Cursor control system for controlling a pop-up menu

• US 5,912,667 A
• Filed: 09/10/1997
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Primax Electronics Limited
• Inventors: Chang, Ming-Chih
• Primary Examiner(s): KATBAB, ABDOLLAH
• Application Number:
  US08/926,736
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 345/145, 345/146, 345/160, 345/161, 345/167, 345/169, 345/352, 345/353, 345/347
• US Class Current: 715/808
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

The present invention provides a cursor control system for controlling operations of a pop-up menu. The menu comprises a plurality of command regions, each of which has a correspondent computer command. The system comprises a displaying device for displaying the pop-up menu, a computer electrically connected to the displaying device and a cursor control device electrically connected to the computer. The computer comprises a program for controlling image display of the displaying device and operations of the menu. The cursor control device comprises a housing having a recess installed in it, a cursor controller elastically installed in the recess for generating a shifting signal, and a switch installed in the recess beneath the cursor controller for generating a start signal. When a user presses the cursor controller and thus triggers the switch, the program will receive the start signal generated by the switch and then will display the menu over the displaying device. When the program hereafter receives shifting signals generated by the cursor controller, the program will select one command region on the menu according to the shifting signals. And when the user releases the cursor controller and the switch, the program will start executing the computer command of the selected command region.

Claims

1. A cursor control system for controlling operations of a pop-up menu, the menu comprising a plurality of command regions each correspondent to a computer command, the system comprising a displaying device for displaying the pop-up menu, a computer electrically connected to the displaying device and a cursor control device electrically connected to the computer, the computer comprising a program for controlling image display of the displaying device and operations of the menu, the cursor control device comprising:

(1) a housing having a recess installed on it;

(2) a cursor controller installed in the recess for generating shifting signals, and

(3) a switch installed in the recess beneath the cursor controller for generating start signals;

wherein when the cursor controller is being pressed to trigger the switch to generate the start signals, the program displays the menu over the displaying device after receiving the start signals, the program selects one command region of the menu according to the shifting signals later on generated by actuating the cursor controller, and the program executes the command correspondent to the selected command region when the switch under the cursor controller is released and stops generating the start signal.

2. The cursor control system of claim 1 wherein the cursor controller can be a touch pad device or a track ball device for generating the shifting signals.

3. The cursor control system of claim 1 wherein the cursor controller is elastically installed in the recess.

4. A cursor control system for controlling operations of a pop-up menu, the menu comprising a plurality of command regions each correspondent to a computer command, the system comprising a displaying device for displaying the pop-up menu, a computer electrically connected to the displaying device and a cursor control device electrically connected to the computer, the computer comprising a program for controlling image display of the displaying device and operations of the menu, the cursor control device comprising:

(1) a housing having a recess installed on it;

(2) a cursor controller installed in the recess for generating shifting signals, and

(3) a switch installed in the recess beneath the cursor controller for generating start signals;

wherein the program displays the menu over the displaying device after receiving a first start signal generated by the switch by pressing the cursor controller once, and the program selects one command region of the menu according to the shifting signals later on generated by actuating the cursor controller, and the program executes the command correspondent to the selected command region after the program receives a second start signal generated by the switch by pressing the cursor controller once again.

5. The cursor control system of claim 4 wherein the cursor controller can be a touch pad device or a track ball device for generating the shifting signals.

6. The cursor control system of claim 4 wherein the cursor controller is elastically installed in the recess.