Method and system to improve usability of a web application by providing a zoom function

• US 20050283739A1
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Mohr, Julia, Danninger, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/871,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20050283739A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/800
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 method and system to improve usability of a web application by providing a zoom function are disclosed. In one embodiment, zoom functionality in an exemplary form of a zoom tool may be provided to allow a user to freely select a desired area of the portal screen area. The user-selected area may be utilized to indicate the portion of the portal screen to be zoomed in. In another embodiment, certain areas of the portal screen area may be zoomed in.

Claims

1. An interface system for a portal application, the interface system including:

a view generator to generate an aggregate view including a plurality of display areas, each display area of the plurality of display areas being associated with a respective service accessible via the portal application; and

an extractor to receive, from the user, a selection indicating a user-selected portion of the aggregate view;

wherein the view generator is to generate a zoom view corresponding to the user-selected portion of the aggregate view.

2. The interface system of claim 1, wherein the zoom view is a scaled presentation of information included the user-selected portion of the aggregate view.

3. The interface system of claim 1, wherein the zoom view is an expanded presentation of the user-selected portion that presents information in addition to information presented in the user-selected portion of the aggregate view.

4. The interface system of claim 1, wherein a display component is to present the zoom view and the aggregate view to the user.

5. The interface system of claim 1, wherein a display component is to present the zoom view such that the zoom view fills the portal screen area.

6. The interface system of claim 1, including a dynamic page component to enable the user to switch from the zoom view to the aggregate view

7. The interface system of claim 6, wherein the dynamic page component is to receive a request to switch from the zoom view to the aggregate view responsive to a zoom out control button being activated.

8. The interface system of claim 1, including a dynamic page component is to enable the user to define the user-selected portion within the aggregate view thereby indicating the selection of the user-selected portion of the aggregate view.

9. The interface system of claim 8, wherein the dynamic page component is to enable the user to define the user-selected portion within the aggregate view responsive to receiving a request associated with activating a zoom in control.

10. The interface system of claim 1, wherein at least one user-selectable area is predefined within the aggregate view, and the interface system includes a dynamic page component is to enable the user to selected the user-selectable area as the user-selected portion within the aggregate view.

11. The interface system of claim 9, wherein the display component is to display the zoom in control in a portal header toolbar.

12. The interface system of claim 1, wherein the aggregate view is a mark-up language document.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the zoom view is an HTML page.

23. The method of claim 1, including enabling the user to select the user-selectable area as the user-selected portion within the aggregate view, wherein at least one user-selectable area is predefined within the aggregate view.

14. An method including:

generating an aggregate view including a plurality of display areas, each display area of the plurality of display areas being associated with a respective service accessible via the portal application;

receiving, from the user, a selection indicating a user-selected portion of the aggregate view; and

generating a zoom view corresponding to the user-selected portion of the aggregate view.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the zoom view is a scaled presentation of information included the user-selected portion of the aggregate view.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the zoom view is an expanded presentation of the user-selected portion that presents information in addition to information presented in the user-selected portion of the aggregate view.

17. The method of claim 14, including presenting the zoom view and the aggregate view to the user.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the presenting of the zoom view includes filling the portal screen area with the zoom view.

19. The method of claim 14, including enabling the user to switch from the zoom view to the aggregate view.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the enabling of the user to switch from the zoom view to the aggregate view includes receiving a request to switch from the zoom view to the aggregate view responsive to a zoom out control button being activated.

21. The method of claim 14, including enabling the user to define the user-selected portion within the aggregate view thereby indicating the selection of the user-selected portion of the aggregate view.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the enabling of the user to define the user-selected portion within the aggregate view is responsive to receiving a request associated with activating a zoom in control.

24. The method of claim 22, including displaying the zoom in control in a portal header toolbar.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the aggregate view is a mark-up language document.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the zoom view is an HTML page.

27. A user interface including:

a portal header to identify a web application;

a tool bar displayed within the portal header;

a portal screen area to display an aggregate view, the aggregate view representing a service offered by the web application;

a zoom in control button to enable a user to view a zoom view, the zoom view being a scaled presentation of information included the user-selected portion of the aggregate view; and

a zoom out control button to enable a user to switch from the zoom view to the aggregate view.

28. The user interface of claim 27, wherein the tool bar includes the zoom in control button and the zoom out control button.

29. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sets of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

generate an aggregate view including a plurality of display areas, each display area of the plurality of display areas being associated with a respective service accessible via the portal application; and

receive, from the user, a selection indicating a user-selected portion of the aggregate view,

wherein the view generator is to generate a zoom view corresponding to the user-selected portion of the aggregate view.

30. An method including:

means for generating an aggregate view including a plurality of display areas, each display area of the plurality of display areas being associated with a respective service accessible via the portal application;

means for receiving, from the user, a selection indicating a user-selected portion of the aggregate view; and

means for generating a zoom view corresponding to the user-selected portion of the aggregate view.