Object oriented zooming graphical user interface

• US 6,249,290 B1
• Filed: 12/14/1998
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Cunningham, Kathleen, Cataudella, Salvatore, Herndon, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Santiago, Enrique L
• Application Number:
  US09/211,669
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/420, 345/427, 345/439, 345/433, 345/473
• US Class Current: 345/660
• 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 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

An object oriented zooming engine for providing a zooming graphical user interface is disclosed. The zooming engine includes classes that define zooming objects, an event manager, and a view manager. Events are received by the event manager, and alternatively assigned to the view manager or zooming objects for processing. The view manager and zooming objects have associated event handlers for providing event responsive behavior. Among the event handlers associated with the view manager is a pick handler that determines whether zooming objects in a zooming view have been targeted by an event. Thus, an event can be initially assigned to the view, and then assigned to the zooming objects within the view that may have been targeted. This allows more efficient handling of events and updating of the display, and provides a flexible system, where various behaviors can be variously and individually modified.

Claims

1. A zooming engine for displaying zooming objects that reside in a zooming space on a display which provides a zooming view, the zooming engine comprising:

a zooming object class, which defines characteristics for a plurality of zooming objects that reside in a zooming space, wherein the relative locations of zooming objects can be independently changed in three dimensions within the zooming space;

a view manager, which manages the zooming view by identifying viewed zooming objects as those zooming objects from the plurality of zooming objects that reside in the zooming view; and

an event manager, in communication with the view manager, which receives an event, determines whether the event pertains to the zooming view or to a targeted zooming object, and assigns the event to the view manager where the event pertains to the zooming view so that the view manager handles the event for the plurality of zooming objects that reside in the zooming view, whereby individual event handling requests to each of the plurality of zooming objects that reside in the zooming view are not required.

2. The zooming engine of claim 1, wherein the event manager assigns the event to the targeted zooming object when it is determined that the event pertains to the targeted zooming object.

3. The zooming engine of claim 2, further comprising:

an event handler, in communication with the targeted zooming object, which includes instructions for producing behavior responsive to the event.

4. The zooming engine of claim 3, wherein the behavior includes at least one of drawing a bounding box around the targeted zooming object and moving the targeted zooming object.

5. The zooming engine of claim 1, further comprising:

a pick handler, in communication with the view manager, which responds to the assignment of the event to the view manager by identifying a targeted zooming object from the viewed zooming objects.

6. The zooming engine of claim 5, wherein the event is assigned to the targeted zooming object after the targeted zooming object is identified by the pick handler.

7. The zooming engine of claim 5, wherein a plurality of targeted zooming objects are identified by the pick handler responsive to the assignment of the event to the view manager.

8. The zooming engine of claim 1, further comprising:

an event handler, in communication with the targeted zooming object, which includes instructions for producing behavior responsive to the event.

9. The zooming engine of claim 8, wherein the behavior includes at least one of drawing a bounding box around the targeted zooming object and moving the targeted zooming object.

10. A zooming engine for displaying zooming objects that reside in a zooming space on a display which provides a zooming view, the zooming engine comprising:

means for defining characteristics for a plurality of zooming objects that reside in a zooming space, wherein the relative locations of zooming objects can be changed in three dimensions within the zooming space;

means for managing the zooming view by identifying viewed zooming objects as those zooming objects from the plurality of zooming objects that reside in the zooming view; and

means for receiving an event, determining whether the event pertains to the zooming view or to a targeted zooming object, and assigns the event to the view manager where the event pertains to the zooming view so that the view manager handles the event for the plurality of zooming objects that reside in the zooming view, whereby individual event handling requests to each of the plurality of zooming objects that reside in the zooming view are not required.

11. The zooming engine of claim 10, wherein the means for receiving an event assigns the event to the targeted zooming object when it is determined that the event pertains to the targeted zooming object.

12. The zooming engine of claim 11, further comprising:

event handling means for producing behavior responsive to the event.

13. The zooming engine of claim 12, wherein the behavior includes at least one of drawing a bounding box around the targeted zooming object and moving the targeted zooming object.

14. The zooming engine of claim 10, further comprising:

pick handling means for responding to the assignment of the event to the view manager by identifying a targeted zooming object from the viewed zooming objects.

15. The zooming engine of claim 14, wherein the event is assigned to the targeted zooming object after the targeted zooming object is identified by the means for responding.

16. The zooming engine of claim 14, wherein a plurality of targeted zooming objects are identified by the pick handling means responsive to the assignment of the event to the means for managing the zooming view.

17. The zooming engine of claim 10, further comprising:

event handling means for producing behavior responsive to the event.

18. The zooming engine of claim 17, wherein the behavior includes at least one of drawing a bounding box around the targeted zooming object and moving the targeted zooming object.

19. A method for displaying zooming objects that reside in a zooming space on a display which provides a zooming view, the method comprising:

defining characteristics for a plurality of zooming objects that reside in a zooming space, wherein the relative locations of zooming objects can be changed in three dimensions within the zooming space;

defining a view manager that manages the zooming view by identifying viewed zooming objects as those zooming objects from the plurality of zooming objects that reside in the zooming view;

receiving an event;

determining whether the event pertains to the zooming view or to a targeted zooming object; and

assigning the event to the view manager where it is determined that the event pertains to the zooming view so that the event is handled at the zooming view level for the plurality of zooming objects that reside in the zooming view, whereby individual event handling requests to each of the plurality of zooming objects that reside in the zooming view are not required.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

assigning the event to the targeted zooming object where it is determined that the event pertains to the targeted zooming object.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

responding to the assignment of the event to the zooming view by identifying a targeted zooming object from the viewed zooming objects.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the event is assigned to the targeted zooming object after the targeted zooming object is identified.