SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PANNNING AND ZOOMING AN IMAGE ON A DISPLAY OF A HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20080163116A1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Talukdar, Tancem, Lee, Matthew Richard, Butt, Fahd Sohail
• Granted Patent: US 7,802,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/815
• 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

Method and arrangement for panning and zooming a displayed image on a display screen of a handheld electronic device 300 using the same auxiliary user input device 328 is described. The displayed image can be toggled between panning and zooming modes that respectively pan and zoom the displayed image by successively actuating the auxiliary user input device 328.

Claims

1. A method for panning and zooming a displayed image on a display screen of a handheld electronic device using the same auxiliary user input device on the handheld electronic device, said method comprising:

displaying an image on a display screen of a handheld electronic device that is both pannable and zoomable using the same auxiliary user input device; and

toggling between panning and zooming modes that respectively pan and zoom the displayed image by successively actuating the auxiliary user input device on the device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting display of menu options of user-selectable actions associated with the displayed image by actuating the auxiliary user input device; and

displaying an abbreviated menu having a short list of menu options which is a subset of a full menu of options of user-selectable actions available relative to the displayed image and the user-selectable actions of said short list of menu options having been assessed a higher probability for being user-selected than at least some of the user-selectable actions of the full menu of options that are not included in said short list of menu options, and wherein said short list of menu options includes an option for at least one of panning and zooming the image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said short list of menu options comprises a default-designated option for one of panning the displayed image and zooming the displayed image in dependence upon past activity taken by the user relative to the displayed image.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said short list of menu options comprises a default-designated option for zooming the displayed image when said image has been more recently panned than zoomed.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said short list of menu options comprises a default selected option for panning the displayed image when said image has been more recently zoomed than panned.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary user input device is a trackball that is at least rotatable up-and-down and right-and-left relative to the handheld electronic device and said trackball is press-actuable for toggling between the panning and zooming modes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein up-and-down rotation of the trackball results in in-and-out zooming of the displayed image.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein up-and-down and right-and-left rotation of the trackball results in corresponding image panning relative to the displayed image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said handheld electronic device is a wireless handheld communication device that transmits data to, and receives data from a communication network utilizing radio frequency signals.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said handheld electronic device is sized to be cradled in the palm of a user'"'"'s hand.

11. A handheld electronic device programmed to pan and zoom a displayed image on a display screen of a handheld electronic device using the same auxiliary user input device, said handheld electronic device comprising:

a display screen on which an image that is both pannable and zoomable is displayed;

an auxiliary user input device capable of both panning and zooming the image;

a keyboard located below said display screen and configured to accommodate textual input to the handheld electronic device; and

a microprocessor having a control program associated therewith for controlling operation of said handheld electronic device, said control program configured to toggle between panning and zooming modes that respectively pan and zoom the displayed image by successively actuating the auxiliary user input device.

12. The handheld electronic device of claim 11, wherein said control program is further configured to request display of menu options of user-selectable actions associated with the displayed image by actuating the auxiliary user input device, and, based on said actuation of the auxiliary user input device, the microprocessor displays an abbreviated menu having a short list of menu options which is a subset of a full menu of options of user-selectable actions available relative to the displayed image and the user-selectable actions of said short list of menu options having been assessed a higher probability for being user-selected than at least some of the user-selectable actions of the full menu of options that are not included in said short list of menu options, and wherein said short list of menu options includes an option for at least one of panning and zooming the image.

13. The handheld electronic device of claim 12, wherein said short list of menu options comprises a default-designated option for one of panning the displayed image and zooming the displayed image in dependence upon past activity taken by the user relative to the displayed image.

14. The handheld electronic device of claim 13, wherein said short list of menu options comprises a default-designated option for zooming the displayed image when said image has been more recently panned than zoomed.

15. The handheld electronic device of claim 13, wherein said short list of menu options comprises a default selected option for panning the displayed image when said image has been more recently zoomed than panned.

16. The handheld electronic device of claim 11, wherein said auxiliary user input device is a trackball that is at least rotatable up-and-down and right-and-left relative to the handheld electronic device and said trackball is press-actuable for toggling between the panning and zooming modes.

17. The handheld electronic device of claim 16, wherein up-and-down rotation of the trackball results in in-and-out zooming of the displayed image.

18. The handheld electronic device of claim 16, wherein up-and-down and right-and-left rotation of the trackball results in corresponding image panning relative to the displayed image.

19. The handheld electronic device of claim 11, wherein said handheld electronic device is a wireless handheld communication device that transmits data to, and receives data from a communication network utilizing radio frequency signals.

20. The handheld electronic device of claim 11, wherein said handheld electronic device is sized to be cradled in the palm of a user'"'"'s hand.

21. A processing subsystem configured to be installed in a handheld electronic device comprising a user interface including a display and a keyboard having a plurality of input keys with which letters are associated, said processing subsystem comprising:

operating system software that controls operation of an incorporating handheld electronic device, said operating system software being programmed to control operation of said handheld electronic device, wherein said operating system software is configured to display an image on the display and to toggle between panning and zooming modes that respectively pan and zoom the displayed image by successively actuating the auxiliary user input device, and wherein said operating system is further configured to display menu options of user-selectable actions associated with the displayed image by actuating the auxiliary user input device, and, based on said actuation of the auxiliary user input device, said operating system software displays an abbreviated menu having a short list of menu options which is a subset of a full menu of options of user-selectable actions available relative to the at least one designated email message and the user-selectable actions of said short list of menu options having been assessed a higher probability for being user-selected than at least some of the user-selectable actions of the full menu of options that are not included in said short list of menu options.