Digitizer system with cursor shape changing as a function of pointer location on menu strip

• US 6,160,539 A
• Filed: 06/08/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Fleck, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US09/092,901
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 345/178, 345/179, 345/145, 345/146, 345/157, 345/156, 178/18.01, 178/18.07, 178/18.1, 178/19.03
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A digitizer system includes a pointer (e.g. stylus or puck) for manipulation by a user over a work surface of a tablet. The tablet includes a menu strip area thereon. The location of the pointer on the tablet is shown by way of a cursor shape on a corresponding monitor or display which is in communication with the tablet. According to certain embodiments of this invention, the cursor shape shown on the display is changed as a function of the pointer'"'"'s position within the menu strip area of the tablet. Thus, for example, a first cursor shape may be shown on the display when the pointer is over a first area of the menu strip, while a different second cursor shape may be shown on the display when the pointer is over a second area of the menu strip.

Claims

1. A digitizer system comprising:

a digitizer tablet including a generally flat surface;

a pointer for movement by a user over the generally flat surface of said digitizer tablet, so that a cursor shape is shown on a corresponding display in a location which is a function of a position of said pointer on said tablet;

said digitizer tablet including a menu area and a work area, the menu area including a plurality of different menu item sub-areas therein capable of being selected by the user; and

a controller in operative association with said pointer and the display so that the cursor shape shown on the display varies as a function of which menu item sub-area the pointer is positioned over on the tablet without requiring that the sub-area be selected by the pointer, the cursor shape being indicative of the sub-area underlying the pointer.

2. The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein said tablet includes a plurality of overlapping loop coils for generating electromagnetic waves to be sent to said pointer.

3. The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein said pointer is a stylus which includes a tuning circuit having each of a capacitor and an inductive coil.

4. The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein said pointer is a puck which includes a tuning circuit.

5. The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein said menu item sub-areas are boxes identified by number, and wherein the cursor shape displayed on the display conveys information which indicates to the user the menu item sub-area which the pointer is over.

6. The digitizer system of claim 1, further including means for determining the coordinate values of a location of the pointer relative to the tablet, and changing the cursor shape being shown on the screen as a function of the coordinate values determined.

7. A method of changing a shape of a cursor being portrayed on a display as a function of a position of a pointer within a menu area of a digitizer tablet, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a digitizer tablet having a menu area with a plurality of menu items therein for selection;

providing the pointer for movement over the tablet and for selection of the menu items;

providing a display which is in communication with the tablet, wherein a cursor shape is portrayed on the display in a location determined by the position of the pointer on the tablet; and

providing a controller in operative association with the pointer and the display for adjusting the cursor shape being portrayed on the display when the pointer is moved in the menu area from one menu item to another menu item so that the user can determine which menu item the pointer is over without having to look at the tablet surface and without requiring that the menu item be selected, the cursor shape being indicative of the menu area underlying the pointer.