ENHANCING VISUAL CONTINUITY IN SCROLLING OPERATIONS

• US 20090138815A1
• Filed: 11/26/2007
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mercer, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,910,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/786
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A visual indicator distinguishes between newly displayed content and previously displayed content during and/or after a scrolling operation. The newly displayed content is displayed in a different format, or with a different background, or with some other visual indication, as compared with content that was previously displayed and is still displayed after the scrolling operation. In this manner, the user is given a visual context for scrolling operations that provides an intuitive reference point when scrolling through a document. A user can easily determine where the newly displayed content picks up from where the previously displayed content left off. The visual indicator can be transitory if desired, so that it gradually fades after some period of time.

Claims

1. A method for scrolling a document within a display area, comprising:

displaying a first portion of the document within the display area;

scrolling the document;

displaying a second portion of the document within the display area; and

responsive to the second portion comprising content overlapping the first portion and content not overlapping the first portion, displaying a visual indicator to differentiate the overlapping content from the non-overlapping content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the overlapping content comprises content in both the first and second portions of the document, and the non-overlapping content comprises content in the second portion of the document and not in the first portion of the document.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input indicating a scrolling operation;

and wherein scrolling the document, displaying the second portion and the visual indicator are performed responsive to received user input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the visual indicator comprises displaying the visual indicator concurrently with displaying the second portion of the document.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein scrolling the document comprises displaying a transition effect.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying the transition effect comprises gradually introducing the visual indicator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the visual indicator comprises highlighting the overlapping content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the visual indicator comprises highlighting the non-overlapping content.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the visual indicator comprises displaying the overlapping content with a first background color and displaying the non-overlapping content with a second background color.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the visual indicator comprises displaying the overlapping content with a first style and displaying the non-overlapping content with a second style.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the visual indicator comprises displaying the overlapping content with a first font and displaying the non-overlapping content with a second font.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the visual indicator comprises displaying a demarcation between the overlapping content and the non-overlapping content.

13. The method of claim 1, scrolling the document comprises scrolling the document along a single axis.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the visual indicator.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein removing the visual indicator comprises removing the visual indicator gradually.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein removing the visual indicator comprises removing the visual indicator with a transition effect.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the visual indicator after a predetermined period of time.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the display area is associated with a position in the document, and wherein scrolling the document comprises changing the position in the document.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

scrolling the document a second time;

determining an interval of time between scrolling the document and scrolling the document the second time;

displaying a third portion of the document within the display area, the third portion comprising content overlapping the second portion and content not overlapping the second portion;

responsive to the interval of time exceeding a predefined amount, displaying a visual indicator to differentiate the overlapping content from the non-overlapping content; and

responsive to the interval of time not exceeding the predefined amount, displaying the overlapping content and the non-overlapping content without the visual indicator.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the second portion not comprising any content overlapping the first portion, displaying the second portion in a visually distinct manner from the display of the first portion.

21. A computer program product for scrolling a document within a display area, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

displaying a first portion of the document within the display area;

scrolling the document;

displaying a second portion of the document within the display area; and

responsive to the second portion comprising content overlapping the first portion and content not overlapping the first portion, displaying a visual indicator to differentiate the overlapping content from the non-overlapping content;

wherein the overlapping content comprises content in both the first and second portions of the document, and the non-overlapping content comprises content in the second portion of the document and not in the first portion of the document.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the display area is associated with a position in the document, and wherein the computer program code for scrolling the document comprises computer program code for changing the position in the document.

23. A system for scrolling a document within a display area, comprising:

a display screen, for displaying a first portion of the document within the display area;

an input device, for receiving user input requesting that the document be scrolled;

wherein, responsive to the user input, the display screen scrolls the document to display a second portion of the document within the display area;

wherein, responsive to the second portion comprising content overlapping the first portion and content not overlapping the first portion, the display screen displays a visual indicator to differentiate the overlapping content from the non-overlapping content; and

wherein the overlapping content comprises content in both the first and second portions of the document, and the non-overlapping content comprises content in the second portion of the document and not in the first portion of the document.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the display area is associated with a position in the document, and wherein the display screen scrolls the document by changing the position in the document.