Systems and methods for interfacing with computer devices

• US 20040227731A1
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Adam John Richardson, Barbee Eve Teasley, Eric Justin Gould Bear, Leroy B. Keely, Michael H. Tsang, William Hong Vong
• Inventors: Tsang, Michael H., Vong, William Hong, Richardson, Adam John, Keely, Leroy Bertrand, Teasley, Barbee Eve, Gould Bear, Eric Justin
• Granted Patent: US 7,469,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/160
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides a systems, methods, and products for enhanced user navigation to compliment (but not necessarily replace) a computer keyboard and mouse by providing a robust navigation interface. The present invention may comprise: a minimally necessary group of commands; combining the functionality a set of at least two command calls into a single logical button; for a single button, prioritizing a set of command calls from first to last and then calling each until one is accepted; logically remapping commands to buttons for a navigational device coupled to a physically rotate-able display device; and mapping a substitute command to a logical button for when the button is engaged in a predetermined manner other than the primary manner in which the logical button is engaged (e.g., double-clicking, flicking, press-and-hold, etc.) so that a substitute command can in fact be issued, among others.

Claims

1. A method for combining the functionality a set of at least two command calls into a single logical button, said method comprising:

prioritizing the set of command calls from highest priority to lowest priority;

recognizing when a command call is rejected by an application and sending at least one lower priority command call.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the keyboard commands therein combined are Back and Escape.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the Back key is prioritized first, and the Escape key is prioritized last.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_UP.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_UP and a lower priority command is keyboard command Up Arrow.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_UP and a lower priority command is keyboard command Scroll Up.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_UP and a lower priority command is keyboard command Page Up.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_DOWN.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_DOWN and a lower priority command is keyboard command Down Arrow.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_DOWN and a lower priority command is keyboard command Scroll Down.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_DOWN and a lower priority command is keyboard command Page Down.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_NEXT.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_NEXT and a lower priority command is keyboard command Tab.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_NEXT and a lower priority command is keyboard command Right Arrow.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_PREV.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_PREV and a lower priority command is keyboard command Shift-Tab.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_PREV and a lower priority command is keyboard command Left Arrow.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_ENTER.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_ENTER and a lower priority command is keyboard command Return.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_ENTER and a lower priority command is keyboard command Enter.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_ENTER and a lower priority command is a special command Play.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_OUT.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_OUT and a lower priority command is keyboard command Browser Back.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_OUT and a lower priority command is keyboard command Escape.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_OUT and a lower priority command is a special command Stop.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_OUT and a lower priority command is keyboard command Alt-F4.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_SWITCH.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_SWITCH and a lower priority command is keyboard command Alt-Escape.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_SWITCH and a lower priority command is keyboard command Alt-Tab.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_SWITCH and a lower priority command is a Windows Key.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_SWITCH and a lower priority command is keyboard command Home.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_MENU.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_MENU and a lower priority command is keyboard command Shift-F10.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein the highest priority command is APPCOMMAND_MENU and a lower priority command is a special command for Settings.

36. A user interface system, said system comprising an interface that generates a logical input for one of a group of commands to be applied to an object, said group of commands comprising ENTER, UP, DOWN, and OUT;

a subsystem for processing an ENTER command;

a subsystem for processing an UP command;

a subsystem for processing a DOWN command; and

a subsystem for processing an OUT command; and

, in regard to the OUT command, said system implementing the method of claim 1.

40. A hardware control device for navigating an object by generating a logical input for one of a group of commands to be applied to an object, said group of commands comprising ENTER, UP, DOWN, and OUT and which produces an ENTER command, an UP command, a DOWN command, and an OUT command for the computer system;

and, in regard to the OUT command, said device implementing the method of claim 1.

41. A hardware control device comprising means for navigating an object by generating a logical input for one of a group of commands to be applied to an object, said group of commands comprising ENTER, UP, DOWN, and OUT, said device implementing the method of claim 1.

35. A method for cascading commands, said method comprising:

using a operating system shell hook to issue a command as an application command to an application;

if the application command is rejected, issuing a different command directly to the operating system.

37. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for combining the functionality a set of at least two command calls into a single logical button, said method comprising:

prioritizing the set of command calls from first to last;

using an operating system shell hook to make an application command call for the command calls, except the last, in priority order until the first such key is not rejected, and therefore accepted by the application, or until all but the last keyboard key remains;

if all but the last keyboard key are rejected by the application in the previous element, then issuing the last keyboard key as a operating system command.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37 wherein the keyboard commands therein combined are Back and Escape.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38 wherein the Back key is prioritized first, and the Escape key is prioritized last.