Cursor Visibility Control via Video Driver Interface

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing accessibility applications on processing devices cannot effectively hide the un-magnified system cursor from the video driver, leading to the display of two cursors on the screen, which confuses users with impairments, as operating systems lack a mechanism to manage the system cursor at the video driver level.

Innovation Solution

An interface, such as an application program interface (API), is provided to an accessibility application to hide or show a cursor to the video driver, allowing for the saving and retrieval of cursor information, enabling the application to modify video driver bits and manage cursor visibility independently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If accessibility applications use third party drivers to implement magnification, then cursor magnification can be achieved, but device complexity increases and system reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecursor magnification accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary interface layer between the accessibility application and the video driver. This interface includes API calls and video driver bits that mediate the interaction, allowing the system to control cursor visibility and magnification without requiring complex third-party drivers. The intermediary structure simplifies the system by providing standardized communication mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal interface that can be used by any accessibility application to control cursor behavior. The video driver interface and API structure are designed to be multi-functional, handling both cursor magnification and visibility control through a unified mechanism, eliminating the need for application-specific driver implementations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of information

If the system displays both magnified and un-magnified cursors, then complete cursor information is preserved, but user confusion increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecursor information completenessVSAvoiduser confusion

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the visibility control function from the default system behavior. By providing an interface that allows accessibility applications to selectively hide or show the cursor at the video driver level, the system removes the harmful effect of displaying multiple cursors while preserving the ability to control cursor information flow. The interface enables selective extraction of cursor visibility control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic cursor visibility control where the cursor can be hidden or shown based on the operational state of the accessibility application. The interface allows real-time switching between cursor visibility states, enabling the system to adapt cursor display behavior dynamically rather than maintaining a static dual-cursor state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If the system provides no mechanism to hide the cursor, then system simplicity is maintained, but accessibility functionality is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidaccessibility functionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the cursor control functionality into separate manageable components: an interface layer with API calls, video driver bits for control flags, and application-level implementation. This segmentation allows the system to maintain overall simplicity while adding specific accessibility capabilities through modular interface elements rather than restructuring the entire system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Manufacturing precision

If third party drivers are used to implement magnification, then cursor magnification is achieved, but system reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemagnification accuracyVSAvoidsystem reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8001483B2Selective display of cursor

Publication Date: 2011.08.16 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

An application may be provided with an interface for hiding a cursor from or showing a cursor to a video driver and for causing cursor information to be saved in data storage and retrieved from data storage. The interface may include an application program interface (API), which may be callable from the application program. The interface may also include one or more bits included in a video driver, such that the modification of any of the one or more bits may change operation of the video driver. Modification of at least some of the bits may cause a cursor to be hidden from the video driver, may cause a previously hidden cursor to be shown to the video driver, may cause cursor information to be saved in a data storage, or may cause the cursor information to be retrieved from the data storage.