Positional scrolling

A scrolling control system for use with a data processing device having a display, comprising:

• an input device for providing, in response to user actuations of the device, control of a cursor position on said display;
• at least one user actuated switch;
• and
• control means responsive to a user actuation of said switch to enter a scrolling mode wherein scrolling of a document is controlled such that a scroll amount is based upon a position value determined by a user actuation of the input device;
• wherein said scrolling mode comprises:
• a page positional scrolling (PPS) mode wherein a one-to-one relationship exists between a displacement represented by said position value and a scroll amount;
• a document positional scrolling (DPS) mode wherein a unit amount of displacement represented by said position value results in a scroll amount corresponding to one of a ratio of document length to page length and a ratio of document width to page width;
• and
• a transitional scrolling mode providing a scroll amount that varies between the scroll amount obtained in said PPS mode and the scroll amount obtained in said DPS mode.

A method for controlling scrolling of a document in a data processing system having a display, a user actuated switch and an input device that provides positional control of a cursor on said display in response to a user actuation of said input device, comprising the steps of:

• entering a scrolling mode in response to a user actuation of said switch;
• and
• controlling scrolling such that a scroll amount is based on a position value determined by the user actuation of the input device;
• wherein said scrolling mode comprises:
• a page positional scrolling (PPS) mode wherein a one-to-one relationship exists between a displacement represented by said position value and a scroll amount;
• a document positional scrolling (DPS) mode wherein a unit amount of displacement represented by said position value results in a scroll amount corresponding to one of a ratio of document length to page length and a ratio of document width to page width;
• and
• a transitional scrolling mode providing a scroll amount that varies between the scroll amount obtained in said PPS mode and the scroll amount obtained in said DPS mode.

A scrolling control system for use with a data processing device having a display, comprising:

• an input device for providing, in response to user actuations of the device, control of a cursor position on said display;
• at least one user actuated switch;
• and
• control means responsive to a user actuation of said switch to enter a scrolling mode wherein scrolling of a document is controlled such that a scroll amount is based upon a position value determined by a user actuation of the input device, independent of a position of said cursor in relation to any scroll functionality elements appearing on said display;
• wherein said scrolling mode comprises a document positional scrolling (DPS) mode wherein a unit amount of displacement represented by said position value results in a scroll amount corresponding to one of:
• a ratio of document length to page length;
• and a ratio of document width to page width.

A method for controlling scrolling of a document in a data processing system having a display, a user actuated switch and an input device that provides positional control of a cursor on said display in response to a user actuation of said input device, comprising:

• entering a scrolling mode in response to a user actuation of said switch;
• and
• controlling scrolling such that a scroll amount is based on a position value determined by the user actuation of the input device, said control being independent of a position of said cursor in relation to any scroll functionality elements appearing on said display;
• wherein said scrolling mode comprising a document positional scrolling (DPS) mode wherein a unit amount of change in a displacement represented by said position value results in a scroll amount corresponding to one of:
• a ratio of document length to page length;
• and a ratio of document width to page width.