Method for displaying information responsive to sensing a physical presence proximate to a computer input device

In a computer system having an auxiliary control and a display screen, the auxiliary control being assigned a multimedia function, a method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a physical presence proximate to or contacting the auxiliary control for a predefined period without the physical presence causing the multimedia function assigned to the auxiliary control to be activated;
• and
• displaying a display widget on the display screen responsive to said step of detecting, the display widget providing status information for the multimedia function assigned to the auxiliary control, the status information identifying at least one of track name, track time remaining, track length, album title and album length in a multimedia application.

In a computer system having an auxiliary control and a display screen, the auxiliary control being assigned a function of switching focus between currently running applications, a method comprising the steps of:

• while a first currently running application is in focus, detecting a physical presence proximate to or contacting the auxiliary control for a predefined period without the physical presence causing the function of switching focus to another currently running application assigned to the auxiliary control to be activated;
• and
• displaying a display widget on the display screen responsive to said step of detecting, the display widget providing status information for the function assigned to the auxiliary control, the status information identifying each of the currently running applications.

In a computer system having an auxiliary control and a display screen, the auxiliary control being assigned a function of showing a task bar, a method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a physical presence proximate to or contacting the auxiliary control for a predefined period without the physical presence causing the function of showing the task bar assigned to the auxiliary control to be activated;
• and
• displaying a display widget on the display screen responsive to said step of detecting, the display widget providing status information for the function of showing the task bar assigned to the auxiliary control, the status information including the task bar.

In a computer system having an auxiliary control and a display screen, the auxiliary control being assigned a first function in a first application and a second function in a second application, a method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a physical presence proximate to or contacting the auxiliary control for a predefined period without the physical presence causing a function assigned to the auxiliary control to be activated;
• and
• displaying a display widget on the display screen responsive to said step of detecting, the display widget providing status information for the function assigned to the auxiliary control, wherein a type of status information for the first function assigned to the auxiliary control displayed when a first application program is active is different from a type of status information for the second function assigned to the auxiliary control displayed when a second application program is active.

In a computer system having an auxiliary control and a display screen, the auxiliary control being assigned a messaging related function, a method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a physical presence proximate to or contacting the auxiliary control for a predefined period without the physical presence causing the messaging related function on assigned to the auxiliary control to be activated;
• and
• displaying a display widget on the display screen responsive to said step of detecting, the display widget providing status information for the messaging related function assigned to the auxiliary control, wherein the status information includes one of the number of new or unread regular or high priority messages, an in box window, brief information regarding at least one of the most recently received messages, and alert status.

In a computer system having an auxiliary control and a display screen, the auxiliary control being assigned a web browsing function, a method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a physical presence proximate to or contacting the auxiliary control for a predefined period without the physical presence causing the web browsing function assigned to the auxiliary control to be activated;
• and
• displaying a display widget on the display screen responsive to said step of detecting, the display widget providing status information for the web browsing function assigned to the auxiliary control, wherein the status information includes at least one of the most recently used searches, at least one of the most recently obtained search results, identification of previous and next web pages which may be visited, list of favorite web pages, and current page loading information.

In a computer system having an auxiliary control and a display screen, the auxiliary control being assigned a function of pasting contents of a clipboard, a method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a physical presence proximate to or contacting the auxiliary control for a predefined period without the physical presence causing the function of pasting contents of the clipboard assigned to the auxiliary control to be activated;
• and
• displaying a display widget on the display screen responsive to said step of detecting, the display widget providing status information for the function of pasting contents of the clipboard assigned to the auxiliary control, wherein the status information identifies the contents of the clipboard.

In a computer system having an auxiliary control and a display screen, the auxiliary control being assigned a save function while in a document, a method comprising the steps of:

• while in a document, detecting a physical presence proximate to or contacting the auxiliary control for a predefined period without the physical presence causing the save function assigned to the auxiliary control to be activated;
• and
• displaying a display widget on the display screen responsive to said step of detecting, the display widget providing status information for the save function assigned to the auxiliary control, wherein the status information identifies at least one of time, date, location, file type and size of most recently saved for the document.