A document preparing system includes input processing means for detecting the per-unit-time moving amount of a click such as a mouse and for supplying information to be used for calculation for correction; correction means for executing a calculation for correction based on information supplied from the input processing means and for supplying a corrective value; and mouse cursor moving amount calculation means for calculating the per-unit-time moving amount of a mouse cursor using the corrective value and the per-unit-time mouse moving amount. As the mouse moving speed is higher, the mouse cursor moving speed is further increased. This enables to closely reproduce the mouse user's operation feeling that a fine movement of the mouse is slowly made while a rough movement thereof is quickly made. This improves a smooth operational effectiveness of the mouse.

A technique is disclosed which facilitates the selection by a user of a graphic object on a display screen. Selection is by means of a pointing cursor which is moved about the display screen by means of a pointing device having a select button. When the pointing cursor is brought within a predetermined distance of a graphic object, the point on the graphic object closest to the pointing cursor is highlighted to show the user that that graphic object would be selected if the select button were pressed. If the user presses the select button when a point on a graphic object is highlighted, the entire graphic object is highlighted to indicate that it has been selected.

A user interface apparatus and method for a computing or processing system employing a graphical user interface is presented. In order to provide a good user feel, and specifically to avoid a feeling of inertia or sluggishness in cursor motion as the user starts or stops movement, the apparatus and method provide a negative inertia transfer function. That is, the cursor movement signal produced by applying the input parameter to a transfer function in accordance with the invention is related to a sum of (i) the input parameter, and (ii) a signal related to the rate of change of the input parameter. This is preferably implemented as an additive high-pass transfer function. Preferred embodiments can employ analog circuitry or a digitally programmed transfer function algorithm. The input parameter to which the transfer function is applied can be a magnitude signal, such as that from a polar coordinate system, or separate components, such as x- and y-components from a rectangular coordinate system, can be treated separately.

A method and apparatus for controlling the movement of cursor indicia on display screens is disclosed in which the parameters of the equations of motion used to translate signals originating from positioning actuators into movement of the cursor may be varied. Factors such as the rate of change of the actuation signal, position of the cursor on the display screen, voluntary control input from the operator, and conditions determined by application software may be used to vary these parameters.

A computer input device, such as a mouse, and a method of operating the same. Initially, the location of the cursor at various times on the screen is detected. From these various positions a path of travel and a rate of travel of the cursor are computed. Display objects, such as buttons, which exist along or near the path of travel are identified and designated as potential targets. The rate of change in the rate of travel is also computed. This information is used to decide if a user is slowing down in approach of a specific screen display object. If certain deceleration criteria are met, then that target which the user is approaching is designated as the intended target and the cursor is translated smoothly to that target. After the pointer has been moved to the intended display object, the pointer is maintained at that object and small mouse movements are ignored, thereby allowing the user to maintain the cursor on the desired target despite small, possibly inadvertent, mouse movements. If the movement or acceleration of the mouse exceed a predetermined threshold, then this hold is released.