Pointing system for pen-based computer
First Claim
1. A computer system, comprising:
- a housing having a front face and an opposing rear face;
a processor within the housing;
a display screen attached to the housing at the front face in which the display screen is sensitive to input of a stylus; and
an input device being at least partially disposed at the rear face of the housing so that the input device is opposite of the display screen, the input device being different from the stylus, the input device being responsive to movement of a user for two-dimensional pointing on the display screen so as to control a graphical user interface configured to operate with the processor, the input device being configured to be rendered inactive responsive to the stylus being less than a threshold distance away from the display screen.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A secondary input system for a pen-based computer allows users to control a graphical user interface without the use of a stylus. The secondary input system may be in the form of a pointing system. A display surface may be attached to a housing in which the display surface is sensitive to input of a pen device. The pointing system includes a secondary input system on housing in which the input device is responsive to movement of a finger of a user for controlling the graphical user interface. The input device may be a point stick device, a touchpad, or other device that provides two-dimensional movement of a graphical object on the display surface. The secondary input system may be automatically activated or deactivated based on proximity sensing of a stylus or pen with respect of the display surface.
32 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A computer system, comprising:
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a housing having a front face and an opposing rear face; a processor within the housing; a display screen attached to the housing at the front face in which the display screen is sensitive to input of a stylus; and an input device being at least partially disposed at the rear face of the housing so that the input device is opposite of the display screen, the input device being different from the stylus, the input device being responsive to movement of a user for two-dimensional pointing on the display screen so as to control a graphical user interface configured to operate with the processor, the input device being configured to be rendered inactive responsive to the stylus being less than a threshold distance away from the display screen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13)
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12. A computer system, comprising:
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a housing; a processor within the housing; a display screen attached to the housing in which the display screen is sensitive to input of a stylus; and an input device being at least partially disposed on a housing surface opposite of the display screen, the input device being responsive to movement of a finger of a user for controlling a graphical user interface configured to operate with the processor; and a detection component configured to detect the presence of the stylus within a threshold distance relative to the display screen, the detection component deactivating the input device responsive to the presence of the stylus.
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14. A computer system, comprising:
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a housing, the housing having a housing front surface and a housing side surface; a processor; a display surface being responsive to a writing implement for permitting input to the processor, the display surface being disposed at the housing front surface; a pointing system having a control portion being engagable by a finger of a user so as to control a graphical user interface for the display surface, and the control portion being disposed at the housing side surface relative to the display surface, the pointing system permitting the user to control the graphical user interface; and a detection component, the detection component being operable to determine the presence of writing implement within a threshold distance from the display surface for deactivating the pointing system; and
the detection component being operable to determine the absence of the writing implement within a threshold distance from the display surface for activating the pointing system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A portable computer system, comprising:
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a housing; a processor; a display screen being sensitive to a control implement being movable, said control implement having a communicating end for the display screen; a user input device mounted to the housing, the user input device being controllable with a finger of a user for controlling a graphical object for the display screen; and a memory configured to store computer executable instructions, wherein said instructions cause the computing device to perform the following steps; sensing the communicating end of the control implement within a threshold range distance as measured from the display screen; and responsive to said sensing, deactivating the user input device. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A portable computer system, comprising:
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a housing; a processor; a display screen being sensitive to a control implement being movable, said control implement having a communicating end for the display screen; a user input device mounted to the housing operable with a finger of a user for controlling a graphical user interface; and a memory configured to store computer executable instructions, wherein said instructions cause the computing device to perform the following steps; sensing the absence of the communicating end of the control implement within a threshold distance from the display screen; and responsive to said step of sensing, activating the user input device, the user input device being different from the control implement.
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Specification