The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 15, 1996
Filed:
Jun. 29, 1994
Lora K McCambridge, Bellevue, WA (US);
James A Andrews, Issaquah, WA (US);
Carl T Hellings, Bellevue, WA (US);
Eric W Hanson, Kent, WA (US);
Jon B Kimmich, Bellevue, WA (US);
Timothy T Brewer, Bellevue, WA (US);
Michael W Van Flandern, Redmond, WA (US);
Paul E Henderson, Jr, Redmond, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A routine allows a user to move a cursor in only mutually perpendicular, horizontal or vertical directions on a computer screen, despite erratic or wavy movement of a pointing device. The routine, once enabled, receives mouse movement signals produced when the user moves the pointing device, the mouse movement signals having x and y position components. The routine uses the greater of the change in the x and y components to initially move the cursor in either horizontal or vertical directions, respectively. The routine continues to move the cursor along the initially established direction, even if the change in mouse movement signals in the other perpendicular direction become greater during continued mouse movement. Only when the change in mouse movement signals in the perpendicular direction become much greater (e.g., ten times greater) will the routine switch to moving the cursor along the perpendicular direction.