Method for moving a graphical pointer on a computer display
OwnerFabrizio Giacomelliinventor
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method for moving a graphical pointer, controlled by suitable pointing electro-mechanical means, such as a mouse, for instance, on a working area of a computer display, including one or more selectable graphical items, such as graphical push-buttons or textual boxes, such method allowing to speedily move the graphical pointer in simple and accurate way among the various selectable graphical items, the results being particularly advantageous when large working areas are involved. This invention relates also to the instruments needed to perform the method as well as to the apparatuses performing the method.
Claims44
A method for moving a graphical pointer on a working area of the display screen of a computer, said working area including one or more selectable graphical items, said graphical pointer being controlled by pointing electro-mechanical means adapted to generate at least one control signal for controlling the position and/or the movement of said graphical pointer as well as one or more selection signals and to transmit said signals to said computer, the selection of a graphical item being performed by generating a first selection signal by said pointing electro-mechanical means and being carried out when said graphical pointer is superimposed on said selectable graphical item, the method being characterised in that it includes the following steps:
- A. acquiring a displacement start event from at least one control signal generated by said pointing electro-mechanical means;
- B. storing a starting position of the graphical pointer on the screen, which coincides with the position taken at the occurrence of said displacement start event;
- C. moving said graphical pointer proportionally to said at least one control signal generated by said pointing electro-mechanical means, storing a second position of said graphic pointer on said screen, and calculating a vector representing the displacement of said graphic pointer on the screen from said starting position to said second position;
- D. defining, within said within said working area, an attraction area for the graphic pointer that is symmetrical with respect said displacement vector;
- E. determining an assembly of selectable graphic items included in said attraction area;
- F. checking that said assembly of selectable graphic items is not void;
- G. when the result of said step F is positive, locating a target graphic item among the selectable graphic items of said assembly, according to a geometric proximity criterium to said second position of the graphic pointer, and moving said graphic pointer to a final position superimposed on said target graphic item;
- and
- H. returning to performing said step a.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the attraction area for the graphical pointer as defined in said step D is included within a planar angle having a width no greater than 180°, the apex of which coincides with the starting position of the graphical pointer and the bisecting line of which lies on the vector representative of the displacement of said graphical pointer.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the final position of said graphical pointer coincides with the centre point of the target selectable graphical item.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said working area includes a selectable graphical item for a method enable/disable function.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said working area is extended to the whole display screen of the computer.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the display screen of the computer visualises a Graphical User Interface (GUI).
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said pointing electro-mechanical means comprise a roller-ball mouse or a trackball or a touch pad or a track point or an infrared mouse or a tailless mouse or an optical mouse or a foot controlled mouse or an upper wheel mouse or an Intellimouse.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said pointing electro-mechanical means generate any selection signal by a press action on a corresponding push-button.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.