Cursor tracking in a multi-level GUI

• US 20030041099A1
• Filed: 08/15/2001
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: M.N., Kishore, Jain, Nikhil, Mishra, Debi, Azariah, John Samuel
• Granted Patent: US 7,165,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

Methods and systems for cursor tracking in a multilevel GUI hierarchy.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

dividing a GUI parent, having a GUI child, into sectors;

mapping the GUI child to at least one of the sectors; and

linking a cursor to the GUI child using the mapping.

2. A method comprising:

dividing a GUI parent, having GUI children, into sectors;

mapping each of the GUI children to at least one of the sectors; and

linking a cursor to one of the GUI children using the mapping.

3. A method comprising:

dividing GUI parents into sectors;

mapping a GUI child of a GUI parent to at least one of the sectors; and

linking a cursor to a GUI child using the mapping.

4. A method comprising:

generating GUI items comprising at least one GUI parent having at least one GUI child;

dividing each GUI parent into sectors;

mapping each GUI child to at least one of the sectors; and

linking a cursor to a GUI child using the mapping.

5. A method for tracking a cursor in a GUI framework application comprising:

generating GUI items comprising at least one GUI parent having at least one GUI child;

dividing each GUI parent into sectors;

mapping each GUI child to at least one of the sectors; and

linking a cursor to a GUI child using the mapping.

6. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions to divide GUI items into sectors;

to create a map of the GUI items in relation to the sectors; and

to link a cursor to a GUI item using the map.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a GUI comprising a GUI parent having GUI children, the GUI children having positions within the GUI parent; and

dividing the GUI parent into sectors based on the positions of the GUI children within the GUI parent.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein each sector includes at least one of the GUI children.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising mapping each of the GUI children to at least one of the sectors.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising linking a cursor to one of the GUI children using the mapping.

11. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions to receive a GUI comprising a GUI parent having GUI children, the GUI children having positions within the GUI parent, and to divide the GUI parent into sectors based on the positions of the GUI children within the GUI parent.

12. A method comprising:

dividing a GUI parent associated with an operating system into operating system sectors; and

dividing a GUI parent associated with a framework into framework sectors.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the GUI parent associated with a framework comprises GUI children.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising mapping each of the GUI children to at least one of the framework sectors.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising linking a cursor to one of the GUI children using the mapping.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising creating a map that maps operating system sectors to the operating system and maps framework sectors to the framework.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the map includes information related to GUI children.

18. A method comprising:

dividing a GUI parent, having GUI children, into sectors;

mapping each of the GUI children to at least one of the sectors;

linking a cursor to one of the GUI children using the mapping; and

painting one of the GUI children based on the linking.