Method and apparatus for improving object selection on a computer display by providing cursor control with a sticky property

Claim 2

A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display area of a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purpose including selection individual of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristics wherein said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor within said object, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected within said object whereby the pointing device is adapted to more easily permit selection of the object and wherein said sensitivity control logic determines the speed of the cursor as it moves on the display and disables the change in sensitivity if the speed is above a predetermined level.

Claim 3

A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display area of a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection individual of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristic; wherein said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor within said object, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device; wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected within said object whereby the pointing device is adapted to more easily permit selection of the object; and wherein the sensitivity of the pointing device is returned to normal if the pointing device is not activated by the user for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 4

A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display area of a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection individual of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristic; wherein said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor within said object, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device; wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected within said object whereby the pointing device is adapted to more easily permit selection of the object; and wherein the sensitivity of the pointing device is returned to normal if the pointing device is not activated by the user for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 5

A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display area of a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection individual of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristic wherein said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor within said object, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device; wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected within aid region whereby the pointing device is adapted to more easily permit selection of the object; and wherein the sensitivity of the pointing device is returned to normal if the pointing device is activated to indicate a direction change for the cursor that is greater than a predetermined value.

Claim 6

A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display area of a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection individual of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristic wherein said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor within said object, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device; wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected within aid region whereby the pointing device is adapted to more easily permit selection of the object; and wherein the sensitivity of the pointing device is returned to normal if the pointing device is activated to indicate a direction change for the cursor that is greater than a predetermined value.

Claim 7

A selection system improvement for use in a computer system which supports the presentation of display objects for selection on a display of said computer system using a cursor that is moveable, by activating a pointing device having a sensitivity characteristic for cursor movement, to overlay a desired object and a switch that effects selection when the cursor overlays a selectable object, said improvement comprising: logic for detecting the cursor is at a selectable object and responsively reducing the sensitivity of cursor movement to pointing device actuation; wherein the sensitivity is reduced to zero for a predetermined period of time whereby an apparent stickiness results; and wherein the reduction of sensitivity is blocked if the velocity of the cursor is above a predetermined level.

Claim 8

A selection system improvement for use in a computer system which supports the presentation of display objects for selection on a display of said computer system using a cursor that is moveable, by activating a pointing device having a sensitivity characteristic for cursor movement, to overlay a desired object and a switch that effects selection when the cursor overlays a selectable object, said improvement comprising: logic for detecting the cursor is at a selectable object and responsively reducing the sensitivity of cursor movement to pointing device actuation; wherein the sensitivity is reduced to zero for a predetermined period of time whereby an apparent stickiness results; and wherein the reduction of sensitivity is blocked if the velocity of the cursor is above a predetermined level.

Claim 11

A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristics; wherein said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor in said region, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device wherein the display objects are respectively identified as having a sticky property or not and wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected in said region but only if the respective object has the sticky property, whereby the pointing device is adapted to readily permit selection of those objects with the sticky property; and wherein said sensitivity control logic determines the speed of the cursor as it moves on the display and disables the change in sensitivity if the speed is above a predetermined level.

Claim 12

A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristics; wherein said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor in said region, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device wherein the display objects are respectively identified as having a sticky property or not and wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected in said region but only if the respective object has the sticky property, whereby the pointing device is adapted to readily permit selection of those objects with the sticky property; and wherein said sensitivity control logic determines the speed of the cursor as it moves on the display and disables the change in sensitivity if the speed is above a predetermined level.

Claim 13

A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristic wherein said cursor control logic include position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor in said region, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device; wherein the display objects are respectively identified as having a sticky property or not; wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected in said region but only if the respective object has the sticky property, whereby the pointing device is adapted to readily permit selection of those objects with the sticky property; and wherein the sensitivity of the pointing device is returned to normal if the pointing device is not activated by the user for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 14

A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristic wherein said cursor control logic include position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor in said region, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device; wherein the display objects are respectively identified as having a sticky property or not; wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected in said region but only if the respective object has the sticky property, whereby the pointing device is adapted to readily permit selection of those objects with the sticky property; and wherein the sensitivity of the pointing device is returned to normal if the pointing device is not activated by the user for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 15

A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristics; wherein said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor in said region, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device; wherein the display objects are respectively identified as having a sticky property or not and wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected in said region but only if the respective object has the sticky property, whereby the pointing device is adapted to readily permit selection of those objects with the sticky property; and wherein the sensitivity of the pointing device is returned to normal if the pointing device is activated to indicate a direction change for the cursor that is greater than a predetermined value.

Claim 16

A computer system that supports 1) the display of objects on a display device and 2) a pointing device that, in conjunction with cursor control logic, controls movement of a cursor over the display area of said display device, for purposes including selection of said objects, with a predefined sensitivity characteristics; wherein said cursor control logic includes position logic for detecting when the cursor is at a point on the display which is within such an object and sensitivity control logic, responsive to said position logic detecting the cursor in said region, that changes the sensitivity of said pointing device; wherein the display objects are respectively identified as having a sticky property or not and wherein the sensitivity control logic reduces the sensitivity of the pointing device when the cursor is detected in said region but only if the respective object has the sticky property, whereby the pointing device is adapted to readily permit selection of those objects with the sticky property; and wherein the sensitivity of the pointing device is returned to normal if the pointing device is activated to indicate a direction change for the cursor that is greater than a predetermined value.