Method and software for navigation of data on a device display

• US 20040257340A1
• Filed: 10/07/2003
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Summus Limited
• Original Assignee: Summus Limited
• Inventors: Jawerth, Bjorn
• Application Number:
  US10/680,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20040257340A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions

Abstract

Preferred embodiments of the present invention comprise methods and software for providing a navigable, context-sensitive electronic display. A preferred embodiment comprises providing a cross hairs that consists of objects forming an intersection, each object corresponding to a different geometrical dimension of the display; communicating with an input device that provides signals to control movement of the cross hairs; and in response to signals received from said input device, configuring the cross hairs to point to a region on the display; wherein at least some data displayed on the display has an associated context; and wherein movement of the cross hairs on the display is based at least in part upon that context.

Claims

1. A method for providing a navigable, context-sensitive electronic display, comprising:

providing a cross hairs that consists of objects forming an intersection, each object corresponding to a different geometrical dimension of the display;

communicating with an input device that provides signals to control movement of said cross hairs; and

in response to signals received from said input device, configuring said cross hairs to point to a region on said display;

wherein at least some data displayed on said display has an associated context; and

wherein movement of said cross hairs on said display is based at least in part upon said context.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the context of the data relates to one or more of the following:

data files;

image files;

algorithmic descriptions; and

locations on the screen chosen by the user.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein said movement comprises zooming in and zooming out.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein clicking or otherwise activating said cross hairs causes additional, context-based data to be displayed.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein the context of the data relates to a discrete set of points.

6. A method as in claim 5 wherein said discrete set of points comprises landmarks.

7. A method as in claim 5 wherein said discrete set of points comprises markers.

8. A method as in claim 5 wherein the cross hairs are automatically positioned to the nearest point in said discrete set of points.

9. A method as in claim 5 wherein a history of points in said discrete set of points to which said cross hairs has been previously positioned is maintained.

10. A method as in claim 8 wherein the nearest point in said discrete set of points is defined in terms of spatial proximity.

11. A method as in claim 8 wherein the nearest point in said discrete set of points is defined in terms of temporal proximity.

12. A method as in claim 1 wherein the context of the data relates to a set of points linked by one or more paths.

13. A method as in claim 12 wherein the cross hairs are positioned only on points within said set of points linked by one or more paths.

14. A method as in claim 13 wherein movement along said set of points linked by one or more paths is controlled by an input device.

15. A method as in claim 1 wherein the context of the data relates to image data that is divided into regions.

16. A method as in claim 15 wherein the cross hairs can only be positioned at pre-defined locations within said regions.

17. A method as in claim 1 wherein at least some displayed data is associated with more than one context, and further comprising enabling a user to switch from one context to another.

18. Software for providing a navigable, context-sensitive electronic display, comprising:

software for providing a cross hairs that consists of objects forming an intersection, each object corresponding to a different geometrical dimension of the display;

software for communicating with an input device that provides signals to control movement of said cross hairs; and

software for configuring said cross hairs to point to a region on said display in response to signals received from said input device;

wherein at least some data displayed on said display has an associated context; and

wherein movement of said cross hairs on said display is based at least in part upon said context.

19. Software as in claim 18 wherein the context of the data relates to one or more of the following:

data files;

image files;

algorithmic descriptions; and

locations on the screen chosen by the user.

20. Software as in claim 18 wherein said movement comprises zooming in and zooming out.

21. Software as in claim 18 wherein clicking or otherwise activating said cross hairs causes additional, context-based data to be displayed.

22. Software as in claim 18 wherein the context of the data relates to a discrete set of points.

23. Software as in claim 18 wherein the context of the data relates to a set of points linked by one or more paths.

24. Software as in claim 18 wherein the context of the data relates to image data that is divided into regions.

25. Software as in claim 18 wherein at least some displayed data is associated with more than one context, and further comprising software for enabling a user to switch from one context to another.