Input device with forward/backward control

Abstract

In a computer system having a display and a keyboard, a computer readable medium includes instructions for invoking a message hook procedure based on a mouse message indicative of a mouse event. Instructions also provide for identifying at least one focus application that has a current keyboard focus and of converting the mouse message into a command for the focus application. The command is then sent to the focus application and the mouse message is prevented from being routed to any other applications. In one embodiment, the commands include the command to page forward or backward through pages of Internet documents. In other embodiments, instead of converting the mouse message into a command, the message hook procedure displays a graphical user interface based on the focus application and the mouse message. The graphical user interface includes one or more commands that the user may select. Based on the selection made by the user, the message hook procedure sends a corresponding command to the focus application.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.