Input device with forward/backward control

• US 7,656,389 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2001
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Plank, Robert Scott, Kaneko, Steven T., Adan, Manolito E., Holmdahl, Todd E., Lipscomb, Terry M., Hooning, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said; Mansour M
• Application Number:
  US09/998,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20020036660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,983 Days
• Field of Search: 345/145, 345/146, 345156-160, 345162-167, 345/169, 345/172, 345/531, 345/684, 382/113, 382/114, 715700-701, 715/767
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• 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

In a computer system having a display and a keyboard, a computer readable medium includes instructions for invoking a message hook procedure based on a mouse message indicative of a mouse event. Instructions also provide for identifying at least one focus application that has a current keyboard focus and of converting the mouse message into a command for the focus application. The command is then sent to the focus application and the mouse message is prevented from being routed to any other applications. In one embodiment, the commands include the command to page forward or backward through pages of Internet documents. In other embodiments, instead of converting the mouse message into a command, the message hook procedure displays a graphical user interface based on the focus application and the mouse message. The graphical user interface includes one or more commands that the user may select. Based on the selection made by the user, the message hook procedure sends a corresponding command to the focus application.

Claims

1. A computer mouse for use with a computer, the computer running network browser software for visiting network addresses, the mouse having:

a housing; and

at least one user depressible surface exposed on the housing for communicating a first command signal to the computer,

the first command signal associated with a paging back function of the network browser software,

whereby depression of the user depressible surface causes the network browser software to page backward without having to place the cursor over a browser back button of the network browser software.

2. In a computer mouse including a housing,

an electrical power source for powering electronic circuitry,

the electronic circuitry located within the housing,

a mouse cursor position control arrangement coupled to the electronic circuitry for allowing a user to control the mouse cursor position on a computer monitor,

the electronic circuitry in communication with devices for communicating output control signals from the electronic circuitry to a computer,

a plurality of finger-depressible buttons exposed on the housing and interfacing with switches, the switches electrically coupled with the electronic circuitry for allowing user selection of output control signals communicated to a computer;

wherein;

at least one of the buttons associated with a page-back function, depression of the at least one button causes network browsing software to receive a page-back message that initiates a page-back function executed by the network browsing software,

the network browsing software receiving the page-back message without requiring the mouse cursor to be located on a back button of the network browsing software displayed on the monitor.

3. A method of using a computer mouse,

the mouse having a cursor position control arrangement for defining cursor position on a display, and user activatable buttons,

wherein the method includes:

activating one of the buttons to send a page-back signal,

regardless of the cursor position on the display, to network browsing software for execution of a page-back function.

4. A method of browsing or navigating a network using a computer mouse,

the mouse having a cursor position control arrangement for defining cursor position on a display, and user activatable buttons,

wherein the method includes:

depressing one of the buttons to send a page-back signal,

regardless of cursor position on the display, to network browsing software for execution of a page-back function.