Touch controlled zoom and pan of graphic displays

• US 6,774,890 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2001
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tektronix Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Tektronix Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Engholm, Kathryn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M.
• Application Number:
  US09/757,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20020126099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: 345/63, 345/147, 345/157, 345/173, 345/174, 345/178, 345/179, 345/180, 345/668, 345/175, 345/823, 341/20-23, 341/34, 324/121.R, 324/76, 324/121, 178/18-20
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/20 Cathode-ray oscilloscopes
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A touch controlled zoom and pan of graphic displays is achieved using only a touch screen and rotary knob by designating various areas on a touch screen. Touching one of the designated areas determines the function to be performed—zoom along one axis or in two dimensions or pan along one axis or in two dimensions. The zoom or pan is then performed in response to the rotation of a rotary encoder knob. For panning dragging the touch along an axis in lieu of rotating the rotary encoder knob performs the function. Alternatively the same designated areas may be used to determine either the zoom or pan function by using either a “touch and hold” technique for zoom or a “touch and go” technique for pan.

Claims

1. A method of touch controlled zoom and pan of a graphic display comprising the steps of:

determining a function and a touch point with respect to the graphic display by touching a touch screen in one of a plurality of defined areas;

zooming the graphic display about the touch point according to the rotation of a rotary encoder knob if the function is a zoom function;

panning the graphic display according to the rotation of the rotary encoder knob if the function is a pan function.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the defined areas include a horizontal axis area, a vertical axis area and a graphic display area.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the defined areas further include a horizontal scroll area and a vertical scroll area.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the determining step includes the steps of:

selecting a horizontal zoom function when the horizontal axis area is touched and selecting the touch point for the graphic display according to the location within the horizontal axis area that is touched;

selecting a vertical zoom function when the vertical axis area is touched and selecting the touch point for the graphic display according to the location within the vertical axis area that is touched;

selecting a two-dimensional zoom function when the graphics display area is touched and selecting the touch point for the graphic display according to the location within the graphics display area that is touched;

selecting a horizontal pan function when the horizontal scroll area is touched; and

selecting a vertical pan function when the vertical scroll area is touched.

5. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the determining step comprises the steps of:

selecting one of a zoom or pan function when the screen is touched and the contact maintained while the rotary encoder knob is rotated; and

selecting the other of the zoom or pan function when the screen is touched and released before the rotary encoder knob is rotated.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the zoom function selecting step comprises the steps of:

selecting a horizontal zoom function when the touch is in the horizontal axis area with the touch point being determined by the location within the horizontal axis area that is touched;

selecting a vertical zoom function when the touch is in the vertical axis area with the touch point being determined by the location within the vertical axis area that is touched; and

selecting a two-dimensional zoom function when the touch is in the graphics display area with the touch point being determined by the location within the graphics display area that is touched.

7. The method as recited in claims 5 or 6 wherein the pan function selecting step comprises the steps of:

selecting a horizontal pan function when the touch is in the horizontal axis area; and

selecting a vertical pan function when the touch is in the vertical axis area.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the pan function selecting step further comprises the step of selecting a two-dimensional pan function when the touch is in the graphics display area.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the panning step comprises the step of sliding a touch contact along a scroll area when the function is determined by the determining step to be a pan function without using the rotary encoding knob.