Appeal No. 96-2372
Application 08/278,676
are adapted to hand movements that a human
operator can make and remember easily. An
apparatus in accordance with the invention is
therefore characterized in that the apparatus
comprises means for displaying the options on
the viewscreen in a curved band and in that
the corresponding areas are positioned in a
corresponding band which is curved similar to
the curved band on the viewscreen. While
working with a pointer device such as a mouse
or a stylus it is easier to target areas
along a curved line around a central area
located somewhere beneath the hand of the
operator on a desk than to follow
substantially straight lines. Also travel of
the pointer device from the centerpoint is
reduced and it is easier to remember the
position of each option by utilizing motor
and spatial memory.
Claim 1, one of two independent claims on appeal, is
representative of the subject matter on appeal and reads as
follows:
1. Apparatus for interactive handling of objects,
which apparatus comprises
a viewscreen for displaying a menu of options and
a pointer device for pointing at one of a plurality of
corresponding areas each associated with one of the options
displayed on the viewscreen, and thereby selecting one of said
options,
3
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