Method for smooth rotation

• US 20080270925A1
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roland Wescott Montague
• Original Assignee: Roland Wescott Montague
• Inventors: Montague, Roland Wescott
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,382 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour

Abstract

A method for smooth rotation of an object viewed from a finite number of angles encompasses resetting the drag origin in response to the pointer exiting a region centered on the drag origin. Upon exiting the region, a new view of the object displays thereby providing the appearance of rotation.

Claims

1. In an application where an object is rotated by sequencing through a finite number of predetermined views from different angles, a method of smooth rotation comprising:

a. providing a first means for displaying a view of an object;

b. providing a second means for performing a drag operation, the drag operation comprises a drag origin location and a present pointer location;

c. providing a third means for defining a region, the region centered on the drag origin location;

d. in response to the present pointer location exiting the region,

i. redefining the drag origin location to be the location of exit, and

ii. displaying a different view of the object determined in part by the exit location of the pointer from the region;

repeating steps c and d while the drag operation continues.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said different view provides the appearance of rotating the object in a direction selected from the group consisting of left, right, up, and down.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said different view provides the appearance of rotating the object in a direction selected from the group consisting of left, right, up, down, diagonal up left, diagonal up right, diagonal down right, and diagonal down left.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the order of steps d(i) and d(ii) are swapped such that step d(ii) occurs before step d(i).

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said region having a shape selected from the group consisting of square, octagon, polygon, and circle.

6. A computing system for visually rotating an object by sequencing through a finite number of predetermined views from different angles, the computing system comprising:

a first means for displaying a view of an object;

a second means for performing a drag operation, the drag operation comprises a drag origin location and a present pointer location;

a third means for defining a region, the region centered on the drag origin location;

a forth means for responding to the present pointer location exiting the region, wherein the drag origin location redefines to be the location of exit and a different view of the object displays determined in part by the exit location of the pointer from the region;

whereby the object appears to rotate smoothly.

7. The computing system as recited in claim 6 wherein said different view provides the appearance of rotating the object in a direction selected from the group consisting of left, right, up, and down.

8. The computing system as recited in claim 6 wherein said different view provides the appearance of rotating the object in a direction selected from the group consisting of left, right, up, down, diagonal up left, diagonal up right, diagonal down right, and diagonal down left.

9. A computing system for visually rotating an object by sequencing through a finite number of predetermined views from different angles, the computing system comprising:

a pointing device for a user to rotate the object by creating a drag origin location and a present pointer location;

a display on which a view of an object displays;

a function that responds to the present pointer location exiting a region centered on the drag origin location, wherein a different view of the object displays determined in part by the exit location of the pointer from the region, the drag origin location redefines to be the location of exit, and the region redefines centered on the new drag origin location;

a microprocessor that receives inputs from the pointing device, runs the calculations of the function, and displays the view of the object on the display.

whereby the object appears to rotate smoothly in horizontal, vertical, and diagonal directions.