In the present invention an input device for use with a digital computer having a video display for displaying the position of an indicator thereon is disclosed. The input device has means for converting rotational motion signals into conventional cursor key signals and also has a plurality of keys which include a numeric keypad and a plurality of control keys. A program controls the input device such that in the event the key signals are supplied, then said key signals are supplied to the computer. However, if no key signal is supplied, then the motion signals are converted into key signals and are then supplied to the digital computer. The input device also can receive the input signal and reprogram the function of the keys in response to that one input signal. Still, the input signal caused by activation of one of the plurality keys can cause the suspension and resumption of the tranfer of the motion signals to the computer. Finally, activation of one of the plurality keys can cause the activation of one or more of the plurality of commands that are displayed normally in the periphery of the display without the device or the indicator being moved to the position of the command.

Improved cursor-positioning apparatus is disclosed for use with a mouse-type cursor controller and a host computer display system to enable the mouse's operating area to remain relatively small, yet enabling normal-feeling mouse operation to provide both high-precision cursor pointing and very efficient coarse positioning of the cursor to any zone of a relatively larger display area. The disclosed apparatus provides an ideally limited operative-area for the attached mouse, comprising structure for defining a boundary limiting the range of X-Y movement of the mouse when it is operated within such contained operative-area. The apparatus also comprises elements that sense orthogonal forces that result when the travel of the mouse is limited by such structural boundaries, elements for synthesizing appropriate cursor-movement signals upon activation by the sense of such forces during mouse/boundary contact and elements for selectively coupling either such synthesized signals or normal mouse-generated signals to the host computer system.

A hand controlled peripheral pointing device having an optional analog switch to permit the user to dynamically and continuously change the value of an attribute, for example, the width of a line or color saturation value, when the device is moved. Activation of the analog button or key permits the user to change an attribute value of graphical data input as desired depending on the depth of depression of the key. In the preferred embodiment, the device is a mouse having a numeric keypad placed thereon. This numeric key pad allows the user to directly enter data without moving the hand back and forth between the mouse and a computer key board. The numeric mouse is able to operate in two modes, including a conventional point and click mode and an analog mode. An alternate embodiment comprises a light pen having a finger actuated analog button disposed adjacent the writing tip of the pen. One manner of switching between modes (analog to click and vice versa) is program driven, i.e. depending on what item the mouse or light pen is pointing to, the activation of the key varies an attribute value or functions in the conventional "click" or keystroke manner.

An apparatus for entering coordinate data for moving a cursor ona screen of a CRT display in response to movements of a manually movable unit on a planar board, comprising a detecting device disposed on the manually movable unit to detect amounts of movement of the manually movable unit in X- and Y-axis directions on the planar board, a magnification selector for selecting one of plural values of magnification of the detected amounts of movement of the movable unit, and a data processor for obtaining distances of movements of the cursor on the display screen, by multiplying the detected amounts of movement of the movable unit by the selected value of magnification.

A cursor control system for computer displays moves a cursor unambiguously in three dimensions using a two dimensional input device. The plane of movement of the two dimensional device is divided into logical regions which correspond to movement along a three dimensional axis. Movement of the two dimensional device into one of these regions causes the cursor to move along the corresponding axis of the display.