Patent US5945979A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5945979A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Combined digital and analog cursor control
Assignee: Lenovo PC International Ltd
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Filing: 1997-05-20
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Granted: 1999-08-31
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Expires: 2017-05-20
Abstract
Abstract A cursor control apparatus allows switching between at least two modes of cursor position control operation; one of which provides emulation of cursor control keys with a graphic input device. The emulation of cursor keys provides control of cursor location in a digital mode in which the cursor is rendered only at locations corresponding to character areas, fields or cells as opposed to an analog mode in which the cursor may be positioned at higher resolution, either by providing multiple increment inputs to a cursor position controller or by direct application of signals to cursor key inputs of a processor. Enhancements of the digital mode of operation including cursor movement speed control are also provided.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Dela Rutledge
- 👤 Edwin Joseph Selker
- 👤 John Daniel Upton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:06
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/033; G06F3/038; G06F3/0383; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A data processing system including means for producing a cursor image on a display, said data processing system including means for controlling an operational mode of controlling said cursor in response to manipulation of an isometric joystick, and means responsive to said means for controlling said operational mode of controlling said cursor for providing cursor motion to sequentially traverse screen locations in order of the screen locations as appearing on a display in response to each activation of said isometric joystick by an amount exceeding a threshold amount in a binary operational mode, said screen locations differing from a cursor motion increment in an analog operational mode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
107 words
A data processing system including means for producing a cursor image on a display, said data processing system including means for controlling an operational mode of controlling said cursor in response to manipulation of an isometric joystick, and means responsive to said means for controlling said operational mode of controlling said cursor for providing cursor motion to sequentially traverse screen locations in order of the screen locations as appearing on a display in response to each activation of said isometric joystick by an amount exceeding a threshold amount in a binary operational mode, said screen locations differing from a cursor motion increment in an analog operational mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as recited in claim 1, in said an analog mode said cursor is positioned at a resolution of one pixel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for controlling an operational mode includes a means for switching between at least two circuits for processing signals from said isometric joystick device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as recited in claim 3, wherein said means for switching includes a key of a keyboard.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as recited in claim 4, wherein said key of said keyboard controls toggling between said at least two circuits for processing signals from said isometric joystick.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as recited in claim 1, further including means for detecting a threshold level of actuation of said isometric joystick.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as recited in claim 6, further including delay means for delaying an output of said means for detecting a threshold level of actuation of said isometric joystick.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
A system as recited in claim 7, further including means responsive to said delay means for causing repeated motion of said cursor on said display in response to continued actuation of said graphic input device for a period exceeding a time interval by which said delay means delays said output of said means for detecting a threshold level of actuation of said isometric joystick.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as recited in claim 7, further including a further delay circuit, and means for increasing a repetition rate of repeated cursor motion as duration of actuation of said isometric joystick increases.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
109 words
A cursor controller for controlling two operational modes, said cursor controller including an isometric joystick, means for storing coordinates of a current cursor location, incremental means for incrementing or decrementing said coordinates in response to an actuation of said isometric joystick, binary operation means for increasing or decreasing said coordinates by an amount corresponding to sequential cell locations in order of the cell locations as appearing on a display in response to each actuation of said isometric joystick, wherein said binary operation means controls a first operational mode of said at least two operation modes, means for controlling said incremental and said binary means in a mutually exclusive manner.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
109 words
A cursor controller for controlling two operational modes, said cursor controller including an isometric joystick, means for storing coordinates of a current cursor location, incremental means for incrementing or decrementing said coordinates in response to an actuation of said isometric joystick, binary operation means for increasing or decreasing said coordinates by an amount corresponding to sequential cell locations in order of the cell locations as appearing on a display in response to each actuation of said isometric joystick, wherein said binary operation means controls a first operational mode of said at least two operation modes, means for controlling said incremental and said binary means in a mutually exclusive manner.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A cursor controller as recited in claim 10, wherein said binary means includes threshold circuit means for detecting a threshold amount of actuation of said isometric joystick.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A cursor controller as recited in claim 10, wherein said binary means includes means for repeating said incrementing or decrementing of said coordinates in response to continued actuation of said isometric joystick.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A cursor controller as recited in claim 12, wherein said means for repeating includes a delay.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
A cursor controller as recited in claim 10, wherein said binary means includes means for repeating said incrementing or decrementing of said coordinates in response to continued actuation of said isometric joystick, and means for varying a rate at which said incrementing or decrementing is repeated.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A cursor controller as recited in claim 14, wherein said means for repeating includes a delay.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A cursor controller as recited in claim 15, wherein said means for varying a rate includes a further delay.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
A cursor controller as recited in claim 14, wherein said means for varying a rate includes a delay.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
A cursor controller as recited in claim 10, wherein said means for controlling operation of said incremental means and said binary means in a mutually exclusive manner is responsive to a key of a keyboard.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
A cursor controller as recited in claim 10, wherein one of said incremental means and said binary provides an output directly to a cursor key input to a processor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
118 words
A data processing system including means for producing a cursor image on a display, said data processing system including means for controlling said displayed cursor in response to manipulation of a graphic input device, said displayed cursor having at least two operational modes, said at least two operational modes including an analog mode and an object mode, and means responsive to said means for controlling said displayed cursor for providing cursor motion responsive to said graphic input device, in object mode said displayed cursor motion sequentially traversing object locations on said display in the order of the object locations as appearing on said display, said object locations differing from a cursor motion increment in an analog operational mode.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
118 words
A data processing system including means for producing a cursor image on a display, said data processing system including means for controlling said displayed cursor in response to manipulation of a graphic input device, said displayed cursor having at least two operational modes, said at least two operational modes including an analog mode and an object mode, and means responsive to said means for controlling said displayed cursor for providing cursor motion responsive to said graphic input device, in object mode said displayed cursor motion sequentially traversing object locations on said display in the order of the object locations as appearing on said display, said object locations differing from a cursor motion increment in an analog operational mode.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as recited in claim 20, wherein at least another of said at least two operational modes is an analog mode in which said cursor is positioned at a resolution of one pixel.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as recited in claim 20, wherein said means for controlling an operational mode includes a means for switching between at least two circuits for processing signals from said graphic input device.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as recited in claim 22, wherein said means for switching includes a key of a keyboard.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as recited in claim 20, further including means for detecting a threshold level of actuation of said graphic input device.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as recited in claim 24, further including delay means for delaying an output of said means for detecting a threshold level of actuation of said graphic input device.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
65 words
A system as recited in claim 25, further including means responsive to said delay means for causing repeated motion of said cursor on said display in response to continued actuation of said graphic input device for a period exceeding a time interval by which said delay means delays said output of said means for detecting a threshold level of actuation of said graphic input device.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as recited in claim 25, further including a further delay circuit, and means for increasing a repetition rate of repeated cursor motion as duration of actuation of said graphic input device increases.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said key of said keyboard controls toggling between said at least two circuits for processing signals from said Graphic input device.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-08-30 | 2003-03-01 | 2003-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-08-30 | 2007-03-01 | 2007-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-08-30 | 2011-03-01 | 2011-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |