ADVANCED NAVIGATION TECHNIQUES FOR PORTABLE DEVICES

• US 20150212712A1
• Filed: 11/12/2014
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Robbins, Daniel C., Sarin, Raman K., Horvitz, Eric J., Cutrell, Edward B.
• Application Number:
  US14/539,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20150212712A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates navigating smoothly and gracefully through any type of content viewable on portable devices such as cell-phones, PDAs, and/or any other hybrids thereof. In addition, such navigation can be performed while preserving perspective and context with respect to a larger amount of content. Pointing devices can also be used to navigate through content—the amount or detail of the content being dependant on the speed of the pointing device. Additionally, a semi-transparent overview of content can be overlaid a zoomed-in portion of content to provide perspective to the zoomed in portion. Content shown in the semi-transparent overview can depend on the location of the pointing device with respect to the content.

Claims

1. A method of displaying content on a portable device screen, comprising:

identifying data representing an information space to be displayed on the portable device screen;

displaying a first region of the information space on the portable device screen;

detecting user input, received from a user interacting with the portable device, indicating navigation through the information space and selecting a second region of the data based on the navigation, the selected second region having an area determined based on a density of data at a location within the information space indicated by the navigation; and

in response to the user input indicating navigation, displaying on the portable device screen the second region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying on the portable device screen the second region comprises:

stretching a view of the information space to transition from display of the first region to display of the second region on the portable device screen, the second region having an aspect ratio different from an aspect ratio of the first region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying on the portable device screen the second region comprises:

shrinking a view of the information space to transition from display of the first region to display of the second region on the portable device screen, the second region having an aspect ratio different from an aspect ratio of the first region.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indicating a plurality of view segments on the information space displayed on the portable device screen, the plurality of view segments including the first region and the second region.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said indicating comprises:

indicating a first view segment on the information space displayed on the portable device screen; and

indicating a second view segment on the information space displayed on the portable device screen that overlaps with the first view segment, the second view segment having an area equal to an area of the first view segment.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said indicating comprises:

indicating a first view segment on the information space displayed on the portable device screen; and

indicating a second view segment on the information space displayed on the portable device screen that overlaps with the first view segment, the second view segment having an area different from an area of the first view segment.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said indicating comprises:

indicating a first view segment on the information space displayed on the portable device screen; and

indicating a second view segment on the information space displayed on the portable device screen that overlaps with the first view segment, the second view segment having a shape different from a shape of the first view segment.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein said indicating comprises:

indicating the plurality of view segments on the information space displayed on the portable device screen in positions to correspond with highest density data areas.

9. A system for rendering a display at a portable device, comprising:

a memory having stored thereon data that represents an information space capable of being displayed on a screen of the portable device; and

a processor configured to execute instructions that perform a method comprising;

displaying at least a first region of the information space on the portable device screen,

detecting user input, received from a user interacting with the portable device, indicating navigation through the information space and selecting a second region of the data based on the navigation, the selected second region having an aspect ratio different from an aspect ratio of the first region; and

in response to the user input indicating navigation, displaying on the portable device screen the second region.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said displaying on the portable device screen the second region comprises:

stretching a view of the information space to transition from an aspect ratio of the first region to an aspect ratio of the second region on the portable device screen.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said displaying on the portable device screen the second region comprises:

shrinking a view of the information space to transition from an aspect ratio of the first region to an aspect ratio of the second region on the portable device screen.

12. The system of claim 9, the method further comprising:

indicating a plurality of view segments on the information space displayed on the portable device screen, the plurality of view segments including the first region and the second region.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said indicating comprises:

indicating a first view segment on the information space displayed on the portable device screen; and

indicating a second view segment on the information space displayed on the portable device screen that overlaps with the first view segment, the second view segment having a shape different from a shape of the first view segment.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said indicating comprises:

indicating the plurality of view segments on the information space displayed on the portable device screen in positions to correspond with highest density da to areas.

15. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:

identifying data representing an information space to be displayed on the portable device screen;

displaying a first region of the information space on the portable device screen;

detecting user input, received from a user interacting with the portable device, indicating navigation through the information space and selecting a second region of the data based on the navigation, the first and second regions each having an area determined based on a density of data at a corresponding location within the information space; and

in response to the user input indicating navigation, displaying on the portable device screen the second region.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein said displaying on the portable device screen the second region comprises:

stretching a view of the information space to transition from display of the first region to display of the second region on the portable device screen, the second region having an aspect ratio different from an aspect ratio of the first region.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein said displaying on the portable device screen the second region comprises:

shrinking a view of the information space to transition from display of the first region to display of the second region on the portable device screen, the second region having an aspect ratio different from an aspect ratio of the first region.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein said displaying on the portable device screen the second region comprises:

displaying the second region on the information space displayed on the portable device screen overlapping with the first region.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein said displaying on the portable device screen the second region comprises:

displaying the second region on the information space displayed on the portable device screen in a shape different from a shape of the first region.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the method further comprising:

displaying the first and second regions on the information space displayed on the portable device screen in positions to correspond with highest density data areas.