Patent ID: 6061062
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
In a computer system, a method for accessing a data field comprising the steps of;positioning a moveable cursor to locations on a display screen in response to movement of a cursor positioning device;remapping control of said cursor positioning device from controlling a position of said moveable cursor to controlling both a scale and a segment of said data field for display on said display screen, wherein said cursor positioning device performs a dual function of controlling movement of said cursor and controlling said scale and said segment, depending on a signal indicated by a switch;when control of said cursor positioning device is remapped:increasing said scale at which the data field is displayed according to movement of said cursor positioning device in a first direction of a first axis, wherein sustained movement of said cursor positioning device in said first direction of said first axis continuously increases said scale at which said segment of said data field is displayed;decreasing the scale at which said data field is displayed according to movement of said cursor positioning device in a second direction in the first axis, wherein continuous movement of said cursor positioning device in said second direction of said first axis continuously decreases said scale at which said segment of said data field is displayed;controlling which segment of the data field is displayed according to movement of said cursor positioning device in a second axis, wherein continued movement of said cursor positioning device relative to said second axis causes successive segments of said data field to be displayed at the scale which is selected by movement of said cursor positioning device in said first axis.