Patent ID: 6100875
Filing Date: 2000-08-08
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A mouse pointer emulating apparatus for controlling the position of a mouse pointer on a host computer display screen, said mouse pointer emulating apparatus further providing additional mouse functions in a host computer, said mouse pointer emulating apparatus interpreting selected keys on a keyboard to output data similar to that provided by a peripheral mouse pointer coupled to a conventional mouseport on a computer operable with a conventional mouse pointer, said mouse emulating apparatus further providing incremented speed variation which increases the speed, up to a maximum speed, of the mouse pointer on the display screen by predetermined increments as selected ones of the selected keys remain active, said mouse pointer emulating apparatus comprising:a keyboard controller coupled to the selected keys and to said host computer, one of the selected keys comprising a special function key, said keyboard controller responsive to the special function key, when active, to interpret signals from other ones of said selected keys and to generate mouse data packets, said mouse data packets generated by said keyboard controller including X-coordinate and Y-coordinate values which represent a change in position of said mouse pointer on said display screen, wherein said signals provided by said selected keys to said keyboard controller when said special function key is active are identical to signals provided to said keyboard controller by said selected keys when said special function key is not active, said keyboard controller further transmitting said mouse data packets to said host computer at preselected report intervals to effect pixel-by-pixel movement of said mouse pointer on said display screen when said special function key is active, said keyboard controller transmitting conventional scan code data in response to activation of said selected keys when said special function key is not active.