Scroll box controls

• US 6,683,627 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2000
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ullmann, Cristi Nesbitt, Ullmann, Lorin Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US09/671,064
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 345/856-862, 345/865, 345/157, 345/159, 345/160, 345/973-974, 345/784-786
• US Class Current: 715/786
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/973 Scroll tool, e.g. window scroll bar

Abstract

A method and implementing computer system are provided in which a user is able to customize pointer movements on a display screen corresponding to physical mouse movements. In an exemplary embodiment, a menu is presented on a display screen to allow a user to select and customize sensitivity settings for mouse movements. Further controls are selectively implemented to limit pointer movement along predetermined axes. Another feature enables a user to define screen areas surrounding function buttons or hyperlinks such that a user-controlled pointer movement in proximity to any sensitized area will automatically highlight the closest hyperlink or function for subsequent selection and/or actuation by the user. Another user selection enables a user to select various features regarding scroll boxes presented on a display screen within a browser program. The scroll box controls enable a user to define the size of scroll boxes as well as pointer interaction with regard to displayed scroll boxes.

Claims

1. In a display system including a display device and an input device, said input device being arranged for effecting a movement of a pointer indicium on a display screen of said display device, a method for controlling predetermined aspects of scroll boxes appearing on said display screen, each of said scroll boxes displaying an application working area within a portion of said display screen, said method comprising:

presenting a scroll box control screen on said display device, said scroll box control screen including a visual model of a scroll box; and

enabling a changing of at least one dimension of said visual model by manipulating said input device relative to said visual model, said changing being effective to cause a corresponding change in one or more scroll boxes appearing on said display screen.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said input device is a mouse device, said mouse device being selectively movable to cause a corresponding movement of said pointer indicium on a display screen of said display device.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 and further including:

changing at least one dimension of said visual model by operating said mouse device and moving a selected side of said visual model using said pointer indicium.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 and further including means for defining a standard size for scroll boxes presented on said display device based on a number of scroll boxes presented on said display screen.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 and further including selectively rendering selective ones of said scroll boxes invisible on said display screen.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 and further including selectively enabling movement of said pointer indicium through multiple scroll boxes on said display screen.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 and further including enabling a selection of a number of scroll boxes through which said pointer indicium may move.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said input device comprises a roller ball device wherein rotation of said roller ball device causes a corresponding movement of said pointer indicium.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said input device comprises a movable arm wherein movement of said movable arm causes a corresponding movement of said pointer indicium.

10. A storage medium including machine readable coded indicia, said storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, said reading device being selectively coupled to processing circuitry for reading said machine readable coded indicia and provide program signals representative thereof, said program signals being effective to cause a presentation of a selection screen on a display device, said program signals being further effective for:

presenting a scroll box control screen on said display device, said scroll box control screen including a visual model of a scroll box; and

enabling a changing of at least one dimension of said visual model by manipulating said input device relative to said visual model, said changing being effective to cause a corresponding change in one or more scroll boxes appearing on said display screen.

11. The storage medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said input device is a mouse device, said mouse device being selectively movable to cause a corresponding movement of said pointer indicium on a display screen of said display device.

12. The storage medium as set forth in claim 11 and further including:

changing at least one dimension of said visual model by operating said mouse device and moving a selected side of said visual model using said pointer indicium.

13. The storage medium as set forth in claim 12 and further including means for defining a standard size for scroll boxes presented on said display device based on a number of scroll boxes presented on said display screen.

14. The storage medium as set forth in claim 13 and further including selectively rendering selective ones of said scroll boxes invisible on said display screen.

15. The storage medium as set forth in claim 14 and further including selectively enabling movement of said pointer indicium through multiple scroll boxes on said display screen.

16. The storage medium as set forth in claim 15 and further including enabling a selection of a number of scroll boxes through which said pointer indicium may move.

17. The storage medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said input device comprises a roller ball device wherein rotation of said roller ball device causes a corresponding movement of said pointer indicium.

18. The storage medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said input device comprises a movable arm wherein movement of said movable arm causes a corresponding movement of said pointer indicium.

19. A system comprising:

a system bus;

a CPU device connected to said system bus;

a memory device connected to said system bus;

a display device connected to said system bus; and

an input device connected to said system bus, said input device being arranged to enable a user input to determine movement of a pointer indicium on said display device, said system being arranged for presenting a scroll box control screen on said display device, said scroll box control screen including a visual model of a scroll box whereby a changing of at least one dimension of said visual model is accomplished by manipulating said input device relative to said visual model, said changing being effective to cause a corresponding change in one or more scroll boxes appearing on said display screen.