Intelligent screen cursor

• US 5,655,093 A
• Filed: 11/18/1996
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Borland Software Corporation (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Borland International, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Frid-Nielsen, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Cliff N.
• Application Number:
  US08/751,457
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: 395/326, 395/334, 395/336, 395/333, 395/337, 345/156, 345/167
• 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 for assisting a user of a computer system in entering valid information includes a computer having a processor and a memory, a display device for illustrating screen objects, a screen cursor for indicating a location on the display device, an input device for positioning the screen cursor, and screen information for indicating user operations available with the input device.

Claims

1. In a computer system, an improved method for providing feedback to a user, the method comprising:

displaying a user interface comprising a two-dimensional array of picture elements (pixels);

displaying on the user interface a cursor for indicating a position at a particular pixel on the user interface, said cursor moving on the user interface in response to movement of a pointing device by a user, said pointing device including at least two user-activated buttons, each which generates a first signal when single clicked by the user and generating a second signal when double clicked by the user; and

as the pointing device is moved by the user, displaying feedback to the user for indicating all combinations of said signals which comprise valid input for each pixel pointed to by the cursor as it moves across the user interface.