Advanced navigation techniques for portable devices

• US 8,907,886 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Robbins, Daniel C., Sarin, Raman K., Horvitz, Eric J., Cutrell, Edward B.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRIS, DOROTHY H
• Application Number:
  US12/024,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20090128483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,503 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates navigating smoothly and gracefully through any type of content viewable on portable devices such as cell-phones, PDAs, and/or any other hybrids thereof. In addition, such navigation can be performed while preserving perspective and context with respect to a larger amount of content. Pointing devices can also be used to navigate through content—the amount or detail of the content being dependant on the speed of the pointing device. Additionally, a semi-transparent overview of content can be overlaid a zoomed-in portion of content to provide perspective to the zoomed in portion. Content shown in the semi-transparent overview can depend on the location of the pointing device with respect to the content.

Claims

1. A system for rendering a display at a mobile device, comprising:

a memory having stored thereon data; and

a processor that executes code to render a two dimensional representation of the data on the display, wherein the processor operates in a plurality of modes in which the rendering is based on user input, the plurality of modes comprising;

a first mode in which a subset of the data is selected as a function of user input specifying a position on the display for rendering so as to create an appearance of a lens over the position specified by the user input that magnifies the subset of the data selected as the function of the user input specifying the position on the display; and

a second mode in which, upon receipt of user input specifying a second region of the data while the display is focused on a first region previously specified via user input, the display is altered to reveal the second region and then automatically revert to focus on the same first region previously specified via user input, wherein the first region comprises a first subset of the data and the second region comprises a second subset of the data that is at least partially different from the first subset.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the lens having a size characteristic, the size characteristic of the lens being selected based on a rate of movement of the position over the display.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor applies a lesser level of detail to the subset of the rendered data as the velocity of the movement increases.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor applies a greater level of detail to the subset of the rendered data as the velocity of the movement decreases.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor determines size of the subset of the rendered data as a function of the velocity of the movement.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the movement corresponds to navigation of an input device through the rendered data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the input device is a stylus that is moved over a display area for the rendered data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the data corresponds to a map of one or more roadways and characteristics of the one or more roadways comprise respective traffic densities.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor overlays a semi-transparent overview of data underlying the subset of the rendered data at a substantially identical level of detail as a level of detail applied to data surrounding the subset of the rendered data.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a button engageable by a user, wherein the processor renders alternate data in place of originally-rendered data in response to engagement of the button.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor renders the originally-rendered data in place of the alternate data in response to de-engagement of the button.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor renders the originally-rendered data in place of the alternate data upon expiration of a predetermined period of time following engagement of the button.

13. A method of rendering a display on a mobile device screen, comprising:

identifying display content;

identifying movement of an area of interest associated with the display content based on user input that designates the area of interest at each of a plurality of times;

in a first mode, displaying a portion of the display content with a magnification level that varies in proportion to the speed of the movement of a user-designated area of interest by, at each of the plurality of times;

rendering a first portion of the display content at a first magnification level applied as a function of speed of the movement, the first portion surrounding the user-designated area of interest;

rendering a second portion of the display content located outside the first portion of the display content at a second magnification level; and

in a second mode, upon receipt of user input specifying a second region of the display content while the display is focused on a first region previously specified via user input, altering the display to reveal the second region and then automatically reverting to focus on the same first region previously specified via user input, wherein the first region comprises a first subset of the display content and the second region comprises a second subset of the display content that is at least partially different from the first subset.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, in the first mode, displaying the portion of the display content comprises creating an appearance of a lens overlaying the portion of the display content.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the rendering a first portion of the display content comprises

rendering the first portion of the display content with a decreasing magnification level as the speed of the movement increases;

and

rendering the first portion of the display content with an increasing magnification level as the speed of the movement decreases.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the rendering a first portion of the display content comprises determining a size of the first portion of the display content as a function of speed of the movement.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the identifying movement of an area of interest comprises identifying movement of a stylus across the mobile device screen.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising rendering a semi-transparent overview of display content underlying the first portion of the display content at the second magnification level.

19. A computer readable storage device, which is not a propagating signal, the computer readable storage device having stored thereon instructions operable to perform the method of claim 13.

20. A method for rendering a two dimensional representation of data on a display at a mobile device, comprising:

selecting a subset of the data as a function of user input specifying a position on the display for rendering so as to create an appearance of a lens over the position specified by the user input that magnifies the subset of the data selected as the function of the user input specifying the position on the display; and

upon receiving user input specifying a second region of the data while the display is focused on a first region previously specified via user input, altering the display to reveal the second region and then automatically reverting to focus on the same first region previously specified via user input, wherein the first region comprises a first subset of the data and the second region comprises a second subset of the data that is at least partially different from the first subset.