System and method for resizing an input position indicator for a user interface of a computer system

• US 6,023,275 A
• Filed: 03/04/1999
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Horvitz, Eric J., Markley, Michael E., Sonntag, Martin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/261,988
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 345/342, 345/145-146, 345/340, 345/341, 345/739, 345/352-356, 345/348-349, 345/326-327, 345/328-338, 345/115
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/978 Audio interaction as part of an operator interface

Abstract

Transforming the size of an input position indicator, such as a cursor, within a window presented by a display screen of a computer system. The window typically includes borders defining an enclosed presentation area for displaying information on the display screen. In response to determining the position of the input position indicator within the window, the size of the input position indicator can be transformed based upon that position determination.

Claims

1. In a computer system operative to display computer application data in windows on a display monitor, said windows having borders defining an enclosed area for presenting said data on said display monitor, said computer system characterized by resources including a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and display monitor said resources communicating via a system bus, said CPU operative to control processes for defining the size and shape of displayed windows, a method for resizing a cursor on a display screen comprising:

defining an isometric workspace on said display screen;

determining the position of said cursor on said display screen; and

resizing the cursor based upon the location of said cursor on said display screen to provide a three-dimensional transformed cursor to reflect depth in said isometric work space.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein resizing said cursor occurs when said cursor crosses a border of a window.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein resizing occurs based upon the cursor location on a window.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein resizing causes said cursor to decrease in size as said cursor is positioned nearer to a selected position on said display monitor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said computer system further comprises an operating system operative to define said isometric work space on said computer monitor for providing depth cues to information displayed on said monitor and wherein the size of said cursor changes relative to the cursor location in said isometric work space thereby reflecting the depth of said cursor in said isometric work space.

6. In a computer system operative to display computer application data in three-dimensional transformed windows on a display monitor, said three-dimensional transformed windows having borders defining an isometric space presenting said data on said display monitor, said computer system characterized by resources including a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and display monitor said resources communicating via a system bus, said CPU operative to control processes for defining the size and shape of said displayed three-dimensional transformed windows, a method for resizing a cursor on a display screen comprising:

determining the position of said cursor on said display screen within the isometric space relative to the three-dimensional transformed windows; and

dynamically sizing the cursor based upon the location of said cursor on said display screen such that said cursor reflects a depth of the location of said cursor in the isometric space.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

varying a speed of movement of said cursor depending on a relative distance between three-dimensional transformed windows to provide depth perception.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating sounds dependent on relative movement of said cursor within the isometric space to provide depth perception.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein dynamically sizing said cursor occurs when said cursor crosses a border of a three-dimensional transformed window.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein dynamically sizing said cursor occurs base upon the cursor location on a three-dimensional transformed window.