Data processing system and method for scaling a realistic object on a user interface

• US 6,052,130 A
• Filed: 11/20/1996
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Morgan, Scott Anthony, Swearingen, Craig Ardner, Isensee, Scott Harlan, Mullaly, John Martin, Burton, Denise Marie, Bardon, Didier Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Jankus, Almis R.
• Application Number:
  US08/753,124
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 345/439, 345/433, 345/340-346
• US Class Current: 345/666
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A data processing system, software program, and method scale the contents of a window or similar display area in unison and in proportion. During operation, all of the contained control, text, and images included in the window are scaled proportionately so that a user is still able to use the displayed object and the displayed object retains its characteristic image. Composite images of realistically-rendered objects are resized and moved in a manner which is dependent upon a common non-changing representation of a container and a contained object displayed on a display device. When the common non-changing representation is modified by resizing, a scaling operation is performed on the composite image as a whole. However, when the representation of a contained object is modified and the common non-changing representation is no longer displayed, a region of a contained object is "clipped out" from the container before the image is displayed. The contained object is then allowed to display its image as is required in light of the movement and resizing operations desired by the user.

Claims

1. A data processing system, comprising:

a display device for displaying a composite image having a container object and a contained object, wherein the composite image is in a non-changing state when the contained object is in a first state and the composite image is in a changing state when the contained object is in a second state;

a user interface for receiving a plurality of control inputs for controlling an appearance of the composite image displayed by the display device; and

a data processor, comprising a central processing unit, wherein the central processing unit is coupled to the user interface for receiving the plurality of control inputs and coupled to the display device to provide a plurality of control signals for scaling the container object and the contained object concurrently when the contained object is in the first state, and for scaling the container object and the contained object consecutively when the contained object is in the second state.

2. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of object control signals scale the composite image by modifying a size of the composite image.

3. The data processing system of claim 2 wherein the appearance of an container and an appearance of the contained object are proportionally modified.

4. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein the contained object is in the first state when the contained object is inaccessible for providing a data value.

5. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein the contained object is in the second state when the contained object is currently accessible for providing a stored data value.

6. The data processor of claim 1 wherein the contained object is depicted within the container object displayed on the display device.

7. The data processor of claim 1 wherein the contained object is integral to the container object displayed on the display device.

8. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein an image of said contained object in said second state and an image of said container object are non-overlapping.

9. A method for operating a data processing system, comprising the steps of:

displaying a container object and a contained object on a display device;

receiving a plurality of control inputs from the user interface for controlling an appearance of the container object display by the display device;

scaling the container object in response to the plurality of control inputs to generate a scaled container object; and

scaling the contained object in response to the plurality of control inputs to generate a scaled contained object wherein the steps of scaling the container object and contained object are concurrent when the contained object is in a first state and consecutive when the contained object is in a second state.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

providing a scale message from the container object to the contained object.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the scale message results in the contained object being scaled in proportion to the scaled container object.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the contained object is depicted within the container object displayed on the display device.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the contained object is integral to the container object displayed on the display device.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein an image of said contained object in said second state and an image of said container object are non-overlapping.

15. A method for operating a data processing system, comprising the steps of:

displaying a container object which comprises a contained object in one of a first state and a second state on a display device;

receiving a plurality of control inputs from a user interface for controlling an appearance of the container object displayed by the display device;

scaling the container object and the contained object concurrently when the contained object is in the first state; and

scaling the container object and the contained object consecutively when the contained object is in the second state.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the contained object is scaled proportionally to the scaled container object.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the contained object is a text object.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the contained object is a function object.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the contained object is in the first state when the contained object is inaccessible for providing a data value.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the contained object is in the second state when the contained object is currently accessible for providing a stored data value.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein an image of said contained object in said second state and an image of said container object are non-overlapping.

22. A computer program stored on a storage media, for scaling an object on a display device, the computer program comprising the steps of:

enabling the display device to display a container object which comprises a contained object in one of a first state and a second state;

receiving a plurality of control inputs from a user interface for controlling an appearance of the container object displayed by the display device;

scaling the container object and the contained object concurrently when the contained object is in the first state; and

scaling the container object and the contained object consecutively when the contained object is in the second state.

23. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein an image of said contained object in said second state and an image of said container object are non-overlapping.

24. The computer program of claim 22 wherein the contained object is a text object.

25. The computer program of claim 22 wherein the contained object is a function object.

26. The computer program of claim 22 wherein the computer program includes the step of providing a scale message from the container object to the contained object.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the scale message results in the contained object being scaled in proportion to the scaled container object.

28. The computer program of claim 22 wherein the contained object is integral to the container object displayed on the display device.