Electronic document editing employing multiple cursors

Abstract

Two independently adjustable and positionable cursors are employed in a visual interface for editing an electronic document. The document may comprise text symbols, text objects, and graphics objects, among others. If both cursors are located in close proximity within the document, then these cursors may be simultaneously displayed in a single window. Otherwise, two areas of the document, each comprising one of the cursors, may be simultaneously displayed using a separate window for each cursor, or alternately selected and displayed in a single window. Copy or cut operations may be made with one cursor, while paste operations may be repeated using the second cursor. Cursor locations may be left unchanged, or they may be moved between or within editing operations. The two cursors may be freely controlled by an enhanced pointing device, such as a high-dimensional touchpad providing at least four independently adjustable parameters.

1 . A method for facilitating computer editing of an electronic document, the electronic document comprising a plurality of objects that are graphically rendered in a layout comprising a plurality of unique locations, the method comprising:
 positioning a first cursor at a first screen location within the electronic document responsive to user input from a first pair of parameters produced by a touchpad, the touchpad providing at least four independently adjustable parameters;   positioning a second cursor at a second screen location within the electronic document responsive to user input from a second pair of parameters produced by the touchpad, wherein the first and second cursors are independently displayable, positionable, and operable at any of the plurality of unique locations of the electronic document;   defining a selection string via the first cursor based upon a selected contiguous arrangement of at least one object of the plurality of objects;   transferring the selection string to a location within the electronic document as determined by the second location of the second cursor; and   wherein the first and second sensors are of different types located in different regions of the user interface device.   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the transferring comprises a copy-and paste operation. 
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the transferring comprises a cut-and paste operation. 
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 positioning the second cursor at a third location within the electronic document; and   transferring the selection string to a location within the electronic document as determined by the third location of the second cursor.   
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second cursors are simultaneously displayed and positionable in a common graphical user interface (GUI) window. 
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second locations are separated by a distance such that the first and second cursors are unable to be simultaneously displayed in a common GUI window, and wherein only one of the first and second cursors is displayed when the GUI window displays a portion of the electronic document that comprises a selected one of the first and second cursors. 
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the GUI window displays a portion of the electronic document that comprises a last positioned one of the first and second cursors. 
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the GUI window displays a portion of the electronic document comprising one of the first and second cursors that is associated with a last manipulated one of the first and second sensors. 
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein a user interface selection event selectively causes the GUI window to display either a portion of the electronic document that comprises the first cursor, or a portion of the electronic document that comprises the second cursor. 
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second locations are separated by a distance such that the first and second cursors are unable to be simultaneously displayed in a common graphical user interface (GUI) window, and wherein only one of the first and second cursors are positionable when the GUI window displays a portion of the electronic document that comprises a selected one of the first and second cursors. 
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the GUI window displays a portion of the electronic document that comprises a last positioned one of the first and second cursors. 
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the GUI window displays a portion of the electronic document comprising one of the first and second cursors that is associated with a last manipulated one of the first and second sensors. 
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein a user interface selection event selectively causes the GUI window to display either a portion of the electronic document that comprises the first cursor, or a portion of the electronic document that comprises the second cursor. 
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first cursor is displayed within a first graphical user interface (GUI) window, and the second cursor is displayed within a second graphical user interface window. 
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first cursor is positionable within a first graphical user interface (GUI) window, and the second cursor is positionable within a separate, second graphical user interface window. 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of objects comprise a text symbol. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of objects comprise a text object. 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of objects comprise a graphics object. 
   
   
       19 . A method for facilitating computer editing of an electronic document, the electronic document comprising a plurality of objects that are graphically rendered in a layout comprising a plurality of unique locations, the method comprising:
 positioning a first cursor at a first screen location within the electronic document responsive to user input from a first pair of parameters produced by a user interface touchpad, said touchpad providing at least four independently adjustable parameters;   positioning a second cursor at a second screen location within the electronic document responsive to user input from a second pair of parameters produced by the user interface touchpad, wherein the first and second cursors are independently displayable, positionable, and operable at any of the plurality of unique locations of the electronic document; and   defining a selection string, via the first cursor, based upon a selected contiguous arrangement of at least one object of the plurality of objects, wherein the selection string is capable of being transferred to a location within the electronic document as determined by the second location of the second cursor; and   wherein the first and the second cursor are of different types located in different regions of the user interface device.