Gesture based document editor

1. A method for editing objects on a device comprising:

forming, based on a first input signal from a user, a first path on a touch screen;

responsive to the first path at least partially enclosing a plurality of text characters displayed on the touch screen, activating selection of a text object corresponding to the at least partially enclosed plurality of text characters;

activating a text recognition function on the first path;

displaying, on the touch screen, one or more options from the text recognition function corresponding to a shape of the first path;

receiving a second input signal from the user on the touch screen;

responsive to the second input signal indicating selection of one of the displayed options, inserting an object corresponding to the selected option onto the touch screen; and

responsive to the second input signal corresponding to an edit command, activating an editing operation corresponding to the edit command.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the editing operation is a move operation and the text object is moved to a second area on the touch screen.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the first path at least partially encloses a plurality of text characters responsive to the first path having a start point and an end point within a predetermined distance from each other.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the editing operation is a delete operation that deletes the text object.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a third path at a predetermined area on the touch screen with the pointing device,

wherein the editing operation is a copy or cut operation;

and wherein the third path activates a paste operation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the editing operation comprises displaying an abbreviated version of the selected object on a clipboard.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of activating an editing operation comprises:

forming, based on a second input signal from a user, a second path at a predetermined area on the touch screen; and

activating an editing operation corresponding to the second path on the selected text object.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to the first path at least partially enclosing a plurality of text characters displayed on the touch screen:

determining whether the at least partially enclosed plurality of text characters are textually continuous;

wherein the step of activating the text recognition function is performed responsive to the determining step determining that the at least partially enclosed plurality of text characters are textually non-continuous.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of activating the text recognition function is performed responsive to determining that the first path resembles a character.

10. A device for editing objects comprising:

a processor;

a memory including computer program code;

a touch screen;

the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the device at least to:

form, based on a first input signal from a user, a first path on the touch screen;

responsive to the first path at least partially enclosing a plurality of text characters displayed on the touch screen, activate selection of a text object corresponding to the at least partially enclosed plurality of text characters;

activate a text recognition function on the first path;

display, on the touch screen, one or more options from the text recognition function corresponding to a shape of the first path;

receive a second input signal from the user on the touch screen;

responsive to the second input signal indicating selection of one of the displayed options, insert an object corresponding to the selected option onto the touch screen; and

responsive to the second input signal corresponding to an edit command, activate an editing operation corresponding to the edit command.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the editing operation is a move operation and the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the device to move the text object to a second area on the touch screen.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the editing operation is a delete operation and the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the device to delete the text object.

13. The device of claim 10 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the device to receive a third path at a predetermined area on the touch screen with the pointing device,

wherein the editing operation is a copy or cut operation;

and wherein the third path activates a paste operation.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the device to display an abbreviated version of the selected object on a clipboard.

15. The device of claim 10 , wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to cause the device to activate the editing operation by at least:

forming, based on a second input signal from a user, a second path at a predetermined area on the touch screen; and

activating an editing operation corresponding to the second path on the selected text object.

16. The device of claim 10 , wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to further cause the device to, responsive to the first path at least partially enclosing a plurality of text characters displayed on the touch screen:

determine whether the at least partially enclosed plurality of text characters are textually continuous;

wherein the device is caused to activate the text recognition function responsive to the determining step determining that the at least partially enclosed plurality of text characters are textually non-continuous.

17. The device of claim 10 , wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to cause the device to activate the text recognition function responsive to determining that the first path resembles a character.

18. A computer program product comprising computer readable code embodied on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein the computer readable code causes a computer to edit objects on a device by:

forming, based on a first input signal from a user, a first path on a touch screen;

responsive to the first path at least partially enclosing a plurality of text characters displayed on the touch screen, activating selection of a text object corresponding to the at least partially enclosed plurality of text characters;

activating a text recognition function on the first path;

displaying, on the touch screen, one or more options from the text recognition function corresponding to a shape of the first path;

receiving a second input signal from the user on the touch screen;

responsive to the second input signal indicating selection of one of the displayed option, inserting an object corresponding to the selected option onto the touch screen; and

responsive to the second input signal corresponding to an edit command, activating an editing operation corresponding to the edit command.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the editing operation is a move operation and the computer readable code causes the computer to move the text object to a predetermined area on the touch screen.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the editing operation is a delete operation and the computer readable code causes the computer to delete the selected object.

21. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the computer readable code causes the computer to form a third path, as defined with a pointing device at a second area on the touch screen, wherein the third path activates a second editing operation for inserting the selected object at the second area.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 , wherein the editing operation is a copy or cut operation and the second editing operation is a paste operation.

23. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the activating of an editing operation comprises:

forming, based on a second input signal from a user, a second path at a predetermined area on the touch screen; and

activating an editing operation corresponding to the second path on the selected text object.

24. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the computer readable code further causes the computer to edit objects on the device, responsive to the first path at least partially enclosing a plurality of text characters displayed on the touch screen, by:

determining whether the at least partially enclosed plurality of text characters are textually continuous;

wherein the activating of the text recognition function is performed responsive to the determining step determining that the at least partially enclosed plurality of text characters are textually non-continuous.

25. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the activating of the text recognition function is performed responsive to determining that the first path resembles a character.