Method and apparatus for driving pointing device of computer system

• US 6,466,197 B1
• Filed: 06/28/1999
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Seong-Dong, Kim, Young-Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maier, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US09/342,829
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 375/237, 345/145, 345/856-862
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method for driving a pointing device of a computer system is provided. In the method, a pointer is positioned in a user interface area for performing a specific command such as an icon, a menu bar, and a menu button. If the pointer is moved from the user interface area to a specific area over a predetermined distance, an amount of the position change of the pointer is detected and if the amount thereof corresponds to a button click of the pointing device, the same pointing signal as that of a corresponding button click is generated. It is therefore possible to perform the same function as a button click when the pointer is moved in a specific direction over a predetermined distance without using a button of the pointing device. Thus, a user is able to more conveniently use the pointing device, and changing a holding form while clicking the button of the stylus can be advantageously reduced or suppressed.

Claims

1. A method for driving a pointing device of a computer system corresponding to movement of a pointer on a screen of a display device, comprising the steps of:

determining whether said pointer is positioned in a user interface area on said screen of said display device;

determining whether a position of said pointer is changed from a previous position in said user interface area, when said pointer is previously positioned in said user interface area;

detecting an amount of a position change of said pointer, when said position of said pointer is changed from said previous position in said user interface area;

determining whether said amount of said position change of said pointer corresponds to a button click of said pointing device, said button click performing a function in said computer system; and

generating a same pointing signal as a signal that corresponds to said button click to perform said function in said computer system, when said amount of said position change of said pointer corresponds to said button click of said pointing device, said amount of said position change of said pointer, that corresponds to said button click to perform said function in said computer system, corresponding to a moving distance of said pointer and a direction of movement of said pointer, said moving distance of said pointer and said direction of movement of said pointer being determined in relation to an initial reference position, said initial reference position being inside of said user interface area on said screen of said display device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprised of said pointing device including a tablet including a two-dimensional coordinate plane and a stylus, said stylus being operated on said tablet and indicating a position of said pointer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprised of determining whether said amount of said position change of said pointer corresponds to a predetermined amount of a reference position change of said pointer that corresponds to said function in said computer system.

4. By A method for driving a pointing device of a computer system corresponding to movement of a pointer on a screen of a display device, comprising the steps of:

determining whether said pointer is positioned in a user interface area on said screen of said display device;

determining whether a position of said pointer is changed from a previous position in said user interface area, when said pointer is previously positioned in said user interface area;

detecting an amount of a position change of said pointer, when said position of said pointer is changed from said previous position in said user interface area;

determining whether said amount of said position change of said pointer corresponds to a function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device; and

generating a same pointing signal as a signal that corresponds to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device to perform said function in said computer system, when said amount of said position change of said pointer corresponds to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device, said amount of said position change of said pointer, that corresponds to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device, corresponding to a moving distance of said pointer and a direction of movement of said pointer, said moving distance of said pointer and said direction of movement of said pointer being determined in relation to an initial reference position, said initial reference position being inside of said user interface area on said screen of said display device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprised of said pointing device including a tablet including a two-dimensional coordinate plane and a stylus, said stylus being operated on said tablet and indicating a position of said pointer.

6. The method of claims 4, further comprised of determining whether said amount of said position change of said pointer corresponds to a predetermined amount of a reference position change of said pointer that corresponds to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprised of said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device includes one of a function in said computer system corresponding to a button click of said pointing device and a function in said computer system corresponding to pressing a tip of a stylus of said pointing device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprised of said pointing device including a tablet including a two-dimensional coordinate plane and said stylus, said stylus being operated on said tablet and indicating a position of said pointer.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprised of determining whether said amount of said position change of said pointer corresponds to a predetermined amount of a reference position change of said pointer that corresponds to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device.

10. A method of setting a button click function of a pointing device to perform said button click function according to movement of a pointer in a computer system, comprising the steps of:

selecting a button as a selected button of said pointing device and a function corresponding to said selected button; and

setting each specific direction and each amount of change in each said specific direction corresponding to said function of said selected button by moving said pointer starting from an initial reference position on a screen of a display device for said computer system, each said specific direction and each said amount of change in each said specific direction comprising an amount of a reference position change corresponding to said function of said selected button, each said specific direction and each said amount of change in each said specific direction being determined in relation to said initial reference position, said initial reference position being inside of a user interface area on said screen of said display device for said computer system.

11. A method of setting a button click function of a pointing device to perform said button click function according to movement of a pointer in a computer system, comprising the steps of:

selecting a button as a selected button of said pointing device and a function corresponding to said selected button; and

setting within a test area on a screen of a display device for said computer system each specific direction and each amount of change in each said specific direction corresponding to said function of said selected button by moving said pointer starting from an initial reference position on said screen of said display device for said computer system, said initial reference position being within said test area.

12. A method of setting a function in a computer system initiated by a pointing device to perform said function according to movement of a pointer in said computer system, comprising the steps of:

selecting a function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device; and

setting each specific direction and each amount of change in each said specific direction corresponding to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device by moving said pointer starting from an initial reference position on a screen of a display device for said computer system, each said specific direction and each said amount of change in each said specific direction comprising an amount of a reference position change corresponding to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device, each said specific direction and each said amount of change in each said specific direction being determined in relation to said initial reference position, said initial reference position being inside of a user interface area on said screen of said display device for said computer system.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprised of said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device including one of a function in said computer system corresponding to a button click of said pointing device and a function in said computer system corresponding to pressing the tip of a stylus of said pointing device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprised of setting within a test area on said screen of said display device for said computer system each said specific direction and each said amount of change in each said specific direction, said initial reference position being within said test area.

13. A method of setting a function in a computer system initiated by a pointing device to perform said function according to movement of a pointer in said computer system, comprising the steps of:

selecting a function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device; and

setting within a test area on a screen of a display device for said computer system each specific direction and each amount of change in each said specific direction corresponding to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device by moving said pointer starting from an initial reference position on said screen of said display device for said computer system, said initial reference position being within said test area.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprised of each said specific direction and each said amount of change in each said specific direction being determined in relation to said initial reference position, said initial reference position being inside of, a user interface area on said screen of said display device for said computer system.

17. An apparatus for driving a pointing device of a computer system corresponding to movement of a pointer on a screen of a display device, comprising:

means for determining whether said pointer is positioned in a user interface area on said screen of said display device;

means for determining whether a position of said pointer is changed from a previous position in said user interface area, when said pointer is previously positioned in said user interface area;

means for detecting an amount of a position change of said pointer, when said position of said pointer is changed from said previous position in said user interface area;

means for determining whether said amount of said position change of said pointer corresponds to a function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device; and

means for generating a same pointing signal as a signal that corresponds to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device to perform said function in said computer system, when said amount of said position change of said pointer corresponds to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device, said amount of said position change of said pointer, that corresponds to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device, corresponding to a moving distance of said pointer and a direction of movement of said pointer, said moving distance of said pointer and said direction of movement of said pointer being determined in relation to an initial reference position, said initial reference position being inside of said user interface area on said screen of said display device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprised of said pointing device including a tablet including a two-dimensional coordinate plane and a stylus, said stylus being operated on said tablet and indicating a position of said pointer.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprised of said amount of said position change of said pointer corresponding to a predetermined amount of a reference position change of said pointer that corresponds to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprised of said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device including one of a function in said computer system corresponding to a button click of said pointing device and a function in said computer system corresponding to pressing a tip of a stylus of said pointing device.

21. An apparatus for setting a function initiated by a pointing device to perform said function according to movement of a pointer in a computer system, comprising:

means for selecting a function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device;

means for moving a pointer on a screen of a display device for said computer system; and

means for setting each specific direction and each amount of change in each said specific direction corresponding to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device resulting from movement of said pointer starting from an initial reference position on said screen of said display device for said computer system, each said specific direction and each said amount of change in each said specific direction comprising an amount of a reference position change corresponding to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device, each said specific direction and each said amount of change in each said specific direction being determined in relation to said initial reference position, said initial reference position being inside of a user interface area on said screen of said display device for said computer system.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprised of said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device including one of a function in said computer system corresponding to a button click of said pointing device and a function in said computer system corresponding to pressing a tip of a stylus of said pointing device.

23. An apparatus for setting a function initiated by a pointing device to perform said function according to movement of a pointer in a computer system, comprising:

means for selecting a function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device;

means for moving a pointer on a screen of a display device for said computer system; and

means for setting within a test area on said screen of said display device for said computer system each specific direction and each amount of change in each said specific direction corresponding to said function in said computer system initiated by said pointing device resulting from movement of said pointer starting from an initial reference position on said screen of said display device for said computer system, said initial reference position being within said test area.