Moving an image with an input device

• US 7,773,071 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sherman, Nathan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Chanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karimi; Pegeman
• Application Number:
  US11/158,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20070013660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,875 Days
• Field of Search: 345/157, 345/163, 345/159, 345/123, 345/145, 345/348, 345/158, 345/160, 715/784, 715/856, 715/857, 715/858, 715/859, 340/995, 395/610, 395/145
• US Class Current: 345/163
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A system and method for providing a continuous input mode is disclosed. In the continuous input mode, a combination of a vector signal and a command signal is received from an input device. Upon receipt of a vector signal and a command signal, an image is moved on a display screen, for example. The image continues to move until the command signal is terminated. If a new vector signal is received prior to termination of the command signal, then the direction of image movement may be changed and will occur until termination of the command signal. Additional aspects of the present invention relate to input devices and computer-readable media with computer executable instructions utilized in switching between the input modes.

Claims

1. A method of moving an image with an input device, the method comprising:

producing a first vector signal with the input device, wherein the first vector signal includes a first directional component that corresponds to a first movement of the input device in order to move the image in a first direction;

storing the first vector signal in the input device;

multiplying the first vector signal by a scalar to produce a first augmented vector signal; and

repetitively transmitting the first augmented vector signal from the input device for continuous movement of the image in the first direction upon cessation of movement of the input device and depression of a key on the input device to produce a command signal, wherein the input device is configured to repetitively transmit the first augmented vector signal until a second vector signal is produced, wherein the second vector signal includes a second directional component that corresponds to a second movement of the input device different from the first movement, and wherein the input device is configured to repetitively transmit the first augmented vector signal until the command signal is terminated upon release of the key.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of producing the first vector signal includes incorporating direction data and magnitude data into the first vector signal.

3. The method recited in claim 2, wherein the step of producing the first vector signal includes correlating the direction data and the magnitude data to movement of the input device relative a support surface.

4. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of setting an origin and detecting movement of the input device relative to the origin.

5. The method recited in claim 4, wherein the first augmented vector corresponds to movement of the input device relative to the origin.

6. The method recited in claim 1, further including steps of:

producing the second vector signal;

adding the first vector signal to the second vector signal to produce a vector sum signal;

multiplying the vector sum signal by a scalar to produce a second augmented signal; and

repetitively transmitting the second augmented signal until one of;

a third vector signal is produced and the command signal is terminated.

7. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of resolving direction data and magnitude data from the first vector signal.

8. The method recited in claim 7, further including a step of moving an image on a display screen in a direction of the direction data and at a distance corresponding to the magnitude data.

9. A method of moving an image, the method comprising:

producing a first vector signal with an input device, wherein the first vector signal includes a directional component that corresponds to a first movement of the input device in order to move the image in a first direction;

storing the first vector signal in the input device;

producing a command signal with the input device;

multiplying the first vector signal by a scalar to form a first augmented vector signal;

repetitively transmitting the first augmented vector signal from the input device to continuously move the image in the first direction upon cessation of movement of the input device by resolving direction data and magnitude data from the first augmented vector signal to move the image in a direction of the direction data and at a distance corresponding to the magnitude data;

producing a second vector signal with the input device, wherein the second vector signal includes a directional component that corresponds to a second movement of the input device different from the first vector signal;

adding the first vector signal and the second vector signal to produce a vector sum signal;

multiplying the vector sum signal by a scalar to form a second augmented vector sum signal; and

repetitively transmitting the second augmented vector sum signal to move the image, wherein the input device is configured to repetitively transmit the second augmented vector signal until a third vector signal is received, the third vector signal includes a directional component that corresponds to a third movement of the input device different from the second vector signal, and wherein the input device configured to repetitively transmit the second augmented vector signal until the command signal is terminated.

10. A pointing device comprising:

a housing that forms at least a portion of an exterior of the pointing device;

a tracking assembly at least partially located within the housing for detecting movement of at least one of the pointing device relative a support surface; and

a rotatable ball, the tracking assembly producing a first vector signal with direction data and magnitude data, wherein the first vector signal corresponds to a first movement of the pointing device in order to move an image in a first direction; and

an actuator comprising a depressible button accessible from the exterior of the pointing device, the actuator producing a command signal, wherein the pointing device;

once transmitting the vector signal when no command signal is produced with the vector signal; and

adding a second vector signal produced by the tracking assembly to the first vector signal to produce an augmented vector signal stored in the input device when a command signal is produced, wherein the second vector signal includes a directional component that corresponds to a second movement of the input device different from the first vector signal, and repetitively transmitting the augmented vector signal scaled by a scaling factor to continuously move the image upon cessation of movement of the input device until the command signal is terminated.