User interface for a digital production system including multiple window viewing and navigating

• US 20020158887A1
• Filed: 08/14/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: SONY CORPORATION AND SONY ELECTRONICS, INC.
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kyoko, Kawamura, Makoto, Samra, Sukendeep, Kawabe, Shingo
• Granted Patent: US 8,830,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

The system provides different ways for users to select an object and an action to be applied to the object in computer applications such as image processing or digital post-production. The user can select an object first and then an action, or vice versa. The user can also use gestural input to designate both an object and action virtually simultaneously. Multiple view, or windows, of an image can be independently sized, zoomed, panned, etc. Any effects performed on the image appear in all of the windows since each window shows (potentially) different portions of the same image content. A navigation window helps a user move within a large image or diagram that does not fit entirely on a single display screen. The navigation window includes an inner box that shows, in miniature, the principal objects in the screen display. A region outside of the screen display is shown in the navigation box, relative to the inner box. Active areas for multiple operations mark in/out points. Operations that are part of a group have their in/out points adjusted so that the operation does not occur outside of the group'"'"'s own mark in/out points.

Claims

1. A method for performing actions on objects, the method executing in a computer system including a processor coupled to a user input device, the method comprising

accepting signals from a user input device to first specify a first object and then select a first action to be performed on the first object;

accepting signals from a user input device to first select a second action and then specify a second object on which the second action is to be performed; and

accepting signals from a user input device to define a gesture that overlaps a third object, wherein the gesture is mapped to a third action to be performed on the third object.

2. A method for displaying images on a display screen, the method comprising

displaying multiple windows on the display screen;

performing an operation on an image;

displaying the image in each of the multiple windows; and

accepting input from a user input device to allow independent manipulation of the windows.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein independent manipulation of the windows includes resizing the windows.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein independent manipulation of the windows includes scaling at least a portion of the image within a window.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein independent manipulation of the windows includes rotating at least a portion of the image within a window.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein independent manipulation of the windows includes panning a window with respect to the image within the window.

7. A method for viewing an image on a display screen, wherein the display screen is coupled to a processor and user input device, the method comprising

displaying a navigator box on the display screen;

displaying a miniature version of the image on the display screen within an inner box within the navigator box on the display screen, wherein the inner box is smaller than the navigator box, wherein portions of the image not displayed on the display screen are shown in miniature within the area of the navigator box that is outside of the inner box.

8. A method for determining active intervals of operations to be performed on images, wherein each operation includes a start time and a stop time that defines an initial active interval for the operation, the method comprising

selecting one or more operations to be members of a group;

determining a start time and a stop time to define a group interval for the group; and

setting the active region of each operation that is a member of the group to be the intersection of each operation'"'"'s initial active interval with the group interval.