Magnifying visual information using a center-based loupe

• US 20080062202A1
• Filed: 09/07/2006
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schulz, Egan, Lin, Andrew, Stein, Will
• Granted Patent: US 7,889,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/665
• 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 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 apparatus for magnifying selected portions of visual information on a screen is provided. In response to receiving first user input, displaying, within a first bounded region that encloses a first portion of visual information, (a) the first portion at a same magnification level as the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region, and (b) a visual indication of a second bounded region that encloses a second portion of the visual information. In response to receiving second user input, displaying, within the first bounded region, the second portion of the visual information at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method for magnifying selected portions of visual information on a screen, comprising:

in response to receiving first user input, displaying, within a first bounded region that encloses a first portion of the visual information, (a) the first portion at a same magnification level as the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region, and (b) a visual indication of a second bounded region that encloses a second portion of the visual information; and

in response to receiving second user input, displaying, within said first bounded region, said second portion of said visual information at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving said second user input, ceasing to display the visual indication of the second bounded region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first user input is transmitted in response to pressing a button and said second user input is transmitted in response to cease pressing said button.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first bounded region and said second bounded region have the same shape, and wherein said same shape is any one of:

a circle, a square, a rectangle, an oval, and a user-configurable shape.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving third user input, automatically moving, on said screen, said first bounded region, through a series of intermediate positions arranged in a line, from an initial position to an end position that is identified by a mouse pointer,

wherein said series of intermediate positions are determined based upon said initial position and said end position and are not determined based on movement of said mouse pointer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving third user input, moving said first bounded region on said screen in accordance with movement of a mouse pointer; and

in response to receiving fourth user input, ceasing to move said first bounded region in accordance with the movement of said mouse pointer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving third user input, ceasing to display said first bounded region on said screen; and

in response to receiving fourth user input, redisplaying said first bounded region on said screen.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said first bounded region and said second bounded region share a same center point, and the method further comprises:

in response to receiving third user input, changing a size of said first bounded region from a first size to a second size through a series of one or more intermediate sizes,

wherein said center point does not move on said screen during the changing of the size of said first bounded region, and

wherein said second portion of visual information is depicted at a same level of magnification during the changing of the size of said first bounded region.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving third user input, causing a grid to be displayed over said second portion of said visual information, wherein said grid identifies pixels in second portion of said visual information;

in response to receiving fourth user input, changing a magnification level of the display of said second portion of said visual information; and

in response to detecting that said magnification level of said second portion of said visual information exceeds a threshold, ceasing to display said grid over said second portion of said visual information without receiving a request, from a user, to cease displaying said grid.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving third user input, changing a magnification level at which said second portion of said visual information is displayed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first bounded region is identified by a first object, and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying one or more additional objects, in addition to said first object, on said screen, wherein one or more additional objects includes a particular object;

in response to receiving third user input associated with said particular object, displaying, within a first particular bounded region, identified by said particular object, that encloses a first particular portion of the visual information, (a) the first particular portion at a same magnification level as the visual information that is outside of the first particular bounded region, and (b) a particular visual indication of a second particular bounded region that encloses a second particular portion of the visual information; and

in response to receiving fourth user input, displaying, within said first particular bounded region, said second particular portion of said visual information at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of the visual information that is outside of the first particular bounded region.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving third user input that requests a change to the visual appearance of said visual information;

prior to making said change to said visual information, updating the display of said second portion of said visual information to reflect said change;

in response to receiving fourth user input that accepts said change, making said change to said visual information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein first bounded region is associated with an object that operates in a plurality of modes that includes a first mode, and wherein the method further comprises:

in response to receiving third user input that moves a mouse pointer from a first position to a second position, performing the steps of;

determining if said object is in said first mode;

upon determining that said object is in said first mode, changing the display of said second portion of said visual information so that said second portion of said visual information is centered upon said second position of said mouse pointer instead of being enclosed by said second bounded region.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said first bounded image is identified by an object, and wherein said object displays information about the color and luminance values of a portion of said visual information identified by said object.

15. A machine-implemented method for magnifying portions of visual information on a screen, comprising:

displaying, within a first bounded region on a screen, a magnified visual depiction of a portion of said visual information;

in response to receiving user input, automatically moving, on said screen, said first bounded region, through a series of intermediate positions arranged in a line, from an initial position to an end position that is identified by a mouse pointer,

wherein said series of intermediate positions are determined based upon said initial position and said end position and are not determined based on movement of said mouse pointer.

16. A machine-implemented method for magnifying portions of visual information on a screen, comprising:

an operating system maintaining instructions for displaying, within a first bounded region identified by an object displayed on said screen, a magnified visual depiction of a portion of said visual information displayed on said screen; and

in response to receiving user input to magnify said portion of said visual information, the operating system causing said object to display said magnified visual depiction of said portion of said visual information displayed on said screen.

17. A machine-readable medium carrying instructions for magnifying selected portions of visual information on a screen, wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors causes:

in response to receiving first user input, displaying, within a first bounded region that encloses a first portion of the visual information, (a) the first portion at a same magnification level as the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region, and (b) a visual indication of a second bounded region that encloses a second portion of the visual information; and

in response to receiving second user input, displaying, within said first bounded region, said second portion of said visual information at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving said second user input, ceasing to display the visual indication of the second bounded region.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said first user input is transmitted in response to pressing a button and said second user input is transmitted in response to cease pressing said button.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said first bounded region and said second bounded region have the same shape, and wherein said same shape is any one of:

a circle, a square, a rectangle, an oval, and a user-configurable shape.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input, automatically moving, on said screen, said first bounded region, through a series of intermediate positions arranged in a line, from an initial position to an end position that is identified by a mouse pointer,

wherein said series of intermediate positions are determined based upon said initial position and said end position and are not determined based on movement of said mouse pointer.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input, moving said first bounded region on said screen in accordance with movement of a mouse pointer; and

in response to receiving fourth user input, ceasing to move said first bounded region in accordance with the movement of said mouse pointer.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input, ceasing to display said first bounded region on said screen; and

in response to receiving fourth user input, redisplaying said first bounded region on said screen.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein each of said first bounded region and said second bounded region share a same center point, and wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input, changing a size of said first bounded region from a first size to a second size through a series of one or more intermediate sizes,

wherein said center point does not move on said screen during the changing of the size of said first bounded region, and

wherein said second portion of visual information is depicted at a same level of magnification during the changing of the size of said first bounded region.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input, causing a grid to be displayed over said second portion of said visual information, wherein said grid identifies pixels in second portion of said visual information;

in response to receiving fourth user input, changing a magnification level of the display of said second portion of said visual information; and

in response to detecting that said magnification level of said second portion of said visual information exceeds a threshold, ceasing to display said grid over said second portion of said visual information without receiving a request, from a user, to cease displaying said grid.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input, changing a magnification level at which said second portion of said visual information is displayed.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said first bounded region is identified by a first object, and wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

displaying one or more additional objects, in addition to said first object, on said screen, wherein one or more additional objects includes a particular object;

in response to receiving third user input associated with said particular object, displaying, within a first particular bounded region, identified by said particular object, that encloses a first particular portion of the visual information, (a) the first particular portion at a same magnification level as the visual information that is outside of the first particular bounded region, and (b) a particular visual indication of a second particular bounded region that encloses a second particular portion of the visual information; and

in response to receiving fourth user input, displaying, within said first particular bounded region, said second particular portion of said visual information at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of the visual information that is outside of the first particular bounded region.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

receiving third user input that requests a change to the visual appearance of said visual information;

prior to making said change to said visual information, updating the display of said second portion of said visual information to reflect said change;

in response to receiving fourth user input that accepts said change, making said change to said visual information.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein first bounded region is associated with an object that operates in a plurality of modes that includes a first mode, and wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input that moves a mouse pointer from a first position to a second position, performing the steps of;

determining if said object is in said first mode;

upon determining that said object is in said first mode, changing the display of said second portion of said visual information so that said second portion of said visual information is centered upon said second position of said mouse pointer instead of being enclosed by said second bounded region.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said first bounded image is identified by an object, and wherein said object displays information about the color and luminance values of a portion of said visual information identified by said object.

31. A machine-readable medium carrying instructions for magnifying portions of visual information on a screen, wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors causes:

displaying, within a first bounded region on a screen, a magnified visual depiction of a portion of said visual information;

in response to receiving user input, automatically moving, on said screen, said first bounded region, through a series of intermediate positions arranged in a line, from an initial position to an end position that is identified by a mouse pointer,

wherein said series of intermediate positions are determined based upon said initial position and said end position and are not determined based on movement of said mouse pointer.

32. An apparatus for magnifying selected portions of visual information on a screen, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a machine-readable medium carrying instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors causes;

in response to receiving first user input, displaying, within a first bounded region that encloses a first portion of the visual information, (a) the first portion at a same magnification level as the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region, and (b) a visual indication of a second bounded region that encloses a second portion of the visual information; and

in response to receiving second user input, displaying, within said first bounded region, said second portion of said visual information at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving said second user input, ceasing to display the visual indication of the second bounded region.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said first user input is transmitted in response to pressing a button and said second user input is transmitted in response to cease pressing said button.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said first bounded region and said second bounded region have the same shape, and wherein said same shape is any one of:

a circle, a square, a rectangle, an oval, and a user-configurable shape.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input, automatically moving, on said screen, said first bounded region, through a series of intermediate positions arranged in a line, from an initial position to an end position that is identified by a mouse pointer,

wherein said series of intermediate positions are determined based upon said initial position and said end position and are not determined based on movement of said mouse pointer.

37. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input, moving said first bounded region on said screen in accordance with movement of a mouse pointer; and

in response to receiving fourth user input, ceasing to move said first bounded region in accordance with the movement of said mouse pointer.

38. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input, ceasing to display said first bounded region on said screen; and

in response to receiving fourth user input, redisplaying said first bounded region on said screen.

39. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein each of said first bounded region and said second bounded region share a same center point, and wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input, changing a size of said first bounded region from a first size to a second size through a series of one or more intermediate sizes,

wherein said center point does not move on said screen during the changing of the size of said first bounded region, and

wherein said second portion of visual information is depicted at a same level of magnification during the changing of the size of said first bounded region.

40. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input, causing a grid to be displayed over said second portion of said visual information, wherein said grid identifies pixels in second portion of said visual information;

in response to receiving fourth user input, changing a magnification level of the display of said second portion of said visual information; and

in response to detecting that said magnification level of said second portion of said visual information exceeds a threshold, ceasing to display said grid over said second portion of said visual information without receiving a request, from a user, to cease displaying said grid.

41. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input, changing a magnification level at which said second portion of said visual information is displayed.

42. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said first bounded region is identified by a first object, and wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

displaying one or more additional objects, in addition to said first object, on said screen, wherein one or more additional objects includes a particular object;

in response to receiving third user input associated with said particular object, displaying, within a first particular bounded region, identified by said particular object, that encloses a first particular portion of the visual information, (a) the first particular portion at a same magnification level as the visual information that is outside of the first particular bounded region, and (b) a particular visual indication of a second particular bounded region that encloses a second particular portion of the visual information; and

in response to receiving fourth user input, displaying, within said first particular bounded region, said second particular portion of said visual information at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of the visual information that is outside of the first particular bounded region.

43. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

receiving third user input that requests a change to the visual appearance of said visual information;

prior to making said change to said visual information, updating the display of said second portion of said visual information to reflect said change;

in response to receiving fourth user input that accepts said change, making said change to said visual information.

44. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein first bounded region is associated with an object that operates in a plurality of modes that includes a first mode, and wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes:

in response to receiving third user input that moves a mouse pointer from a first position to a second position, performing the steps of;

determining if said object is in said first mode;

upon determining that said object is in said first mode, changing the display of said second portion of said visual information so that said second portion of said visual information is centered upon said second position of said mouse pointer instead of being enclosed by said second bounded region.

45. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said first bounded image is identified by an object, and wherein said object displays information about the color and luminance values of a portion of said visual information identified by said object.