Patent ID: 7562309

Claim:
A system for controlling computer functions, said system capable of operating in a plurality of modes, each mode associated with at least one type of mutually exclusive input device, said plurality of modes comprising at least a first mode and a second mode where mode is determined by the origin of signal from the at least one type of mutually exclusive input device associated with a mode, said system comprising: a first means for generating a first signal indicating that a menu should be displayed, for generating a second signal indicating a numeric selection and for generating a third signal indicating that an application specific function should be performed if the application is operating in said first mode; a second means for displaying data; a third means for receiving the first, second and third signals generated by the first means and, in response to receiving the first signal, causing the second means to display a menu comprising choices of at least one application program at least one of which has an associated numeric accelerator and, in response to receiving said second signal, launching the application program associated with the corresponding numeric accelerator and, in response to receiving the third signal, causing the launched application program to perform a function pertinent to that particular application program, if said system is operating in said first mode; and a fourth means for determining the origin of at least one of the first, second and third signal from the at least one type of mutually exclusive input device, wherein the determination of the origin of at least one of said first signal, said second signal and said third signal from a type of mutually exclusive input device causes said third means to switch from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation based on the type of input device.