System with continuous input mode

• US 20070013660A1
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sherman, Nathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,773,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A system and method for providing a continuous input mode is disclosed. In the continuous input mode, a combination of a vector signal and a command signal is received from an input device. Upon receipt of a vector signal and a command signal, an image is moved on a display screen, for example. The image continues to move until the command signal is terminated. If a new vector signal is received prior to termination of the command signal, then the direction of image movement may be changed and will occur until termination of the command signal. Additional aspects of the present invention relate to input devices and computer-readable media with computer executable instructions utilized in switching between the input modes.

Claims

1. A method of moving an image with an input device, the method comprising:

producing a first vector signal with the input device;

once transmitting the first vector signal if a command signal is not produced with the first vector signal; and

repetitively transmitting the first vector signal if the command signal is produced with the first vector signal, repetitive transmission of the first vector signal continuing until one of (a) a second vector signal is produced and (b) the command signal is terminated.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of producing the first vector signal includes incorporating direction data and magnitude data into the first vector signal.

3. The method recited in claim 2, wherein the step of producing the first vector signal includes correlating the direction data and the magnitude data to movement of the input device relative a support surface.

4. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of setting an origin and detecting movement of the input device relative to the origin.

5. The method recited in claim 4, wherein the step of producing the first vector signal includes multiplying a vector by a scalar, the vector corresponding to movement of the input device relative to the origin.

6. The method recited in claim 1, further including steps of:

producing the second vector signal;

adding the first vector signal to the second vector signal to produce a vector sum signal; and

repetitively transmitting the vector sum signal until one of (a) a third vector signal is produced and (b) the command signal is terminated.

7. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of resolving direction data and magnitude data from the first vector signal.

8. The method recited in claim 7, further including a step of moving an image on a display screen in a direction of the direction data and at a distance corresponding to the magnitude data.

9. A method of moving an image, the method comprising:

receiving a first vector signal from an input device;

once using the first vector signal to move the image if a command signal is not received with the first vector signal; and

if the command signal is received with the first vector signal;

multiplying the first vector signal by a scalar to form a first augmented vector signal, and

repetitively using the first augmented vector signal to move the image, use of the first augmented vector signal continuing until one of (a) a second vector signal is received and (b) the command signal is terminated.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the step of repetitively using the first augmented vector signal includes resolving direction data and magnitude data from the first augmented vector signal.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the step of repetitively using the first augmented vector signal further includes moving the image in a direction of the direction data and at a distance corresponding to the magnitude data.

12. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the step of once using the first vector signal includes setting an origin following movement of the image.

13. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the step of repetitively using the first augmented vector signal includes setting an origin when the command signal is terminated.

14. The method recited in claim 9, further including steps of:

receiving the second vector signal from the input device;

adding the first vector signal and the second vector signal to produce a vector sum signal;

multiplying the vector sum signal by a scalar to form an augmented vector sum signal, and

repetitively using the augmented vector sum signal to move the image, use of the first augmented vector sum signal continuing until one of (a) a third vector signal is received and (b) the command signal is terminated.

15. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 9.

16. An input device comprising:

a housing that forms at least a portion of an exterior of the input device;

a tracking assembly at least partially located within the housing for detecting movement of at least one of (a) the input device relative a support surface and (b) a rotatable ball, the tracking assembly producing a vector signal with direction data and magnitude data corresponding to the movement; and

an actuator accessible from the exterior of the input device, the actuator producing a command signal,

the input device;

(a) once transmitting the vector signal if no command signal is produced with the vector signal and (b) repetitively transmitting the vector signal when the command signal is produced with the vector signal and until the command signal is terminated.

17. The input device recited in claim 16, wherein the vector signal is increased by a scalar multiple when being repetitively transmitted.

18. The input device recited in claim 16, wherein a second vector signal produced by the tracking assembly is added to the vector signal when the command signal is produced.

19. The input device recited in claim 16, wherein the input device is a pointing device.

20. The input device recited in claim 16, wherein the actuator is a depressible button on an upper surface of the input device.