Navigable viewing system

• US 6,121,966 A
• Filed: 06/18/1996
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Cheng, Lili, Mills, Michael I., Teodosio, Laura A., Yawitz, Mitchell A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bell, Paul A.
• Application Number:
  US08/665,426
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 345/118, 345/127, 345/129, 345/130, 345/131, 345/132, 345/145, 345/146, 345/348, 345/424, 345/419, 345/439, 345/340, 345/473, 345/474, 345/326, 345/115, 345/121, 345/123 , 345/124, 345/125, 345/126, 345/341, 345/346, 345/355, 345/357, 382/282, 382/294, 382/296, 382/298, 382/302, 348/36, 348/38, 348/39, 395/102, 395/101
• US Class Current: 715/838
• 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 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

A method, system and program for creating an overview image display of an environment or series of images and a detail window into the overview image display. The detail window consists of a single frame of the overview image or some corresponding image to present additional detail of the selected portion of the overview image . Additional features include the ability to interactively reposition a pointer to select another detail window corresponding to another area of the overview image . Further capabilities are provided to store selective reference points as a user interactively selects the reference points and play them back at some user initiated later time. To aid the user, the interactive selections are identified by a series of area indicias left on the display.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising the following steps:

a. forming an overview image comprised of a set of frames corresponding with each of a plurality of images, said overview image including a first frame corresponding with one of said plurality of images,

b. displaying said overview image on a display simultaneously with a detail image containing said one of said plurality of images; and

c. allowing user navigation of said plurality of images in said detail image using said detail image.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said set of frames are scaled representations of each of said plurality of images.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said set of frames are pieced together in said overview image.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said set of frames are pieced together in said overview image into a panorama.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of allowing user navigation of said plurality of images in said detail window using said overview image including the steps of

a. allowing a user to move a cursor to a second frame in said overview image corresponding with a second of said plurality of images;

and

b. simultaneously displaying said overview image and said second of said plurality of images in said detail window.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said step of allowing a user to move a cursor to said second area in said overview image includes:

a. determining the coordinates of said second area in said overview image; and

b. determining a frame number of said second of said plurality of images.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of allowing user navigation of said plurality of images in said detail widow includes the steps of:

a. allowing a user to move a cursor in said detail image;

b. determining a direction of movement of said cursor,

c. determining a second image in said plurality of images which corresponds with the direction of movement of said cursor; and

d. simultaneously displaying said overview image and said detail image containing said second of said plurality of images.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of displaying said overview image includes the step of highlighting a second frame in said overview image which corresponds with said second of said plurality of images.

9. The method of claim 8 comprising the step of maintaining said highlighting of said second frame during said user navigation of said plurality of images.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said highlighting traces said user navigation of said plurality of images.

11. The method of claim 8 comprising the step of tracing said user navigation of said plurality of images.

12. The method of claim 7 comprising the step of tracing said user navigation of said plurality of images.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising the step of storing said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising the step of playing back said user navigation by said user of said plurality of images.

15. The method of claim 12 comprising the step of highlighting of said frames during said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising the step of maintaining said highlighting said frames during said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

17. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of tracing said user navigation of said plurality of images.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising the step of storing said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

19. The method of claim 18 comprising the step of playing back said user navigation of said plurality of images.

20. The method of claim 17 comprising the step of highlighting frames in said overview image during said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

21. The method of claim 20 comprising the step of maintaining said highlighting of said frames during said user navigation of said plurality of images.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of images comprises a sequence of images of a panorama.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said panorama comprises a spherical panorama.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said panorama comprises a semi-circular panorama.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of displaying said overview image includes highlighting said first frame in said overview image.

58. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for allowing a user to move a cursor to said second area in said overview image includes:

a. means for determining the coordinates of said second area in said overview image; and

b. means for determining a frame number of said second of said plurality of images.

26. The method of 1 wherein said step of allowing user navigation of said plurality of images in said detail image includes highlighting frames in said overview image which correspond to images in said plurality of images which are navigated to during said user navigation.

27. A machine-readable medium configured to cause a computer to perform a method comprising the following steps:

a. forming an overview image comprised of a set of frames corresponding with each of a plurality of images, said overview image including a first frame corresponding with one of said plurality of images;

b. displaying said overview image on a display simultaneously with a detail image containing said one of said plurality of images; and

c. allowing user navigation of said plurality of images in said detail image using said detail image.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 27 wherein said set of frames are scaled representations of each of said plurality of images.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 28 wherein said set of frames are pieced together in said overview image.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 28 wherein said set of frames an pieced together in said overview image into a panorama.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 27 configured to cause a step of allowing user navigation of said plurality of images in said detail window using said overview image including the steps of:

a. allowing a user to move a cursor to a second frame in said overview image corresponding with a second of said plurality of images; and

b. simultaneously displaying said overview image and said second of said plurality of images in said detail window.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 31 wherein said step of allowing a user to move a cursor to said second area in said overview image includes:

a. determining the coordinates of said second area in said overview image; and

b. determining a frame number of said second of said plurality of images.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 27 wherein said step of allowing user navigation of said plurality of images in said detail window includes the steps of:

a. allowing a user to move a cursor in said detail image;

b. determining a direction of movement of said cursor,

c. determining a second image in said plurality of images which corresponds with the direction of movement of said cursor; and

d. simultaneously displaying said overview image and said detail image containing said second of said plurality of images.

34. The machine-readable medium of claim 28 wherein said step of displaying said overview image includes the step of highlighting a second frame in said overview image which corresponds with said second of said plurality of images.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 34 configured to cause the step of maintaining said highlighting of said second frame during said user navigation of said plurality of images.

36. The machine-readable medium of claim 35 wherein said highlighting traces said user navigation of said plurality of images.

37. The machine-readable medium of claim 34 configured to cause the step of tracing said user navigation of said plurality of images.

38. The machine-readable medium of claim 33 configured to cause the step of tracing said user navigation of said plurality of images.

39. The machine-readable medium of claim 38 configured to cause the step of storing said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

40. The machine-readable medium of claim 39 configured to cause the step of playing back said user navigation by said user of said plurality of images.

41. The machine-readable medium of claim 38 configured to cause the step of highlighting said frames during said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

42. The machine-readable medium of claim 41 configured to cause the step of maintaining said highlighting of said frames during said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

43. The machine-readable medium of claim 27 configured to cause the step of the step of tracing said user navigation of said plurality of images.

44. The machine-readable medium of claim 43 configured to cause the step of storing said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

45. The machine-readable medium of claim 44 configured to cause the step of playing back said user navigation of said plurality of images.

46. The machine-readable medium of claim 43 configured to cause the step of highlighting frames in said overview image during said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

47. The machine-readable medium of claim 46 configured to cause the step of maintaining said highlighting of said frames during said user navigation of said plurality of images.

48. The machine-readable medium of claim 27 wherein said plurality of images comprises a sequence of images of a panorama.

49. The machine-readable medium of claim 48 wherein said panorama comprises a spherical panorama.

50. The machine-readable medium of claim 48 wherein said panorama comprises a semicircular panorama.

51. The machine-readable medium of claim 27 wherein said step of displaying said overview image includes highlighting said fist frame in said overview image.

52. The machine-readable medium of claim 27 wherein said step of allowing user navigation of said plurality of images in said detail image includes highlighting frames in said overview image which correspond to images in said plurality of images which are navigated to during said user navigation.

53. An apparatus comprising:

a. means for forming an overview image comprised of a set of frames corresponding wit each of a plurality of images, said overview image including a first free corresponding with one of said plurality of images;

b. means for displaying said overview image on a display simultaneously with a detail image containing said one of said plurality of images; and

c. means for allowing user navigation of said plurality of images in said detail image using said detail image.

54. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein said set of frames are scaled representations of each of said plurality of images.

55. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein said set of frames are pieced together in said overview image.

56. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein said set of frames are pieced together in said overview image into a panorama.

57. The apparatus of claim 53 comprising a means for allowing user navigation of said plurality of images in said detail window using said overview image including:

a. means for allowing a user to move a cursor to a second frame in said overview image corresponding with a second of said plurality of images; and

b. means for simultaneously displaying said overview image and said second of said plurality of images in said detail window.

59. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein said means for allowing user navigation of said plurality of images in said detail window includes:

a. means for allowing a user to move a cursor in said detail image;

b. means for determining a direction of movement of said cursor,

c. means for determining a second image in said plurality of images which corresponds with the direction of movement of said cursor; and

d. means for simultaneously displaying said overview image and said detail image containing said second of said plurality of images.

60. The apparatus of claim 59 wherein said means for displaying said overview image includes a means for highlighting a second frame in said overview image which corresponds with said second of said plurality of images.

61. The apparatus of claim 60 comprising a means for maintaining said highlighting of said second frame during said user navigation of said plurality of images.

62. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein said highlighting traces said user navigation of said plurality of images.

63. The apparatus of claim 60 comprising a means for tracing said user navigation of said plurality of images.

64. The apparatus of claim 59 comprising a means for tracing said user navigation of said plurality of images.

65. The apparatus of claim 64 comprising a means for storing said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 comprising a means for playing back said user navigation by said user of said plurality of images.

67. The apparatus of claim 64 comprising a means for highlighting of said frames during said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

68. The apparatus of claim 67 comprising a means for maintaining said highlighting said frames during said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

69. The apparatus of claim 53 comprising a means for tracing said user navigation of said plurality of images.

70. The apparatus of claim 69 comprising a means for storing said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

71. The apparatus of claim 70 comprising a means for playing back said user navigation of said plurality of images.

74. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein said plurality of images comprises a sequence of images of a panorama.

75. The apparatus of claim 74 wherein said panorama comprises a spherical panorama.

76. The apparatus of claim 75 wherein said panorama comprises a semicircular panorama.

77. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein said means for displaying said overview image includes a means for highlighting said first frame in said overview image.

78. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein said means for allowing user navigation of said plurality of images in said detail image includes a means for highlighting frames in said overview image which correspond to images in said plurality of images which are navigated to during said user navigation.

72. The apparatus of claim comprising a means for highlighting frames in said overview image during said tracing of said user navigation of said plurality of images.

73. The apparatus of claim 72 comprising a means for maintaining said highlighting of said frames during said user navigation of said plurality of images.