Pen-mouse system

• US 20040141015A1
• Filed: 10/15/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics Incorporated (Graphics Properties Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buxton, William A., Kurtenbach, Gordon, Pieke, Robert J., Fitzmaurice, George W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,242,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/856
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/08 Cursor circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

The present invention is a system that provides a pen based computer user with a graphical user interface tool, a pen-mouse, that looks like and functions like a mouse but that is controlled by a limited input device such as a pen or stylus of the pen based computer. The pen-mouse is a tracking menu that tracks the position of the pen. A pen cursor that corresponds to the pen is allowed to be moved about within the pen-mouse graphic by the pen and the pen-mouse remains stationary. The pen-mouse is moved when the location of the pen encounters a tracking boundary of the pen-mouse. The tracking boundary typically coincides with the graphic representing the mouse. While moving within the pen-mouse, the pen can select objects within the pen-mouse body, such as buttons, wheels, etc. The selection of a button or other virtual control causes a corresponding computer mouse button function to be executed. The execution focus is directed at any object designated by a pen-mouse tracking symbol, such as an arrow, that is part of the pen mouse graphic. The pen-mouse can emulate functions or operations of a mouse including single button clicks, double button clicks, finger wheels, track balls, etc.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface, comprising:

a mouse graphic having the appearance of a computer mouse;

at least one button control positioned within the graphic with a button event being produced when activated;

a tracking symbol graphic associated with the mouse graphic and indicating event focus; and

a tracking menu boundary providing tracking menu control of the interface for a pen type input device.

2. An interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the tracking boundary coincides with an edge of the mouse graphic.

3. An interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the tracking boundary comprises a safety neck

4. An interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the control is activated by a pen input event.

5. An interface as recited in claim 1, wherein three button controls are provided and multiple button events can be emulated.

6. An interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the interface can drag objects.

7. An interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the tracking symbol graphic has an appearance corresponding to system state.

8. An interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the tracking symbol graphic is positionable at various positions around the mouse graphic.

9. An interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said tracking boundary comprises an interior tracking wall.

10. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising one of a wheel control, a ball control, a bar control, joystick, track pad, buttons, keyboard buttons, and status indicators.

11. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a second mouse graphic having the appearance of a computer mouse;

at least a second button control positioned within the second graphic with a second button event being produced when activated;

a second tracking symbol graphic associated with the second mouse graphic and indicating event focus; and

a second tracking menu boundary providing tracking menu control of the interface for a second pen type input device.

12. A graphical user interface, comprising:

a mouse graphic having the appearance of a computer mouse;

at least three button controls positioned within the graphic with a button event being produced when activated by a stylus input event and the button controls changing appearance when activated;

a tracking symbol graphic associated with the mouse graphic, indicating event focus and system state; and

a tracking menu boundary coinciding with an edge of the mouse graphic and extending into the mouse graphic, and providing tracking menu control of the interface for a pen type input device.

13. A graphical user interface, comprising:

a pen cursor tracking graphic for providing mouse pointing and mouse button emulation.

14. An interface as recited in claim 13, wherein the graphic provides an appearance of button controls.

15. A graphical user interface, comprising:

a dragable graphic dragable by an input cursor and that is used to interpret events associated with the input cursor as computer mouse events.

associated with the input cursor as computer mouse events.

16. A method, comprising:

producing a graphical user interface on a display that has an appearance of a computer mouse;

moving the graphic on the display as a tracking menu responsive to movement of a pen; and

interpreting input events initiated by the pen as mouse events.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a display;

a pen type input transducer; and

a computer coupled to the display and transducer and providing a tracking menu having the appearance of a mouse on the display and interpreting transducer input events as computer mouse input events.

18. A computer readable storage controlling a computer via a tracking menu having the appearance of a mouse on the display and interpreting transducer input events as computer mouse input events.

19. A computer readable storage controlling a computer by producing a graphical user interface on a display that has an appearance of a computer mouse, moving the graphic on the display as a tracking menu responsive to movement of a pen, and interpreting input events initiated by the pen as mouse events.