Abstract:
A positioning apparatus capable of making a position of a pointer on a screen stand out and be prominent at appropriate timing for the user when the user uses a pointing device, such as a mouse. A color of an image within a first region on a screen and a color of an image within a second region, a size of which differs from the size of the first region, are alternately displayed by inverting the image data of the image within the region around a mouse cursor, during the simultaneous depression of a right button of the mouse and a shift key of a keyboard by the user. The use of a rectangular area as the first region in which the center of the area aligns to the coordinate values (M X , M Y ) of the mouse cursor, and the coordinate values of a top right corner are represented by (M X +L 1 ,M Y +L 1 ) and the coordinate values of a bottom left corner are represented by (M X −L 1 M Y −L 1 ), and a rectangular area as the second region in which the center of the area aligns to the coordinate values (M X ,M Y ) of the mouse cursor, and the coordinate values of the top right corner are represented by (M X +L 2 ,M Y +L 2 ) and the coordinate values of a bottom left corner are represented by (M X −L 2 ,M Y −L 2 ), causes an amount of calculation for changing the color to be decreased, wherein the L1 and L2 are predetermined constant values.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates a pointing apparatus and a pointing method for displaying a pointer at a pointed position on a screen of a display device of a computer in response to a pointing operation performed by a user through a mouse, and for changing a color of an image around the displayed pointer to make the displayed pointer stand out in response to an input by a user through a key or an absence of an input by a user through a key during a predetermined period. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In a computer operation based upon a GUI (graphical user interface), a method is used in which a user points out a desired position of an image on a screen displayed by a computer through a pointing device, such as a mouse, and the computer gets operational data in the image specified by the pointer. 
     In this method, an image of the pointer, such as a mouse cursor, is displayed at a position within the image pointed at, in or on by the user through the mouse, and the user performs a selection and a confirmation of the operation by observing the pointer and the position within the image pointed to by the pointer. 
     There is a problem that since the size of the pointer, such as the mouse cursor, is relatively small, it is difficult for the user to find or identify the pointer or it takes a long time to find or locate the pointer when the user has lost sight of the pointer. The problem becomes more pronounced in the case where the computer displays multiple windows on the screen, displays the image on a large size screen, or dividedly displays the image on plural monitor devices. 
     To solve the problem, a method calling for a comet cursor in which a trace of the movement of the pointer is displayed during a short period was used. However, it is extremely difficult to make the pointer be pronounced or stand out when the pointer is stopped. 
     Japanese publications of unexamined patent applications H4-52922 (Article 1) and H7-160416 (Article 2) disclose methods for displaying the pointer by changing a shape of the pointer. However, the Article 1 document merely discloses a method for changing the image of the pointer in response to a switch of the operation of the mouse (mouse mode), and does not disclose a method for causing the user to easily identify the pointer by making the pointer stand out or be noticeable. 
     The Article 2 document discloses a method for changing a shape, size, color or gradation of the pointer or blinking the pointer each time the user touches the mouse. However, these methods cause problems in that the pointer is changed whenever the user touches the mouse, though the user does not want to do so; it is impossible to make the pointer stand out enough in the case where the size of the pointer is not increased, but the shape, color or gradation is changed; alternatively, when the size of the pointer is increased, the GUI image below the image of the enlarged pointer is hidden. 
     The present invention was made based upon the recognition of the above problems. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved pointing apparatus and an improved pointing method capable of making a position of the pointer on the screen stand out at an appropriate time for the user when the user points out a position on the screen by using the pointing apparatus, such as the mouse. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved pointing apparatus and a pointing method for causing the user to easily find the pointer on the screen to improve the usability of the computer in the case that the user lost sight of the pointer on the screen, the computer displays multiple windows on the screen, displays the image on a large size screen, or displays the divided image on plural monitor device. 
     In accordance with the pointing device and the pointing method of the present invention, it is possible to make the position of the pointer on the screen stand out at the appropriate intervals for the user under the circumstances where the user points out the position on the screen using pointing device, such as the mouse. 
     Also, in accordance with the pointing device and the pointing method of the present invention, it is possible for the user to easily find out the pointer on the screen to improve a usability of the computer in the case that the user lost sight of the pointer on the screen, the computer displays multiple windows on the screen, displays the image on a large size screen, or displays the image on plural monitor device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To achieve the above objects and other improvements, a pointing apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes, an image display for displaying an image on a screen, a pointing device for pointing to any position on the screen to display a pointer at the pointed position on the screen, and an image changing feature responsive to an external input for changing the image within at least a predetermined area around the displayed pointer on the screen. 
     The image changing feature changes at least color of the image within the predetermined area around the displayed pointer on the screen. The image changing feature further changes a size of the predetermined area around the displayed pointer. The image changing feature inverts values of image data constituting the image within the area around the displayed pointer. 
     The pointing apparatus in accordance with the present invention responds to depressing a key of a keyboard to change the color of the image within the predetermined area, such as a square area or a circular area having a center aligned to the center of the pointer, around the pointer, such as a mouse cursor, displayed on the screen to make the position of the pointer stand out without preventing the user&#39;s observation of the image within the area. In the case that the computer displays plural windows on the screen, the computer displays the image on a large screen, or the computer dividedly displays the image on plural screens. 
     In the pointing apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the image display device is a monitor device, for example, of the computer, and displays the GUI image inputted from the computer on its screen. The pointing apparatus responds to the depression of a button of the mouse to point to a position on the GUI image selected by the user and to display the pointer, such as a mouse cursor, at the pointed position. 
     The image changing feature changes the color of the image within a square area (alternative shapes can be used) which surrounds the pointer and has a center aligned to the center of the pointer by inverting the image data of the image (inverting “1” and “0” of the image data in the case that the image data is represented by binary notation) within the square area, and changes the size of the area including the image data to be changed at a predetermined constant interval to make the position of the pointer stand out, in the case that the user depresses a predetermined key of the keyboard of the computer to make the position of the pointer stand out or the user does not perform any input operation to the computer during a predetermined period. 
     Since the display of the image by inverting the image data causes the shapes of characters, symbols and patterns in the image displayed in the area around the pointer to be maintained, the observation or recognition of the GUI image by the user is not obscured or prevented. Further, when the size of the area containing the image, the color of which image has been changed, is changed at the predetermined interval, the position of the pointer is made to stand out more clearly in comparison with the case that the size of the area is not changed, so that the user can find or locate the pointer more readily. 
     The pointing method in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of displaying an image on a screen, pointing to, at or on any position on the screen to display a pointer at the pointed position on the screen, and changing the image within at least a predetermined area around the displayed pointer on the screen. 
     A computer readable recording medium in accordance with the present invention records a program for causing a computer to execute steps of displaying an image on a screen, pointing to any position on the screen to display a pointer at the pointed position on the screen, and changing the image within at least a predetermined area around the displayed pointer on the screen. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows the example of the computer system into which the pointing method of the present invention is applied. 
     FIG. 2 shows the general flow and relationship of the softwares in the computer shown in FIG. 1 for realizing the pointing method of the present invention. 
     FIG.  3 (A) and FIG.  3 (B) show the example of the images displayed on the display device by the operating system shown in the FIG.  2 . 
     FIGS.  4 (A)- 4 (C) show the method for changing the color of the area around the mouse cursor by the operating system shown in the FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 shows the flow chart showing the operation of the softwares of the computer shown in the FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 6 is a first illustration showing the nature of change in the color in the area around the mouse cursor in the computer system in the case that the size of the area around the mouse cursor as shown in the FIGS.  4 (A)- 4 (C) is changed among the four different sizes. 
     FIG. 7 is a second illustration showing the manner of change to the color in the area around the mouse cursor in the computer system in the case that the size of the area around the mouse cursor is changed among the four different sizes. 
     FIG. 8 is a third illustration showing the manner of how to change the color in the area around the mouse cursor in the computer system in the case that the size of the area around the mouse cursor is changed among the four different sizes. 
     FIG. 9 is a fourth illustration showing the manner of how to change the color in the area around the mouse cursor in the computer system in the case that the size of the area around the mouse cursor is changed among the four different sizes. 
     The FIG. 10 shows how the user sees the image within the area around the mouse cursor  20  due to an after image affect when the color of the image within the area around the mouse cursor  20  is changed at intervals of about 1 ms to about 100 ms, as shown in FIGS.  5 - 9 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the description of the preferred embodiment the following symbols, reference characters and identifiers apply:  1  . . . computer system,  10  . . . computer,  100  . . . operating system,  102  . . . input check section,  104  . . . drawing section,  12  . . . keyboard,  120  . . . shift key,  14  . . . mouse,  140  . . . left button,  142  . . . right button,  16 ,  16 - 1  . . .  16 -K . . . display device,  18 - 1 ,  18 - 2  . . . window,  20  . . . mouse cursor, and  22 ,  22 - 1  . . .  224  . . . area having the color changed. 
     The FIG. 1 shows a constitution, network or environment of the computer system  1  to which the pointing method of the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the computer system  1  comprises a general type computer (PC)  10  containing a CPU, a memory and a hard disk drive etc., a keyboard  12  containing various keys, such as a shift key  120 , a general type mouse  14  containing a left button  140  and a right button  142 , and K number of display devices, including devices  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  (FIG. 1 shows the exemplary case wherein K=2), such display devices as CRT display devices, or liquid crystal display devices (LCD). 
     The computer system  1  displays an image containing a plurality of windows on a screen of one of the display devices  16 - 1  . . .  16 -K or on all the screens of the display devices  16 - 1  . . .  16 -K which are treated as one display device, and responds to the pointing operation by the user through the mouse  14  to point out a position selected by the user on the screen for displaying the pointer, such as a mouse cursor at the pointed position on the screen. 
     Further, the computer system  1  responds to a depression by the user of the shift key  120  of the keyboard  12 , for example, to change a color and size of a predetermined area around the displayed mouse cursor on the display devices  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  at a predetermined interval of time for causing an afterimage effect, such as at intervals of about 1 ms to about 100 ms to make the displayed position of the mouse cursor stand out, whereby the user can easily find out the mouse cursor. 
     FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of software for realizing the pointing method of the present invention in the computer  10  shown in the FIG.  1 . As shown in FIG. 2, the computer  10  contains an operating system (OS)  100 , an input check section  102  and a drawing section  104  as software for realizing the pointing method of the present invention. 
     Operating System 
     The FIGS.  3 (A) and (B); show an example of images displayed on the display devices  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  by the operating system  100  shown in the FIG.  2 . The FIGS.  4 (A)-(C) show the method for changing the color of the image within the predetermined area around the mouse cursor  20  by the operating system  100  shown in the FIG.  2 . 
     In the description made with reference to the FIGS.  3 (A) and (B), the case in which the size of the predetermined area or scope around the mouse cursor  20  is changed between two different sizes is described as an example for simplifying the description. 
     The operating system  100  is the OS for a personal computer, such as OS/2 (Trade Mark of International Business Machines Corporation) or Windows (Trade Mark of Microsoft Corporation), and performs an execution control of the application software in the computer  10  and a control operation for the keyboard  12 , the mouse  14  and the display device  16 . 
     The operating system  100  receives the user input operation inputted from the keyboard  12  and the mouse  14  to issue an event, including data (operational data) indicating whether the user has depressed the button  140  or  142  of the mouse  14  or the shift key  120  of the keyboard  12 , to the input check section  102 . 
     The operating system  100  displays the image including the plural windows  18 - 1  and  18 - 2  on the screen of one of the display devices  16 - 1 ,  16 - 2  . . .  16 -k (in FIG.  3 (A), i.e., the display device  16 - 1 , or on the plural screens of the display devices  16 - 1 ,  16 - 2  . . .  16 -k (in the FIG.  3 (B), i.e., the display devices  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  which are handled as one display device, and moves the mouse cursor  20  among the plural display devices  16 . 
     The operating system  100  responds to the pointing operation of the mouse  14  by the user, to display the pointer (the mouse cursor  20 ) at the position pointed to by the user on the screen of the display device  16  (note herein that the term “the display device 16” is used when the description is not directed to a particular one of the display devices  16 - 1  . . .  16 -k) and outputs the data indicating the coordinate of the mouse cursor  20  (coordinate data represented by the number of picture elements (PEL) unit) to the input check section  102 , as shown in the FIGS.  3 (A) and (B) and FIG.  4 (A). 
     The operating system  100  responds to an API (application programming interface) issued by the drawing section  104  to change the color of the image within a rectangular or square area  22 - 1  around the pointer  20  displayed on the screen of the display device  16 , as shown in FIG.  4 (B). 
     The operating system  100  responds to the API issued by the drawing section  104  to change the color of the image within the area  22 - 1  around the pointer  20  and to change the size of the area including the image having the color to be changed between the large size  22 - 1  and the small size  22 - 2  at intervals of about 1 ms to about 100 ms, as shown in the FIG.  4 (C). 
     Input Check Section 
     The input check section  102  outputs a command (a color change command) for changing the color of the image within the area around the mouse cursor  20  and the coordinate data of the mouse cursor  20  to the drawing section  104  during a period that the operational data included in the event issued by the operating system  100  indicates the fact that the user simultaneously depresses the button  142  of the mouse  14  and the shift key  120  of the keyboard  12 . 
     Drawing Section 
     The drawing section  104  responds to the inputted color change command from the input check section  102  to issue the drawing API for changing the color of the areas  22 - 1  and  22 - 2  on the screen of the display device  16 . The change of the color is performed by inverting the image data of each PEL of the image (more particularly, by alternately inverting the logical value (0, 1) of each bit of the image data at intervals of about 1 ms to about 100 ms). More particularly, the color of image of the area  22 - 1  is initially changed, then the color of image of the area  22 - 2  is changed after a lapse of about 1 ms to about 100 ms, then the color of image of the area  22 - 1  is changed after a lapse of about 1 ms to about 100 ms, and so on. 
     A scope  22 - 1  is the rectangular area in which the center of the area  22 - 1  aligns to the coordinate values (M X , M Y ) of the mouse cursor  20 , and the coordinate values of a top right corner are represented by (M X +L 1 , M Y +L 1 ) and the coordinate values of a bottom left corner are represented by (M X −L 1 , M Y −L 1 ), as shown in the FIG.  4 (B), and a scope  22 - 2  is the rectangular area in which the center of the area  22 - 2  aligns to the coordinate values (M X , M Y ) of the mouse cursor  20 , and the coordinate values of a top right corner are represented by (M X +L 2 , M Y +L 2 ) and the coordinate values of a bottom left corner are represented by (M X −L 2 , M Y −L 2 ), as shown in the FIG.  4 (C), wherein the values L 1  and L 2  are constant values which are set into the drawing section  104  by the user through the keyboard  12 . 
     Operation of the Computer System 
     The operation of the computer system  1  is described below with reference to the FIG.  5 . FIG. 5 shows a flow chart indicating the operation of each software of the computer  10  shown in the FIG.  2 . 
     When the user depresses the buttons  140  and  142  of the mouse  14  and the shift key  120  of the keyboard  12 , the operating system  100  outputs the operational data indicating the coordinate values (M X , M Y ) of the mouse cursor  20  and the depressed button and the key to the input check section  102 . 
     In a step S 100  shown in the FIG. 5, the input check section  102  determines whether the operational data inputted from the operating system  100  indicates that the user is depressing the right button  142  of the mouse  14 , or not. If the data indicates that the user depresses the button  142 , the operation proceeds to a step S 102 , and if the answer of the step S 100  is NO, the operation is terminated. 
     In the step S 102 , the input check section  102  determines as to whether the operational data inputted from the operating system  100  indicates that the user depresses the shift key  120  of the keyboard  12 , or not. If the data indicates that the user depresses the shift key  120 , the operation proceeds to a process in a step S 104 , and if the answer of the step S 102  is NO, the operation is terminated. 
     In a step S 104 , the input check section  102  issues the color change command and the coordinate values (M X , M Y ) of the mouse cursor  20  to the drawing section  104 . 
     In a step S 106 , when the drawing section  104  receives the color change command, the drawing section  104  alternately gets one of the constant values L 1  and L 2  in a manner that the drawing section  104  gets the constant value L 1  in the odd numbered process and gets the constant value L 2  in the even numbered process to substitute the L 1  and L 2  for the variable L. 
     In a step S 108 , the drawing section  104  determines as to whether the variable L is a positive value, or not. If the variable L is the positive value, the operation proceeds to a process in a step S 110 . If the variable L is not the positive value, the drawing section  104  considers that the variable L is invalid, and terminates the operation. 
     In the step S 110 , the drawing section  104  issues an API for inverting the image data of the image within the one of the areas  22 - 1  and  22 - 2  rectangular region R; if the variable L=L 1 , the area  22 - 1  in FIG.  4 (B) is selected, and if the variable L=L 2 , the area  22 - 2  in FIG.  4 (C) is selected to the operating system  100 . The operating system  100  responds to the API issued by the drawing section  104  to change the color of the image within the area around the mouse cursor  20 . 
     In a step S 112 , the drawing section  104  waits for about 1 ms to about 100 ms. In a step S 114 , the drawing section  104  issues an API to the operating system  100 , which inverts the image data within the one of the areas  22 - 1  and  22 - 2  rectangular region R; if the variable L=L 1 , the area  22 - 1  in the FIG.  4 (B) is selected, and if the variable L=L 2 , the area  22 - 2  in the FIG.  4 (C) is selected the color of which was changed in the process in the step S 112 , and which returns the color to the original color. The operating system  100  responds to the API issued by the drawing section  104  to return the color of the image within the area around the mouse cursor  20  to the original color. 
     Actual Example of the Pointing Operation in the Computer System 
     The manner of how to change the color of the image within the area around the mouse cursor  20  is described with reference to the FIGS. 6-10. 
     FIGS. 6-9 are a first figure through a fourth figure which show the manner how to change the color of the image within the area around the mouse cursor  20  in the computer system  1  in the case that the size of the area around the mouse cursor  20  is changed among four different sizes. 
     FIG. 10 is an exemplary figure which shows how the user sees the image within the area around the mouse cursor  20  due to an afterimage effect when the color of the image within the area around the mouse cursor  20  is changed at intervals of about 1 ms to about 100 ms, as shown in the FIGS. 5-9. 
     In the case that the computer  10  in the computer system  1  displays an image including one window  18 - 1  on the display device  16 - 1 , and sequentially substitutes four kinds of constant values L 1 -L 4  for the variable L in the software process shown in the FIG. 5 (for example, L 1 =200 PELs, L 2 =150 PELs, L 3 =100 PELs and L 4 =50 PELs), to change the size of the area or scope, a color of which should be changed, among the four ranges to make the mouse cursor stand out, the computer  10  responds to the keying operation by the user to sequentially invert the image data of the displayed image within each of the four areas  22 - 1  . . .  224 , sizes of which differ from each other, at intervals of about 1 ms to about 100 ms, wherein the area or scope  22 - 1  is a region of 200 PELs×200 PELs and has a center aligned to the coordinate values of the mouse cursor  20 , as shown in the FIG.  4 (A), the area or scope  22 - 2  is a region of 150 PELs×150 PELs and has a center aligned to the coordinate values of the mouse cursor  20 , the area or scope  22 - 3  is a region of 100 PELs×100 PELs and has a center aligned to the coordinate values of the mouse cursor  20 , and the area or scope  224  is a region of 50 PELs×50 PELs and has a center aligned to the coordinate values of the mouse cursor  20 . 
     Since the area or scope  22 - 1  . . .  22 - 4  are actually switched at intervals of about 1 ms to about 100 ms which causes the afterimage effect, the user can see the images within the region  22  as if the four rectangular regions (the scopes  22 - 1  . . .  224 ), the centers of which are common, are displayed on the display device  16  with their state being alternately switched between the original state in which the color of the image is not inverted and the inverted state in which the color of the image is inverted. 
     In this manner, the change of the color by inverting the image data within the scopes  22 - 1  . . .  22 - 4  causes only the color of character, symbol and graphical pattern, etc. within the image to change, and the outlines of the character, the symbol and the graphical pattern are maintained, whereby the problem that the contents of the GUI image in the window  18 - 1  is hidden by the areas  22 - 1  and  22 - 4  and the user can not see the hidden image is solved. 
     Accordingly, the observation of the GUI image by the user is not prevented, and it is possible to cause the mouse cursor  20  to stand out without lowering the usability of the computer  10 . The restore of the color of the image to the original color is performed by the twice inversion of the values of image data. 
     If the rectangle is used as the shape of the areas  22 - 1  and  22 - 4 , the colors of which are changed, the determination as to whether the each PEL on the screen of the display device  16  is located within the areas  22 - 1  and  22 - 4  can be easily made, so that the drawing process for changing the colors becomes simple. 
     As described above, in accordance with the pointing method in the computer system  1  of the present invention, even if it is difficult for the user to see the display of the mouse cursor  20  in the case that the plural windows  18  are displayed on one of the display devices  16 - 1  through  16 -k, as shown in the FIG.  3 (A), the position of the mouse cursor  20  can stand out or be obvious: by a simple key operation by the user. 
     In accordance with the pointing method in the computer system  1  of the present invention, even if the user tends to lose sight of the mouse cursor  20  in the case that the images are displayed on the plural screens of the display devices  16 - 1  . . .  16 -k, as shown in the FIG.  3 (B), the position of the mouse cursor  20  can stand out since the colors of the large area around the mouse cursor  20  are changed and the image within the area, the color of which is changed, is blinked at intervals of about 1 ms to about 100 ms. Accordingly, even if the user loses sight of the mouse cursor  20  in the situation that it is difficult to find the mouse cursor  20 , the user can easily locate the mouse cursor  20  and can perform the job. 
     Since the process in the computer system  1  for realizing the pointing method of the present invention is very simple as described above, the sizes of the input check section  102  and the drawing section  104  can be kept small, so that the application of the invention to the existing computer systems is easily performed. 
     The shape of the scope  22 - 1  and  22 - 2  shown in the FIGS.  4 (B) and (C) is one examples, another shape, such as a circle shape rather than the rectangular shape is used as the shape of the scope  22 - 1  and  22 - 2  by appropriately changing the drawing section  104 . Also, the method for inverting the image data within the area around the mouse cursor  20  used as the method for changing the color of the image within the area around the mouse cursor  20  can be replaced by another method, such as a method for multiplying the image data by a predetermined constant value, or a method for adding the constant value to the image data. 
     It is not necessary to use the clear outline as the outline of the area, the color of which is changed, around the mouse cursor  20 . An area around the area, the color of which is changed, can be appropriately graded, or the gradation can be formed within the area, the color of which is changed. 
     Also, the processing method of the softwares in the computer  10  shown in the FIG. 5 is one of the examples, the process for changing the size of the area, the color of which is changed, around the mouse cursor  20  can be modified by using a constant value as the initial value of the variable L set in the drawing section  104 , adding the predetermined number of PELs to the variable L (or subtracting the predetermined number of PELs from the variable L) whenever the process of the step S 144  is terminated, and restoring the resulting value of the variable L to the initial value when the resulting value L exceeds a predetermined range. 
     In the case that the user does not touch the keyboard or the mouse of the computer  10  during a predetermined period, and the probability of losing sight of the mouse cursor  20  is high, the process can be modified to automatically change the color of the area around the mouse cursor  20 . 
     The operation of the key and the mouse by the user for changing the color of the area around the mouse cursor  20  is one example, and this scheme can be modified by appropriately modifying the softwares of the computer  10  based upon the use and constitution of the computer system. 
     Each of the environments, settings and the processing steps of the computer system  1  can be replaced by other constitution and processing step described above as far as the similar functions and performance are realized.