Recognizing the cessation of motion of a pointing device on a display by comparing a group of signals to an anchor point

A method for reducing the processing time required to recognize the cessation of motion of a moving pointing device in an information processing system, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining that a pointing device is located in operative proximity to a touch sensor controlling a display screen, in said information processing system;
• generating a series of delay timers having a predetermined rate, while said pointing device is located in said operative proximity to said touch sensor, in said information processing system;
• accessing a predetermined timer divide rate value `n` from said information processing system, representing a predetermined plurality of `n` of coordinate point signals, in said information processing system;
• receiving a first point signal for said pointing device with respect to said touch sensor, and buffering said first point signal in a memory as an anchor point and starting a delay timer, in said information processing system;
• receiving a plurality of n-1 succeeding coordinate point signals for said pointing device with respect to said touch sensor,
• and buffering said plurality of n-1 signals, in said memory in said information processing system;
• computing whether said pointing device has moved with respect to said touch sensor by comparing at least one of said buffered plurality of n-1 point signals with said buffered anchor point, in said information processing system;
• if said computing step determines that said pointing device has moved, then receiving a second plurality of n succeeding coordinate point signals for said pointing device with respect to said touch sensor, and buffering a first of said second plurality of n signals as a new anchor point while restarting the delay timer, in said information processing system;
• if said computing step determines that said pointing device has not moved, then outputting a first output signal indicating cessation of motion of said pointing device;
• if said determining step determines that said pointing device is not located in said operative proximity to said touch sensor, then outputting a second output signal indicating that said pointing device has been removed from said operative proximity to said touch sensor.

A method for reducing the processing time required in a multi-tasking information processing system, to recognize the cessation of motion of a moving first pointing device that emulates a second pointing device in the system, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining that a first pointing device is located in operative proximity to a display screen, in said information processing system;
• generating a series of delay timers having a predetermined rate, while said pointing device is located in said operative proximity to said display screen, in said information processing system;
• accessing a predetermined timer divide rate value `n` from said information processing system, representing a predetermined plurality of `n` of coordinate point signals, in said information processing system;
• receiving a first point signal for said pointing device with respect to said display screen, and buffering said first point signal in a memory as an anchor point and starting a delay timer, in said information processing system;
• receiving a plurality of n-1 succeeding point signals for said pointing device with respect to said display screen, and buffering said plurality of n-1 signals, in said memory in said information processing system;
• computing whether said pointing device has moved with respect to said display screen by comparing at least one of said buffered plurality of n-1 point signals with said buffered anchor point, in said information processing system;
• if said computing step determines that said pointing device has moved, then receiving a second plurality of n succeeding coordinate point signals for said pointing device with respect to said display screen, and buffering a first of said second plurality of n signals as a new anchor point while restarting the delay timer, in said information processing system;
• if said computing step determines that said first pointing device has not moved, then outputting a first output signal indicating cessation of motion of said first pointing device and designating it as said second pointing device;
• if said determining step determines that said first pointing device is not located in said operative proximity to said display screen, then outputting a second output signal indicating that said first pointing device has been removed from said operative proximity to said display screen.

A data processing system for reducing the processing time required to recognize the cessation of motion of a moving pointing device, comprising:

• means for determining that a pointing device is located in operative proximity to a touch sensor controlling a display screen, in said data processing system;
• means for generating a series of delay timers having a predetermined rate, while said pointing device is located in said operative proximity to said touch sensor, in said data processing system;
• means for accessing a predetermined timer divide rate value `n` from said information processing system, representing a predetermined plurality of `n` of coordinate point signals, in said data processing system;
• means for receiving a first point signal for said pointing device with respect to said touch sensor, and buffering said first point signal in a memory as an anchor point and starting a delay timer, in said data processing system;
• said receiving means receiving a plurality of n-1 succeeding point signals for said pointing device with respect to said touch sensor, and buffering said plurality of n-1 signals, in a memory in said data processing system;
• means for computing whether said pointing device has moved with respect to said touch sensor by comparing at least one of said buffered plurality of n-1 point signals with said buffered anchor point, in said data processing system;
• if said computing step determines that said pointing device has moved, then receiving a second plurality of n succeeding coordinate point signals for said pointing device with respect to said touch sensor, and buffering a first of said second plurality of n signals as a new anchor point while restarting the delay timer, in said data processing system;
• if said computing means determines that said pointing device has not moved, then said computing means outputs a first output signal indicating cessation of motion of said pointing device;
• if said determining means determines that said pointing device is not located in said operative proximity to said touch sensor, then said computing means outputs a second output signal indicating that said pointing device has been removed from said operative proximity to said touch sensor.