Image browsing using cursor positioning

• US 6,915,489 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2001
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gargi, Ullas
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US09/819,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20020140746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 345/810, 345/817, 345/819, 345/820, 345/845, 345/846, 345856-862, 345790-794, 345/797, 345/802, 345/803, 345/808, 345/781, 345/783, 345786-787, 345/759, 345/788, 345764-768, 715/855, 715/856, 715/759, 715/797, 715764-768, 715/781, 715/783, 715786-788, 715/802, 715/803, 715/790, 715/808
• US Class Current: 715/790
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

Image browsing through memory-stored items, such as a library of images or desktop windows, is efficiently performed by arranging images in partially overlapping fashion and generating a second-level image for each overlapped image that is contacted by a user-manipulated cursor. The second-level image is a “transitory” image, since it is removed as soon as the cursor is displaced from the corresponding first-level image. Thus, by placing the first-level images in a diagonally extending stack, straight line movement of the cursor will initiate a sequential presentation of transitory images for the images in the stack. In one embodiment, the display also includes an incrementing icon and a decrementing icon that are employed to provide substitute stacks. Moreover, a third-level image is formed in a separate window when the user selects one of the images from the stack. This third-level image has more permanency, since it remains in the display window after the stack has been substituted. The images may be digital photographs, but other applications are contemplated.

Claims

1. A method of accessing memory-stored items that are available via a system comprising the steps of:

displaying a stack of partially overlapping images that are directly representative of display information of a plurality of said memory-stored items, including presenting only a portion of said display information for each said image that is overlapped by another said image in said displayed stack;

automatically tracking movement of a display icon across said displayed stack;

revealing an increased portion of each said image in response to detecting that said display icon is positioned in alignment with said image, said revealing being triggered independently from user-initiated designations other than said movement of said display icon, thereby enabling sequential presentations of said images as an automated response to scanning said display icon across said displayed stack along a path in which said display icon is moved into sequential alignment with said images; and

presenting file information regarding said memory-stored items, said file information presentations being implemented separately from but in correspondence with said revealing said increased portions of said images as said display icon is moved, said file information including at least one of file name, stored location and file size.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of displaying said displayed stack includes presenting only a minor portion of each image, with an exception of a foremost image in said displayed stack, said memory-stored items being Image documents, wherein each said sequential presentation of said increased portions of said images is an automated response that is based merely on positioning of said display icon so as to sequentially vary said foremost image during said scanning, said display icon being a cursor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said images in said displayed stack are a subset of available images in storage, said method further comprising the stops of:

presenting an incrementing icon and a decrementing icon;

enabling subset-to-subset incrementing forward within said storage of images in response to detecting that said display icon has been in alignment with said incrementing icon for a set period of time; and

enabling subset-to-subset decrementing rearward within said storage of images in response to detecting that said display icon has been in alignment with said decrementing icon for said set period of time;

wherein said subset-to-subset incrementing and decrementing triggers displays of different stacks of said available images in said storage.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising a step of scrolling through each said image in said displayed stack during said set period of time, including revealing each said image in entirety during said set period of time before a different stack is displayed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said steps of displaying and revealing are directed to a first window area of a display screen, said method further comprising opening a specific memory-stored item in response to a selection of a specific image in said displayed stack, said specific memory-stored item being directly related to said specific image, said opening of said specific memory-stored item occurring in a second window area of said display screen.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said step of displaying said stack of images includes presenting thumbnail images from video files and wherein said step of opening said specific memory-stored item includes running a specific video file when a directly related thumbnail image is selected.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of revealing increased portions of said images includes generating pop-up images above said stack as said display icon is moved into alignment with said images in said displayed stack, said revealing further including preserving said images in said displayed stack such that said displayed stack remains intact while said pop-up images are generated.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said steps of displaying, tracking and revealing are implemented from a web page of the World Wide Web.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of enabling manipulation of file storage and transfer in response to user-initiated designations directed toward said displayed stack, including enabling changes in storage of said memory-stored items within different folders as a consequence of manipulations of said images.

10. A computer system comprising:

a display device;

a source of image files;

at least one processor enabled to manipulate said image files from said source for visual presentation at said display device;

a cursor-control device and an operatively associated driver program accessible by said at least one processor to manipulate movement of a cursor along said display device; and

computer programming accessible by said at least one processor to provide instructions for manipulating said image files from said source, said computer programming being cooperative with said at least one processor to;

generate a display of a stack of said image files at sold display device such that said stack includes overlapping representations of image data of a plurality of associated said image files from said source, and

respond directly to alignment of said cursor with said display of said stack by generating a user-selected image of a representation on which said cursor resides, each sold user-selected image being misaligned with respect to said representations in said stack and being a full-file display of said image data of the specific image file associated with sold representation on which said cursor resides;

wherein said computer programming includes a cursor-detection module that is sensitive to positioning of said cursor to generate said user-selected image based merely on said positioning of said cursor and further includes an image-loading module that initiates an opening of said specific image file associated with said representation in response to a second user-initiated designation that is triggered by operation of said cursor-control device, wherein said opening is executed separately from said generation of said user-selected image.

11. The computer system of claim 10 wherein said source of images is a stored library of digital photographs.

12. The computer system of claim 10 wherein said cursor-control device is one of a computer mouse and a trackball device.

13. The computer system of claim 10 wherein said computer programming further includes a stack-incrementing module that is responsive to said positioning of said cursor (a) to sequentially scroll through said representations in said stack with respect to generating a sequence of said user-selected images and (b) to generate a succession of said stacks in which each subsequent stack is presented following said sequential scrolling through said representations in an immediately preceding stack.

14. A method of accessing stored image files comprising the steps of:

displaying an arrangement of thumbnail images in which regions of rearward thumbnail images are partially covered by forward thumbnail images, said thumbnail images in said arrangement being first-level images that are full-file displays of image information from said image flies;

displaying a second-level image each time that a user-manipulated indicator is positioned in perceived contact with an exposed region of a first-level image, said displayed second-level image being at least partially offset from said arrangement and having a direct correspondence with the first-level image with which said user-manipulated indicator is in perceived contact, said displayed second-level image being said full-file display of image information of said first-level image; and

displaying a third-level image each time that a second-level image is selected, including opening the stored image file that corresponds to said second-level image which is selected.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said first-level images, said second-level image and said third-level image are displayed simultaneously on a computer screen.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of displaying said arrangement includes forming a stack of axially aligned overlapping first-level images said step of displaying said second-level image including exposing an a same window as said stack.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising a step of presenting file information regarding the corresponding image file for each second-level image that is displayed.