Cursor manipulation system and method

• US 5,621,434 A
• Filed: 08/11/1993
• Issued: 04/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Object Technology Licensing Corporation
• Inventors: Marsh, Donald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stoll, Kara Farnandez
• Application Number:
  US08/104,748
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 345/145, 345/146, 345/157, 364/518, 395/156, 395/155, 395/157, 395/158, 395/159, 395/160
• US Class Current: 715/856
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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

A cursor manipulation system and method provides for interrogation of the most recently displayed cursor location upon the occurrence of a user-generated event, such as actuation of a mouse button, to avoid errors of input to an application due to delays in rendering of cursor images. The coordinates of a displayed cursor location are stored as an acknowledgment of completion of display of a cursor image at a new location. Specification of cursor display location is determined by a graphic input device corresponding to each cursor image and applications running on a data processing system including the cursor manipulation system are isolated from control of cursor movement.

Claims

1. A method for controlling display of a graphic cursor in a computer system having a computer, including an attached display and an attached storage containing an object-oriented operating system with a cursor control framework having information defining a cursor, said cursor'"'"'s location, and said cursor'"'"'s appearance on said display, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a first object in said cursor control framework of said object-oriented operating system, said first object containing data defining said cursor'"'"'s location and appearance on said display;

(b) creating a second object in said cursor control framework of said object-oriented operating system, said second object containing logic responsive to said appearance and location data contained in said first object for generating image data for displaying said cursor on said display; and

(c) creating a third object in said cursor control framework, said third object containing address data indicating a location of said cursor and logic responsive to a generation of image data by said second object for adjusting said address data to indicate a last displayed location of said cursor.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises the step of creating said first object with logic for detecting a signal representing a user generated event, and with logic for retrieving said cursor'"'"'s location information from said storage in response to said user generated event.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein said data contained in said first object comprises a plurality of graphic images and step (a) comprises the step of selecting one of said plurality of graphic images for said cursor'"'"'s appearance to adjust said cursor'"'"'s appearance on said display.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, including the step of simultaneously controlling a plurality of cursors.

5. A cursor manipulation system, including:

(a) a computer;

(b) storage in said computer;

(c) a display attached to and controlled by said computer;

(d) an object-oriented operating system resident on said computer;

(e) cursor control framework resident in said storage and under the control of said computer said cursor control framework containing a cursor, said cursor'"'"'s location, and said cursor'"'"'s appearance on said display;

(f) means for creating a first object in said cursor control framework of said object-oriented operating system, said first object containing data defining said cursor'"'"'s location and appearance on said display;

(g) means for creating a second object in said cursor control framework of said object-oriented operating system, said second object containing logic responsive to said appearance and location data contained in said first object for generating image data for displaying said cursor on said display; and

(h) means for creating a third object in said cursor control framework said third object containing address data indicating a location of said cursor and logic responsive to a generation of image data by said second object for adjusting said address data to indicate a last displayed location of said cursor.

6. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein the first object comprises means for detecting a signal representing a user-generated event, and means for retrieving said cursor'"'"'s location from said storage in response to said user generated event.

7. A system as recited in claim 6, wherein said first object comprises a plurality of graphic images and means for selecting one of said plurality of graphic images for said cursor'"'"'s appearance to adjust said cursor'"'"'s appearance on said display.

8. A system as recited in claim 6, including means for providing a plurality of cursors on said display.

9. A system as recited in claim 8, including means for specifying an order of said plurality of cursors.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the means for specifying an order of said cursors includes means for altering the ordering of the cursors.