Extended eraser functions
View Patent ↗Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that allow an eraser to be used for additional operations. A pen feature is provided that supports various eraser gestures. An eraser gesture is detected from a pen input device. If the eraser gesture matches a supported eraser gesture, then an operation associated with the supported eraser gesture is performed. For example, a scratchout gesture made with the eraser can undo a previous erasure of text made by the eraser. A customization feature is provided that allows a user to customize some or all of the eraser gestures.
1. A method for using an eraser for additional operations, the method comprising:
providing a pen feature that supports a plurality of eraser gestures;
detecting an eraser gesture; and
performing an operation associated with the eraser gestures;
wherein the operation comprises providing a status of a particular application.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the erasure gesture comprises a scratchout gesture.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the operation comprises an undo of a prior erasure operation.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation associated with the eraser gesture comprises a customizable operation.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pen comprises a digitized pen.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pen comprises an electromagnetic pen.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the eraser gesture comprises a separate input in combination with an eraser input.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the separate input comprises a key press.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the eraser gesture comprises a scratchout gesture, a circle gesture, a tap gesture, a tap and hold gesture, and a tap and other input combination gesture.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation comprises taking a particular application out of a current state.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation comprises deleting a selected item.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation comprises displaying a context menu with additional operation items selectable by a user.
13. The method of claim 12 , upon selecting one of the additional operation items from the context menu, performing an additional operation associated with the selected one of the additional operation items.
14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the the method of claim 1 .
15. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform a method comprising:
providing a pen feature that supports a plurality of eraser gestures;
detecting an eraser gesture;
if the eraser gesture matches a supported eraser gesture, performing an operation associated with the supported eraser gesture; and
providing a customization feature that allows a user to customize at least a portion of the plurality of eraser gestures;
wherein the operation comprises providing a status of a particular application.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , having computer-executable instructions for detecting the erasure gesture as a combination of an eraser input plus a separate input.
17. A method for providing a scratchout gesture with an eraser comprising:
providing a pen input feature;
detecting an eraser gesture from a user;
determining that the eraser gesture comprises a scratchout gesture made with an eraser end of a pen input device;
undoing an erasure operation previously caused by the eraser end of the pen to restore a previously erased portion of input; and
displaying the previously erased portion of input.
18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 17 .