Navigating digital images using detail-in-context lenses

• US 7,495,678 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Noregin Assets N.V. LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Doyle, Michael, Jetha, Zeenat, Shoemaker, Garth
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, CHANTE E
• Application Number:
  US10/989,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20050134610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 345/619, 345/660, 345/440, 345/440.1, 345/647, 345/661, 345/629, 345/666, 345/668, 345/670, 345/671, 715/763, 715/767, 715/864, 715/866, 715/848, 715/851
• US Class Current: 345/647
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• 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: G06T 3/047 Fisheye or wide-angle transformations

Abstract

A method for navigating a computer generated original image presented on a display screen, comprising: displaying a first region of the original image; distorting the original image to produce a presentation having a distorted region for the first region and displaying the presentation; receiving a signal from a user to select a second region of the original image through the presentation; and, displaying the second region.

Claims

1. A method for navigating across an original image presented on a display screen between a first region spatially separated from a second region in the original image, comprising:

displaying the first region on the display screen without distortion and at a first scale;

distorting the original image to produce a first presentation having a first distorted region for and in place of the first region and having a second scale less than the first scale and displaying the first presentation on the display screen to replace display of the first region, the first presentation including both the first distorted region and the second region without distortion;

receiving a signal to select the second region through the first presentation, the first and second regions being at least partially disjoint;

distorting the original image to produce a second presentation having a second distorted region for and in place of the second region and having the second scale and displaying the second presentation on the display screen display screen to replace display of the first presentation, the second presentation including both the first region without distortion and the second distorted region; and

,

displaying the second region on the display screen without distortion and at the first scale to replace display of the second presentation and thereby navigate between the first and second regions of the original image;

wherein the distorting of the original image to produce the first presentation includes applying a distortion function to the original image to produce the first presentation by displacing at least portions of the original image onto the distortion function;

wherein the distorting further includes projecting the at least portions of the original image onto a plane;

wherein the first distorted region includes a first focal region for displaying a portion of the first region;

wherein the first focal region is displayed at a first focal region scale;

wherein the distortion function includes a distortion function focal region corresponding to the first focal region and having an elevation to provide the first focal region scale for the first focal region upon the projecting onto the plane and a distortion function shoulder region at least partially surrounding the distortion function focal region where the elevation decreases to provide a first shoulder region at least partially surrounding the first focal region where the first focal region scale decreases upon the projecting onto the plane; and

,

wherein the distorting further includes displaying a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) over the first distorted region for receiving one or more signals for adjusting the distortion function.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second distorted regions provide detailed information for the first and second regions of the original image, respectively.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second distorted region includes a second focal region for displaying a portion of the second region.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second focal region is displayed at a second focal region scale.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first focal region scale and the second focal region scale are greater than the first scale.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first focal region scale and the second focal region scale are equal.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the displaying of the first presentation includes zooming-out to the second scale from the first scale.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the zooming-out is at least one of progressive and interactive.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first focal region scale remains constant during the zooming-out.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the displaying of the second region includes zooming-in to the first scale from the second scale.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the zooming-in is at least one of progressive and interactive.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the second focal region scale remains constant during the zooming-in.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the distortion function includes a distortion function focal region corresponding to the first focal region and having an elevation to provide the first focal region scale for the first focal region upon the projecting onto the plane and a distortion function shoulder region at least partially surrounding the distortion function focal region where the elevation decreases to provide a first shoulder region at least partially surrounding the first focal region where the first focal region scale decreases upon the projecting onto the plane.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the GUI includes at least one of:

at least one icon for adjusting the distortion function;

a slide bar icon for adjusting a degree of concavity for the distortion function;

a slide bar icon for adjusting the elevation and hence the first focal region scale;

a bounding rectangle icon with at least one handle icon for adjusting an extent for the focal region;

a bounding rectangle icon with at least one handle icon for adjusting an extent for the shoulder region;

a move icon for adjusting a location for the distortion function within the original image;

a pickup icon for adjusting a location for an outline of the shoulder region within the original image; and

,

a fold icon for adjusting a location for the focal region relative to the shoulder region to define a degree and a direction of a folding of the distortion function.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the distortion function is a fisheye lens surface.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the original image is a multi-dimensional image.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the projecting onto the plane includes a direction associated therewith.

18. A method for navigating between an original image and a region within the original image presented on a display screen, comprising:

displaying the original image on the display screen without distortion and at a first scale;

receiving a signal to select the region within the original image;

distorting the original image to produce a presentation having a distorted region for and in place of the region and displaying the presentation on the display screen to replace display of the original image, the distorted region having a focal region for displaying a portion of the region at a focal region scale greater than the first scale; and

,

displaying the region on the display screen without distortion and at the focal region scale to replace display of the presentation and thereby navigate between the original image and the region within the original image;

wherein the distorting includes applying a distortion function to the original image to produce the presentation by displacing at least portions of the original image onto the distortion function;

wherein the distorting further includes projecting the at least portions of the original image onto a plane;

wherein the distortion function includes a distortion function focal region corresponding to the focal region and having an elevation to provide the focal region scale for the focal region upon the projecting onto the plane and a distortion function shoulder region at least partially surrounding the distortion function focal region where the elevation decreases to provide a shoulder region at least partially surrounding the focal region where the focal region scale decreases upon the projecting onto the plane; and

,

wherein the distorting further includes displaying a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) over the distorted region for receiving one or more signals for adjusting the distortion function.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the distorted region provides detailed information for the region of the original image.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the focal region scale is user selected.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the displaying of the region includes zooming-in to the focal region scale from the first scale.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the zooming-in is at least one of progressive and interactive.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the focal region scale remains constant during the zooming-in.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the distortion function includes a distortion function focal region corresponding to the focal region and having an elevation to provide the focal region scale for the focal region upon the projecting onto the plane and a distortion function shoulder region at least partially surrounding the distortion function focal region where the elevation decreases to provide a shoulder region at least partially surrounding the focal region where the focal region scale decreases upon the projecting onto the plane.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein the GUI includes at least one of:

at least one icon for adjusting the distortion function;

a slide bar icon for adjusting a degree of concavity for the distortion function;

a slide bar icon for adjusting the elevation and hence the focal region scale;

a bounding rectangle icon with at least one handle icon for adjusting an extent for the focal region;

a bounding rectangle icon with at least one handle icon for adjusting an extent for the shoulder region;

a move icon for adjusting a location for the distortion function within the original image;

a pickup icon for adjusting a location for an outline of the shoulder region within the original image; and

,

a fold icon for adjusting a location for the focal region relative to the shoulder region to define a degree and a direction of a folding of the distortion function.

26. The method of claim 18 wherein the distortion function is a fisheye lens surface.

27. The method of claim 18 wherein the original image is a multi-dimensional image.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein the projecting onto the plane includes a direction associated therewith.

29. A method for navigating between a region within an original image and the original image presented on a display screen, comprising:

displaying the region on the display screen without distortion and at a focal region scale;

receiving a signal to select the original image;

distorting the original image to produce a presentation having a distorted region for and in place of the region and having a first scale less than the focal region scale and displaying the presentation on the display screen to replace display of the region, the distorted region having a focal region for displaying a portion of the region at the focal region scale; and

,

displaying the original image on the display screen without distortion and at the first scale to replace display of the presentation and thereby navigate between the region within the original image and the original image;

wherein the distorting includes applying a distortion function to the original image to produce the presentation by displacing at least portions of the original image onto the distortion function;

wherein the distorting further includes projecting the at least portions of the original image onto a plane;

wherein the distortion function includes a distortion function focal region corresponding to the focal region and having an elevation to provide the focal region scale for the focal region upon the projecting onto the plane and a distortion function shoulder region at least partially surrounding the distortion function focal region where the elevation decreases to provide a shoulder region at least partially surrounding the focal region where the focal region scale decreases upon the projecting onto the plane; and

,

wherein the distorting further includes displaying a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) over the distorted region for receiving one or more signals for adjusting the distortion function.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the distorted region provides detailed information for the region of the original image.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the focal region scale is user selected.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the displaying of the original image includes zooming-out to the first scale from the focal region scale.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the zooming-out is at least one of progressive and interactive.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the focal region scale remains constant during the zooming-out.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein the distortion function includes a distortion function focal region corresponding to the focal region and having an elevation to provide the focal region scale for the focal region upon the projecting onto the plane and a distortion function shoulder region at least partially surrounding the distortion function focal region where the elevation decreases to provide a shoulder region at least partially surrounding the focal region where the focal region scale decreases upon the projecting onto the plane.

36. The method of claim 29 wherein the GUI includes at least one of:

at least one icon for adjusting the distortion function;

a slide bar icon for adjusting a degree of concavity for the distortion function;

a slide bar icon for adjusting the elevation and hence the focal region scale;

a bounding rectangle icon with at least one handle icon for adjusting an extent for the focal region;

a bounding rectangle icon with at least one handle icon for adjusting an extent for the shoulder region;

a move icon for adjusting a location for the distortion function within the original image;

a pickup icon for adjusting a location for an outline of the shoulder region within the original image; and

,

a fold icon for adjusting a location for the focal region relative to the shoulder region to define a degree and a direction of a folding of the distortion function.

37. The method of claim 29 wherein the distortion function is a fisheye lens surface.

38. The method of claim 29 wherein the original image is a multi-dimensional image.

39. The method of claim 29 wherein the projecting onto the plane includes a direction associated therewith.