Method and apparatus for improving object selection on a computer display by providing cursor control with a sticky property

• US 5,786,805 A
• Filed: 12/27/1996
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barry, Edwin Franklin
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US08/774,359
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 345/157, 345/145, 345/156, 345/158, 345/159, 345/160-179, 345/418
• US Class Current: 345/159
• 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 computer system with a graphical user interface that supports selection and dragging of graphic objects using a pointing device is so adapted as to provide automatic adjustment of pointing device sensitivity in a defined range on or around the object so as to create, in effect, a sticky object. By so modifying the cooperation of the pointing device and cursor, the difficult coordination required to position and then select within a narrow zone so as to invoke, for example, a dragging operation becomes simpler and more natural. It is further recognized that, by selectively blocking the modification at some predefined velocity of movement over the object, for which the attack rate by the user would not be consistent with an attempt to select an object, it is possible to avoid introducing confusing "stickiness" when no selection is intended.

Claims

1. A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display area of a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purpose including selection individual of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristics wherein

said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor within said object, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device

wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected within said object whereby the pointing device is adapted to more easily permit selection of the object and

wherein said sensitivity control logic determines the speed of the cursor as it moves on the display and disables the change in sensitivity if the speed is above a predetermined level.

2. A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display area of a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection individual of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristic;

wherein said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor within said object, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device;

wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected within said object whereby the pointing device is adapted to more easily permit selection of the object; and

wherein the sensitivity of the pointing device is returned to normal if the pointing device is not activated by the user for a predetermined period of time.

3. A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display area of a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection individual of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristic wherein

said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor within said object, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device;

wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected within aid region whereby the pointing device is adapted to more easily permit selection of the object; and

wherein the sensitivity of the pointing device is returned to normal if the pointing device is activated to indicate a direction change for the cursor that is greater than a predetermined value.

4. A selection system improvement for use in a computer system which supports the presentation of display objects for selection on a display of said computer system using a cursor that is moveable, by activating a pointing device having a sensitivity characteristic for cursor movement, to overlay a desired object and a switch that effects selection when the cursor overlays a selectable object, said improvement comprising:

logic for detecting the cursor is at a selectable object and responsively reducing the sensitivity of cursor movement to pointing device actuation;

wherein the sensitivity is reduced to zero for a predetermined period of time whereby an apparent stickiness results; and

wherein the reduction of sensitivity is blocked if the velocity of the cursor is above a predetermined level.

5. A method for improving the selection of objects display on a computer display using a pointing device which controls movement of a displayed cursor that is used for selection, where said pointing device has a sensitivity characteristic when activated for moving said cursor and there is associated

with the cursor a selection switch which, if actuated while the cursor overlays a selected object, causes selection, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring the cursor position to determine if it falls on a selectable object;

reducing, for a predetermined period of time, the sensitivity of said pointing device to zero upon detecting the cursor overlays a point on the selectable object;

monitoring for an actuation of the selection switch during the time when the sensitivity is reduced;

returning the sensitivity to the original sensitivity characteristics if a selection occurs before the predetermined period of time expires;

monitoring the velocity of the cursor; and

blocking the step of reducing sensitivity if the velocity of the cursor exceeds a predetermined value.

6. A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristics;

wherein said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor in said region, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device

wherein the display objects are respectively identified as having a sticky property or not and wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected in said region but only if the respective object has the sticky property, whereby the pointing device is adapted to readily permit selection of those objects with the sticky property; and

wherein said sensitivity control logic determines the speed of the cursor as it moves on the display and disables the change in sensitivity if the speed is above a predetermined level.

7. A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristic wherein

said cursor control logic include position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor in said region, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device;

wherein the display objects are respectively identified as having a sticky property or not;

wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected in said region but only if the respective object has the sticky property, whereby the pointing device is adapted to readily permit selection of those objects with the sticky property; and

wherein the sensitivity of the pointing device is returned to normal if the pointing device is not activated by the user for a predetermined period of time.

8. A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristics;

wherein said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor in said region, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device;

wherein the display objects are respectively identified as having a sticky property or not and wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected in said region but only if the respective object has the sticky property, whereby the pointing device is adapted to readily permit selection of those objects with the sticky property; and

wherein the sensitivity of the pointing device is returned to normal if the pointing device is activated to indicate a direction change for the cursor that is greater than a predetermined value.