Method and system for scaling the area displayed in a viewing window

• US 20070083826A1
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jason Culler, John Pessetto
• Original Assignee: Jason Culler, John Pessetto
• Inventors: Culler, Jason, Pessetto, John
• Application Number:
  US11/374,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20070083826A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/800
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

One exemplary method includes selecting an object feature, obtaining a scaling factor that is associated with the object feature, and adjusting the viewing area of the image displayed in accordance with the scaling factor.

Claims

1. A method for scaling a viewing area of a graphical circuit representation in a computer aided design tool comprising:

selecting an object feature in the graphical circuit representation;

obtaining at least one scaling factor associated with the object feature; and

scaling the viewing area of the graphical circuit representation according to the scaling factor.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the object feature in the viewing area prior to selection.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating at least one scaling factor with at least one object feature.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising storing the scaling factor associated with the object feature for later retrieval.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the obtaining step further comprises retrieving the scaling factor associated with the selected object feature.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step further comprises inputting at least one object feature identifier.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjusting step further comprises zooming the viewing area to the selected object feature as a function of the scaling factor.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the zooming step further comprises magnifying the viewing area containing the object feature.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the zooming step further comprises de-magnifying the viewing area containing the object feature.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the object feature is an object.

11. A system for automatically adjusting a display area of an object in a circuit image in a viewing window comprising:

a computer aided design tool for creating the viewing window and the display view; and

auto-zoom logic for automatically adjusting the display area wherein the adjusting is a function of at least one pre-defined scaling factor.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising a scaling factor database for storing the at least one pre-defined scaling factor associated with the object.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the auto-zoom logic includes scaling factors logic for obtaining one or more scaling factors.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the scaling factor logic includes logic for receiving the scaling factor from a user and associating the scaling factor with the object.

15. The system of claim 14 further including a scaling factor database for storing the scaling factor.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the auto-zoom logic includes select event logic for inputting an event.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the select event logic includes logic for receiving a user'"'"'s selection of the object.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the logic for receiving a user'"'"'s selection includes logic for receiving a click on the object in the display area.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the auto-zoom logic includes scale circuit image area logic for adjusting the display area based upon the object and the scaling factor.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the scale circuit image logic includes logic for zooming to the object at a scaling factor associated with the object.

21. A computer program product for adjusting the area of a circuit image displayed on a monitor comprising:

a computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code including,

scaling factors logic for defining one or more scaling factors;

select event logic for selecting an object; and

scale circuit image area logic for adjusting the area displayed on the monitor in accordance with the scaling factor.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising a computer aided design module.

23. The computer program product of claim 22 further comprising a scaling factor database for storing the scaling factors.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the scale circuit image area logic adjusts the zoom level of the circuit image as a function of a percentage of the current circuit image zoom.

25. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein the scale circuit image area logic adjusts the zoom level of the circuit image as a function of a multiplication factor.

26. An apparatus for scaling a viewing area of a graphical circuit representation in a computer aided design tool comprising:

means for selecting an event;

means for obtaining one or more scaling factors;

means for scaling an image area as a function of the event and the one or more scaling factors.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising means for storing one or more scaling factors.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising means for associating the object with a scaling factor.

29. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising a computer aided design module.