Virtual magnifying glass with intuitive use enhancements

• US 20070033543A1
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fleisher, Jacob, Winser, Michael, Smith, Kevin, Esposito, David, Ngari, Joseph, Mail, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,900,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/788
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/08 Cursor circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A display screen magnifier is controllable by a user to magnify selected portions of a desktop including windows open on the screen. A moveable magnifier frame is provided, within which a magnified image is presented. The magnified image corresponds to screen content located within a magnification region underlying the magnifier frame, magnified to a set level of magnification. In one embodiment, the magnification region is moveable relative to the magnifier frame, in relation to movement of the magnifier frame on the display screen. Such relative movement can be used to avoid a potentially disorienting edge condition that arises when a magnifier frame reaches an edge of the display screen and stops, while its associated magnification region continues to pan. In another embodiment, the cursor of a user input device is moveable across the screen display into and out of the magnification region. When the position of the cursor falls within the magnification region, the cursor appears within the magnified image presented within the magnifier frame. A related feature avoids the potentially disconcerting effect of cursor disappearance as a pointing device cursor passes into a “lens shadow” defined between the magnification region and the magnifier frame.

Claims

1. A machine readable storage medium containing thereon instructions which, when executed by a data processing device having a display screen and user input device, serve to configure the device to provide a display screen magnifier which is controllable by a user to magnify selected portions of a desktop including windows open on said screen, said magnifier providing a moveable magnifier frame within which a magnified image is presented, said image corresponding to screen content located within a magnification region underlying said magnifier frame, magnified to a set level of magnification, wherein:

said magnification region is movable relative to said magnifier frame, in relation to movement of said magnifier frame on said display screen; and

said display screen magnifier is configured by a windows style of an application programming interface of an operating system, and a second stage screen content compositing engine associated with said windows style.

2. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein as said magnifier frame is moved toward an edge of said display screen, said magnification region moves toward a corresponding edge of said magnifier frame.

3. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the movement of the magnification region is proportional to, and in the same direction as, the movement of the magnification frame on said display screen.

4. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein said magnifier frame comprises a window that is configured to remain on top of the desktop including open windows while the magnifier is activated, and which will pass events of a user input device to windows located beneath the magnifier frame.

5. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein said window of the magnifier is drawn to the screen after all windows beneath the magnifier are drawn.

6. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein a cursor of a user input device is moveable across said display screen into and out of said magnification region, and wherein when the position of said cursor falls within said magnification region, said cursor appears within the magnified image presented within the magnifier frame.

7. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 6, wherein the size of said magnification region in relation to the magnifier frame varies in inverse proportion to a magnification ratio of the magnifier, such that a lens shadow area is defined between the magnifier frame and the magnification region, and wherein when said cursor passes into the lens shadow area the magnifier transposes the cursor position to a corresponding position at the edge of the magnification region.

8. A data processing device having a display screen and user input device, said device being configured by a windows style of an application programming interface of an operating system, and a second stage screen content compositing engine associated with said windows style, to provide a display screen magnifier which is controllable by a user to magnify selected portions of a desktop including windows open on said screen, said magnifier providing a moveable magnifier frame within which a magnified image is presented, said image corresponding to screen content located within a magnification region underlying said magnifier frame, magnified to a set level of magnification, said magnification region being movable relative to said magnifier frame, in relation to movement of said magnifier frame on said display screen.

9. A data processing device according to claim 8, wherein as said magnifier frame is moved toward an edge of said display screen, said magnification region moves toward a corresponding edge of said magnifier frame.

10. A data processing device according to claim 9, wherein the movement of the magnification region is proportional to, and in the same direction as, the movement of the magnification frame on said display screen.

11. A data processing device according to claim 8, wherein said magnifier frame comprises a window that is configured to remain on top of the desktop including open windows while the magnifier is activated, and which will pass events of a user input device to windows located beneath the magnifier frame.

12. A data processing device according to claim 8, wherein said window of the magnifier is drawn to the screen after all windows beneath the magnifier are drawn.

13. A data processing device according to claim 8, wherein a cursor of a user input device is moveable across said display screen into and out of said magnification region, and wherein when the position of said cursor falls within said magnification region, said cursor appears within the magnified image presented within the magnifier frame.

14. A data processing device according to claim 13, wherein the size of said magnification region in relation to the magnifier frame varies in inverse proportion to a magnification ratio of the magnifier, such that a lens shadow area is defined between the magnifier frame and the magnification region, and wherein when said cursor passes into the lens shadow area the magnifier transposes the cursor position to a corresponding position at the edge of the magnification region.

15-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method of configuring a data processing device having a display screen and user input device to provide a display screen magnifier which is controllable by a user to magnify selected portions of a desktop including windows open on said screen, said magnifier providing a moveable magnifier frame within which a magnified image is presented, said image corresponding to screen content located within a magnification region underlying said magnifier frame, magnified to a set level of magnification, wherein:

said magnification region is movable relative to said magnifier frame, in relation to movement of said magnifier frame on said display screen; and

said display screen magnifier is configured by a windows style of an application programming interface of an operating system, and a second stage screen content compositing engine associated with said windows style.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein as said magnifier frame is moved toward an edge of said display screen, said magnification region moves toward a corresponding edge of said magnifier frame.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the movement of the magnification region is proportional to, and in the same direction as, the movement of the magnification frame on said display screen.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein said magnifier frame comprises a window that is configured to remain on top of the desktop including open windows while the magnifier is activated, and which will pass events of a user input device to windows located beneath the magnifier frame.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein said window of the magnifier is drawn to the screen after all windows beneath the magnifier are drawn.

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein a cursor of a user input device is moveable across said display screen into and out of said magnification region, and wherein when the position of said cursor falls within said magnification region, said cursor appears within the magnified image presented within the magnifier frame.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the size of said magnification region in relation to the magnifier frame varies in inverse proportion to a magnification ratio of the magnifier, such that a lens shadow area is defined between the magnifier frame and the magnification region, and wherein when said cursor passes into the lens shadow area the magnifier transposes the cursor position to a corresponding position at the edge of the magnification region.