Method for operating an electronic machine using a pointing device

• US 6,926,609 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2003
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John R. Martin 2002 Declaration of Trust
• Original Assignee: John R. Martin
• Inventors: Martin, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US10/649,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20050075168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36, 463/37, 463/46, 463/47, 463/16, 463/20, 345/173
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/007 with under-desk displays, e.g. displays being viewable through a transparent working surface of the table or desk
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/516 connected to a local network, e.g. in a plane, hotel
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters

Abstract

An electronic game device system is switchable between an amusement mode and a gaming or gambling mode and is useful for vehicles such as airplanes or boats which move geographically from jurisdictions where gaming is legal to jurisdictions where it is not. A GPS receive can be used to automatically switch the system between the modes, dependent upon the vehicle position. An improved method of operating a touch screen on a CRT or ICD computer screen uses finger release as input registering, and also may use highlighting of a button being selected with an enlarged button area for any highlighted button. Mounting arrangements for mounting computer screens or monitors are also disclosed for mounting between a transparent table top in e.g. a lounge area, and for mounting in seatbacks of airplane or other vehicle seats.

Claims

1. In a method of operating an electronic machine of the type having a touch screen upon which buttons are displayed for operator input or selection by the operator placing or sliding a finger on at least one of the desired buttons, the improvement comprising:

displaying a plurality of buttons on the screen, with each of the plurality of buttons having visually defined boundaries on the screen;

defining an enlarged sensitive area for each button having a larger area than the visually defined boundary for that button;

activating the enlarged sensitive area for a first button when a finger touch which is still touching the screen is sensed for said first button and concurrently highlighting the visually defined boundary for said first button;

registering a button selection for said first button when the finger touch is released anywhere within the enlarged sensitive area for said first button;

un-highlighting said first button when a finger which is still touching the screen exits the enlarged sensitive area of said first button without being released, and, when finger touch is sensed from finger placement on or finger sliding on a visually defined boundary for a second button with said previously highlighted first button being unhighlighted, activating the enlarged sensitive area for said second button and concurrently highlighting the visually defined boundary for said second highlighted button.

2. In a method of operating an electronic machine of the type including a pointing device, with the electronic machine having a visual screen upon which buttons or selection areas are displayed for operator input or selection by the operator moving the pointing device such that a visual indication of the pointing device is moved on the visual screen to lie within a button or selection area, and with selection of a button or selection area occurring by activating a selection control of the pointing device, the improvement comprising;

displaying a plurality of buttons or selection areas on the screen, with each of the plurality of buttons or selection areas having a defined boundary,

defining an enlarged sensitive area for each button or selection area having a larger area than the defined boundary for that button or selection area,

activating the enlarged sensitive area for a particular button or selection area when a visual indication corresponding to a pointing device is sensed within that button or selection area and concurrently highlighting the defined boundary for that button or selection area,

registering a button or selection area selection for a highlighted button when the selection control of the pointing device is activated while the visual indication of the pointing device is within the enlarged sensitive area for that highlighted button,

un-highlighting a highlighted button or selection area when a visual indication of the pointing device exits the enlarged sensitive area of a button or selection area without the selection control of the pointing device being activated, and after a previously highlighted button or selection area has been unhighlighted, highlighting a different button or selection area when a visual indication of the pointing device is sensed within the defined boundary for that different button or selection area, and concurrently activating the enlarged sensitive area for that different highlighted button or selection area.