Method for displaying images on display screen

• US 7,990,400 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2007
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hara, Chikashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Amini; Javid A
• Application Number:
  US11/857,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 345/660
• US Class Current: 345/660
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

Method, apparatus and program product for efficient display of an image at a targeted position in an image on a display screen by displaying, on the display screen, an image on which the targeted position is not displayed; setting a first position specified on the image displayed on the display screen, and a second position having a point symmetry with respect to a center of the displayed image; displaying the image while reducing a display magnification of the displayed image to a certain magnification to a degree with which the targeted position can be identified in the image, employing the second position as a center; and displaying the image while enlarging the displayed image to a certain magnification, employing the targeted position or a designated neighboring point as a center on the image obtained after the magnification change.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a display screen, the apparatus comprising:

display means for displaying, on the display screen, an image on which a targeted position is not displayed;

means for setting a first position specified on the image displayed on the display screen, and a second position being a point symmetry of the first position with respect to a center of the displayed image;

display means for displaying the image holding the first position fixed while reducing a display magnification of the displayed image to a certain magnification to a degree with which the targeted position can be identified in the image to form a reduced image; and

display means for enlarging the reduced image to another magnification on the display screen, employing a third position as a center on the reduced image, the third position being located in a direction leading away from the first position to the second position beyond the second position, and at least near the targeted position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising as a source for the image, one selected from the group consisting of a computer, a computer aided drafting system, a car navigation system, a portable terminal and a microscope.

3. A computer implemented method of searching for a targeted position on an image displayed on a display screen, the method comprising:

displaying, on the display screen, the image on which the targeted position is not displayed;

setting a first position specified on the image displayed on the display screen, and a second position being a point symmetry of the first position with respect to a center of the displayed image;

displaying the image, holding the first position fixed, while reducing a display magnification of the displayed image to a certain magnification to a degree with which the targeted position can be identified in the image to form a reduced image; and

enlarging the reduced image to another magnification on the display screen, employing a third position as a center on the reduced image, the third position being located in a direction leading away from the first position to the second position beyond the second position, and at least near the targeted position.

4. A computer program product for displaying an image including a targeted position on a display screen of a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device having stored therein computer usable code, wherein said computer usable code when loaded onto the computer system causes the computer system to perform:

displaying, on the display screen, the image on which the targeted position is not displayed;

setting a first position specified on the image displayed on the display screen, and a second position being a point symmetry of the first position with respect to a center of the displayed image;

displaying the image, holding the first position fixed, while reducing a display magnification of the displayed image to a certain magnification to a degree with which the targeted position can be identified in the image to form a reduced image; and

enlarging the reduced image to another magnification on the display screen, employing a third position as a center on the reduced image, the third position being located in a direction leading away from the first position to the second position beyond the second position, and at least near the targeted position.

5. A computer implemented method for displaying an image, the computer implemented method comprising:

displaying on a display screen, an image at a first magnification;

receiving a first user input corresponding to a first position;

selecting the first position on the image corresponding to the first user input;

calculating a second position relative to the display screen, symmetrical about a center of the displayed image from the first position;

reducing the image about the second position to form at least one reduced image at a lesser magnification than the first magnification;

receiving a second user input;

responsive to receiving the second user input, calculating a third position on the at least one reduced image, wherein the third position is symmetrical about the center of the at least one reduced image in relation to the second position; and

enlarging the at least one reduced image about the third position to form an enlarged image at the first magnification, the third position being located in a direction leading away from the first position to the second position beyond the second position, and at least near the targeted position.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the image comprises map data.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein data for the image comprises computer aided design data.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the first user input is a mouse button click corresponding to the first position, and the second user input is a mouse button release.

9. The computer implemented method according to claim 5, wherein the display screen is an apparatus selected from the group consisting of a computer, a computer aided design system, a car navigation system, a portable terminal and a microscope.

10. The computer implemented method according to claim 9, wherein the first position, the second position and the third position are determined in accordance with a position of a pointer displayed on the display screen.