Breakaway touchscreen pointing device

• US 5,870,083 A
• Filed: 10/04/1996
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Shieh, Johnny Meng-Han
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIEU, JULIE BICHNGOC
• Application Number:
  US08/726,002
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 345/157, 345/156, 345/163, 345/173, 345/177
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04801 Cursor retrieval aid, i.e. visual aspect modification, blinking, colour changes, enlargement or other visual cues, for helping user do find the cursor in graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and memory direct a computer system, having at least a touchscreen, to breakaway at least a portion of a virtual pointing device. The method includes displaying a virtual pointing device on the touchscreen, wherein a first cursor is associated with the virtual pointing device. The method also includes, in response to detecting at least one finger or stylus placed on at least a first portion of the virtual pointing device, breaking away only the first portion of the virtual pointing device in accordance with movement of the finger or stylus along the touchscreen. At least a first function is associated with the first portion.

Claims

1. A method for directing a computer system, having at least a touchscreen, to breakaway at least a portion of a virtual pointing device, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a virtual pointing device on the touchscreen having only a single cursor that moves in accordance with the virtual pointing device associated therewith; and

(b) in response to detecting at least one finger or stylus placed on at least a first portion of the virtual pointing device, breaking away only the first portion of the virtual pointing device and creating a second cursor that moves in accordance with movement of the finger or stylus along the touchscreen, wherein at least a first function is associated with the first portion.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises the step of:

detecting sound, heat, or pressure from the finger or stylus on the first portion.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

in response to detecting at least one finger or stylus placed on a second portion of the virtual pointing device, breaking away only the second portion of the virtual pointing device in accordance with movement of the finger or stylus along the touchscreen, wherein at least a second function is associated with the second portion; and

creating a third cursor that moves in accordance with the second portion and finger or stylus.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

in response to activating the first portion with the finger or stylus, invoking the first function on at least one object positioned under the second cursor.

5. The method according to claim 3 further comprising the step of:

in response to activating the second portion with the finger or stylus, invoking the second function on at least one object positioned under the third cursor.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

re-growing a new portion to the virtual pointing device in place of the first portion, wherein the new portion has the first function associated therewith.

7. The method according to claim 3 further comprising the step of:

re-growing a new portion to the virtual pointing device in place of the second portion, wherein the new portion has the second function associated therewith.

8. A computer system, having at least a processor, memory, and touchscreen, for breaking away at least a portion of a virtual pointing device, comprising:

means for displaying a virtual pointing device on the touchscreen, wherein only a single cursor is associated with the virtual pointing device; and

means for, in response to detecting at least one finger or stylus placed on at least a first portion of the virtual pointing device, breaking away only the first portion of the virtual pointing device and for creating a second cursor that moves in accordance with movement of the finger or stylus along the touchscreen, wherein at least a first function is associated with the first portion.

9. The system according to claim 8 comprising:

means for detecting sound, heat, or pressure from the finger or stylus on the first portion.

10. The system according to claim 8 further comprising:

in response to detecting at least one finger or stylus placed on a second portion of the virtual pointing device, means for breaking away only the second portion of the virtual pointing device in accordance with movement of the finger or stylus along the touchscreen, wherein at least a second function is associated with the second portion; and

means for creating a third cursor that moves in accordance with the second portion and finger or stylus.

11. The system according to claim 8 further comprising:

in response to activating the first portion with the finger or stylus, means for invoking the first function on at least one object positioned under the second cursor.

12. The system according to claim 10 further comprising:

in response to activating the second portion with the finger or stylus, means for invoking the second function on at least one object positioned under the third cursor.

13. The system according to claim 8 further comprising:

means for re-growing a new portion to the virtual pointing device in place of the first portion, wherein the new portion has the first function associated therewith.

14. The system according to claim 10 further comprising:

means for re-growing a new portion to the virtual pointing device in place of the second portion, wherein the new portion has the second function associated therewith.

15. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein, the computer readable program code means in the article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer system, having at least a touchscreen, to breakaway at least a portion of a virtual pointing device;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer system to display a virtual pointing device on the touchscreen, wherein only a single cursor is associated with the virtual pointing device; and

computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to, in response to detecting at least one finger or stylus placed on at least a first portion of the virtual pointing device, break away only the first portion of the virtual pointing device and to create a second cursor that moves in accordance with movement of the finger or stylus along the touchscreen, wherein at least a first function is associated with the first portion.