Interactive object selection pointer method and apparatus

Abstract

An analog to a gravitation force field is generated mathematically to operate between the displayed image of the mouse selection pointer on the screen of a computer display as it interacts with defined selectable objects on the screen. Unlike true gravity, however, the force may be mathematically defined as positive or negative and, thus, permits both attractive and repulsive effects to be imposed upon the movement of the mouse selection pointer displayed on the screen. The paradigm of interaction between the mouse selection pointer displayed on the screen and objects which are selectable thereon is changed to include effects of "mass" as represented by an effective field of force operating between the mouse selection pointer display and various selectable items on the screen. Mathematical calculation for the effective radius, or boundary, at which the force calculated to exist between a mouse selection pointer with an assigned mathematical value for mass and an object having an assigned mathematical value for mass may be easily implemented. When the displayed mouse selection pointer position on the screen comes within the force boundary of an object at which the calculated force is at least equal to the mass assigned to the mouse selection pointer attraction instantaneous capture of the mouse selection pointer to the object whose force boundary has been crossed can be achieved. Similarly, though inverse, repulsion between the mouse selection pointer and objects which are deemed unselectable by a computer application running in a computer system may also be implemented.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.