Patent · US Expired

Method of selecting a displayed control item

US5805165A · kind A · utility

165Cited by
3References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 31, 1995
Grant dateSep 8, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 31, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F2203/04801
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method that enables focus to be given to a displayed control item when a cursor is positioned within a predetermining activating area outside of the outer edges of the displayed control item. More particularly, the computer-implemented method for selecting a displayed control item on a display screen which includes the steps of: displaying a cursor on the display screen; displaying a control item on the display screen; providing an area extending around the control menu item; and providing focus to the control item when the cursor is positioned within the area extending around the control item. Preferably, the area extending around the control item is not visible on the display screen. With respect to the dimensions of the area extending around the control item, the dimensions preferably are (height H+constant C1) by (length L+constant C2), where H is the dimension defining the height of the control item and L is the dimension defining the length of the control item. If control items have overlapping activation zones, a weighting scheme is used to select the appropriate control item.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.