System and method for zooming an object through spiral interaction

• US 7,456,849 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Brooke, Timothy Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Chauhan; Ulka
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow; Jeffrey J
• Application Number:
  US11/106,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20060232611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 345/661
• US Class Current: 345/661
• 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: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/08 Cursor circuits

Abstract

A system and method for zooming an object through a spiral movement of a pointer. The method provides three-dimensional interaction with an object in response to a two-dimensional pointer input. The method includes monitoring pointer movements to determine whether a movement indicates a spiral movement. When a spiral movement is determined an object is zoomed. A clockwise spiral movement may zoom an object inwardly and a counterclockwise movement may zoom an object outwardly. A non-spiral movement may pan the object.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for interacting with an object through spiral interaction, comprising:

providing an interactable object within a display;

selecting the interactable object, wherein the selected interactable object is movable within the display while being selected by a pointer;

monitoring pointer movements associated with the interactable object that is being selected by the pointer, wherein monitoring pointer movements includes sampling the pointer movements to determine pointer positions during a period of time;

determining when the pointer movements associated with the interactable object that is being selected by the pointer indicate a spiral input, wherein determining when the pointer movements associated with the interactable object that is being selected by the pointer indicate a spiral input includes,

determining straight lines that connect consecutive pointer positions,

obtaining a reference angular degree, wherein the reference angular degree is the same for each pointer position,

determining an angular degree from the determined straight line to the reference angular degree for each of the pointer positions,

determining a change in angular degree from the determined angular degrees for each of the pointer positions,

indicating a spiral input when the change in angular degree between consecutive pointer positions exceeds a change in angular degree threshold; and

zooming the interactable object that is being selected by the pointer within the display when the spiral input is indicated.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein zooming the object when the spiral input is indicated further includes zooming the object inwardly in response to a clockwise spiral input.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein zooming the object when the spiral input is indicated further includes zooming the object outwardly in response to a counterclockwise spiral input.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining when the pointer movements indicate a non-spiral input;

and panning the object in response to the non-spiral input.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the pointer position is associated with at least one of:

a rectangular coordinate system and a polar coordinate system.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining a counterclockwise spiral input by determining a negative change in angular degree that exceeds the change in angular degree threshold and a clockwise spiral input by determining a positive change in angular degree that exceeds the change in angular degree threshold.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the change in angular degree threshold is determined based on at least one of:

resolution, pixel characteristics, input speed capabilities, and sample rate.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

invoking a function to zoom the object inwardly when a clockwise spiral is indicated;

invoking a function to zoom the object outwardly when a counterclockwise spiral is indicated; and

invoking a function to pan the object when a non-spiral input is indicated.

9. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing operations to provide three-dimensional interaction with a two-dimensional input, the operations comprising:

providing an interactable object within a display;

selecting the interactable object, wherein the selected interactable object is movable within the display while being selected by a pointer;

determining when a pointer movement associated with the interactable object that is being selected by the pointer indicates a spiral input, wherein determining when a pointer movement associated with the interactable object that is being selected by the pointer indicates a spiral input includes,

determining straight lines that connect consecutive pointer positions,

obtaining a reference angular degree, wherein the reference angular degree is the same for each pointer position,

determining an angular degree from the determined straight line to the reference angular degree for each of the pointer positions,

determining a change in angular degree from the determined angular degrees for each of the pointer positions,

indicating a spiral input when the change in angular degree between consecutive pointer positions exceeds a change in angular degree threshold; and

zooming the interactable object that is being selected by the pointer within the display when the spiral input is indicated, wherein the interactable object that is being selected by the pointer is zoomed relative to the display.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein zooming the object further includes zooming the object inwardly in response to a clockwise spiral input.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein zooming the object further includes zooming the object outwardly in response to a counterclockwise spiral input.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising:

panning the object associated with the pointer movement when the pointer movement does not indicate a spiral input.

13. A computing apparatus for zooming an object through spiral interaction, comprising:

a selection means for selecting an interactable object, wherein the selected interactable object is movable within a display while being selected by the selection means;

a monitor means for monitoring selection means movements associated with an interactable object that is being selected by the selection means within the display, wherein the monitor means samples the selection means movements during a period of time to determine selection means positions;

an interpreter means for identifying a spiral movement from the selection means movements, wherein the interpreter means determines a line connecting consecutive sampled selection means positions, determines an angular degree for a reference angle to each line, wherein the reference angle is the same for each line, determines a spiral input from a change in angular degree between the reference angle to each line, and indicates the spiral input when the change in angular degree between consecutive pointer positions exceeds a change in angular degree threshold; and

a zooming means for zooming the interactable object that is being selected by the selection means within the display when the spiral movement is indicated.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a panning means for panning the object when a non-spiral movement is indicated.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the zooming means further comprises a clockwise zooming means for zooming an object inwardly when a clockwise spiral movement is indicated and a counterclockwise zooming means for zooming an object outwardly when a counterclockwise spiral movement is indicated.