Method and apparatus for hollow selection feedback

Abstract

An improved approach to highlighting a graphical object in a graphical user interface is disclosed. A body of a highlighted graphical object may, upon selection or highlighting, be changed to a transparent color, and a graphical outline, or “halo,” is added surrounding the original graphical objects body. The halo may be in the same color as the graphical object originally was, preserving any meaning attributed to the color of the graphical object and simplifying the user's ability to identify the selected object(s), as well as the ability to select the highlighted object for further processing. The highlighted graphical object may also be displayed with a bounding box to further identify the selected object(s). A moving version of the highlighted graphical object may be drawn during a moving process, in which the moving version has an appearance distinct from the original object.

1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a processor;    a display; and    a memory for storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by said processor, cause the apparatus to perform the steps of: 
 displaying a graphical object against a background on said display, said graphical object having a first color; and  
 changing the appearance of said graphical object responsive to a request to select said graphical object, said step of changing further comprising the steps of 1) changing a color of said graphical object from said first color to a color of said background; and 2) surrounding said graphical object with a graphical halo, said graphical halo being displayed in said first color and having an outer contour substantially similar to an outer contour of said graphical object.  
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said color of said background is a predetermined color.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a stylus, wherein said display is sensitive to said stylus, and said graphical object is created using handwritten strokes on said display.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said handwritten strokes comprise handwritten text.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said computer readable instructions further cause a plurality of substantially parallel lines to be displayed on said display, and wherein said graphical object contacts three or more of said lines.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said graphical halo extends a predetermined distance away from said graphical object.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said color of said graphical halo varies with distance away from said graphical object.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said color of said graphical halo fades with distance away from said graphical object.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a user input pointing device, and wherein said computer executable instructions cause said apparatus to further select said graphical object upon selection of said graphical halo using said user input pointing device.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said user input pointing device is a stylus.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said computer executable instructions further cause said apparatus to display a bounding box around said graphical object.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said bounding box is rectangular, and includes one or more sizing handles.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said bounding box does not overlap said graphical halo.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a user input device, said computer executable instructions further causing said apparatus to reposition said graphical object responsive to movement of said user input device.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said computer executable instructions cause the apparatus to display a moving version of said graphical object during said repositioning of said graphical object.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said moving version of said graphical object is displayed as a fainter version of said graphical object.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said moving version of said graphical object is a cursor surrounded by a rectangular box.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said background is of a second color, and said first and second colors are user-selected.  
     
     
         19 . A method of indicating that a graphical object shown on a display has been selected, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a user input selecting a graphical object having a visible first color value;    responsive to receiving said user input, changing said color value of said graphical object to a transparent color;    responsive to receiving said user input, drawing a halo around said graphical object, wherein said halo is drawn using said first color value, and wherein said halo follows an outer contour of said graphical object.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said halo has a variable color value that fades with distance from the graphical object.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of drawing a bounding box around said selected graphical object, said bounding box having one or more selection handles.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of receiving a second user input selecting said halo.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said second user input is entered using a cursor displayed on said display.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said second user input is entered using a stylus to touch said display.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the steps of: 
 moving said graphical object responsive to said second user input; and    during said step of moving, displaying a moving version of said graphical object.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said moving version of said graphical object includes a cursor with a bounding box, wherein a size of said bounding box corresponds to a size of said graphical object.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said moving version of said graphical object has a color value that is a lighter color than said first color value.  
     
     
         28 . A portable computing device, comprising: 
 a stylus;    a display screen, wherein said display screen is sensitive to said stylus;    a processor; and    a memory storing computer executable instructions, wherein said instructions cause said device to perform the following steps: 
 displaying a graphical object having a visible color value on said display screen;  
 receiving a user input selecting said graphical object;  
 changing said color value of said graphical object to a transparent color value; and  
 drawing a halo surrounding an outer contour of said graphical object, said halo having said first color value.  
   
     
     
         29 . A method for altering the appearance of a graphical object on a display, comprising the steps of: 
 generating a copy of said graphical object;    generating a first enlarged version of said graphical object; and    overlaying said copy of said graphical object upon said first enlarged version of said graphical object.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising the step of assigning said copy of said graphical object a color value.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said color value is a transparency value.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising the steps of: 
 generating one or more additional enlarged versions of said graphical object; and    overlaying said copy of said graphical object, said first enlarged version of said graphical object, and said one or more additional enlarged versions of said graphical object.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said one or more additional enlarged versions of said graphical object are larger than said first enlarged version of said graphical object.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said one or more additional enlarged versions of said graphical object have color values different from a color value of said first enlarged version of said graphical object.