USER INTERFACE METHODS PROVIDING CONTINUOUS ZOOM FUNCTIONALITY

• US 20100315438A1
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: HORODEZKY, Samuel J., Tsoi, Kam-Cheong Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,823,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/661
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Methods and devices provide an efficient user interface for providing continuous zoom or magnification of a displayed image on a computing device. A user may initiate a zoom-in or zoom-out function by tracing an ellipsoidal shape (e.g., a circle) using a user interface device, such as a touchscreen, touchpad or mouse. The zoom function continues so long as a touchscreen or touchpad are touched, or a mouse button is depressed, and an ellipsoidal path is traced. Zoom-in or magnification scaling factor may be applied to an image in response to a clockwise path trace and a zoom-out or demagnification scaling factor may be applied to an image in response to a clockwise path trace, or vice versa. A visual aid may be presented on the display that may be followed to conduct the zoom function.

Claims

1. A method for providing a zoom function on a computing device, comprising:

detecting a path event on a user interface device;

determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape;

determining a length of the path event;

calculating a zoom scaling factor based upon the determined length of the path event; and

using the zoom scaling factor to generate an image on a display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the processes of calculating a zoom scaling factor and using the zoom scaling factor to generate an image on a display are accomplished only if it is determined that the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a direction of the path event,

wherein calculating a zoom scaling factor comprises calculating a magnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is clockwise and calculating a demagnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is counterclockwise.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a direction of the path event,

wherein calculating a zoom scaling factor comprises calculating a demagnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is clockwise and calculating a magnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is counterclockwise.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a direction of the path event,

wherein calculating a zoom scaling factor comprises calculating either a magnification factor or a demagnification factor depending upon a user-defined setting if the determined direction of the path event is clockwise and calculating a demagnification factor or a magnification factor depending upon the user-defined setting if the determined direction of the path event is counterclockwise.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the path event comprises receiving a continuous series of touch events from one of a touchscreen and a touchpad.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the path event comprises receiving a continuous series cursor locations based upon inputs from a pointing device while a button on the pointing device remains depressed.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to determining that the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to a button press event.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to a press of a touch surface user interface device.

12. A computing device, comprising:

a processor;

a user interface pointing device coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the processor; and

a display coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to perform steps comprising;

detecting a path event on a user interface device;

determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape;

determining a length of the path event;

calculating a zoom scaling factor based upon the determined length of the path event; and

using the zoom scaling factor to generate an image on a display.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured such that the steps of calculating a zoom scaling factor and using the zoom scaling factor to generate an image on a display are accomplished only if it is determined that the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape.

14. The computing device of claim 12, wherein:

the processor is configured to perform further steps comprising determining a direction of the path event; and

the processor is configured such that the step of calculating a zoom scaling factor comprises calculating a magnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is clockwise and calculating a demagnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is counterclockwise.

15. The computing device of claim 12, wherein:

the processor is configured to perform further steps comprising determining a direction of the path event; and

the processor is configured such that the step of calculating a zoom scaling factor comprises calculating a demagnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is clockwise and calculating a magnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is counterclockwise.

16. The computing device of claim 12, wherein:

the processor is configured to perform further steps comprising determining a direction of the path event; and

the processor is configured such that the step of calculating a zoom scaling factor comprises calculating either a magnification factor or a demagnification factor depending upon a user-defined setting if the determined direction of the path event is clockwise and calculating a demagnification factor or a magnification factor depending upon the user-defined setting if the determined direction of the path event is counterclockwise.

17. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the user interface pointing device comprises one of a touchscreen and a touchpad and the processor is configured to detect the path event based on receiving a continuous series of touch events from the user interface pointing device.

18. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to detect the path event based on receiving a continuous series cursor locations based upon inputs from a pointing device while a button on the pointing device remains depressed.

19. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to perform further steps comprising displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display.

20. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to perform further steps comprising displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to determining that the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape.

21. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to perform further steps comprising displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to a button press event.

22. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to perform further steps comprising displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to a press of a touch surface user interface device.

23. A computing device, comprising:

means for detecting a path event on a user interface device;

means for determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape;

means for determining a length of the path event;

means for calculating a zoom scaling factor based upon the determined length of the path event; and

means for using the zoom scaling factor to generate an image on a display.

24. The computing device of claim 23, wherein means implementing the means for calculating a zoom scaling factor and the means for using the zoom scaling factor to generate an image on a display only if the means for determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape determines that the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape.

25. The computing device of claim 23, further comprising:

means for determining a direction of the path event,

wherein means for calculating a zoom scaling factor comprises means for calculating a magnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is clockwise and means for calculating a demagnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is counterclockwise.

26. The computing device of claim 23, further comprising:

means for determining a direction of the path event,

wherein means for calculating a zoom scaling factor comprises means for calculating a demagnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is clockwise and means for calculating a magnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is counterclockwise.

27. The computing device of claim 23, further comprising:

means for determining a direction of the path event,

wherein means for calculating a zoom scaling factor comprises means for calculating either a magnification factor or a demagnification factor depending upon a user-defined setting if the determined direction of the path event is clockwise and means for calculating a demagnification factor or a magnification factor depending upon the user-defined setting if the determined direction of the path event is counterclockwise.

28. The computing device of claim 23, wherein the user interface device is one of a touchscreen and a touchpad, and wherein means for detecting a path event comprises means for receiving series of touch events from the user interface device and determining a path therefrom.

29. The computing device of claim 23, wherein means for detecting a path event comprises means for receiving a continuous series cursor locations based upon inputs from a pointing device while a button on the pointing device remains depressed and determining a path therefrom.

30. The computing device of claim 23, further comprising means for displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display.

31. The computing device of claim 23, further comprising means for displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to the means for determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape determining that the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape.

32. The computing device of claim 23, further comprising means for displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to a button press event.

33. The computing device of claim 23, wherein the user interface device is a touch surface user interface device, further comprising means for displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to a press of the touch surface user interface device.

34. A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions that would cause a processor of a computing device to perform steps comprising:

detecting a path event on a user interface device;

determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape;

determining a length of the path event;

calculating a zoom scaling factor based upon the determined length of the path event; and

using the zoom scaling factor to generate an image on a display.

35. The tangible storage medium of claim 34, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions such that the steps of calculating a zoom scaling factor and using the zoom scaling factor to generate an image on a display are accomplished only if it is determined that the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape.

36. The tangible storage medium of claim 34,

further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further steps comprising determining a direction of the path event,

wherein the processor-executable instructions are configured such that the step of calculating a zoom scaling factor comprises calculating a magnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is clockwise and calculating a demagnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is counterclockwise.

37. The tangible storage medium of claim 34,

further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further steps comprising determining a direction of the path event,

wherein the processor-executable instructions are configured such that the step of calculating a zoom scaling factor comprises calculating a demagnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is clockwise and calculating a magnification factor if the determined direction of the path event is counterclockwise.

38. The tangible storage medium of claim 34,

further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further steps comprising determining a direction of the path event,

wherein the processor-executable instructions are configured such that the step of calculating a zoom scaling factor comprises calculating either a magnification factor or a demagnification factor depending upon a user-defined setting if the determined direction of the path event is clockwise and calculating a demagnification factor or a magnification factor depending upon the user-defined setting if the determined direction of the path event is counterclockwise.

39. The tangible storage medium of claim 34, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising detecting the path event based on receiving a continuous series of touch events from one of a touchscreen and a touchpad.

40. The tangible storage medium of claim 34, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising detecting the path event based on receiving a continuous series cursor locations based upon inputs from a pointing device while a button on the pointing device remains depressed.

41. The tangible storage medium of claim 34, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display.

42. The tangible storage medium of claim 34, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to determining that the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape.

43. The tangible storage medium of claim 34, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to a button press event.

44. The tangible storage medium of claim 34, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to a press of a touch surface user interface device.

45. A method for resizing an object displayed on a computing device, comprising:

detecting a path event on a user interface device;

determining whether an object is selected;

determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape;

determining a length of the path event;

calculating an object scaling factor based upon the determined length of the path event; and

resizing the selected object based on the object scaling factor.

46. A computing device, comprising:

a processor;

a user interface pointing device coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the processor; and

a display coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to perform steps comprising;

detecting a path event on the user interface device;

determining whether an object is selected;

determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape;

determining a length of the path event;

calculating an object scaling factor based upon the determined length of the path event; and

resizing the selected object based on the object scaling factor.

47. A computing device, comprising:

means for detecting a path event on a user interface device;

means for determining whether an object is selected;

means for determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape;

means for determining a length of the path event;

means for calculating an object scaling factor based upon the determined length of the path event; and

means for resizing the selected object based on the object scaling factor.

48. A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions that would cause a processor of a computing device to perform steps comprising:

detecting a path event on a user interface device;

determining whether an object is selected;

determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape;

determining a length of the path event;

calculating an object scaling factor based upon the determined length of the path event; and

resizing the selected object based on the object scaling factor.