Maximize data visibility using slated viewer

• US 20060284886A1
• Filed: 12/07/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lau, Shelley
• Granted Patent: US 7,414,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/109 Font handling; Temporal or kinetic typography

Abstract

A slanted viewer is provided to maximize data visibility. In the context of computer graphics and a rendering technique, the slanted viewer'"'"'s use of three-dimensional rendering provides an instant view of full data without compromising the visibility of other view areas or data and with minimum user interactions. The slanted viewer combines the use of two-dimensional and three-dimensional concepts to enhance, as well as to preserve, a well-established user interaction environment and navigation system. The slanted viewer serves effectively in viewers showing extended length of text or objects horizontally.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for rendering text in a limited horizontal space, the method comprising:

receiving text to be displayed in a viewer;

calculating a rotation angle;

rotating the text using the rotation angle to form rotated text; and

rendering the rotated text in the viewer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a direction of text rotation;

determining a horizontal size of the viewer; and

identifying a text width, wherein the rotation angle is calculated using the direction of text rotation, horizontal size of the viewer and the identified text width.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein rendering the rotated text in the viewer further includes:

rendering the rotated text in an opposite direction to the received direction of text rotation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a direction of text rotation;

determining a horizontal size of the viewer; and

identifying a default text width, wherein the rotation angle is calculated using the direction of text rotation, the horizontal size of the viewer and the default text width.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein rendering the rotated text in the viewer further includes:

rendering the rotated text in an opposite direction.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a direction of text rotation;

determining a horizontal size of the viewer;

determining a maximum horizontal size of the text;

determining if the maximum horizontal size of the text would cause distortion; and

in response to the maximum horizontal size of the text causing distortion, determining a modified text width that would not cause distortion, wherein the rotation angle is calculated using the direction of text rotation, the horizontal size of the viewer and the modified text width.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein rendering the rotated text in the viewer further includes:

rendering the rotated text in an opposite direction.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the rotation angle is calculated using the direction of text rotation, the horizontal size of the viewer and the maximum horizontal size of the text.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein rendering the rotated text in the viewer further includes:

rendering the rotated text in an opposite direction.

10. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications system connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions;

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive text to be displayed in a viewer;

calculate a rotation angle;

rotate the text using the rotation angle to form rotated text; and

render the rotated text in the viewer.

11. The data processing system of claim 10, further comprising:

the processing unit executing a set of instructions to receive a direction of text rotation;

determine a horizontal size of the viewer; and

identify a text width, wherein the rotation angle is calculated using the direction of text rotation, horizontal size of the viewer and the identified text width.

12. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the set of instruction to render the rotated text in the viewer further includes:

a set of instruction to render the rotated text in an opposite direction to the received direction of text rotation.

13. The data processing system of claim 10, further comprising:

the processing unit executing a set of instructions to receive a direction of text rotation;

determine a horizontal size of the viewer; and

identify a default text width, wherein the rotation angle is calculated using the direction of text rotation, the horizontal size of the viewer and the default text width.

14. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the set of instruction to render the rotated text in the viewer further includes:

a set of instruction to render the rotated text in an opposite direction to the received direction of text rotation.

15. The data processing system of claim 10, further comprising:

the processing unit executing a set of instructions to receive a direction of text rotation;

determine a horizontal size of the viewer;

determine a maximum horizontal size of the text;

determine if the maximum horizontal size of the text would cause distortion; and

, in response to the maximum horizontal size of the text causing distortion, determining a modified text width that would not cause distortion, wherein the rotation angle is calculated using the direction of text rotation, the horizontal size of the viewer and the modified text width.

16. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the set of instruction to render the rotated text in the viewer further includes:

a set of instruction to render the rotated text in an opposite direction to the received direction of text rotation.

17. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the rotation angle is calculated using the direction of text rotation, the horizontal size of the viewer and the maximum horizontal size of the text.

18. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the set of instruction to render the rotated text in the viewer further includes:

a set of instruction to render the rotated text in an opposite direction to the received direction of text rotation.

19. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for rendering text in a limited horizontal space, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for receiving text to be displayed in a viewer;

instructions for calculating a rotation angle;

instructions for rotating the text using the rotation angle to form rotated text; and

instructions for rendering the rotated text in the viewer.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

instructions for receiving a direction of text rotation;

instructions for determining a horizontal size of the viewer; and

instructions for identifying a text width, wherein the rotation angle is calculated using the direction of text rotation, horizontal size of the viewer and the identified text width.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions for rendering the rotated text in the viewer further includes:

instructions for rendering the rotated text in an opposite direction to the received direction of text rotation.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

instructions for receiving a direction of text rotation;

instructions for determining a horizontal size of the viewer; and

instructions for identifying a default text width, wherein the rotation angle is calculated using the direction of text rotation, the horizontal size of the viewer and the default text width.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions for rendering the rotated text in the viewer further includes:

instructions for rendering the rotated text in an opposite direction to the received direction of text rotation.

24. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

instructions for receiving a direction of text rotation;

instructions for determining a horizontal size of the viewer;

instructions for determining a maximum horizontal size of the text;

instructions for determining if the maximum horizontal size of the text would cause distortion; and

in response to the maximum horizontal size of the text causing distortion, instructions for determining a modified text width that would not cause distortion, wherein the rotation angle is calculated using the direction of text rotation, the horizontal size of the viewer and the modified text width.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the instructions for rendering the rotated text in the viewer further includes:

instructions for rendering the rotated text in an opposite direction to the received direction of text rotation.

26. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the rotation angle is calculated using the direction of text rotation, the horizontal size of the viewer and the maximum horizontal size of the text.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the instructions for rendering the rotated text in the viewer further includes:

instructions for rendering the rotated text in an opposite direction to the received direction of text rotation.

28. A apparatus for rendering text in limited horizontal space, the apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving text to be displayed in a viewer;

calculating means for calculating a rotation angle;

rotating means for rotating the text using the rotation angle to form rotated text; and

rendering means for rendering the rotated text in the viewer.