Blunt input device cursor

• US 6,285,374 B1
• Filed: 04/06/1998
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Falcon, Stephen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRISON, CHANTE E
• Application Number:
  US09/055,372
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/339, 345/157, 345/145, 345/357, 345/337, 345/121, 345/178, 332/103
• US Class Current: 715/856
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

A system controls acquisition of visual targets with a cursor in a visual display displaced on a screen. A coordinate system is provided which is associated with the screen. A pointer is also provided which is associated with the cursor and which comprises a plurality of points in the coordinate system which define a cursor hot spot. The pointer is moved within the coordinate system based on position information from a user input device. A target region is provided in the coordinate system. The target region corresponds to a visual target and is acquired when at least one of the points in the cursor hot spot coincides with the target region.

Claims

1. A method of controlling acquisition of visual targets with a cursor in a visual display displayed on a screen, comprising:

providing a coordinate system associated with the screen;

providing a pointer associated with the cursor and comprising cursor points in the coordinate system;

moving the pointer within the coordinate system based on position information from a user input device;

providing a target region in the coordinate system, the target region corresponding to a visual target and comprising at least one target point in the coordinate system;

providing, substantially continuously, visual indicia on the visual display indicative of at least some of a plurality of cursor points defining a cursor hot spot; and

acquiring the target region when any of a plurality of the cursor points defining the cursor hot spot coincides with the at least one target point.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

providing visual indicia on the visual display indicative of all of the cursor points defining the cursor hot spot.

3. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

changing a number of the plurality of cursor points defining the cursor hot spot.

4. The method of claim 3 and further comprising:

maintaining cursor position information indicative of a current pointer position in the coordinate system; and

changing the number of the plurality of cursor points defining the cursor hot spot based on predetermined locations in the coordinate system and the pointer position.

5. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

changing the number of the plurality of cursor points defining the cursor hot spot based on a size of targets in the coordinate system proximate a current position of the pointer in the coordinate system.

6. The method of claim 3 and further comprising:

changing a cursor display displayed on the display screen based on a change in the number of the plurality of cursor points defining the cursor hot spot.

7. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

changing a visual indicia indicative of the visual target when the target point coincides with at least one point in the cursor hot spot.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the coordinate system includes a plurality of sets of target coordinates, each set corresponding to one of a plurality of targets, and wherein acquiring the target region, comprises:

determining which of the sets of target coordinates is located closest to the cursor hot spot; and

acquiring a target having coordinates closest to the cursor hot spot.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining which of the sets of targets coordinates is located closest, comprises:

determining which of the sets of target coordinates is located closest in the coordinate system to a generally central point.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the coordinate system includes a plurality of sets of target coordinates, each set corresponding to one of a plurality of targets, and wherein acquiring the target region, comprises:

determining whether a current predetermined subset of points in the cursor hot spot coincides with any of the target coordinates; and

if not, adjusting the current predetermined subset to a subsequent predetermined subset; and

determining whether the subsequent predetermined subset of points in the cursor hot spot coincides with any of the target coordinates.

11. The method of claim 10 and further comprising:

repeatedly adjusting the current predetermined subset of points in the cursor hot spot and determining whether the subsequent predetermined subset coincides with any of the target coordinates until a subsequent predetermined subset coincides with a set of target coordinates or until all predetermined subsets are exhausted.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the current predetermined subset comprises a subset located generally proximate a center of the cursor hot spot.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the current predetermined subset comprises a single point located generally centrally in the cursor hot spot.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the subsequent predetermined subset is located one of:

a same distance as the current subset from the center of the cursor hot spot; and

a distance further than the current subset from the center of the cursor hot spot.

15. A program for controlling a cursor displayed on a display screen to acquire a target displayed on the display screen, the program comprising instructions arranged to configure a computer to take the steps of:

accessing a coordinate system associated with the display screen, the target corresponding to at least one target point in the coordinate system, and the cursor corresponding to a plurality of cursor points in the coordinate system;

receiving position information from a user input device and moving a cursor position within the coordinate system associated with the display screen based on the position information;

maintaining cursor position information indicative of the cursor position within the coordinate system; and

acquiring the target when the target point coincides with at least one of a predetermined plurality of the cursor points defining a cursor hot spot.

16. The program of claim 15 wherein the program further comprises instructions to configure the computer to take the step of:

providing visual indicia on the display screen indicative of at least some of the predetermined plurality of cursor points.

17. The program of claim 16 wherein the program further comprises instructions to configure the computer to take the step of:

providing visual indicia on the display screen indicative of all of the predetermined plurality of cursor points.

18. The program of claim 15 wherein the program further comprises instructions to configure the computer to take the step of:

changing a number of the predetermined plurality of cursor points defining the cursor hot spot.

19. The program of claim 18 wherein the program further comprises instructions to configure the computer to take the step of:

changing the number of the predetermined plurality of cursor points defining the cursor hot spot based on predetermined locations in the coordinate system and the cursor position.

20. The program of claim 15 wherein the program further comprises instructions to configure the computer to take the step of:

changing the number of the predetermined plurality of cursor points in the cursor hot spot based on a size of targets in locations in the coordinate system proximate the cursor location.

21. The program of claim 18 wherein the program further comprises instructions to configure the computer to take the step of:

changing a cursor display displayed on the display screen based on a change in the number of the predetermined plurality of cursor points in the cursor hot spot.

22. The program of claim 15 wherein the program further comprises instructions to configure the computer to take the step of:

changing a visual indicia indicative of the target when the target point coincides with the at least one of the predetermined plurality of cursor points.

23. The program of claim 15 wherein the coordinate system includes a plurality of sets of target points, each set corresponding to one of a plurality of targets, and wherein acquiring the target, comprises:

determining which of the sets of target points is located closest to the cursor hot spot; and

acquiring a target having coordinates closest to the cursor hot spot.

24. The program of claim 23 wherein determining which of the sets of target points is located closest comprises:

determining which of the sets of target points is located closest to a generally central point of the cursor hot spot.

25. The program of claim 15 wherein the coordinate system includes a plurality of sets of target points, each set corresponding to one of a plurality of targets, and wherein acquiring the target, comprises:

determining whether a current predetermined subset of the predetermined plurality of cursor points defining the cursor hot spot coincides with any of the target points; and

if not, adjusting the current predetermined subset to a subsequent predetermined subset; and

determining whether the subsequent predetermined subset of the predetermined plurality of cursor points coincides with any of the target points.

26. The program of claim 25 wherein the program further comprises instructions to configure the computer to take the steps of:

repeatedly adjusting the current predetermined subset of the predetermined plurality of cursor points and determining whether the subsequent predetermined subset coincides with any of the target points until a subsequent predetermined subset coincides with a target point or until all predetermined subsets are exhausted.

27. The program of claim 25 wherein the current predetermined subset comprises a subset located generally proximate a center of the cursor hot spot.

28. The program of claim 27 wherein the current predetermined subset comprises a single cursor point located generally centrally in the cursor hot spot.

29. The program of claim 27 wherein the subsequent predetermined subset is located one of a same distance as the current subset from the center of the cursor hot spot, and a distance further than the current subset from the center of the cursor hot spot.