Devices, systems and methods for positioning cursor on display device

• US 6,545,666 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2000
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Culler, Jason H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOYER, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US09/580,697
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156-172, 345/856-862, 341/26
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods for positioning a cursor on a display device are provided. For example, an input device is provided which includes a stepper device configured to electrically communicate with a computer. The stepper device incorporates a stepper-enable switch configured to prevent movement information provided by a mouse-type input device from influencing movement of a cursor on a display device and to enable functional information, provided by the mouse-type input device, to provide selected functionality of the cursor. A plurality of cursor repositioning keys also are provided and are configured to reposition the cursor when movement information provided by the mouse-type input device is prevented from influencing movement of the cursor on the display device.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing with a computer application, the computer application being adapted to display a cursor within a display area of a display device of a computer, the computer having a mouse-type input device associated therewith for providing movement information and functional information corresponding to the cursor such that the cursor is movable about the display area in response to the movement information and is adapted to provide selected functionality in response to the functional information, said method comprising:

providing keys communicating with the computer, each of the keys corresponding to a direction and magnitude of movement of the cursor, a first of the keys corresponding to a first direction and a first magnitude of movement of the cursor, a second of the keys corresponding to the first direction and a second magnitude of movement of the cursor, the first magnitude being different than the second magnitude;

preventing movement information provided by the mouse-type input device from influencing movement of the cursor on the display device;

repositioning the cursor without utilizing the mouse-type input device by actuating one of the keys; and

enabling functional information, provided by the mouse-type input device, to provide selected functionality of the cursor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of repositioning the cursor comprises the steps of:

providing a stepper device electrically communicating with the computer, the stepper device including the keys;

determining whether a stepper-enable function of the computer is enabled; and

if the stepper-enable function is enabled, allowing repositioning of the cursor with the stepper device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of preventing movement information comprises the steps of:

intercepting movement information provided by the mouse-type input device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer has a keyboard input device including the keys;

and

wherein the step of preventing movement information comprises the step of;

re-mapping the keyboard such that actuation of the first key prevents movement information provided by the mouse-type input device from influencing movement of the cursor on the display device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of repositioning the cursor comprises the step of:

actuating at least one of the keys of the keyboard such that the cursor is moved about the display device.

6. A computer readable medium having a computer program for interfacing with a computer application, the computer application being adapted to display a cursor within a display area of a display device of a computer, the computer having keys and a mouse-type input device associated therewith for providing movement information and functional information corresponding to the cursor such that the cursor is movable about the display area in response to the movement information and is adapted to provide selected functionality in response to the functional information, said computer readable medium comprising:

logic configured to prevent movement information provided by the mouse-type input device from influencing movement of the cursor on the display device;

logic configured to re-map the keys such that a first of the keys corresponds to a first direction and a first magnitude of movement of the cursor and a second of the keys corresponds to the first direction and a second magnitude of movement of the cursor, the first magnitude being different than the second magnitude;

logic configured to reposition the cursor using the keys and without utilizing the mouse-type input device; and

logic configured to enable functional information, provided by the mouse-type input device, to provide selected functionality of the cursor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the logic configured to prevent movement information comprises logic configured to re-map a third key such that actuation of the third key prevents movement information provided by the mouse-type input device from influencing movement of the cursor on the display device.

8. An input device for interfacing with a computer application, the computer application being adapted to display a cursor within a display area of a display device of a computer, the computer having a mouse-type input device associated therewith for providing movement information and functional information corresponding to the cursor such that the cursor is movable about the display area in response to the movement information and is adapted to provide selected functionality in response to the functional information, said input device comprising:

a stepper-enable switch configured to prevent movement information provided by the mouse-type input device from influencing movement of the cursor on the display device and to enable functional information, provided by the mouse-type input device, to provide selected functionality of the cursor; and

a plurality of cursor-repositioning keys configured to reposition the cursor when movement information provided by the mouse-type input device is prevented from influencing movement of the cursor on the display device, each of the keys corresponding to a direction and magnitude of movement of the cursor, a first of the keys corresponding to a first direction and a first magnitude of movement of the cursor, a second of the keys corresponding to the first direction and a second magnitude of movement of the cursor, the first magnitude being different than the second magnitude.

9. The input device of claim 8, further comprising:

means for intercepting movement information provided by the mouse-type input device.

10. The input device of claim 8, wherein the computer has a keyboard associated therewith, and wherein said plurality of cursor-repositioning keys correspond to a subset of keys of the keyboard.

11. A computer system for operating a computer application, said computer system comprising:

a display device having a display area configured to display graphical information thereon;

a mouse-type input device configured to provide a user-interface with the computer application, the computer application being adapted to display a cursor within said display area of said display device, said mouse-type input device being configured to provide movement information and functional information corresponding to the cursor such that the cursor is movable about said display area in response to said movement information and being configured to provide selected functionality to the cursor in response to said functional information;

a stepper device configured to electrically communicate with the computer, said stepper device having a stepper-enable switch configured to prevent movement information provided by the mouse-type input device from influencing movement of the cursor on the display device and to enable functional information, provided by the mouse-type input device, to provide selected functionality of the cursor; and

a plurality of cursor-repositioning keys configured to reposition the cursor when movement information provided by the mouse-type input device is prevented from influencing movement of the cursor on the display device, each of the keys corresponding to a direction and magnitude of movement of the cursor, a first of the keys corresponding to a first direction and a first magnitude of movement of the cursor, a second of the keys corresponding to the first direction and a second magnitude of movement of the cursor, the first magnitude being different than the second magnitude.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the computer system has a keyboard associated therewith, and wherein said plurality of cursor-repositioning keys correspond to a subset of keys of the keyboard.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the stepper device includes said plurality of cursor-repositioning keys.