Zooming graphical user interface

• US 8,279,241 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fong, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Welch, David T
• Application Number:
  US12/206,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20100060666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 382/305, 715/815
• US Class Current: 345/661
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A method of presenting a hierarchically-organized collection of objects includes displaying a first-level set of first-level objects in a prominent scale; and while displaying the first-level set of first-level objects in the prominent scale, displaying one or more second-level sets of second-level objects in a diminished scale. Each second-level set of second-level objects is linked to a different first-level object. The method further includes recognizing selection of a chosen first-level object, and after recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object: displaying a second-level set of second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object in a prominent scale; displaying a portion of the chosen first-level object in an enlarged scale; and displaying one or more third-level sets of third-level objects in a diminished scale. Each third-level set of third-level objects is linked to a different one of the second-level objects.

Claims

1. A method of presenting a hierarchically-organized collection of objects with a computing device, the method comprising:

displaying a first-level set of first-level objects in a prominent scale with the computing device;

while displaying the first-level set of first-level objects in the prominent scale, displaying a plurality of second-level sets of second-level objects in a diminished scale with the computing device, each second-level set of second-level objects linked to a different first-level object and spatially positioned to a same side of the first-level object to which that second-level set of second-level objects is linked;

recognizing selection of a chosen first-level object with the computing device; and

responsive to recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object;

zooming a second-level set of second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object from the diminished scale to a prominent scale while shifting a spatial position of the second-level set of second-level objects in a direction towards the first-level set of first-level objects, wherein the second-level set of second-level objects are displayed in one or more intermediate scales between the diminished scale and the prominent scale while zooming;

zooming the chosen first-level object from the prominent scale to an enlarged scale while shifting a spatial position of the first-level object in the direction, wherein the first-level set of first-level objects are displayed in one or more intermediate scales between the prominent scale and the enlarged scale while zooming; and

while displaying the second-level set of second-level objects in the prominent scale and a portion of the chosen first-level object in the enlarged scale, displaying one or more third-level sets of third-level objects in a diminished scale with the computing device, each third-level set of third-level objects linked to a different one of the second-level objects.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object while the chosen first-level object is in the enlarged scale; and

responsive to recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object while the chosen first-level object is in the enlarged scale;

shrinking the chosen first-level object from the enlarged scale to a prominent scale; and

shrinking the second-level set of second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object from a prominent scale to a diminished scale.

3. The method of claim 1, where at least a portion of the chosen first-level object is cut off while displayed in the enlarged scale.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising rearranging the second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object responsive to recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object.

5. The method of claim 4, where the second-level objects are rearranged while being zoomed from the diminished scale to the prominent scale.

6. The method of claim 1, where, while displayed in a diminished scale, each second-level set of second-level objects is displayed proximate to a first-level object to which that second-level set of second-level objects is linked.

7. The method of claim 1, where recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object includes recognizing a touch input directed to the chosen first-level object.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an alternative menu in a diminished scale while displaying the first-level set of first-level objects in a prominent scale.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

recognizing selection of the alternative menu; and

responsive to recognizing selection of the alternative menu;

zooming the alternative menu from a diminished scale to a prominent scale; and

shrinking the first-level set of first-level objects from the prominent scale to a diminished scale.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second-level objects are zoomed linearly.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second-level objects are zoomed non-linearly.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second-level objects are zoomed continuously.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second-level objects are zoomed non-continuously.

14. A computing device, comprising:

a touch-screen display;

a logic subsystem operatively connected to the touch-screen display; and

memory operatively connected to the logic subsystem, the memory holding instructions that, when executed by the logic subsystem, cause the computing device to;

display a first-level set of first-level objects in a prominent scale;

while displaying the first-level set of first-level objects in the prominent scale, display a plurality of second-level sets of second-level objects in a diminished scale, each second-level set of second-level objects linked to a different first-level object and spatially positioned to a same side of the first-level object to which that second-level set of second-level objects is linked;

recognize selection of a chosen first-level object; and

after recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object;

zoom the first-level set of first-level objects from the prominent scale to an enlarged scale while each of the first-level objects of the first-level set spatially shifts towards a same side of the touch-screen display;

zoom the second-level set of second-level objects from the diminished scale to a prominent scale while each second-level object of the second-level set linked to the chosen first-level object spatially shifts towards the same side of the touch-screen display; and

zoom one or more third-level sets of third-level objects to a diminished scale, each third-level set of third-level objects linked to a different one of the second-level objects.

15. The computing device of claim 14, where the memory further holds instructions that, when executed by the logic subsystem, cause the computing device to:

recognize selection of the chosen first-level object while the chosen first-level object is in the enlarged scale; and

responsive to recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object while the chosen first-level object is in the enlarged scale;

display the chosen first-level object in a prominent scale; and

display the second-level set of second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object in a diminished scale.

16. The computing device of claim 14, where at least a portion of the chosen first-level object is cut off while displayed in the enlarged scale.