Method for resizing and moving an object on a computer screen

• US 7,190,379 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Contex A/S (Global Scanning A/S)
• Original Assignee: Contex A/S (Global Scanning A/S)
• Inventors: Nissen, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): YANG, RYAN R
• Application Number:
  US10/184,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20030001869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 345/660, 345/661, 345/666, 345/788, 345/800, 345/856
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method for defining the size of an object displayed on a computer screen, the computer screen having a matrix of sensor points, said method comprising the steps of displaying an object on a computer screen, defining at least one screen area having a reference point associated therewith, reading an input from a sensor point in a screen area, calculating a vector between the read input and the reference point of that screen area, and defining the size of the object based on the vector.

Claims

1. A method for defining the size of an object displayed on a computer screen, the computer screen having a matrix of sensor points, said method comprising:

displaying an object on the computer screen,

defining at least one resizing screen area having a reference point associated and correlated therewith, the reference point being a predetermined point provided to be used to define a direction of resizing and a degree of resizing of the object,

providing a resizing of the object by selecting the resizing screen area,

reading an input from a matrix of sensor points in the resizing screen area, the inputted sensor point being user defined,

defining a vector, wherein the vector is defined from the reference point and the sensor point which determines a direction of resizing and a degree of resizing, and

displaying a resized object on the computer screen so that the resized object is displayed upon reading said input in the resizing screen area.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the computer screen is a touch screen and wherein the sensor points correspond to sensor points of the touch screen.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the reference point is a corner point of the screen.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the reference point is a point defined by the shape of the object.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the reference point is visualized on the screen.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the border of the screen area is defined by a raster image.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the border of the screen area is defined by a vector graphic object.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the border of the screen area is defined by a text field.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object is a raster image.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object is a vector graphic object.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object is a text field.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object is a frame for framing an image.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the direction of the vector is determined as the direction from the reference point to the sensor point from which an input has been read.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object is resized by moving a predetermined part of the object from a first position to a second position, the vector connecting the first and the second positions.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object is resized by moving a predetermined part of the object from a first position to a second position, the vector extending in a direction from the first position to the second position.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the reading of an input from a sensor point in a screen area is repeated periodically.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the object, upon reading an input for the sensor point, is periodically resized by moving a predetermined part of the object from a first position to a second position, the vector extending in a direction from the first position to the second position.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the definition of the size is combined with a drag object operation wherein the length of the vector and accordingly the size of the object is fixed while the object is moved.

19. A system for presentation of images, the system comprising a screen with a plurality of sensitive points and a processor for processing input from the sensitive points, the processor being adapted to process the input in accordance with the method for defining the size of the object according to claim 1.

20. A scanner for scanning images and comprising an operator interface with a screen and a processor, the processor being adapted to process input from the screen in accordance with the method for defining the size of the object according to claim 1.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object is a quadrangular frame and wherein the reference point is defined so that a user touching the sensor point on the computer screen is providing a resizing of the quadrangular frame so that the nearest side of the quadrangle or nearest corner of the quadrangle intersects the sensor point.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the remaining corners and lines remain unchanged in their respective positions on the computer screen whereby the size of the quadrangle is changed.