Handheld electronic device, cursor positioning sub-system and method employing cursor scaling control
First Claim
1. A cursor positioning sub-system for a communications device, the communications device including a memory that stores an operating system and a plurality of applications, the cursor positioning sub-system selecting a cursor navigation mode from a plurality of cursor navigation modes, the cursor positioning sub-system comprising:
- a cursor positioning device that generates a device pulse when actuated, the device pulse corresponding to one of a plurality of directions for navigating a cursor on a display;
a movement detector that is communicatively coupled to the cursor positioning device and the operating system, the movement detector including a counter that counts the device pulse and increments a count value for the corresponding one of the plurality of directions, the movement detector being configured to;
receive the device pulse;
receive a signal from the operating system, the signal identifying an active application selected from the plurality of applications;
set a minimum count value threshold for the plurality of directions based on the identified active application;
generate a direction pulse when the count value threshold is reached for one of the plurality of directions, the direction pulse being associated with the corresponding direction;
reset the counter for the corresponding direction that reaches the count value threshold; and
reset the counter for the corresponding plurality of directions if the movement detector does not receive the device pulse associated with the plurality of directions within a predefined time period;
a velocity detector that is communicatively coupled to the movement detector, the velocity detector defining the plurality of cursor navigation modes based on at least one of the active application and a time period between corresponding direction pulses, the velocity detector configured to;
receive the direction pulse;
determine the direction associated with the direction pulse;
determine the time period between receiving the direction pulse and a previous direction pulse that corresponds to a same direction;
compare the determined time period with a plurality of predetermined time periods associated with the plurality of cursor navigation modes;
select one of the plurality of cursor navigation modes based on at least one of the determined time period and the active application; and
generate a cursor movement event that corresponds to the selected cursor navigation mode, the cursor movement event being a multiple of the determined time period between corresponding direction pulses.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A track ball cursor positioning sub-system is employed by a handheld electronic device including an operating system and a plurality of applications having a plurality of predetermined scaling values. The cursor positioning sub-system includes a track ball cursor positioning device adapted to output a plurality of device pulses, and a track ball cursor resolution controller adapted to repetitively input the device pulses and to responsively output to the operating system a plurality of cursor movement events. The cursor resolution controller is further adapted to be controlled by the operating system or by the applications to learn which one of the applications is active and to automatically scale a number of the cursor movement events for a corresponding number of the device pulses based upon a corresponding one of the predetermined scaling values of the active one of the applications.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A cursor positioning sub-system for a communications device, the communications device including a memory that stores an operating system and a plurality of applications, the cursor positioning sub-system selecting a cursor navigation mode from a plurality of cursor navigation modes, the cursor positioning sub-system comprising:
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a cursor positioning device that generates a device pulse when actuated, the device pulse corresponding to one of a plurality of directions for navigating a cursor on a display; a movement detector that is communicatively coupled to the cursor positioning device and the operating system, the movement detector including a counter that counts the device pulse and increments a count value for the corresponding one of the plurality of directions, the movement detector being configured to; receive the device pulse; receive a signal from the operating system, the signal identifying an active application selected from the plurality of applications; set a minimum count value threshold for the plurality of directions based on the identified active application; generate a direction pulse when the count value threshold is reached for one of the plurality of directions, the direction pulse being associated with the corresponding direction; reset the counter for the corresponding direction that reaches the count value threshold; and reset the counter for the corresponding plurality of directions if the movement detector does not receive the device pulse associated with the plurality of directions within a predefined time period; a velocity detector that is communicatively coupled to the movement detector, the velocity detector defining the plurality of cursor navigation modes based on at least one of the active application and a time period between corresponding direction pulses, the velocity detector configured to; receive the direction pulse; determine the direction associated with the direction pulse; determine the time period between receiving the direction pulse and a previous direction pulse that corresponds to a same direction; compare the determined time period with a plurality of predetermined time periods associated with the plurality of cursor navigation modes; select one of the plurality of cursor navigation modes based on at least one of the determined time period and the active application; and generate a cursor movement event that corresponds to the selected cursor navigation mode, the cursor movement event being a multiple of the determined time period between corresponding direction pulses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A communications device that is programmed to select a cursor navigation mode from a plurality of cursor navigation modes, the communications device comprising:
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a display; a cursor positioning device that generates a device pulse when actuated, the device pulse corresponding to one of a plurality of directions for navigating a cursor on the display; a storage device that stores an operating system and a plurality of applications; a processor that is communicatively coupled to the display, the cursor positioning device, and the storage device, the processor being configured to execute instructions for; receiving the device pulse; receiving a signal from the operating system, the signal identifying an active application selected from the plurality of applications; setting a minimum count value threshold for the plurality of directions based on the identified active application; generating a direction pulse when the count value threshold is reached for one of the plurality of directions, the direction pulse being associated with the corresponding direction; resetting the counter for the corresponding direction that reaches the count value threshold; and resetting the counter for the corresponding plurality of directions if the processor does not receive the device pulse associated with the plurality of directions within a predefined time period; determining the direction associated with the direction pulse; determining the time period between receiving the direction pulse and a previous direction pulse that corresponds to a same direction; comparing the determined time period with a plurality of predetermined time periods associated with the plurality of cursor navigation modes; selecting one of the plurality of cursor navigation modes based on at least one of the determined time period and the active application; and generating a cursor movement event that corresponds to the selected cursor navigation mode, the cursor movement event being a multiple of the determined time period between corresponding direction pulses. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer code that when loaded into a communications device adapts the communications device to select a cursor navigation mode from a plurality of cursor navigation modes, the communications device including a cursor positioning device that generates a device pulse when actuated, the device pulse corresponding to one of a plurality of directions for navigating a cursor on a display, the communications device further including a storage device that stores an operating system and a plurality of applications;
- the computer readable medium having instructions that are executable to;
receive the device pulse; receive a signal from the operating system, the signal identifying an active application selected from the plurality of applications; set a minimum count value threshold for the plurality of directions based on the identified active application; generate a direction pulse when the count value threshold is reached for one of the plurality of directions, the direction pulse being associated with the corresponding direction; reset the counter for the corresponding direction that reaches the count value threshold; and reset the counter for the corresponding plurality of directions if the processor does not receive the device pulse associated with the plurality of directions within a predefined time period; determine the direction associated with the direction pulse; determine the time period between receiving the direction pulse and a previous direction pulse that corresponds to a same direction; compare the determined time period with a plurality of predetermined time periods associated with the plurality of cursor navigation modes; select one of the plurality of cursor navigation modes based on at least one of the determined time period and the active application; and generate a cursor movement event that corresponds to the selected cursor navigation mode, the cursor movement event being a multiple of the determined time period between corresponding direction pulses. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
- the computer readable medium having instructions that are executable to;
Specification