Integrated keyboard and pointing device system with automatic mode change

Claim 2

In a computer system having a typing mode of operation and a pointing mode of operation, and including a keyboard having a plurality of keys that includes typing keys, one of the typing keys being also a pointing key, and a display screen having a cursor, an implicit method of switching between typing mode and pointing mode, comprising: defining a first predetermined time interval and a second predetermined time interval longer than the first time interval; during the typing mode of operation, monitoring keyboard to detect a first keyboard event; responsive to detecting a first keyboard event, testing for a pointing key press; if the first keyboard event is a pointing key press; monitoring a time elapsed since the pointing key press; monitoring the keyboard to detect a second keyboard event; if the elapsed time is greater than the first time interval and no second keyboard event has been detected, storing an initial cursor position, acquiring pointing sensor data and moving the cursor from the initial position responsive to the pointing sensor data, thereby switching the system to the pointing mode of operation; continuing after the first time interval has elapsed to monitor the time elapsed since the pointing key press; continuing after the first time interval has elapsed to monitor the keyboard to detect a second keyboard event; and responsive to detecting a second keyboard event, if the elapsed time is less than the second predetermined time interval, switching the system back to the typing mode of operation; defining a third predetermined time interval longer than the second time interval; designating at least one key other than the pointing key as a pointing event key for emulating a mouse button; if the elapsed time is greater than the second time interval and a second keyboard event has not been detected, continuing after the second time interval has elapsed to monitor the keyboard to detect a second keyboard event; and responsive to detecting a second keyboard event, if the elapsed time is less than the third predetermined time interval, determining whether the second keyboard event is a pointing key release; if the second keyboard event is not a pointing key release, determining whether the second keyboard event is a pointing event key press; and if the second keyboard event is pointing event key press, processing the pointing event key press normally to emulate a mouse key press and continuing in the pointing mode of operation.

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 wherein the second time interval is approximately 200 milliseconds and the third time interval is approximately 300 milliseconds.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1 further comprising: if the second keyboard event is not a pointing event key press, resuming the typing mode of operation; and if the second keyboard event is a pointing key release, resuming the typing mode of operation.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 3 wherein resuming the typing mode includes: processing the pointing key press normally; stopping the cursor; restoring the cursor to the initial position; and processing the second keyboard event normally.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 1 further comprising: defining a fourth predetermined time interval longer than the third time interval; if the elapsed time is greater than the third time interval and a second keyboard event has not been detected, continuing to monitor the time elapsed since the pointing key press and continuing to monitor the keyboard to detect a second keyboard event; responsive to detecting a second keyboard event, if the elapsed time is less than the fourth predetermined time interval, determining whether the second keyboard event is a pointing key release; and if the second keyboard event is not a pointing key release, processing the second keyboard event as a pointing macro and finally switching the system to the pointing mode of operation.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 5 further comprising: if the second keyboard event is a pointing key release, resuming the typing mode of operation.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 6 wherein resuming the typing mode includes: processing the pointing key press normally; stopping the cursor; restoring the cursor to the initial position; and processing the pointing key release normally.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 5 wherein the third time interval is approximately 300 milliseconds.

Claim 10

In a computer system having a typing mode of operation and a pointing mode of operation, and including a keyboard having a plurality of keys that includes typing keys, one of the typing keys being also a pointing key, and a display screen having a cursor, an implicit method of switching between typing mode and pointing mode, comprising the steps of: defining a first predetermined time interval; defining a second predetermined time interval longer than the first time interval; defining a third predetermined time interval longer than the second time interval; during the typing mode of operation, monitoring the keyboard to detect a pointing key press; responsive to a pointing key press: (a) monitoring a time elapsed since the pointing key press; (b) if the elapsed time exceeds the first time interval and is less than the second time interval, and no second keyboard event has been detected, entering a wait and see mode for subsequently determining whether to change mode, said entering the wait and see mode including: including after the first time interval elapsed to monitor the elapsed time since the pointing key press, storing an initial cursor position, and moving the cursor from the initial position responsive to pointing data acquired from the pointing key; (c) responsive to detecting a second keyboard event while in the wait and see mode, if the elapsed time is less than the second time interval; restoring the cursor to be initial position; terminating said monitoring of the elapsed time; processing both the initial pointing key press and the second keyboard event as typing events; and and resuming the typing mode of operation, thereby exiting the wait and see mode; (d) responsive to detecting a second keyboard event while in the wait and see mode, if the elapsed time exceeds the second time interval and is less than the third time interval, determining whether the second keyboard event is a pointing key release; if the second keyboard event is not a pointing key release, determining whether the second keyboard event is a pointing event key press; if the second keyboard event is not a pointing event key press; processing the pointing event key press normally; restoring the cursor to the initial position; terminating said monitoring of the elapsed time; processing the initial pointing key press normally; and resuming the typing mode of operation, thereby exiting the wait and see mode; and if the second keyboard event is a pointing event key press, terminating said monitoring of the elapsed time and switching to the pointing mode of operation, thereby exiting the wait and see mode.

Claim 11

In a computer system having a typing mode of operation and a pointing mode of operation, and including a keyboard having a plurality of keys that includes typing keys, one of the typing keys being also a pointing key, and a display screen having a cursor, an implicit method of switching between typing mode and pointing mode, comprising the steps of: defining a first predetermined time interval; defining a second predetermined time interval longer than the first time interval; defining a third predetermined time interval longer than the second time interval; during the typing mode of operation, monitoring the keyboard to detect a pointing key press; responsive to a pointing key press: (a) monitoring a time elapsed since the pointing key press; (b) if the elapsed time exceeds the first time interval and is less than the second time interval, and no second keyboard event has been detected, entering a wait and see mode for subsequently determining whether to change mode, said entering the wait and see mode including: including after the first time interval elapsed to monitor the elapsed time since the pointing key press, storing an initial cursor position, and moving the cursor from the initial position responsive to pointing data acquired from the pointing key; (c) responsive to detecting a second keyboard event while in the wait and see mode, if the elapsed time is less than the second time interval; restoring the cursor to be initial position; terminating said monitoring of the elapsed time; processing both the initial pointing key press and the second keyboard event as typing events; and and resuming the typing mode of operation, thereby exiting the wait and see mode; (d) responsive to detecting a second keyboard event while in the wait and see mode, if the elapsed time exceeds the second time interval and is less than the third time interval, determining whether the second keyboard event is a pointing key release; if the second keyboard event is not a pointing key release, determining whether the second keyboard event is a pointing event key press; if the second keyboard event is not a pointing event key press; processing the pointing event key press normally; restoring the cursor to the initial position; terminating said monitoring of the elapsed time; processing the initial pointing key press normally; and resuming the typing mode of operation, thereby exiting the wait and see mode; and if the second keyboard event is a pointing event key press, terminating said monitoring of the elapsed time and switching to the pointing mode of operation, thereby exiting the wait and see mode.