Keyboard controlled and activated pointing device for use with a windowing system display
First Claim
1. A portable data terminal that implements a windowing system, the portable data terminal comprising:
- a processing unit disposed in a portable data terminal;
a keyboard having multiple keyboard elements, the multiple keyboard elements in communication with the processing unit;
a display in communication with the processing unit that displays applications in window format; and
an activation means in communication with the processing unit that activates and deactivates an application cursor on the display.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides for a keyboard controlled and activated windowing system pointing device that is typically implemented on a portable data terminal. The pointing device will typically be activated and deactivated by engaging an activation key on the portable data terminal. This allows for multifunctional keys to exist on the keyboard and for the cursor (i.e. the pointer) to be displayed and removed from the display upon activation. Additionally, the pointing device provides for scrolling of the foreground windowed application when the cursor encounters an edge of display. This allows users to access data in oversized windowed applications that do not fit the size limitations of portable data processing displays.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A portable data terminal that implements a windowing system, the portable data terminal comprising:
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a processing unit disposed in a portable data terminal;
a keyboard having multiple keyboard elements, the multiple keyboard elements in communication with the processing unit;
a display in communication with the processing unit that displays applications in window format; and
an activation means in communication with the processing unit that activates and deactivates an application cursor on the display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A data processing system, the system comprising:
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a processing unit disposed within the data processing system;
a display in communication with the processing unit that displays applications in window format and displays a cursor;
a pointing device for directing the navigation of the cursor about the display; and
a pointing device module that controls the navigation of the cursor based on commands sent from the pointing device, wherein the pointing device module provides for a routine to automatically scroll the entirety of a foreground application window when the cursor is navigated by the pointing device to a predetermined position on the display to allow for panning of the display around the foreground application window. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A pointing device module implemented in a windowing system-based data processing system for controlling navigation of a cursor on an associated display, the module comprising:
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means for navigating a cursor about a display;
means for invoking windowing system commands, wherein the commands are associated with a location of the cursor on the display; and
means for scrolling the entirety of a foreground application window when the cursor is navigated to an edge of the display.
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20. The module of claim 20, further comprising means for accelerating the rate of navigation of the cursor.
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21. A method for activating and navigating a windowing system-based cursor on a display of a portable data terminal, the method comprising:
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engaging an activation means on the portable data terminal;
activating a keyboard-based pointing device in response to engaging the activation means;
displaying an application cursor on a data terminal display in response to engaging the activation means; and
engaging a keyboard-based pointing device directional element to navigate the cursor about the display. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for operating a windowing system-based application on a portable data terminal:
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engaging an activation means associated with the portable data terminal to activate a keyboard-based pointing device, the keyboard-based pointing device including one or more directional elements and one or more command keys;
engaging a directional element disposed on a portable data terminal keyboard to navigate a cursor to a desired location within a displayed application; and
engaging a control key disposed on the portable data terminal to invoke an application command. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A method for automatically scrolling the display of a foreground window on a display associated with a data processing device, the method comprising:
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navigating a cursor to a predetermined location on the display; and
scrolling, automatically, the entirety of a foreground application window to effectively pan the display around the foreground application window. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification