System and method for computer cursor control

• US 5,598,183 A
• Filed: 12/12/1995
• Issued: 01/28/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Samuel H., Robertson, Kenneth R., Brewer, Timothy T., Hellings, Carl T., Andrews, James A., Henderson, Paul E. Jr., Claflin, Anthony R., McCambridge, Lora K., Hoeger, Daniel S., Kelsey, Teresa L., Hanson, Eric W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, Kee M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US08/570,811
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 345/145, 345/146, 345/156, 345/157, 345/159, 345/160, 345/162, 345/161, 345/168, 345/163, 395/155, 395/156
• US Class Current: 715/856
• 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 system determining an intended cursor location on the computer display screen and automatically repositions the cursor at the intended location. If the user selects a command that alters the contents of the display, such as opening a new window, the system analyzes the new screen display to determine whether there are user selectable options associated with the new screen display. The system determines if one of the user selectable options is a default option and automatically positions the cursor at the default option. If the new screen display is an application program, the system attempts to locate a user selectable option and repositions the cursor at the user selectable option. When the new window is closed, the system returns the cursor to the position it was at before the new window was opened. The system also predicts an intended location for a screen display that has not been altered, and automatically positions the cursor at the intended location. This feature can be selectively enabled to prevent the inadvertent repositioning of the cursor in the display.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the position of a cursor on a computer display coupled to a computer, the system comprising:

a cursor positioning device coupled to the computer to permit user control of the position of the cursor on the computer display;

a first storage area storing position data corresponding to a first position of the cursor in a first screen display on the computer display;

generation means for generating a second screen display;

positioning means for automatically positioning the cursor in said second screen display in response to the generation of said second screen display, said positioning means initially positioning said cursor at a default position in response to an initial generation of said second screen display by said generation means and automatically positioning the cursor at a user-selectable position in response to the generation of said second screen display at a time subsequent to said initial generation of said second screen display; and

selection means, operable by the user, to select said user-selectable cursor position different from said default position at said initial generation of said second screen display.

2. The system of claim 1, further including repositioning means for repositioning the cursor at said first position of said first screen display when the computer returns to said first screen display.

3. The system of claim 1, further including repositioning means for repositioning the cursor at a second position of said first screen display when the computer returns to said first screen display.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said first screen display is a first window having a plurality of user selectable options.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said second screen display is a second window, said alteration means comprising means for opening said second window.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said second screen display includes a menu having a plurality of user selectable options, said alteration means comprising means for displaying said menu.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein one of said plurality of user selectable options corresponds to a default option, a location of said default option being selected as said intended position in said second screen display.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said second screen display is part of an application program, said alteration means comprising means for enabling said application program.

9. A system for controlling the position of a cursor on a computer display coupled to a computer, the system comprising:

a cursor positioning device coupled to the computer to permit user control of the position of the cursor on the computer display;

a first storage area storing position data corresponding to a first position of the cursor in a first screen display on the computer display;

alteration means for altering said first screen display to generate a second screen display;

a second storage area storing position data corresponding to a plurality of possible positions of the cursor in said second screen display; and

positioning means for positioning the cursor at said first intended position in said second screen display upon the generation of said second screen display by said alteration means, said positioning means automatically selecting said intended position based on size and shape of a plurality of objects displayed on the computer display.

10. A system for controlling the position of a cursor on a computer display coupled to a computer, the system comprising:

a cursor positioning device coupled to the computer to permit user control of the position of the cursor on the computer display;

a first storage area storing position data corresponding to a first position of the cursor in a first screen display on the computer display;

generation means for generating a second screen display; and

positioning means for automatically positioning the cursor at a user-selected position in said second screen display upon the generation of said second screen display by said generation means, said positioning means automatically selecting said user-selected position in said second screen display based upon a previous user selection of the cursor position in said second screen display.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said positioning means selects said user-selected position in said second screen display based upon a plurality of previous user selections of the cursor position in said second screen display.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said positioning means selects said user-selected position in said second screen display based upon a time-weighted average of said plurality of previous user selections of the cursor position in said second display screen.

13. A method for controlling the position of a cursor on a computer display coupled to a computer using a cursor control device coupled to the computer, comprising the steps of:

sensing user movement of the cursor control device to position the cursor at a first position in a first screen display on the computer display;

storing position data corresponding to said first position;

generating a second screen display;

automatically positioning the cursor at a default position in said second screen display in response to an initial generation of said second screen display;

sensing user input to select a user-selected cursor position, said step of positioning automatically positioning the cursor at said user-selected position upon subsequent occurrence of said step of generating said second screen display.

14. The method of claim 13, further including the step of repositioning the cursor at said first intended position of said first screen display when the computer returns to said first screen display.

15. The method of claim 13, further including the step of repositioning the cursor at a second position of said first screen display when the computer returns to said first screen display.

16. A method for controlling the position of a cursor on a computer display coupled to a computer using a cursor control device coupled to the computer, comprising the steps of:

sensing user movement of the cursor control device to position the cursor at a first position in a first screen display on the computer display;

storing position data corresponding to said first position;

altering said first screen display to generate a second screen display;

positioning the cursor at an intended position in said second screen display selected from a plurality of possible positions upon the generation of said second screen display; and

said step of positioning selecting said intended location based on size and shape of a plurality of objects displayed on the computer display.

17. A method for controlling the position of a cursor on a computer display coupled to a computer using a cursor control device coupled to the computer, comprising the steps of:

sensing user movement of the cursor control device to position the cursor at a first position in a first screen display on the computer display;

storing position data corresponding to said first position;

generating a second screen display; and

automatically positioning the cursor at a user-selected position in said second screen display, said step of positioning automatically selecting said user-selected position in said second screen display based upon a previous user selection of the cursor position in said second screen display.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of positioning selects said user-selected position in said second screen display based upon a plurality of previous user selections of the cursor position in the second screen display.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of positioning selects said user-selected position in said second screen display based upon a time-weighted average of said plurality of previous user selections of the cursor position in said second screen display.

20. A system for controlling the position of a cursor on a computer display coupled to a computer, the system comprising:

a cursor positioning device coupled to the computer to permit user control of the position of the cursor on the computer display;

a first storage area storing position data corresponding to a position of the cursor in a first screen display on the computer display;

generation means for generating a second screen display;

a second storage area storing position data corresponding to a position of the cursor in said second screen display, said second storage area initially containing position data indicative of a default cursor position in said second screen display and being subsequently alterable by the user to contain position data indicative of a user-selected cursor position in said second display screen; and

positioning means for automatically positioning the cursor at a position in said second screen display upon the generation of said second screen display based on said position data in said second data storage area, said positioning means positioning the cursor at said default cursor position in said second screen display when said second screen display is initially generated by said generation means and positioning the cursor at said user-selected cursor position in said second screen display when said second screen display is subsequently generated by said generation means.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said second storage area, when subsequently altered by the user, contains said position data indicative of a plurality of user-selections of the cursor position in said second display screen, said positioning means positioning the cursor at said user-selected cursor position in said second screen display based on said plurality of user-selections of the cursor position when said second screen display is subsequently generated by said generation means.