Detail-in-context lenses for interacting with objects in digital image presentations

• US 8,577,762 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2007
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cloudrock LLC (Slingshot Technologies LLC)
• Original Assignee: Noregin Assets N.V. LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Baar, David, Solehdin, Ali
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Application Number:
  US11/935,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,192 Days
• Field of Search: 345/660, 345/671, 345/88, 345/418, 382/299, 382/215, 382/217, 282/299, 705/35, 705/26, 349/73, 349/106, 715/810, 359/722
• US Class Current: 705/35
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

Methods for initiating an electronic shopping transaction, for initiating a control operation for a user-selectable video game character, for emphasizing an advertisement in a computer generated display, and for presenting multiple GUIs in desktop user interfaces using detail-in-context graphical distortions. The method for initiating an electronic shopping transaction, for a user-selectable item presented in a computer generated original image on a display, comprising: receiving a selection signal for the item from a user; distorting the original image to produce a distorted region for the item to provide the user with detailed information for the item; and, receiving a purchase signal for the item from the user.

Claims

1. A method for arranging a menu for display in an image, wherein the method comprises:

applying, by a processor to the menu, a lens including;

a focal region having a magnification,

a base defining an extent of the lens in the menu having no magnification, and

a shoulder region between the focal region and the base, wherein the shoulder region provides context for the focal region with respect to a portion of the image outside of the base of the lens by preserving visibility of information in the menu surrounding the focal region by varying magnification between the magnification of the focal region to no magnification at the base; and

folding, by the processor, the lens away from a portion of underlying image data by shifting the focal region to a side to expose the portion of the underlying image data while still maintaining continuity between the base, the focal region, and the shoulder region.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the image data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the shoulder region comprises a degree of scooping.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu comprises a pop-up menu.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu comprises a drop-down menu.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the focal region is rectangular.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising permitting customization of at least one of an size of the focal region or a degree of scooping of the shoulder region.

8. An apparatus for arranging a menu for display in an image, wherein the apparatus comprises:

one or more processors together with one or more memories configured to;

apply, to the menu, a lens including;

a focal region having a magnification,

a base defining an extent of the lens in the menu having no magnification, and

a shoulder region between the focal region and the base, wherein the shoulder region provides context for the focal region with respect to a portion of the image outside of the base of the lens by preserving visibility of information in the menu surrounding the focal region by varying magnification between the magnification of the focal region to no magnification at the base; and

fold the lens away from a portion of underlying image data by shifting the focal region to a side to expose the portion of the underlying image data while still maintaining continuity between the base, the focal region, and the shoulder region.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors together with the one or more memories are further configured to display the image data.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the shoulder region comprises a degree of scooping.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the menu comprises a pop-up menu.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the menu comprises a drop-down menu.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the focal region is rectangular.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors together with the one or more memories are further configured to permit customization of at least one of an extent of the focal region or a degree of scooping of the shoulder region.

15. At least one computer-readable device including a set of instructions for execution on one or more processors to arrange a menu for display in an image, wherein the set of instructions comprises:

application instructions for applying, to the menu, a lens including;

a focal region having a magnification,

a base defining an extent of the lens in the menu having no magnification, and

a shoulder region between the focal region and the base, wherein the shoulder region provides context for the focal region with respect to a portion of the image outside of the base of the lens by preserving visibility of information in the menu surrounding the focal region by varying magnification between the magnification of the focal region to no magnification at the base; and

folding instructions for folding the lens away from a portion of underlying image data by shifting the focal region to a side to expose the portion of the underlying image data while still maintaining continuity between the base, the focal region, and the shoulder region.

16. The at least one computer-readable device of claim 15, wherein the set of instructions further comprise display instructions for displaying the image data.

17. The at least one computer-readable device of claim 15, wherein the shoulder region comprises a degree of scooping.

18. The at least one computer-readable device of claim 15, wherein the menu comprises a pop-up menu.

19. The at least one computer-readable device of claim 15, wherein the menu comprises a drop-down menu.

20. The at least one computer-readable device of claim 15, wherein the set of instructions further comprise permission instructions for permitting customization of at least one of an extent of the focal region or a degree of scooping of the shoulder region.