Patent · US Expired

User interface with compound cursor

US6157367A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
4References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 19, 1998
Grant dateDec 5, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 19, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F3/0486
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A compound cursor arrangement for use in a graphic user interface of a computer system is described. The compound cursor comprises an active part (38) which acts in conventional manner and is manoeuvred directly by user commands from an input device (22) such as a mouse or trackball. Accompanying the active portion (38) is a passive cursor (40) which follows the active cursor around the display when the separation between the two cursor parts exceed a theshold value (42). The function of the passive cursor (40) is to drag icons (34) selected by the active cursor (38) and deposited on the passive cursor, the active cursor the being freed for other tasks.

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