System and method for multiple node display

• US 7,224,361 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Aguera y Arcas, Blaise
• Primary Examiner(s): Chauhan; Ulka
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAPPAS, PETER
• Application Number:
  US11/110,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20050184989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/428
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/20 Drawing from basic elements, e.g. lines or circles

Abstract

A method of display of visual content is disclosed which utilizes nodes that launch only when necessary. The nodes may be rendered and/or displayed in the coordinate system of another node, perhaps a parent node, when appropriate. Increase precision of display objects is achieved.

Claims

1. A method of displaying visual content, said visual content comprising at least two nodes, the method comprising:

displaying the visual content of at least a first node and at least a second node, wherein the first node contains information indicative of a rendering method and coordinate system of the first node and the second node contains information indicative of a rendering method and coordinate system of the second node, wherein the rendering method and coordinate system of the first node differs from the rendering method and coordinate system of the second node, and wherein the visual content associated with the first node and the second node are displayed in the coordinate system of the first node and using the rendering method of the first node until a predetermined navigation condition is detected; and

displaying the visual content of the second node in the coordinate system of the second node and using the rendering method of the second node when the predetermined navigation condition is detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined navigation condition is a size of display of said second node.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said second node is within said first node.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first node contains a pointer to said second node.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second coordinate system is more precise than said first coordinate system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein a precision associated with a coordinate system is measured in number of digits, and wherein said number of digits is variable.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said precision associated varies up to a maximum limited by storage capacity of a computer on which said method is operating.

8. A method of displaying visual content, said method comprising:

displaying visual content of a first node in a coordinate system of a second node and using a rendering method of the second node during a first range of zooms, wherein the first node contains information indicative of a coordinate system and rendering method of the first node, the second node contains information indicative of the coordinate system and rendering method of the second node, and the coordinate system and rendering method of the first node differs from the coordinate system and rendering method of the second node;

displaying said visual content of said first node in the coordinate system of the first node and using the rendering method of the first node during a second range of zooms; and

ceasing to display said visual content associated with said first node during a third range of zooms.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said visual content gradually blends at borders of said first and second range of zooms, and said second and third range of zooms.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein at the border of the first and second range of zooms, said visual content is displayed by blending from a first rendition to a second rendition.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said first rendition and second rendition use different coordinate systems.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said first rendition and said second rendition use different rendering methods.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said first and second renditions use different rendering methods and different coordinate systems.

14. A method of displaying nodes comprising displaying a first node in a first coordinate system, and displaying the first node in a second coordinate system by gradually blending from said first coordinate system to said second coordinate system during a predefined range of navigation, wherein a rendering method used for said first node also gradually changes from a first such rendering method to a second rendering method, wherein the first node contains information indicative of the first coordinate system and first rendering method, and wherein a second node contains information indicative of the second coordinate system and second rendering method, and wherein the first coordinate system and first rendering method differ from the second coordinate system and second rendering method.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said navigation comprises either zooming or panning.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein information about a view is propagated among plural nodes as said navigation occurs.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said propagation is accomplished using a mathematical tree.