The navigational interface allows a user to control computer operations and input
text into applications running on the computing system with a single input device.
The navigational interface operates by receiving selection signals from the input
device. The navigational interface includes an input device, a navigational interface
interpretation module having a sensor pattern, and a control display providing
feedback of the navigational interface interpretation module operations. The sensor
pattern is radially divided into a central sensory portion, a petals sensory portion
divided into sensory petals, and a circumferential sensory portion. Each sensory
portion references an information element. The information elements are associated
with tasks to be performed in the computing system. The tasks might be computer
control operations, application selection, application operation, or inputting
and editing of textual characters into various applications running on the computing
system. The information elements are selected by a selection stroke on the sensory
portions and sensory petals of the sensor pattern. The selection stroke is defined
by information in the selection signal, which is transmitted pursuant to a user
input stroke. Tasks are performed through recognization of the selection signal
by the navigational interface interpretation module. Following task execution,
the information elements associated with the sensor pattern are functionally updated
according to the executed task.
