Multiple display pointers for computer graphical user interfaces

• US 5,586,243 A
• Filed: 04/15/1994
• Issued: 12/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ford, Daniel A., Barber, Ronald J., Selker, Edwin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KATBAB, ABDOLLAH
• Application Number:
  US08/227,939
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 395/155-161, 345/145, 345/147
• US Class Current: 715/856
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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

A pointer system provides multiple display pointers that can be created and identified by a computer user such that each pointer is associated with a particular application and location within an application. A user can recall respective pointers and pointer locations by selecting a pointer identifier. One or more of the pointers can be defined as anchored pointers, which are associated with one or more user actions. The user actions can comprise a variety of functions, including mouse button clicks. In this way, a user can define anchored pointers and carry out a string of user actions by selecting the identifying character of an anchored pointer.

Claims

1. A computer system having:

a host processor;

a display device;

an operating system that permits applications to be opened and represented on the display device, produces one or more display pointers on the display device that can be moved about in the displayed applications, and permits one of the display pointers to be designated an active pointer; and

at least one pointer control device that controls movement of the display pointers and that includes a control button that can be actuated on a display feature after a display pointer is moved to the designated display feature;

wherein the operating system associates each defined display pointer with a pointer context comprising a particular application title and location of the display pointer within that application;

wherein the operating system recalls the pointer context when the user returns to the active application for which there are one or more previously defined display pointers; and

wherein the system receives a user-designated single alphanumeric character with which a display pointer is associated and displays the alphanumeric character in close proximity to the associated display pointer on the display screen;

the system further including;

a pointer context table addressed by the alphanumeric character that is maintained by the operating system such that the application title and pointer location are added to the pointer context table when a pointer is defined, thereby associating the display pointer with its pointer context;

wherein the operating system responds to the user specifying a pointer identifying alphanumeric character by switching the computer system from the present active pointer to the specified pointer; and

wherein the operating system responds to a user-selected pointer identifying character by changing the current application and pointer to the application and pointer specified by the table entry if there is a corresponding table entry for the identifying alphanumeric character; and

creates a pointer context entry for a pointer identifying character if the user attempts to switch to the character and there is no display pointer presently associated with that character.

2. A computer system as defined in claim 1, the operating system associates a display pointer with a pointer context by:

determining the application title and pointer location of the application in which the display pointer is located; and

storing the application title and pointer location in a pointer context table according to one of a plurality of pointer identifying alphanumeric characters.

3. A pointer control system for use in a computer system having a host processor, a display device, and an operating system that permits applications to be opened and represented on the display device, the pointer control system comprising:

display driver means for permitting a computer system user to define and identify multiple display pointers on the display device that can be moved about in the displayed applications by a pointer control device and for permitting one of the display pointers to be designated an active pointer; and

graphical interface control means for associating each display pointer with a pointer context comprising a particular application title and location of the display pointer within that application and recalling the pointer context when the user returns to the active application for which there are one or more previously created display pointers;

wherein the system receives a user-designated single alphanumeric character with which a display pointer is associated and displays the alphanumeric character in close proximity to the associated pointer on the display screen

further including;

a pointer context table addressed by the pointer identifying keyboard character and maintained by the graphical interface control means such that the application title and pointer location are added to the pointer context table when a display pointer is defined, thereby associating the display, pointer with its pointer context;

wherein the graphical interface control means responds to the user specifying a pointer identifying character by designating the specified pointer to be the present active pointer; and

wherein the graphical interface control means responds to a user-selected pointer identifying character by changing the current application and pointer to the application and pointer specified by the table entry if there is a corresponding table entry for the pointer identifying character and creates a pointer context entry for a pointer identifying character if the user attempts to switch to the character and there is no display pointer presently associated with that character.

4. A pointer control system as defined in claim 3, wherein the graphical interface control means associates a display pointer with a pointer context by:

determining the application title and pointer location of the application in which the display pointer is located; and

storing the application title and pointer location in a pointer context table according to one of a plurality of pointer identifying keys.