COMPUTER POINTER CONTROL

• US 20030222856A1
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta4Hand Inc.
• Original Assignee: Meta4Hand Inc.
• Inventors: Carolan, John-Michael B., Milley, Milton E., Lou, Edmond, Fedorak, Mark V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,109,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system which allows for the transfer of pointer movements and events from small devices with space and data rate constraints to a display device. This will allow a pointer device to be implemented in a small area, but will still enable full pointer movement and event capabilities.

Claims

1. A method of providing user input to a computer, including control of pointer and click events, comprising the steps of:

(a)defining a contact-sensitive sensor area;

(b)establishing an initial x-y coordinate for an initial contact point wherein such contact may then be moved while remaining in contact with the sensor area to a second x-y coordinate;

(c)calculating the distance r and the angle E between the first and second x-y coordinates;

(d)correlating the angle θ

to a direction of pointer movement and correlating distance r to a velocity of pointer movement;

(e)creating a signal to move or click the pointer, said signal including velocity, direction, and click information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pointer continues to move with the same velocity and direction until either a stop signal is received or until a new signal having either a different velocity component or a different directional component or both is received.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of establishing at least two velocity zones about the first x-y coordinate, wherein a first velocity zone comprises all points within a first zone such that r is less than a first acceleration point and wherein the second velocity zone comprises all points within a circle wherein r is greater than or equal to the first acceleration point.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the velocity zones are concentric circles having the first x-y coordinate as a centre point.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the velocity zones are circular and do not share a common centre point.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the velocity zones are not circles.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of initiating a timer upon establishment of the initial x-y coordinate and creating a click signal if the stylus is removed from the pad within a predetermined length of time.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the signal comprises a single byte of data.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the acceleration points are uniformly separated.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the velocity corresponding to each velocity zone increases non-linearly from one velocity zone to the next.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein the acceleration points are non-uniformly separated.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the value of angle 0 is normalized as it is correlated to a direction.

13. A method of controlling a pointer on a display screen of a computing device, including click events, comprising the steps of:

(a)sending a signal combining event type data, directional data and velocity data to control the pointer;

(b)causing the pointer to move in accordance with the signal until a new signal is sent, wherein a new signal is sent only upon a change in one or more of event type data, directional data or velocity data comprising the signal.

14. A system for controlling a pointer in a computer system, comprising:

(a)a contact-sensitive sensor area associated with a Cartesian coordinate grid;

(b)means for calculating the distance r and the angle θ

between any two points in the grid;

(c)means for correlating the angle θ

to a direction of pointer movement and distance r to a velocity of pointer movement;

(d)means for creating a signal to move or click the pointer, said signal including velocity , direction, and click information.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a timer for determining the length of time contact with the sensor area is made and means for creating a click signal if the contact time is less than a predetermined length of time.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the correlation means comprises means for normalizing either or both of angle θ

and distance r.

17. A system for controlling a pointer on a display screen of a computing device, including click events, comprising:

(a)means for sending a signal combining event type data, directional data and velocity data to control the pointer;

(b)means for causing the pointer to move in accordance with the signal until a new signal is sent, wherein said new signal is sent only upon a change in one or more of event type data, directional data or velocity data comprising the signal.