Cursor positioning method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A control system for use with a display screen having a movable graphic element comprising:
- a keyboard;
means for generating a field of signals which extends generally vertically from the rear of said keyboard; and
means responsive to reflections of said signals from an object moving in said field for changing the position of said graphic element on said display screen from a first position to a second position as a function of the direction and speed of movement of said object in said field.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cursor-aiming system for use with a screen having a movable cursor is provided with means for generating a field and means for changing the position of the cursor on the screen in response to the movement of an operator'"'"'s finger in the field. In one embodiment there is provided a plurality of monostatic sonars and in another embodiment there is provided a plurality of bistatic sonars. The sonars are mounted for the transmission and reception of acoustic signals through apertures located in a spaced relationship along the upper margin of a terminal keyboard. In typical embodiments the signal frequency is approximately 200 KHz. Either pulsed or continuous-wave signals may be employed. When pulses are used, a typical pulse rate is 200 pps with a pulse width of 25 microseconds. Multiple frequency systems comprise alternate pulses of 200 and 250 KHz. Interpulse intervals are dithered to discriminate against around-the-timebase echoes.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A control system for use with a display screen having a movable graphic element comprising:
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a keyboard; means for generating a field of signals which extends generally vertically from the rear of said keyboard; and means responsive to reflections of said signals from an object moving in said field for changing the position of said graphic element on said display screen from a first position to a second position as a function of the direction and speed of movement of said object in said field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A control system for use with a screen having a movable graphic element comprising:
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a keyboard; means for generating a planar field of first signals which extend generally vertically from said keyboard; means for detecting an echo of said first signals from an object moving in said planar field of first signals; means responsive to said detecting means for providing a second signal corresponding to a change in the position of said object in said field of first signals; and means responsive to said second signal for changing the position of said graphic element on said screen from a first position to a second position as a function of said change in position of said object in said field of first signals. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A control system for use with a screen having a movable graphic element comprising:
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a keyboard; means for generating a field of signals which extend from said keyboard; means for detecting an echo of said signals from an object moving in said field; means responsive to said detecting means for changing the position of said graphic element on said screen from a first position to a second position as a function of said change in position of said object in said field, said change in position of said graphic element on said screen being independent of the starting point of said change in position of said object in said field. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A control system for use with a display screen having a movable graphic element comprising:
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a keyboard; a plurality of spaced transducers for generating a field of signals which extends generally vertically from the rear of said keyboard; means coupled to each of said transducers for providing therefrom a plurality of pulses at a predetermined pulse rate and with a predetermined interval therebetween, each of said pulses comprising a predetermined pulse width and a predetermined frequency; means for dithering said predetermined interval between said pulses to permit signal processing software to discriminate against an undesired, around-the-timebase echo reflected from an object struck by said pulses; and means responsive to reflections of said signals from an object moving in said field for changing the position of said graphic element on said display screen from a first position to a second position as a function of the direction and speed of movement of said object in said field.
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32. A control system for use with a display screen having a movable graphic element comprising:
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a keyboard; means for generating a field of acoustic pulses having a predetermined pulse width and a predetermined frequency with a predetermined interval between said pulses which extends generally vertically from the rear of said keyboard; means responsive to reflections of said acoustic pulses from a first object moving in said field for changing the position of said graphic element on said display screen from a first position to a second position as a function of the direction and speed of movement of said object in said field; and means for dithering said predetermined interval between said pulses to permit signal processing software to discriminate against an undesired, around-the-timebase echo reflected from a second object in said field.
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Specification