Apparatus and method for controlling cursor movement

Abstract

An apparatus and method for navigating through an application program on a computer coupled to a computer-controlled display screen. The user can control the cursor position on the computer-controlled display using simple controls. The invention may use a hand-held controller with a four direction control button and a function select button. The computer accepts the direction input information and moves the cursor or focus according to one of three different navigation functions. The first two navigation functions are selected by the application program, and may change from one navigation to another in different portions of the program or under user control. With the first navigation function, the direction buttons on the controller shift the focus from one hot spot to another hot spot in the selected direction using predefined criteria. With the second navigation function, the focus is shifted from a present position on the computer-controlled display to the adjacent position in the selected direction. If the function select button is depressed while the focus is on a hot spot, the function associated with that particular hot spot are enabled. A third navigation function is enabled if the function select button and the directional control button are both depressed. With the third navigational function, the focus moves from the current position in any direction selected by the directional control button. The focus movement may simultaneously occur in two dimensions using any of the navigational functions if the user selects directions in two dimensions on the four directional control button.