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US0O5327161A
United States Patent [19] [11] Patent Number: 5,327,161
Logan et al. [45] Date of Patent: Jul. 5,1994
[54] SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EMULATING A MOUSE INPUT DEVICE WITH A TOUCHPAD INPUT DEVICE
[75] Inventors: James D. Logan, Windham, N.H.;
Blair Evans, Idlewild, Mich.
[73] Assignee: Microtouch Systems, Inc., Methuen, Mass.
[21] Appl. No.: 780,446
[22] Filed: Oct. 21,1991
Related U.S. Application Data
[63] Continuation of Ser. No. 391,482, Aug. 9, 1989, abandoned.
[51] Int. C1.5 G09G 3/02
[52] U.S. CI 345/157; 345/173
[58] Field of Search 340/706, 707, 709, 710,
340/712, 724, 726; 341/20; 178/18, 19; 273/148 B, 438, 434, DIG. 28; 74/471 XY; 200/6 A
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,071,691 1/1978 Pepper .
4,129,747 12/1978 Pepper .
4,148,014 4/1979 Burson 273/148 B
4,198,539 4/1980 Pepper .
4,293,734 10/1981 Pepper .
4,302,011 11/1981 Pepper .
4,313,113 11/1982 Thornburg 340/709
4,371,746 2/1983 Pepper .
4,430,917 2/1984 Pepper .
4,734,685 3/1988 Watanable 340/706
4,766,423 8/1988 Ono et al 340/709
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
2139762 12/1984 United Kingdom .
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Foley et al; "Fundamentals of Interactive Computer Graphic"; Addison-Wesley Publishing Company; 1982; 80-83 and 212-215.
Primary Examiner—Alvin E. Oberley
Assistant Examiner—Chanh Nguyen
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Joseph S. Iandiorio
[57] ABSTRACT
A system and method for emulating a mouse input device with a touchpad input device having a drag switch and touch device in which the direction of movement of the touch device across the touchpad surface is determined, a display cursor is caused to move in the same relative direction as the direction determined by the touch device, and the cursor movement is continued in that same relative direction either in or out of a drag mode, even after the touch device stops moving so as to allow the cursor to be moved a greater distance than the touch device.
38 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
