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• US 8,836,721 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wichary, Marcin Kazimierz, Hom, Kristopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Xiao
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTTRAM, ALAN T
• Application Number:
  US13/417,144
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 345/629, 345/632, 345/634, 345/641, 345/671, 701/428, 701/431, 701/432, 701/455, 701/459
• US Class Current: 345/629
• 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 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a method that includes providing a first image from a server system to a client computing device for display and providing a second image from the server system to the client computing device for display. The method also includes providing instructions from the server system to the client computing device for displaying a window over the first image that displays a portion of the second image within the window, where the portion of the second image displayed within the window corresponds to a position of the window over the first image, and where the portions of the second image include one or more rectangular shapes to approximate a curved shape.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a graphical user interface for enlarging a portion of an image displayed by a web browser, the method comprising:

providing a first image from a server system to a client computing device for display;

providing a second image from the server system to the client computing device for display; and

providing instructions from the server system to the client computing device for displaying a portion of the second image as a plurality of rectangular shapes, and for displaying a window having an opaque curved border that overlaps a plurality of edges of the rectangular shapes to depict the portion of the second image within the window as having a curved perimeter, wherein the portion of the second image displayed within the window corresponds to a position of the window over the first image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image and the second image are maps, and wherein the first image is a different type of map than the second image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second image has a different magnification than the first image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructions are processed by a web browser application at the client computing device;

and wherein the first image, the window, and the portion of the second image are displayed within a user interface of the web browser application.

5. A system for providing a graphical user interface for enlarging a portion of an image displayed by a web browser, the system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

provide a first image from a server system to a client computing device for display;

receive user input from the client computing device, wherein the user input provides information about a position of a window corresponding to a portion of the first image; and

provide instructions from the server system to the client computing device for displaying as a plurality of rectangular shapes, and for displaying a window having an opaque curved border that overlaps a plurality of edges of the rectangular shapes to depict the portion of a second image within the window over the first image as having a curved perimeter, wherein the instructions comprise of displaying one or more rectangular shapes to approximate a curved shape.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions are such that they can be processed by a browser running on a client computing device.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the first image and the second image are maps, wherein the first image is a different type of map than the second image.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the first image has a different magnification than the second image.

9. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

providing a first image from a server system to a client computing device for display;

providing a second image from the server system to the client computing device for display; and

providing instructions from the server system to the client computing device for displaying a portion of the second image as a plurality of rectangular shapes, and for displaying a window having an opaque curved border that overlaps a plurality of edges of the rectangular shapes to depict the portion of the second image within the window as having a curved perimeter, wherein the portion of the second image displayed within the window corresponds to a position of the window over the first image.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions are such that they can be processed by a browser running on the client computing device.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first image and the second image are maps, wherein the first image is a different type of map than the second image.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first image has a different magnification than the second image.