A method for controlling an electronic device, the method comprising: providing as part of the electronic device a processor, a display screen for displaying content and a sensing assembly including at least one photoreceiver and a plurality of phototransmitters, controlling by the processor emission of infrared light by each of the phototransmitters during each of a plurality of time periods as an external object moves in a first specified pattern of movement which is offset from a generally centered position with respect to the sensing assembly, for each of the phototransmitters and for each of the plurality of time periods, generating a corresponding measured signal indicative of a respective amount of infrared light which originated from that phototransmitter during that time period and was reflected by the external object prior to being received by a photoreceiver, characterized by: each phototransmitter is positioned to emit infrared light away from the electronic device about a corresponding central transmission axis, wherein each central transmission axis is oriented in a different direction with respect to the others; evaluating by the processor the measured signals to identify the first specified pattern of movement of the object, and to detect a reference offset location corresponding to an end of the first specified pattern of movement of the object; performing by the processor a centering operation in response to the identification of the first specified pattern of movement, wherein the centering operation moves an indicator to a predetermined reference location on the display screen, wherein the predetermined reference location is then associated with the reference offset location; and subsequently controlling sequential locations of the indicator on the display screen in accordance with further determined locations of the object relative to the reference offset location. providing as part of the electronic device a processor, a display screen for displaying content and a sensing assembly including at least one photoreceiver and a plurality of phototransmitters, controlling by the processor emission of infrared light by each of the phototransmitters during each of a plurality of time periods as an external object moves in a first specified pattern of movement which is offset from a generally centered position with respect to the sensing assembly, for each of the phototransmitters and for each of the plurality of time periods, generating a corresponding measured signal indicative of a respective amount of infrared light which originated from that phototransmitter during that time period and was reflected by the external object prior to being received by a photoreceiver, characterized by: each phototransmitter is positioned to emit infrared light away from the electronic device about a corresponding central transmission axis, wherein each central transmission axis is oriented in a different direction with respect to the others; evaluating by the processor the measured signals to identify the first specified pattern of movement of the object, and to detect a reference offset location corresponding to an end of the first specified pattern of movement of the object; performing by the processor a centering operation in response to the identification of the first specified pattern of movement, wherein the centering operation moves an indicator to a predetermined reference location on the display screen, wherein the predetermined reference location is then associated with the reference offset location; and subsequently controlling sequential locations of the indicator on the display screen in accordance with further determined locations of the object relative to the reference offset location. each phototransmitter is positioned to emit infrared light away from the electronic device about a corresponding central transmission axis, wherein each central transmission axis is oriented in a different direction with respect to the others; evaluating by the processor the measured signals to identify the first specified pattern of movement of the object, and to detect a reference offset location corresponding to an end of the first specified pattern of movement of the object; performing by the processor a centering operation in response to the identification of the first specified pattern of movement, wherein the centering operation moves an indicator to a predetermined reference location on the display screen, wherein the predetermined reference location is then associated with the reference offset location; and subsequently controlling sequential locations of the indicator on the display screen in accordance with further determined locations of the object relative to the reference offset location.