Granted Patent B2

US 9,552,134 · App. 14/967,101 · Granted Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

Claims (69)

1. A pointer controlling apparatus, comprising:

controlling means for preventing a pointer from moving into a predetermined region of a button having a control function when the pointer attempts to move into the predetermined region until a command is received;

notification means for providing a notification to a user, in response to the pointer coming into contact with the predetermined region, that the pointer has come into contact with the predetermined region; and

command receiving means for receiving the command from a user in response to the notification, wherein the pointer is prohibited from advancing into the predetermined region and the button is maintained in a state in which it is protected from input operation until the command is received from the user in response to the notification,

wherein the controlling means permits the pointer to move into the predetermined region and to operate a control function associated with the predetermined region, in accordance with the command received by the command receiving means.

2. The pointer controlling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controlling means controls the pointer so that it crosses over the predetermined region without stopping at a side of the predetermined region when the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region at a speed above a predetermined movement speed.

3. The pointer controlling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controlling means protects the control function associated with the predetermined region from being operated when the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region at a speed above a predetermined movement speed.

4. The pointer controlling apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the controlling means stops providing the notification to the user when the pointer leaves the predetermined region before the command is received after having come into contact with the boundary line of the predetermined region.

5. The pointer controlling apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein a display of the pointer changes from the point in time when the pointer comes into contact with the boundary line of the predetermined region until the command is received.

6. The pointer controlling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a display of the predetermined region changes from the point in time when the pointer comes into contact with the boundary line of the predetermined region until the command is received.

7. The pointer controlling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the notification means is further configured to display an image indicating that the pointer is prohibited from moving into the predetermined region or an image indicating that the pointer is permitted to advance into the predetermined region when the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region.

8. The pointer controlling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined region is a region for one of activating and deactivating a function of a predetermined program.

9. The pointer controlling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pointer is moved to a position of contact with the predetermined region when the pointer has advanced into a region located outside the predetermined region and is separated by a predetermined distance from the predetermined region.

10. The pointer controlling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a display of the pointer changes after the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region in correspondence to one of the prohibition of the pointer to move and the permission of the pointer to move to the predetermined region.

11. The pointer controlling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a display of the predetermined region changes after the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region in correspondence to one of the prohibition of the pointer to move and the permission of the pointer to move to the predetermined region.

12. The pointer controlling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the command receiving means comprises at least one of a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel.

13. The pointer controlling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the notification means is further configured to provide a notification to the user when the controlling means permits the pointer to move into the predetermined region.

14. A pointer controlling method, comprising:

preventing a pointer from moving into a predetermined region when the pointer attempts to move into the predetermined region of a button having a control function at a speed below a predetermined movement speed until a command is received;

providing a notification to a user, in response to the pointer coming into contact with the predetermined region, that the pointer has come into contact with the predetermined region; and

receiving the command from a user in response to the notification, wherein the pointer is prohibited from advancing into the predetermined region and the button is maintained in a state in which it is protected from input operation until the command is received from the user in response to the notification; and

permitting the pointer to move into the predetermined region and to operate a control function associated with the predetermined region, in accordance with the received command.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

controlling the pointer so that it crosses over the predetermined region without stopping at a side of the predetermined region when the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region at a speed above the predetermined movement speed.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code to:

prevent a pointer from moving into a predetermined region when the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region of a button having a control function at a speed below a predetermined movement speed until a command is received;

provide a notification to a user, in response to the pointer coming into contact with the predetermined region, that the pointer has come into contact with the predetermined region; and

receive the command from the user in response to the notification, wherein the pointer is prohibited from advancing into the predetermined region and the button is maintained in a state in which it is protected from input operation until the command is received from the user in response to the notification; and

permit the pointer to move into the predetermined region and to operate a control function associated with the predetermined region after receiving the command from the user.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising code to:

control the pointer so that it crosses over the predetermined region without stopping at a side of the predetermined region when the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region at a speed above the predetermined movement speed.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising code to:

control the pointer so that it protects the control function associated with the predetermined region from being operated when the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region at a speed above the predetermined movement speed.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising code to:

change a display of at least one of the pointer and the predetermined region from the point in time when the pointer comes into contact with the boundary line of the predetermined region until the command is received.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising code to:

display an image indicating that the pointer is prohibited from moving into the predetermined region or an image indicating that the pointer is permitted to advance into the predetermined region after the pointer has come into contact with the predetermined region.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising code to:

stop the notification to the user when the pointer leaves the predetermined region before the command is received after having come into contact with the boundary line of the predetermined region.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising code to:

change a display of the predetermined region from the point in time when the pointer comes into contact with the boundary line of the predetermined region until the command is received.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined region is a region for one of activating and deactivating a function of a predetermined program.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the pointer is moved to a position of contact with the predetermined region when the pointer has advanced into a region located outside the predetermined region and is separated by a predetermined distance from the predetermined region.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising code to:

change a display of the pointer after the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region in correspondence to one of the prohibition of the pointer to move and the permission of the pointer to move to the predetermined region.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising code to:

change a display of the predetermined region after the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region in correspondence to one of the prohibition of the pointer to move and the permission of the pointer to move to the predetermined region.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising code to:

provide a notification to the user when the pointer is permitted to move into the predetermined region.

28. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

protecting the control function associated with the predetermined region from being operated when the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region at a speed above a predetermined movement speed.

29. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

stopping providing the notification to the user when the pointer leaves the predetermined region before the command is received after having come into contact with the boundary line of the predetermined region.

30. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

changing a display of the pointer from the point in time when the pointer comes into contact with the boundary line of the predetermined region until the command is received.

31. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

changing a display of the predetermined region from the point in time when the pointer comes into contact with the boundary line of the predetermined region until the command is received.

32. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

displaying an image indicating that the pointer is prohibited from moving into the predetermined region or an image indicating that the pointer is permitted to advance into the predetermined region when the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region.

33. The method of claim 14 , wherein the predetermined region is a region for one of activating and deactivating a function of a predetermined program.

34. The method of claim 14 , wherein the pointer is moved to a position of contact with the predetermined region when the pointer has advanced into a region located outside the predetermined region and is separated by a predetermined distance from the predetermined region.

35. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

changing a display of the pointer after the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region in correspondence to one of the prohibition of the pointer to move and the permission of the pointer to move to the predetermined region.

36. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

changing a display of the predetermined region after the pointer comes into contact with the predetermined region in correspondence to one of the prohibition of the pointer to move and the permission of the pointer to move to the predetermined region.

37. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

providing a notification to the user when the pointer is permitted to move into the predetermined region.

Assignments (6)