Graphical user interface with zoom for detail-in-context presentations

• US 20030007006A1
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accessify, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: IDELIX Software Inc. (Lat49 Media Inc.)
• Inventors: Shoemaker, Garth, Baar, David, Lochner, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 7,213,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/767
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided for manipulating a presentation of a region of interest within visual information displayed on a display screen of a computer display system. The GUI includes: a first bounding shape surrounding the focal region; a second bounding shape surrounding the shoulder region; a base outline; a pickup point; a slide bar; a move area within the region of interest; at least one zoom area; and, a zoom button.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) for manipulating a presentation of a region of interest within visual information displayed on a display screen of a computer display system, said region of interest having a focal region and a shoulder region, said region of interest surrounded by an external region, said computer display system including said display screen, a computer, and a pointing device for positioning a cursor on said display screen, said GUT comprising;

a) a first bounding shape surrounding said focal region, said first bounding shape having at least two active areas, said active areas for resizing and folding said focal region by repositioning at least one of said active areas with said pointing device;

b) a second bounding shape surrounding said shoulder region, said second bounding shape having at least two active areas, said active areas for resizing said shoulder region by repositioning at least one of said active areas with said pointing device;

c) a base outline, said base outline positioned within said second bounding shape, said base outline outlining said shoulder region;

d) a slide bar, said slide bar having at least one active area, said active area for magnifying said region of interest by repositioning said active area with said pointing device;

e) a move area within said region of interest, said move area having at least one active area, said move area located within said region of interest, said active area for moving said region of interest by repositioning said active area with said pointing device;

f) at least one zoom area, said zoom area within said visual information, said zoom area having at least one active area, said active area for selecting at least one predetermined zoom operation for said zoom area by selecting said active area with said pointing device; and

,

g) a zoom button, said zoom button having at least one active area, said active area for activating said zoom area by selecting said active area with said pointing device, thereby enabling said predetermined zoom operation to be selected.

2. The GUI of claim 1 wherein said first and second bounding shapes are rectangles.

3. The GUI of claim 2 wherein one of said active areas is a corner-handle icon positioned over a corner of said first bounding shape.

4. The GUI of claim 3 wherein one of said active areas is a middle-handle icon positioned over said first bounding shape between corners of said first bounding shape.

5. The GUI of claim 4 wherein one of said active areas is a corner-handle icon positioned over a corner of said second bounding shape.

6. The GUI of claim 5 wherein one of said active areas is a middle-handle icon positioned over said second bounding shape between corners of said second bounding shape.

7. The GUI of claim 6 wherein one of said active areas is a fold area positioned over said first bounding shape between said corner-handle and said middle-handle icons.

8. The GUI of claim 1 wherein said move area has at least one pickup point, said pickup point having at least one active area, said active area for moving said base outline and subsequently said region of interest by repositioning said active area with said pointing device.

9. The GUI of claim 8 wherein said pickup point is located centrally in said region of interest.

10. The GUI of claim 9 wherein said move area excludes said first bounding shape, said second bounding shape, and said pickup point.

11. The GUI of claim 10 wherein one of said active areas is a pickup icon positioned over said pickup point.

12. The GUI of claim 1 wherein one of said active areas is a bar icon positioned over said slide bar.

13. The GUI of claim 1 wherein one of said active areas is a zoom button icon positioned over said zoom button.

14. The GUI of claim 13 wherein said zoom button icon is located on a tool bar.

15. The GUI of claim 1 wherein said cursor changes shape when positioned over one of said active areas.

16. The GUI of claim 15 wherein said cursor changes said shape to a resize icon when positioned over said corner-handle icon or said middle-handle icon.

17. The GUI of claim 15 wherein said cursor changes said shape to a fold icon when positioned over said fold area.

18. The GUI of claim 15 wherein said cursor changes said shape to a move icon when positioned over said move area.

19. The GUI of claim 15 wherein said cursor changes said shape to a zoom icon when positioned over said zoom area.

20. The GUI of claim 1 wherein said zoom area includes a first zoom area positioned over said focal region, a second zoom area positioned over said shoulder region, and a third zoom area positioned over said external region.

21. The GUI of claim 20 wherein said predetermined zoom operation for said first zoom area magnifies said focal region to fill said display screen.

22. The GUI of claim 20 wherein said predetermined zoom operation for said second zoom area magnifies said region of interest to fill said display screen.

23. The GUI of claim 20 wherein said predetermined zoom operation for said third zoom area magnifies said shoulder region and said external region to match the existing level of magnification of said focal region.

24. The GUI of claim 1 wherein said pointing device is a mouse.

25. The GUI of claim 1 for use in a personal digital assistant (PDA).

26. The GUI of claim 1 for use in a map display system.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said parameter includes a magnification for said region of interest, a magnification for said focal region, a magnification for said shoulder region, and a magnification for said external region.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein said means for selecting includes a zoom button and a zoom area.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said zoom area includes a first zoom area positioned over said focal region, a second zoom area positioned over said shoulder region, and a third zoom area positioned over said external region.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said predetermined distortion function for said first zoom area magnifies said focal region to fill said display screen.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein said predetermined distortion function for said second zoom area magnifies said region of interest to fill said display screen.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein said predetermined distortion function for said third zoom area magnifies said shoulder region and said external region to match the existing level of magnification of said focal region.

35. The GUI of claim 34 wherein one of said active areas is a corner-handle icon positioned over a corner of said first bounding rectangle.

36. The GUI of claim 34 wherein one of said active areas is a middle-handle icon positioned over said first bounding rectangle between corners of said first bounding rectangle.

37. The GUI of claim 34 wherein one of said active areas is a corner-handle icon positioned over a corner of said second bounding rectangle.

38. The GUI of claim 34 wherein one of said active areas is a middle-handle icon positioned over said second bounding rectangle between corners of said second bounding rectangle.

39. The GUI of claim 34 wherein one of said active areas is a fold area positioned over said first bounding rectangle between said corner-handle and said middle-handle icons.

40. The GUI of claim 34 wherein one of said active areas is a pickup icon positioned over said pickup point.

41. The GUI of claim 34 wherein one of said active areas is a bar icon positioned over said slide bar.

42. The GUI of claim 34 wherein one of said active areas is a zoom button icon positioned over said zoom selection point.

43. The GUI of claim 42 wherein said zoom button icon is located on a tool bar.

44. The GUI of claim 42 wherein said zoom button icon is positioned in said external region adjacent to said second bounding rectangle.

45. The GUI of claim 34 wherein one of said active areas is a zoom menu item positioned over said zoom selection point.

46. The GUI of claim 45 wherein said zoom menu item is located on a pull-down menu.

47. The GUI of claim 34 wherein said cursor changes shape when positioned over one of said active areas.

48. The GUI of claim 47 wherein said cursor changes said shape to a resize icon when positioned over said corner-handle icon or said middle-handle icon.

49. The GUI of claim 47 wherein said cursor changes said shape to a fold icon when positioned over said fold area.

50. The GUI of claim 47 wherein said cursor changes said shape to a move icon when positioned over said move area.

51. The GUI of claim 34 wherein said predetermined zoom operation magnifies said focal region to fill said display screen.

52. The GUI of claim 34 wherein said predetermined zoom operation magnifies said region of interest to fill said display screen.

53. The GUI of claim 34 wherein said predetermined zoom operation magnifies said shoulder region and said external region to match the existing level of magnification of said focal region.

54. The GUI of claim 34 wherein said pointing device is a mouse.

55. The GUI of claim 34 for use in a personal digital assistant (PDA).

56. The GUI of claim 34 for use in a map display system.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein said parameter includes a magnification for said region of interest, a magnification for said focal region, a magnification for said shoulder region, and a magnification for said external region.

59. The method of claim 57 wherein said means for selecting is at least one zoom button icon.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein said zoom button icon is located on a tool bar.

61. The method of claim 59 wherein said zoom button icon is positioned in said external region.

62. The method of claim 57 wherein said means for selecting is at least one zoom menu item.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein said zoom menu item is located on a pull-down menu.

64. The method of claim 57 wherein said predetermined distortion function magnifies said focal region to fill said display screen.

65. The method of claim 57 wherein said predetermined distortion function magnifies said region of interest to fill said display screen.

66. The method of claim 57 wherein said predetermined distortion function magnifies said shoulder region and said external region to match the existing level of magnification of said focal region.

27. A method for displaying a region of interest within visual information on a display screen of a computer display system, said region of interest having a focal region and a shoulder region, said region of interest surrounded by an external region, said computer display system including said display screen, a computer, and a pointing device for positioning a cursor on said display screen, said method comprising the steps of:

providing means for selecting at least one parameter for transforming at least one of said region of interest, said focal region, and said external region;

using said means for selecting to select said parameter;

transforming said visual information in accordance with a predetermined distortion function and said parameter to produce transformed visual information; and

,

displaying said transformed visual information on said display screen.

34. A graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) for manipulating a presentation of a region of interest within visual information displayed on a display screen of a computer display system, said region of interest having a focal region and a shoulder region, said region of interest surrounded by an external region, said computer display system including said display screen, a computer, and a pointing device for positioning a cursor on said display screen, said GUI comprising;

a) a representation of a first bounding rectangle surrounding said focal region, said first bounding rectangle having at least two active areas, said active areas for resizing and folding said focal region by repositioning at least one of said active areas with said pointing device;

b) a representation of a second bounding rectangle surrounding said shoulder region, said second bounding rectangle having at least two active areas, said active areas for resizing said shoulder region by repositioning at least one of said active areas with said pointing device;

c) a representation of a base outline, said base outline positioned within said second bounding rectangle, said base outline outlining said shoulder region;

d) a representation of a pickup point, said pickup point positioned centrally in said region of interest, said pickup point having at least one active area, said active area for moving said base outline and subsequently said region of interest by repositioning said active area with said pointing device;

e) a representation of a slide bar, said slide bar positioned in said external region adjacent to said second bounding rectangle, said slide bar having at least one active area, said active area for magnifying said region of interest by repositioning said active area with said pointing device;

f) a move area within said region of interest, said move area having at least one active area, said move area located within said region of interest, said move area excluding said first bounding rectangle, said second bounding rectangle, and said pickup icon, said active area for moving said region of interest by repositioning said active area with said pointing device; and

,

g) a representation of at least one zoom selection point, said zoom selection point having at least one active area, said active area for selecting at least one predetermined zoom operation for at least one of said focal region, said shoulder region, said region of interest, and said external region.

57. A method for displaying a region of interest within visual information on a display screen of a computer display system, said region of interest having a focal region and a shoulder region, said region of interest surrounded by an external region, said computer display system including said display screen, a computer, and a pointing device for positioning a cursor on said display screen, said method comprising the steps of:

providing means for selecting at least one parameter for transforming at least one of said region of interest, said focal region, and said external region;

using said means for selecting to select said parameter;

transforming said visual information in accordance with a predetermined distortion function and said parameter to produce transformed visual information; and

,

displaying said transformed visual information on said display screen.