Post selection mouse pointer location

• US 9,043,720 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ferri, Richard C., Horton, Joshua H.
• Primary Examiner(s): NABI, REZA U
• Application Number:
  US13/270,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20130091457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781
• US Class Current: 715/781
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects

Abstract

A technique is provided for post selection location of a mouse pointer icon in a display screen of a computing device. A software tool receives input of the post selection location for the mouse pointer icon. The post selection location defines a default location to move the mouse pointer icon in response to a window action taken on a window displayed in the display screen. In response to the window action in which the mouse pointer icon is initially displayed at a selection location corresponding to the window action, the mouse pointer icon is moved to the post selection location such that the mouse pointer icon is displayed at the post selection location in the display screen.

Claims

1. A method for a post selection location of a mouse pointer icon in a display screen of a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving, by a software tool executed by the computing device, input of the post selection location for the mouse pointer icon, the post selection location defining a default location to move the mouse pointer icon in response to a window action taken on a window displayed in the display screen; and

in response to the window action in which the mouse pointer icon is initially displayed at a selection location corresponding to the window action, moving the mouse pointer icon to the post selection location such that the mouse pointer icon is displayed at the post selection location in the display screen;

wherein the post selection location is set by a user of the software tool via a user interface, the user interface includes options of being designated at another open window, at a tool bar of the another open window, at a center of the another open window, at a minimized windows bar in the display screen, at a center of the display screen, at a most active window, and at a last window used;

wherein the window action would cause the mouse pointer icon to remain and be displayed at the selection location when no post selection location is set by the user in the software tool; and

in response to the post selection location being set by the user in the software tool, the software tool is configured to recognize that the post selection location is set and relocate the mouse pointer icon to the post selection location for display in place of the selection location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the post selection location for the mouse pointer icon is defined in advance by a user, such that the mouse pointer icon moves to the post selection location and is automatically displayed in the display screen at the post selection location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the window action comprises at least one of maximizing the window and minimizing the window.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when an operating system moves the mouse pointer icon along with dragging the window such that the mouse pointer icon remains at a location corresponding to where the window is moved, the software tool is configured to cause the mouse pointer icon to relocate to the post selection location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a plurality of options for selecting the post selection location.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of options for selecting the post selection location are configured to allow a user to designate exactly where the mouse pointer icon is to be displayed in response to the window action.

7. A computing device configured to define a post selection location of a mouse pointer icon in a display screen, comprising:

a processor;

a software tool configured to operate on the processor, the software tool being configured to;

receive input of the post selection location for the mouse pointer icon, the post selection location defining a default location to move the mouse pointer icon in response to a window action taken on a window displayed in the display screen; and

in response to the window action in which the mouse pointer icon is initially displayed at a selection location corresponding to the window action, move the mouse pointer icon to the post selection location such that the mouse pointer icon is displayed at the post selection location in the display screen;

wherein the post selection location is set by a user of the software tool via a user interface, the user interface includes options of being designated at another open window, at a tool bar of the another open window, at a center of the another open window, at a minimized windows bar in the display screen, at a center of the display screen, at a most active window, and at a last window used;

wherein the window action would cause the mouse pointer icon to remain and be displayed at the selection location when no post selection location is set by the user in the software tool; and

in response to the post selection location being set by the user in the software tool, the software tool is configured to recognize that the post selection location is set and relocate the mouse pointer icon to the post selection location for display in place of the selection location.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the post selection location for the mouse pointer icon is defined in advance by a user via the software tool, such that the software tool moves the mouse pointer icon to the post selection location and automatically displays the mouse pointer icon in the display screen at the post selection location.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising an operating system;

wherein when the operating system moves the mouse pointer icon along with dragging the window such that the mouse pointer icon remains at a location corresponding to where the window is moved, the software tool is configured to cause the mouse pointer icon to relocate to the post selection location.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the window action comprises at least one of maximizing the window, minimizing the window, and closing the window.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the software tool is configured to display to a user a plurality of options for selecting the post selection location.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of options for selecting the post selection location are configured to allow the user to designate exactly where the mouse pointer icon is to be displayed in response to the window action.

13. A computer program product for defining a post selection location of a mouse pointer icon in a display screen of a computing device, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code being configured for;

receiving the post selection location for the mouse pointer icon, the post selection location defining a default location to move the mouse pointer icon in response to a window action taken on a window displayed in the display screen; and

in response to the window action in which the mouse pointer icon is initially displayed at a selection location corresponding to the window action, moving the mouse pointer icon to the post selection location such that the mouse pointer icon is displayed at the post selection location in the display screen;

wherein the post selection location is set by a user of the software tool via a user interface, the user interface includes options of being designated at another open window, at a tool bar of the another open window, at a center of the another open window, at a minimized windows bar in the display screen, at a center of the display screen, at a most active window, and at a last window used;

wherein the window action would cause the mouse pointer icon to remain and be displayed at the selection location when no post selection location is set by the user in the software tool; and

in response to the post selection location being set by the user in the software tool, the software tool is configured to recognize that the post selection location is set and relocate the mouse pointer icon to the post selection location for display in place of the selection location.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the post selection location for the mouse pointer icon is defined in advance by a user, such that the mouse pointer icon moves to the post selection location and is automatically displayed in the display screen at the post selection location.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the window action comprises at least one of maximizing the window, minimizing the window, and closing the window.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein when an operating system moves the mouse pointer icon along with dragging the window such that the mouse pointer icon remains at a location corresponding to where the window is moved, the computer readable program code is configured to cause the mouse pointer icon to relocate to the post selection location.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer readable program code is configured to display a plurality of options for selecting the post selection location.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the plurality of options for selecting the post selection location are configured to allow a user to designate exactly where the mouse pointer icon is to be displayed in response to the window action.