Abstract: Text, graphics, or other selected objects of a computer screen are selected and converted into a "visual clipboard" which is attached to a convenient boundary of the screen. The visible clipboard is preferably implemented on a pen-based computer system where the object is selected by a stylus, is dragged to a boundary, and is converted to a clipboard icon at the boundary. Multiple clipboard icons may be produced by the user, and can be moved from one boundary location to another. The contents of the clipboard can be inserted or "pasted" into an application program by dragging the clipboard icon with the stylus to the desired insertion location. Preferably, each clipboard is provided with indicia representative of the contents of the clipboard.

Abstract: A method for manipulating notes on a screen of a computer display is provided. Each note area may include graphical, text, and data objects. An initial note area is provided with a header bar which includes the date of creation, the note number, and/or other indicia. When a user desires to make a new note, a division gesture is made on the computer display by moving a stylus horizontally across the screen. Once a division gesture is detected, the height of the preceding note is determined, and the height of the new note is considered to be indefinite or infinite. Each new division gesture creates a new header bar for the new note indicating the date of creation, the note number, and/or other pertinent information.

Abstract: A method for deducing user intent and providing computer implemented services characterized by the steps of: a) noticing a significant new event occurring within the computer system; b) deducing an intent from the significant new event and from the context in which the new event occurred; and c) providing a service based upon the new event and its context. Significant events are those which the computer might be able to assist a user, and can be determined by matching the event into a database of recognizable events to make a significant observation. The deduction step takes a delimited set of significant observations and attempts to match the set against a number of intent templates. If there are multiple matches to the intent templates, the matches are ranked and a best guess is made to determine a deduced intent. Service is provided fulfilling all preconditions of a plan associated with the deduced intent, and by sequentially executing the steps of the plan.

Abstract: A method for correcting recognized words in a computer system including the steps or: (a) entering an ink object into a computer system with a pointing device; (b) recognizing the ink object as a word object; (c) displaying the word object on a display of the computer system; (d) detecting a correction request made by a user pertaining to the displayed word object; and (e) displaying a list of alternative words for the word object on the display. Preferably, the list of alternative words includes a shifted-case version of the word object, a number of alternative words provided by a word recognizer, and the original ink object that was entered into the computer system. A user can select one of these alternative words to replace the misrecognized word object. Alternatively, a user may enter a word into the computer system by means of a keyboard image to replace the original word object with the newly entered word.

Abstract: In a method for manipulating a selected object on a computer display of a computer system through the use of a pointing device and a screen based icon, the types of manipulation may include rotating and/or scaling the selected objects. The method includes the step of selecting a manipulating tool having a designated "axle" mark that serves as its center of rotation. The pointing device is directed towards a "handle" portion of the manipulating tool that is spaced apart from the axle to "grab" the handle. The pointing device is then used to rotate the handle about the axle. The computer system then manipulates the selected object by an amount that is a function of the angular distance that the handle is rotated about the axle user interface includes a screen based icon.

Abstract: A hardware and software system and method for a personal computer such as the Macintosh allows recording, editing, and playback of sound. The system includes a sound editor which displays sound waveforms, and permits the user to mix together several simultaneously displayed waveforms, and to change the pitch and amplitude of one part of each waveform by means of a novel screen display.

Abstract: A hardware and software system and method for a personal computer such as the Macintosh allows recording, editing, and playback of sound. The system includes a sound editor which displays sound waveforms, and permits the user to mix together several simultaneously displayed waveforms, and to change the pitch and amplitude of one part of each waveform by means of a novel screen display.

Abstract: An electronic instrument and method includes manual control switches for producing and controlling creative variations on pre-recorded song selections that remain synchronized and melodiously oriented to the selected song substantially independent of the timing of manual operation of control switches. Several instruments of similar design can be connected together to facilitate `playing in a band` of such instruments which synchronize on the song selected via one instrument and which respond to individual solos or riffs `played` on one instrument with corresponding, timed solo or riff capabilities on other instruments.