# US 5,710,897 A · Manager for selecting a pointer graphics folder and customizing pointers

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- Number: US 5,710,897 A
- Document ID: US5710897A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/515,500
- Filed: 1995-08-15
- Granted: 1998-01-20
- Earliest claimed: 1995-08-15
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Ira H. Schneider
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5710897A

## CPC

- G06F 3/04812: Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A pointer graphics manager is operating in a data processing system under a graphical user interface. The pointer graphics manager includes a pointer graphics editor for allowing an end user to edit the appearance of any of a plurality of pointer graphics displayed by the graphical user interface. Further, the graphics manager includes a pointer graphic selector for allowing the end user to select a change any of the individual pointer graphics or any set of pointer graphics within the plurality of pointer graphics. Within the pointer graphics, each pointer graphic represents a unique system operation and changes one from another depending upon the location of the device pointer while being displayed. Typically, the plurality of pointer graphics constitutes a device pointer file and are grouped as a pointer set. Several sets of pointer graphics are selectable by the pointer graphics selector. The pointer graphics manager further includes a default pointer set selector that allows the end user to restore any changed plurality of pointer graphics to a pre-edited condition or to a default set, whichever is desired by the user.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In a data processing system operating under a graphical user interface, which provides for a device pointer operable on said data processing system, said device pointer having a plurality of pointer graphics, which each represents a unique system operation and changes one from another depending upon the location of said device pointer, a pointer graphics manager comprising:
a pointer graphics editor whereby an end-user can edit the appearance of any of said plurality of pointer graphics displayed by said graphical user interface;
a plurality of folders, each of said plurality of folders containing a set of pointer graphics; and
a pointer graphics selector for selecting a particular one of said plurality of folders and for automatically utilizing a set of pointer graphics contained therein for said device pointer for each unique system operation wherein an end-user can select an entire set of pointer graphics by selecting a single folder among said plurality of folders.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The invention of claim 1 wherein said device pointer is a mouse pointer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The invention of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of pointer graphics is a text pointer used only within an entry field of said graphical user interface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The invention of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of pointer graphics is a wait pointer used only when said data processing system cannot accept any input.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The invention of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of pointer graphics is a size pointer used when said device pointer device moves over an upper-left or lower-right corner of a sizeable window.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The invention of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of pointer graphics is a size pointer used when said device pointer device moves over an upper-right or lower-left corner of a sizeable window.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The invention of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of pointer graphics is a size pointer used when said device pointer device moves over a right or left border of a sizeable window.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The invention of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of pointer graphics is a size pointer used when said device pointer device moves over a top or bottom border of a sizeable window.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The invention of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of pointer graphics is a move pointer used to indicate when a window can be moved.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The invention of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of pointer graphics is an illegal pointer used when an object is placed with said device pointer over an unacceptable location.