Magnification methods, systems, and computer program products for virtual three-dimensional books

• US 20030052900A1
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Etome Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Card, Stuart Kent, Gossweiler, Richard Carl III, Woodruff, Allison Gyle, MacKinlay, Jock Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 6,924,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/660
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

A system is described for displaying images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages. The system comprises a display system capable of executing a display program wherein images of the virtual three-dimensional book are produced on the display system. The display system may include a magnification function producing a virtual magnifier moveable over the virtual pages. The display system may also include a the “stretchy page” display method wherein one section of the page is directly magnified, while other adjacent sections may be directly magnified in a horizontal or vertical direction, but not both directions. Moreover, a virtual page may also be tilted about a central axis of the virtual page to accommodate viewing of a desired section on the display system. Finally, a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for producing images of a virtual three-dimensional book is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for displaying images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages, the system comprising:

a display system capable of executing a display program,

wherein images of the virtual three-dimensional book are produced on the display system, and

wherein a magnification function is provided, the magnification function providing a virtual magnifier movable over the virtual pages, the virtual magnifier comprising;

a central region for providing direct magnification for a desired portion of a virtual page; and

one or more transition regions surrounding the central region for transitioning from direct magnification adjacent the central region to no magnification at the edge of the virtual magnifier.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the virtual magnifier substantially defines a virtual pyramidic solid.

3. A system for displaying images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages, the system comprising:

a display system capable of executing a display program,

wherein images of the virtual three-dimensional book are produced on the display system, and

wherein a magnification function is provided for dividing a virtual page into a plurality of rectangular sections, and

wherein the magnification function comprises a piecewise step function along any horizontal or vertical axis of the virtual page, such that at least one magnified region of the page is directly magnified, while one or more regions vertically adjacent the magnified region are directly magnified in a horizontal direction but demagnified in a vertical direction, and one or more regions horizontally adjacent the magnified region are directly magnified in a vertical direction, but demagnified in a horizontal direction.

4. A system for displaying images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages, the system comprising:

a display system capable of executing a display program,

wherein images of the virtual three-dimensional book are produced on the display system, and

wherein a virtual page is tilted about a central axis of the virtual page to accommodate viewing of the virtual page.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein a virtual page is tilted forward about a horizontal central axis to accommodate viewing of a top portion of the virtual page.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein a virtual page is tilted backward about a horizontal central axis to accommodate viewing of a bottom portion of the virtual page.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein a virtual page is tilted clockwise about a vertical central axis to accommodate viewing of a right portion of the virtual page.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein a virtual page is tilted counterclockwise about a vertical central axis to accommodate viewing of a left portion of the virtual page.

9. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for producing images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages on a display device, the computer readable code comprising;

a magnification function for providing a virtual magnifier movable over the virtual pages, the virtual magnifier comprising;

a central region for providing direct magnification for a desired portion of a virtual page; and

one or more transition regions surrounding the central region for transitioning from direct magnification adjacent the central region to no magnification at the edge of the virtual magnifier.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the virtual magnifier substantially defines a virtual pyramidic solid.

11. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for producing images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages on a display device, the computer readable code comprising;

a magnification function for dividing a virtual page into a plurality of rectangular sections,

wherein the magnification function comprises a piecewise step function along any horizontal or vertical axis of the virtual page, such that at least one magnified region of the page is directly magnified, while one or more regions vertically adjacent the magnified region are directly magnified in a horizontal direction but demagnified in a vertical direction, and one or more regions horizontally adjacent the magnified region are directly magnified in a vertical direction, but demagnified in a horizontal direction.

12. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for producing images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages on a display device, the computer readable code comprising;

a tilting function for tilting a virtual page about a central axis of the virtual page to accommodate viewing of the virtual page.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein a virtual page is tilted forward about a horizontal central axis to accommodate viewing of a top portion of the virtual page.

14. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein a virtual page is tilted backward about a horizontal central axis to accommodate viewing of a bottom portion of the virtual page.

15. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein a virtual page is tilted clockwise about a vertical central axis to accommodate viewing of a right portion of the virtual page.

16. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein a virtual page is tilted counterclockwise about a vertical central axis to accommodate viewing of a left portion of the virtual page.

17. A method of magnifying images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages and displayed on a display system, the method comprising the step of:

providing a virtual magnifier moveable over the one or more virtual pages; and

displaying a portion of the one or more virtual pages over which the virtual magnifier is disposed in a magnified manner.