Method and system for viewing graphic images in a data processing system

• US 5,392,388 A
• Filed: 12/04/1992
• Issued: 02/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gibson, Kevin P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURRASTON, NEIL
• Application Number:
  US07/985,991
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 395/155, 395/156, 395/157, 395/158, 395/159, 395/160, 395/161, 395/137, 340/727, 345/121, 345/123, 345/125
• US Class Current: 715/837
• 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 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/973 Scroll tool, e.g. window scroll bar

Abstract

The method and system of the present invention permit the efficient management of the display of a panoramic or wide-angle image on a display device in a data processing system. The panoramic image typically includes a number of segments wherein only a portion of those segments may be displayed on the display device at selected resolutions. The method and system of the present invention includes displaying a substantially circular icon, having a defined periphery. Each portion of the defined periphery corresponds to one or more of the segments making up the panoramic image. A moveable control element is displayed along a selected arc about the periphery. One or more of the segments of the panoramic image corresponding to each portion of the defined periphery within the selected arc may then be selected and is displayed on the display device by manipulating the position of the moveable control element.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system having a display device for efficiently managing the display of a wide-angle image which includes a plurality of segments, wherein only a portion of said plurality of segments may be simultaneously displayed within said display device at a selected resolution, said method comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:

providing a substantially circular icon, having a defined periphery, wherein each portion of said defined periphery corresponds to one or more of said plurality of segments of said wide-angle image;

providing a moveable control element along a selected arc, wherein said moveable control element is moveable along said defined periphery; and

displaying within said display device one or more of said plurality of segments of said wide-angle image corresponding to each portion of said defined periphery within said selected arc, wherein display of said wide-angle image is efficiently managed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said moveable control element has a specified length and further comprising the step of altering said specified length of said moveable control element in response to a user input.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a moveable control element including allowing said moveable control element to be selected by a pointer, wherein said moveable control elements remains along said selected arc after a manipulation by said pointer.

2. The method of claim I further comprising the step of altering which of said one or more of said plurality of segments of said wide-angle image are displayed within said display device in response to an alteration of said selected arc as a result of a movement of said moveable control element about said defined periphery.

4. A method for selectively manipulating the display of an image displayed within video display device in a data processing system, wherein said image is comprised of a plurality of segments and wherein said display of said image within said video display device is limited to only a portion of said plurality of segments at a given resolution, said method comprising the data processing implemented steps of:

displaying a portion of said plurality of segments within said video display device within said data processing system;

displaying a substantially circular control icon on said video display device;

displaying a control element along a selected section of said substantially circular control icon, wherein said control element is moveable along said substantially circular control icon and wherein said selected section corresponds to said portion of said plurality of segments being displayed; and

altering said portion of said plurality of segments being displayed in response to a movement of said control element along said substantially control icon, wherein a graphic indication of display position within said wide-angle image is provided by said control element.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the control element has a selectable length and further comprising the step of altering said selectable length of said control element in response to a user input.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of altering said portion of said plurality of segments includes altering said portion of said plurality of segments in response to a movement of said control element along said substantially circular control icon, wherein said movement is caused by a selecting said control icon element with a pointer, wherein said control element remains along said selected section after being selected by said pointer.

6. A data processing system for efficiently managing the display of a wide-angle image which includes a plurality of segments, wherein only a portion of said plurality of segments may be simultaneously displayed within said display device at a selected resolution, said the data processing system comprising:

means for providing a substantially circular icon, having a defined periphery, wherein each portion of said defined periphery corresponds to one or more of said plurality of segments of said wide-angle image;

means for providing a moveable control element along a selected arc, wherein said moveable control icon is moveable along said defined periphery; and

display means for displaying within said display device one or more of said plurality of segments of said wide-angle image corresponding to each portion of said defined periphery within said selected arc, wherein a graphic indication of a display position within said wide-angle image is provided by said control moveable element.

7. The data processing system of claim 6 further comprising means for altering said selected arc.

8. The data processing system of claim 7, wherein means for altering said selected arc includes means for moving said moveable control element about said defined periphery, wherein said moveable control element defines said selected arc.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein each portion of said defined periphery maps to one of said plurality of segments of said wide-angle image.

10. The data processing system of claim 6, wherein said moveable control element has a selectable length further comprising:

alteration means for altering said selectable length of said moveable control element in response to user input;

selection means for selecting a new selected arc responsive to said alteration means; and

display means responsive to a new selected arc for displaying one or more of said plurality of segments of said wide-angle image corresponding to each portion of said defined periphery within said new selected arc.

11. The data processing system of claim 10, wherein said substantially circular icon is in an octagonal shape.

12. The data processing system of claim 10, wherein said substantially circular icon is in a circular shape.

15. The data processing system of claim 6, further comprising selection means for selecting said moveable control element with a graphical pointing device, wherein said moveable control element remains along said selected arc after being selected by said graphical pointing device.

16. A data processing system for efficiently managing the display of an image containing a number of portions in which only some of said number of portions of said image may be displayed within said display device at a selected resolution, said the data processing system comprising:

means for providing an icon, having a defined periphery, wherein each section of said defined periphery corresponds to one of said number of portions of image;

means for providing a moveable control element along said defined periphery, wherein said moveable control icon is moveable along said defined periphery and defines a selected arc of said defined periphery; and

display means for displaying within said display device said portions of said image corresponding to each portion of said defined periphery within said selected arc, wherein a graphic indication of a display position within said image is provided by said moveable control element.