character basis (e.g., to add, delete, or change individual characters). The correction interface further may include or associate with a “suggestion list” portion that includes alternative(s) to substitute into the editable text portion and/or a “task list” portion that displays potential actions available through the interface. The invention also relates to systems, methods, and computer-readable media to activate, provide, and operate such interfaces.

Abstract: A system and process for handling clips with annotations is described. A user annotates a document. The system gathers context information regarding the clip and displays the clip or clips with annotations to the user.

Abstract: An improved system for managing user inputs and z-order in a graphic user interface (GUI) environment is disclosed. A GUI element may include a plurality of keys corresponding to keys on a typical keyboard, and may serve as a replacement for the keyboard. The system permits an application having an input focus to retain the input focus while inputs are received in the GUI element, and even transient user interface elements (e.g., menus) will remain displayed in those applications after the user inputs are entered. Input pen and mouse events may first be forwarded to the input area application, which may remove the events from the normal circulation, preventing other applications from learning of the events, and then post those events to the input panel application separately.