Method and apparatus for dynamic cursor configuration

• US 20020130838A1
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gary F. Feierbach
• Inventors: Feierbach, Gary F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,642,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04801 Cursor retrieval aid, i.e. visual aspect modification, blinking, colour changes, enlargement or other visual cues, for helping user do find the cursor in graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/08 Cursor circuits

Abstract

A cursor image on a display is altered in size as a function of the speed (or distance) the cursor is moved across the display to aid a user in locating the cursor on the display. The cursor image may also be altered to further indicate the direction of movement. In one embodiment, the cursor image may grow in size with increasing speed of cursor image movement. In other embodiments, the cursor image may also be additionally altered in form and/or color, flash, or otherwise to thereby visibly indicate its location on the display.

Claims

1. A method for altering a cursor image presented on a display, the method comprising:

determining a first position of a cursor image on a display;

initiating a timed interval;

determining a second position of the cursor image on the display at the end of the timed interval;

determining the distance moved based upon the first position of the cursor image and the second position of the cursor image; and

altering the cursor image presented on the display as a function of the distance moved.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the appearance of the cursor image is altered in size as a function of the distance moved.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the size of the cursor image increases with increasing distance moved.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the size of the cursor image decreases with decreasing distance moved.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the appearance of the cursor image is further altered in form as a function of the distance moved.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the appearance of the cursor image is further altered in color as a function of the distance moved.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the appearance of the cursor image flashes as a function of the distance moved.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the direction of movement based upon the first position of the cursor image and the second position of the cursor image; and

further altering the appearance of the cursor image presented on the display to indicate the direction of movement.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the appearance of the cursor image is altered by morphing the cursor image.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the appearance of the cursor image is altered by presenting an intermediate cursor image associated with distance moved.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating an aural cue with the cursor

image, wherein said aural cue further indicates the position of the cursor image relative to the display.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the appearance of the cursor image is altered in size as a function of the speed.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the size of the cursor image increases with increasing speed.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the size of the cursor image decreases with decreasing speed.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the appearance of the cursor image is altered by morphing the cursor image as a function of the speed.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the appearance of the cursor image is altered in appearance by presenting an intermediate cursor image associated with the determined speed.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the cursor image is further altered in form as a function of the speed.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the cursor image is further altered in color as a function of the speed.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the cursor image flashes as a function of the speed.

21. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

determining the direction of movement of the cursor image based upon the first position of the cursor image and the second position of the cursor image; and

further altering the appearance of the cursor image presented on the display to indicate the direction of movement.

22. The method of claim 12 further comprising generating an aural cue, wherein said aural cue further indicates the position of the cursor image relative to the display.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the appearance of the cursor image is altered in size as a function of the speed.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the size of the cursor image increases with increasing speed and decreases with decreasing speed.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the appearance of the cursor image is altered by morphing the cursor image as a function of the speed.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the appearance of the cursor image is altered in appearance by presenting an intermediate cursor image associated with the determined speed.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the cursor image is further altered in form as a function of the speed.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the cursor image is further altered in color as a function of the speed.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein the cursor image flashes as a function of the speed.

31. The method of claim 23 further comprising generating an aural cue, wherein said aural cue further indicates the position of the cursor image relative to the display.

12. A method for altering a cursor image presented on a display, the method comprising:

determining a first position of a cursor image on a display;

initiating a timed interval, the timed interval having a termination;

determining a second position of the cursor image on the display at the termination of the timed interval;

determining the distance the cursor image is moved from the first position to the second position;

determining the speed at which the cursor image is moved from the first position to the second position; and

altering the appearance of the cursor image presented on the display as a function of the speed.

23. A method for altering a cursor image presented on a display, the method comprising:

determining a first position of a cursor image on a display;

initiating a timed interval, the timed interval having a termination;

determining a second position of the cursor image on the display at the termination of the timed interval;

determining the distance the cursor image is moved from the first position to the second position;

determining the direction the cursor image is moved from the first position to the second position;

determining the speed at which the cursor image is moved from the first position to the second position; and

altering the appearance of the cursor image presented on the display as a function of the speed and direction.

32. A method for altering a cursor image presented on a display, the method comprising:

determining a first position of a cursor image on a display;

initiating a timed interval, the timed interval having a termination;

determining a second position of the cursor image on the display at the termination of the timed interval;

determining the distance the cursor image is moved from the first position to the second position;

determining if the distance moved is greater than a minimum specified value;

if the distance moved is greater than the minimum specified value, determining the direction the cursor image is moved from the first position to the second position;

determining the speed at which the cursor image is moved from the first position to the second position; and

altering the appearance of the cursor image presented on the display as a function of the speed and direction.

33. A computer readable medium containing program code for altering a cursor image presented on a display, said computer readable medium comprising instructions for:

determining a first position of a cursor image on a display;

initiating a timed interval, the timed interval having a termination;

determining a second position of the cursor image on the display at the termination of the timed interval;

determining the distance the cursor image is moved from the first position to the second position;

determining the speed at which the cursor image is moved from the first position to the second position; and

altering the appearance of the cursor image presented on the display as a function of the speed.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein the appearance of the cursor image is altered in size as a function of the speed.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein the size of the cursor image

increases with increasing speed.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35 wherein the size of the cursor image

decreases with decreasing speed.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 33 further comprising instructions for:

determining the direction of movement of the cursor image based upon the first position of the cursor image and the second position of the cursor image; and

further altering the appearance of the cursor image presented on the display to indicate the direction of movement.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 33 further comprising instructions for generating an aural cue, wherein said aural cue further indicates the position of the cursor image on the display.