Graphics items that extend outside a background perimeter

• US 7,928,994 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AI-CORE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Transpacific Image LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Plut, William Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Amini; Javid A
• Application Number:
  US11/768,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20080012880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 345/619, 345/624, 345/629
• US Class Current: 345/619
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3179 Video signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3188 Scale or resolution adjustment scaling in general G06T3/40; resolution modifying circuits for displays in general G09G5/391

Abstract

Described herein are methods and systems that allow a user to reposition or size a graphics item or background such that a portion of the graphics item resides outside the background. This permits tailored operating spaces based on user preference and allowable conditions, which are particularly useful with display devices having a large display area.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying, on a display device, a background and a graphics item within the background;

displaying, on the display device, a graphics tool configured to permit repositioning or resizing of the graphics item or the background such that a portion of the graphics item resides outside the background;

receiving input that indicates a change in the graphics item or a change in the background such that the portion of the graphics item resides outside the background; and

displaying, on the display device, the graphics item with the portion of the graphics item residing outside the background, wherein the graphics item includes an anchor that is not permitted to be positioned outside a perimeter of the background, and wherein the anchor includes a point location in the graphics item defined relative to a geometric center of the background.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the point location in the graphics item is located nearest to the geometric center of the background.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphics tool is configured to permit, based on the input, resizing of the graphics item within a maximum image size for the display device such that the portion of the graphics item resides outside the background.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphics tool is configured to permit, based on the input, dragging and repositioning of the graphics item within a maximum image size for the display device such that the portion of the graphics item resides outside the background.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphics tool is configured to permit, based on the input, resizing of the graphics item within a maximum image size for the display device and at least partially outside the background perimeter.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the at least one background control tool includes an arrow for display at an edge of the graphics item configured to allow moving of the edge of the graphics item to resize the graphics item.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising resizing the background to a size that is less than a maximum image size permitted by the display device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the display device is a projection-type display device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the graphics item is sized or positioned to avoid an obstacle at a receiving surface of a projected output for the projection-type display device or to avoid an obstacle along a projection path between the projection-type display device and the receiving surface.

10. A method comprising:

displaying, on a display device, a background and a graphics item within the background;

displaying, on the display device, a graphics tool configured to permit repositioning or resizing the graphics item or the background such that a portion of the graphics item is located outside the background, wherein the graphics item includes an anchor that is permitted to be positioned inside or at a perimeter of the background, and wherein the anchor includes a point location shared by the graphics item and the background and wherein the point location is located relative to a geometric center of the background;

receiving input that indicates a change in the graphics item or a change in the background such that the portion of the graphics item is located outside the background; and

displaying, on the display device, the graphics item with the portion of the graphics item located outside the background.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the point location in the graphics item is placed nearest to the geometric center of the background.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that, in response to execution by a computing device, result in the computing device performing operations comprising:

displaying a background and a graphics item within the background;

displaying a graphics tool configured to permit repositioning or resizing the graphics item or the background such that a portion of the graphics item is located outside the background and specifying an anchor that is not permitted to be positioned outside a perimeter of the background, wherein the anchor includes a point location shared by the graphics item and the background, and located with respect to a center of the background;

receiving input that indicates a change in the graphics item or a change in the background such that the portion of the graphics item is located outside the background; and

displaying the graphics item with the portion of the graphics item located outside the background.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the specifying the anchor includes determining a point location in the graphics item nearest to a geometric center of the background.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the graphics tool is configured to permit, based on the input, resizing of the graphics item within a maximum image size for the display device such that the portion of the graphics item resides outside the background.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the graphics tool is configured to permit, based on the input, dragging and repositioning of the graphics item within a maximum image size for the display device such that the portion of the graphics item resides outside the background.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the graphics tool is configured to permit, based on the input, resizing of the graphics item within a maximum image size for the display device and at least partially outside the background perimeter.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the at least one background control tool includes an arrow for display at an edge of the graphics item configured to allow moving of the edge of the graphics item to resize the graphics item.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 12, further including instructions that, in response to execution by a computing device, result in the computing device performing operations further comprising resizing the background to a size that is less than a maximum image size permitted by the display device.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the display device is a projection-type display device.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the graphics item is sized or positioned to avoid an obstacle at a receiving surface of a projected output for the projection-type display device or to avoid an obstacle along a projection path between the projection-type display device and the receiving surface.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one display device, communicatively coupled to the at least one processor; and

at least one memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, and having instructions stored thereon, that in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising;

displaying a background and a plurality of graphics items within the background;

displaying a graphics tool configured to permit repositioning or resizing of at least one of the plurality of graphics items or the background such that a portion of one or more of the plurality of graphics items is positioned outside the background;

receiving input that indicates a change in at least one of the plurality of graphics items or a change in the background such that the portion of the one or more of the plurality of graphics items is positioned outside the background; and

displaying the one or more of the plurality of graphics items with the portion of one or more of the plurality of graphics items positioned outside the background, wherein the one or more of the plurality of graphics items include one or more anchors that are not permitted to be positioned outside a perimeter of the background, wherein the one or more anchors include respective point locations shared by the respective one or more of the plurality of graphics items and the background and located relative to a geometric center of the background.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one display device comprises at least one projection-type display device.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the graphics tool is further configured to permit, based on input, resizing of the one or more of the plurality of graphics items within a maximum image size for the display device such that the portion of one or more of the plurality of graphics items are positioned outside the background.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the graphics tool is further configured to permit, based on input, dragging and repositioning of the one or more of the plurality of graphics items within a maximum image size for the display device such that the portion of one or more of the plurality of graphics items are positioned outside the background.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the graphics tool is further configured to permit, based on input, resizing of the one or more of the plurality of graphics items within a maximum image size for the display device and at least partially outside the background perimeter.

26. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein each of the respective point locations in the respective one or more of the plurality of graphics items are located nearest to the geometric center of the background.

27. A system, comprising:

means for displaying a background and a graphics item within the background;

means for displaying a graphics tool configured to permit repositioning or resizing the graphics item or the background such that a portion of the graphics item is located outside the background, wherein the graphics item includes an anchor that is permitted to be positioned inside a perimeter of the background, and wherein the anchor includes a point location shared by the graphics item and the background that is located with respect to a geometric center of the background;

means for receiving input that indicates a change in the graphics item or a change in the background such that the portion of the graphics item is located outside the background; and

means for displaying the graphics item with the portion of the graphics item located outside the background.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the means for displaying a background and a graphics item within the background comprise a projection type display device.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the means for displaying the graphics item is configured to display the graphics item such that the graphics item is sized or positioned to avoid an obstacle at a receiving surface of a projected output for the projection-type display device or to avoid an obstacle along a projection path between the projection-type display device and the receiving surface.