Method and system for providing an adaptive magnifying cursor

• US 20070198942A1
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/955,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198942A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/767
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A method and system for displaying an object having a shape on a graphical user interface having a cursor is described. The method and system include tracking a movement of the cursor and magnifying the object in response to the cursor being placed on a magnification zone. The magnification is performed such that a magnification area conforms to the shape of the object.

Claims

1. A method for displaying an object having a shape on a graphical user interface having a cursor, comprising:

tracking a movement of the cursor;

determining the shape of the object; and

magnifying the object such that a magnification area conforms to the determined shape of the object in response to the cursor being placed on a magnification zone.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

snapping the cursor to a portion of the object in response to the cursor moving onto a snap zone.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the snapping further includes:

allowing the cursor to move freely when the cursor is moved away from the portion of the object and the cursor has not moved off of the snap zone.

4. The method of claim 2 further including:

allowing the user to set a size of the snap zone.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the size of the snap zone is equal to the size of the object.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnifying further includes:

displaying and magnifying a custom icon corresponding to the object if the custom icon exists in the system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnifying further includes:

utilizing a customized draw routine to magnify and display the object if the customized draw routine is supported by an application corresponding to the object.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnifying further includes:

displaying the object using a graphics processing subsystem and at least one shape parameter associated with the object and relating to displaying the object, the graphics processor subsystem configured to determine the shape of the object and to magnify the object using the at least one shape parameter.

9. The method of claim 1 further including:

allowing the user to set a magnification.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the object includes a content, the method further including:

allowing a magnification of the object to be determined based on the content of the object.

11. The method of claim 1 further including:

allowing at least a first object to be associated with the object such that when the object is magnified, the at least the first object is magnified.

12. The method of claim 1 further including:

allowing the user to alter a shape of the magnification zone to a shape different than the shape of the object.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnification zone is the object.

14. A method for displaying an object having a shape on a graphical user interface having a cursor, comprising:

tracking a movement of the cursor;

determining the shape of the object;

magnifying the object such that a magnification area conforms to the determined shape of the object in response to the cursor being moved on the object, the magnifying further including

displaying and magnifying a custom icon corresponding to the object if the custom icon is available to the graphical user interface;

utilizing a customized draw routine to magnify and display the object if the customized draw routine is supported by an application corresponding to the object;

displaying the object using a graphics processing subsystem and at least one shape parameter associated with the object and relating to displaying the object, wherein the graphics processor subsystem is configured to determine the shape of the object and to magnify the object using the at least one shape parameter and is further configured to use

at least one default value for the shape of the object in magnifying the object if the custom icon is not available, the customized draw routine is not supported and the at least one shape parameter is unavailable; and

un-magnifying the object if the cursor is moved off of the object.

15. A computer-readable medium containing a program for displaying an object having a shape on a graphical user interface having a cursor, the program including instructions for:

tracking a movement of the cursor;

determining the shape of the object; and

magnifying the object such that a magnification area conforms to the determined shape of the object in response to the cursor being placed on a magnification zone.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the program further includes instructions for:

snapping the cursor to a portion of the object in response to the cursor moving onto a snap zone.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the snapping instructions further include instructions for:

allowing the cursor to move freely when the cursor is moved away from the particular portion of the object and the cursor has not moved off of the snap zone.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the magnifying instructions further include instructions for:

displaying and magnifying a custom icon corresponding to the object if the custom icon is available to the graphical user interface.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the magnifying instructions further include instructions for:

utilizing a customized draw routine to magnify and display the object if the customized draw routine is supported by an application corresponding to the object.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the magnifying instructions further include instructions for:

displaying the object using a graphics processing subsystem and at least one shape parameter associated with the object and relating to displaying the object, the graphics processor subsystem configured to determine the shape of the object and to magnify the object using the at least one shape parameter.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the program further includes instructions for:

allowing the user to set a magnification.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the object includes a content, and wherein the program further includes instructions for:

allowing a magnification of the object to be determined based on the content of the object.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the program further includes instructions for:

allowing at least a first object to be associated with the object such that when the object is magnified, the at least the first object is magnified.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the program further includes instructions for:

allowing the user to alter a shape of the magnification zone to a shape different than the shape of the object.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the program further includes instructions for:

allowing the user to set a size of the snap zone.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the size of the snap zone is equal to the size of the object.

27. A computer-readable medium containing a program for displaying an object having a shape on a graphical user interface having a cursor, the program including instructions for:

tracking a movement of the cursor;

determining the shape of the object;

magnifying the object such that a magnification area conforms to the determined shape of the object in response to the cursor being moved on the object, the magnifying further including

displaying and magnifying a custom icon corresponding to the object if the custom icon is available to the graphical user interface;

utilizing a customized draw routine to magnify and display the object if the customized draw routine is supported by an application corresponding to the object;

displaying the object using a graphics processing subsystem and at least one shape parameter associated with the object and relating to displaying the object, wherein the graphics processor subsystem is configured to determine the shape of the object and to magnify the object using the at least one shape parameter and is further configured to use

at least one default value for the shape of the object in magnifying the object if the custom icon, the customized draw routine is not supported, and the at least one shape parameter is unavailable; and

un-magnifying the object if the cursor is moved off of the object.

28. A system for displaying an object having a shape on a graphical user interface having a cursor, comprising:

a graphics subsystem for tracking a movement of the cursor;

wherein the graphics subsystem is configured to determine the shape of the object and to magnify the object such that a magnification area conforms to determined the shape of the object in response to the cursor being placed on the object.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the graphics subsystem further snaps the cursor to a portion of the object in response to the cursor moving onto a snap zone.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the graphics subsystem further allows the cursor to move freely when the cursor is moved away from the portion of the object and the cursor has not moved off of the snap zone.

32. The met system of claim 30 wherein the graphics subsystem further allows the user to set a size of the snap zone.

33. The system of claim 30 wherein the size of the snap zone is equal to the size of the object.

34. The system of claim 28 wherein the object includes a content and wherein a magnification of the object is determined based on the content of the object.

35. The system of claim 28 wherein at least a first object is associated with the object such that when the object is magnified, the at least the first object is magnified.

29. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. A system for displaying an object having a shape on a graphical user interface having a cursor, the system comprising:

a graphics subsystem for tracking a movement of the cursor and for using at least one shape parameter associated with the object and relating to displaying the object to determine the shape of the object and to magnify the object such that a magnification area conforms to the determined shape of the object in response to the cursor being placed on a magnification zone.

38. (canceled)