Apparatus method and system for improved feedback of pointing device event processing

• US 7,542,026 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pagan, William Gabriel
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Srilakshmi K
• Application Number:
  US10/700,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20050093817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,038 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 710 1- 74
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0337 Status LEDs integrated in the mouse to provide visual feedback to the user about the status of the input device, the PC, or the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

Events generated by a user of a pointing device are received into an event buffer and eventually removed from the event buffer by a receiving process such as an interface driver associated with an operating system. Information regarding the pointing device events residing within the event buffer is collected and used by a feedback module to improve the computing experience. Feedback regarding the collected information may include visual feedback, audible feedback, tactile feedback, or the like. The present invention improves user interaction with a computing system by providing additional information regarding the status of pointing device events and processes.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing improved interaction to a user of a pointing device, the apparatus comprising:

a pointing device interface module configured to interface with a pointing device;

an event buffer configured to receive pointing device events generated by a user;

the pointing device interface module residing at the driver level of an operating system further configured to inventory a buffered pointing device event quantity and a buffered pointing device event type for the buffered pointing device events;

a feedback module configured to intercept pointing device events sent by the pointing device interface module to an application interface module comprising an operating system process, the feedback module further configured to provide feedback to the user, the feedback comprising a dialog listing the buffered pointing device event quantity and the buffered pointing device event type for the buffered pointing device events and pointing device events passed to a receiving process, wherein the feedback module comprises a device driver residing on the driver level of an operating system;

wherein the feedback module is further configured to provide pointing device events to the application interface module; and

wherein the pointing device interface module and the feedback module comprise one or more of hardware and executable code, the executable code stored on a computer readable storage medium.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiving process is an application process.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiving process is an operating system process.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feedback further comprises audible feedback.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feedback further comprises tactile feedback.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pointing device is selected from the group consisting of a mouse, a pen, a digitizing tablet, a trackball, a touch pad, a touch screen, a pointing stick, a data glove, and a gesture recognizer.

7. A method for providing improved interaction to a user of a pointing device, the method comprising:

receiving pointing device events initiated by a user into a buffer;

inventorying a buffered pointing device event quantity and a buffered pointing device event type for the buffered pointing device events;

directing pointing device events from the buffer to a receiving process; and

providing feedback to the user, through a device driver residing on the driver level of an operating system, wherein the feedback is provided without invoking an application interface process of an operating system, the feedback comprising a dialog listing the buffered pointing device event quantity and the buffered pointing device event type for the buffered pointing device events and pointing device events passed to the receiving process.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving process is an application process.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving process is an operating system process.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising inventorying the pointing device events.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein providing feedback further comprises providing audible feedback.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein providing feedback further comprises providing visual feedback.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein providing feedback further comprises providing tactile feedback.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein providing feedback further comprises providing tactile feedback selected from the group consisting of force, pressure, vibration, surface actuation, and motion.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving pointing device events comprises interfacing to a pointing device selected from the group consisting of a mouse, a pen, a digitizing tablet, a trackball, a touch pad, a touch screen, a pointing stick, a data glove, and a gesture recognizer.

16. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing feedback options to a user selected from the group consisting of screen flash options, indicator light options, cursor color options, cursor shape options, audible sound options, icon options, vibration options, and motion options.

17. An apparatus for providing improved interaction to a user of a pointing device, the apparatus comprising:

means for buffering pointing device events initiated by a user;

means for inventorying a buffered pointing device event quantity and a buffered pointing device event type for the buffered pointing device events without invoking one or more application interface operating system processes;

means for directing buffered pointing device events to a receiving process; and

means for providing feedback to the user without invoking one or more application interface operating system processes, the feedback comprising a dialog listing the buffered pointing device event quantity and the buffered pointing device event type for the buffered pointing device events and pointing device events passed to the receiving process;

wherein the means comprise one or more of hardware and executable code, the executable code stored on a computer readable storage medium.

18. A system for providing interaction to a user of a pointing device, the system comprising:

a pointing device;

a CPU configured to execute at least one process;

a monitor configured to display interface elements corresponding to the at least one process;

an event buffer configured to receive pointing device events generated by a user;

a pointing device interface module residing at the driver level of an operating system configured to interface with the pointing device and to inventory a buffered pointing device event quantity and a buffered pointing device event type for the buffered pointing device events; and

a feedback module residing at the driver level of an operating system, configured to provide feedback to the user without invoking an application interface process at the operating system level, the feedback comprising a dialog listing the buffered pointing device event quantity and the buffered pointing device event type for the buffered pointing device events and pointing device events passed to a receiving process.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the pointing device is selected from the group consisting of a mouse, a pen, a digitizing tablet, a trackball, a touch pad, a touch screen, a pointing stick, a data glove, and a gesture recognizer.

20. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code for providing improved interaction to a user of a pointing device, the program code configured to conduct a method comprising:

receiving pointing device events initiated by a user into a buffer;

inventorying a buffered pointing device event quantity and a buffered pointing device event type for the buffered pointing device events;

directing pointing device events from the buffer to at least one process; and

providing feedback to the user through a device driver residing on the driver level of an operating system, wherein the feedback is provided without invoking an application interface process of an operating system, the feedback comprising a dialog listing the buffered pointing device event quantity and the buffered pointing device event type for the buffered pointing device events and pointing device events passed to the at least one process.