Method and system for navigating within an image

• US 7,612,762 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2008
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kocourek, Christine, Andert, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad; Amr
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pervan; Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/968,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20080100643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 345/661, 345/671, 345/157, 715/671, 715/855, 715/859, 715/864, 715/857
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

The present invention relates to at least one image section which is represented according to a zoom factor selected from a number of different zoom factors. Either the represented image section is changed when the zoom factor is lower than a zoom threshold value, or a marker representation superimposing the image section is displaced when the zoom factor is higher than a zoom threshold value, via input elements.

Claims

1. A method for navigating within an image, the method comprising:

displaying at least one image segment according to a zoom factor;

changing the displayed image segment using an input element if the zoom factor is less than a zoom threshold value;

setting the displayed image segment when the zoom factor is greater than the zoom threshold value; and

moving a marking point corresponding to the set image segment using the input element when the zoom factor is greater than the zoom threshold value and without changing the image segment being displayed when the marking point is not located in a corresponding border zone of the image segment and changing the image segment when the marking point is located in a corresponding border zone of the image segment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least on image segment is displayed on a mobile telephone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one image segment is indicative of Internet content.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the Internet content is at least a portion of an HTML page.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the HTML page is received via a mobile radio network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising increasing the zoom factor automatically in response to changing the displayed image segment.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a menu item using the marking point.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting an html link using the marking point.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the input element includes a four direction switch.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the input element includes a joystick.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the input element includes a touchpad.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the input element includes a trackball.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a window frame that reproduces the format of an entire image associated with the image segment.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the window frame is superimposed on the image segment.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the window frame is displayed alongside the image segment.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying a position element inside the window frame indicative of the marking point position.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an element with a portion of the element being indicative of the zoom factor.