Organizing, Editing, and Rendering Digital Ink

Abstract

A pen-based computing system supports organizing, editing, and rendering handwritten digital ink. A given page of text may include several word flows, but the flows may be prevented from overlapping one another, and each word and stroke may be assigned to only one flow on the page. Various functions are available to open up additional space in a flow, to reflow the words in a flow, and to normalize the spacing between words in a flow.

1 . A system for creating and processing flows comprising:
 a digital display device including a display screen;   a processor controlling at least some operations of the system; and   a memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform a method comprising:
 receiving input points representing electronic ink data; 
 grouping the input points into strokes and grouping the strokes into at least a first flow; 
 determining a screen region associated with the first flow, the screen region corresponding to a size, shape, and position on the display screen of the digital display device; 
 displaying the first flow in the associated screen region on the digital display device; 
 receiving user input at a first point within the screen region associated with the first flow; and 
 modifying the display of the first flow on the digital display device in response to the user input, wherein the modification comprises changing one or more of the size, the shape, and the position of the screen region associated with the first flow, and wherein the modification does not add or remove any strokes from the first flow.