EP0150904A2 — Cursor control apparatus and method

Claim 1

Independent Claim 81 words

Apparatus for controlling movement of the cursor of a video display device, comprising, in combination; housing means having a recess and means for supporting a plurality of spaced apart light beams within said recess, and means for developing an electrical signal in response to manual interruption of one or more of said beams by an operator, said signal being representative of movement of said cursor in a predetermined direction and at a predetermined speed, corresponding to the interrupted beam or beams.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 81 words

Apparatus for controlling movement of the cursor of a video display device, comprising, in combination; housing means having a recess and means for supporting a plurality of spaced apart light beams within said recess, and means for developing an electrical signal in response to manual interruption of one or more of said beams by an operator, said signal being representative of movement of said cursor in a predetermined direction and at a predetermined speed, corresponding to the interrupted beam or beams.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 18 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, including means connected to an responsive to said signal for moving said cursor.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 32 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said video display device is a component of a computer system, and wherein said housing is integral with the console or keyboard of said computer system.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 31 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recess has a plurality of elongate legs, with a plurality of said light beams being spaced along the length of each of said legs.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of said legs extends outwardly from a central position.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 14 words

Apparatus according to claim 5, including tactile identifying means for marking said central position.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said tactile identifying means comprises a raised portion disposed within said recess.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of said legs has at least three light beams spaced along its length.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 115 words

Q. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of said light beams has a light source and a photo responsive element defining opposite ends of said beam, and including means connected to said photo responsive elements and responsive to interruption of the beam closest to one end of its respective leg for moving said cursor a single position during each of a plurality of equal time intervals, and responsive to interruption of the adjacent beam by more than one position during said time intervals, and responsive to interruption of the beam furthest from said one end for moving said cursor through a greater number of positions than said adjacent beam, during each said time interval.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recess is in the shape of a square, and wherein said light beams are arranged to cross each other orthogonally within said square.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 92 words

A method of controlling the position of the cursor of a video display device in response to manual movements of an operator, comprising the steps of; providing a housing having an elongate recess in its external surface, providing a plurality of light beams within said recess and spaced along its length, and providing means for moving said cursor in a given direction at one of a plurality of predetermined speeds whenever one or more of said beams is interrupted, the speed of movement increasing as successive ones of said beams are interrupted.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 92 words

A method of controlling the position of the cursor of a video display device in response to manual movements of an operator, comprising the steps of; providing a housing having an elongate recess in its external surface, providing a plurality of light beams within said recess and spaced along its length, and providing means for moving said cursor in a given direction at one of a plurality of predetermined speeds whenever one or more of said beams is interrupted, the speed of movement increasing as successive ones of said beams are interrupted.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method according to claim 11, including the step of placing said recess in the housing of a console or keyboard of a computer system which employs said video display device as a component.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method according to claim 11, including the step of breaking one or more of said beams by placing a finger in said recess.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method according to claim 11, including the steps of moving said cursor by one position during each of a plurality of equal time intervals of predetermined length when a first of said beams is interrupted.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method according to claim 11 including the step of interrupting plural beams by placing plural fingers in said recess, and moving said beam at a speed intermediate the speeds at which said beam is moved when said beams are interrupted individually.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method according to claim 11, including the step of establishing said beams by positioning a plurality of infra red emitting devices along the length of said recess, and providing a plurality of infra red detectors in alignment with said emitting devices.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method according to claim 11, including the step of forming said recess with a plurality of legs radiating outwardly from a central position.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 53 words

The method according to claim 11, including the step of forming said recess in the shape of a rectangle, said light beams extending across the width of said rectangle in two perpendicular sets, and moving said cursor in two orthogonal directions in response to simultaneous interruption of beams from both of said sets.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 46 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for developing an electrical signal comprises means for sensing the speed of movement of an object interrupting plural beams, and including means for setting said predetermined speed of cursor movement in response to the speed of said interruption.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 18 words

Apparatus according to claim 18, including means for periodically reducing said predetermined speed until said cursor is stopped.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 23 words

Apparatus according to claim 18 including apparatus operation in response to interruption of a predetermined beam for immediately stopping movement of said cursor.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 96 words

Apparatus for controlling movement of the cursor of a video display device comprising, in combination, a base for supporting plural detecting means for detecting the position of an operator's finger, and for generating a signal responsive to such identification, said plural detecting means being located in spaced relation to sense movement of said finger in plural directions from a central position, and means connected to receive said signals from said detecting means and for moving the position of said cursor in a direction corresponding to the direction of mvoement of said finger from said control position.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 96 words

Apparatus for controlling movement of the cursor of a video display device comprising, in combination, a base for supporting plural detecting means for detecting the position of an operator's finger, and for generating a signal responsive to such identification, said plural detecting means being located in spaced relation to sense movement of said finger in plural directions from a central position, and means connected to receive said signals from said detecting means and for moving the position of said cursor in a direction corresponding to the direction of mvoement of said finger from said control position.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 28 words

Apparatus according to claim 21, including means for causing cursor to move at a speed corresponding to the distance of movement of said finger from said central position.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 24 words

Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said detecting means comprises means located at plural distances from said central position in the four individual directions.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 34 words

Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein each said detecting means comprises an electrically conductive member adapted to be touched by an operator, and means for developing an electrical signal in response to said touch.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said video display is a component of a computer system, and wherein said base is integral with the console or keyboard of said system.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 42 words

Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said video display device is a component of a computer system, and wherein said base is integral with the console or keyboard of said system base is separate from the console or keyboard of said system.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus according to claim 21, including means for causing said cursor to move at a speed corresponding to the speed of movement of an operator's finger fron said central position.

Cursor control apparatus and method

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