Method and adapter for performing assistive motion data processing and/or button data processing external to a computer

A method of processing variable data produced by a pointing device for input to a computer, said method comprising:

• receiving user inputted variable data produced by the pointing device;
• performing external and transparent to the computer at least one of motion data processing or button data processing on the user inputted variable data to obtain modified user inputted variable data, wherein said at least one of motion data processing or button data processing comprises processing to accomplish at least one of:
• filtering to reduce coordinate deviations from a desired path caused by unintended movements of said pointing device imparted by a user thereof;
• removal of unintentional rapid button transitions of said pointing device imparted by a user thereof;
• look-back processing to correct for unintentional pointer coordinate motion induced by operation of buttons of said pointing device by a user thereof;
• and
• detection of button double-clicks using relaxed requirements on motion and timing, and transmission of acceptable double-clicks to said computer;
• formatting, if necessary, the modified user inputted variable data to a standard format used for communicating data from the pointing device to the computer;
• and
• transmitting the formatted, modified user inputted variable data to the computer.

A system for processing variable data produced by a pointing device for input to a computer, said system comprising:

• means for ascertaining user inputted variable data produced by the pointing device;
• means for performing external to the computer at least one of motion data processing or button data processing on the user inputted variable data to obtain modified user inputted variable data;
• means for formatting, if necessary, the modified user inputted variable data to a standard format used for communicating data from the pointing device to the computer;
• and
• means for transmitting the formatted, modified user inputted variable data to the computer.

Apparatus for processing variable data produced by a pointing device for input to a computer, said apparatus comprising:

• an adapter, said adapter including at least one logic element configured to:
• ascertain user inputted variable data produced by the pointing device;
• perform external to the computer at least one of motion data processing or button data processing on the user inputted variable data to obtain modified user inputted variable data;
• format, if necessary, the modified user inputted variable data to a standard format used for communicating data from the pointing device to the computer;
• and
• transmit the formatted, modified user inputted variable data to the computer.

A system for processing variable data produced by a pointing device for input to a computer, said system comprising:

• means for ascertaining user inputted variable data produced by the pointing device;
• means for performing external and transparent to the computer at least one of motion data processing or button data processing on the user inputted variable data to obtain modified user inputted variable data, wherein said at least one of motion data processing or button data processing comprises processing to accomplish at least one of:
• filtering to reduce coordinate deviations from a desired path caused by unintended movements of said pointing device imparted by a user thereof;
• removal of unintentional rapid button transitions of said pointing device imparted by a user thereof;
• look-back processing to correct for unintentional pointer coordinate motion induced by operation of buttons of said pointing device by a user thereof;
• and
• detection of button double-clicks using relaxed requirements on motion and timing, and transmission of acceptable double-clicks to said computer;
• means for formatting, if necessary, the modified user inputted variable data to a standard format used for communicating data from the pointing device to the computer;
• and
• means for transmitting the formatted, modified user inputted variable data to the computer.

At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of processing variable data produced by a pointing device for input to a computer, said method comprising:

• ascertaining user inputted variable data produced by the pointing device;
• performing external to the computer at least one of motion data processing or button data processing on the user inputted variable data to obtain modified user inputted variable data;
• formatting, if necessary, the modified user inputted variable data to a standard format used for communicating data from the pointing device to the computer;
• and
• transmitting the formatted, modified user inputted variable data to the computer.

At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of processing variable data produced by a pointing device for input to a computer, said method comprising:

• receiving user inputted variable data produced by the pointing device;
• performing external and transparent to the computer at least one of motion data processing or button data processing on the user inputted variable data to obtain modified user inputted variable data, wherein said at least one of motion data processing or button data processing comprises processing to accomplish at least one of:
• filtering to reduce coordinate deviations from a desired path caused by unintended movements of said pointing device imparted by a user thereof;
• removal of unintentional rapid button transitions of said pointing device imparted by a user thereof;
• look-back processing to correct for unintentional pointer coordinate motion induced by of buttons of said pointing device by a user thereof;
• and
• detection of button double-clicks using relaxed requirements on motion and timing, and transmission of acceptable double-clicks to said computer;
• formatting, if necessary, the modified user inputted variable data to a standard format used for communicating data from the pointing device to the computer;
• and
• transmitting the formatted, modified user inputted variable data to the computer.