Method for navigating between sections in a display space

• US 7,818,685 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2009
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Definiens AG (Astrazeneca PLC)
• Inventors: Alvers, Michael R., Schmidt, Gunter
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu; Tadeese
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHURI, ANITA
• Application Number:
  US12/386,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20090241060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/763, 715/764, 715/765, 715/778, 715/779, 715/788, 715/790, 715/795, 715/796, 715/797, 715/798
• US Class Current: 715/798
• 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

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for navigating between sections in a display space is furnished. The sections in the display space are each assigned to a particular location of the display space, and representatives are provided which are each assigned to a particular section in the display space using an unambiguous relation. The method for navigating includes the following steps: selecting at least one representative that is assigned to a particular section in the display space with the aid of the unambiguous relation; and navigating to the particular section in the display space with the aid of the unambiguous relation with the particular section in the display space.

Claims

1. A method for navigating between sections in a display space, comprising:

assigning a first representative to a first section of said display space, wherein said first section occupies a first location in said display space;

assigning a second representative to a second section of said display space, wherein said second section occupies a second location in said display space, wherein a locational relation exists between said first section and said second section, wherein said first section is displayed in an enlarged view on a work surface, and wherein said second section is not displayed on said work surface;

actuating said first representative until said enlarged view of said first section is reduced in a non-abrupt manner and until both said first section and said second section are displayed on the work surface;

actuating said second representative to navigate to said second section; and

enlarging said second section in a non-abrupt manner until said first section is no longer displayed on said work surface, wherein said locational relation is maintained between said first section and said second section as said first section is reduced and said second section is enlarged.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said reducing and said enlarging are performed as a continuous transition from said first section to said second section.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first representative and said second representative have names.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first representative is associated with an image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said actuating is triggered by a user interaction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said display space is an ellipsoid or a sphere.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said actuating is triggered by an inquiry on a network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein navigating is performed with the aid of camerawork on any desired trajectory from said first section to said second section.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a period of dwelling at any point of said trajectory is freely selectable.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said dwelling period is calculated from data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said enlarged view of said first section is screen-filling.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a history of navigating is used to allow backward and forward navigation.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said actuating is triggered through an inquiry on the World-Wide-Web.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein after said enlarging, said second section is screen-filling.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said first section does not overlap said second section on said work surface as said first section is reduced and said second section is enlarged.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said actuating causes said navigation along a trajectory from said first section to said second section, and wherein said navigation dwells at a point along said trajectory.

17. A method comprising:

actuating a representative of a second section of a display space, wherein a first section of the display space is visible on a work surface and the second section is not visible on the work surface, wherein the first section is assigned to a first location on the display space, and wherein the second section is assigned to a second location on the display space; and

navigating from the first section to the second section by reducing the first section on the work surface in a non-abrupt manner until both the first section and the second section are visible on the work surface and then enlarging the second section in a non-abrupt manner until the first section is no longer visible on the work surface, wherein a locational relation on the display space is maintained between the first location of the first section and the second location of the second section as the first section is reduced and the second section is enlarged.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the actuating the representative is performed by clicking a computer mouse.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the representative is associated with an image at the second location on the display space.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing semantic feedback upon touching the second section on the work surface.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the representative is emphasized when the second section is touched.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the touching is performed by a mouse click.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the display space is a sphere.

24. A method comprising:

triggering a navigation to a second section of a display space, wherein a first section of the display space is visible on a work surface and the second section is not visible on the work surface, wherein the first section is assigned to a first location on the display space, and wherein the second section is assigned to a second location on the display space; and

navigating from the first section to the second section by reducing the first section on the work surface in a non-abrupt manner until both the first section and the second section are visible on the work surface and then enlarging the second section in a non-abrupt manner until the first section is no longer visible on the work surface, wherein a locational relation on the display space is maintained between the first location of the first section and the second location of the second section as the first section is reduced and the second section is enlarged.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the triggering the navigation is performed as a result of a search inquiry.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the search inquiry is a World-Wide-Web search inquiry.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

navigating backwards from the second section to the first section.