Methods and systems for generating a zoomable graphical user interface

• US 20050005241A1
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DRNC Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories Incorporated (CEVA Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wroblewski, Frank J., Moshiri, Negar, Napier, William J., Simpkins, Daniel S., Hunleth, Frank A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,555,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/720
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Systems and methods according to the present invention provide graphical user interfaces coupled with an optionally free-space control device for collection of the basic control primitives of point, click, scroll, hover and zoom which permit for easy and rapid selection of media items, e.g., movies, songs etc., from large or small collections. The remote control maps natural hand movements and gestures into relevant commands while the graphical display uses images, zooming for increased/decreased levels of detail and continuity of GUI objects to provide easy navigation among the media items by a user.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface framework comprising the elements of:

means for indicating a desired position on the screen by naturally pointing at it;

a button to indicate desire to take an action according to what is currently displayed on the screen;

a scroll wheel to indicate desire to move selection target through a list of screen positions in a pre-defined order;

means to detect when position on the screen is momentarily stationary and to display additional images and/or text on the screen; and

means to zoom from one image scope to another based on user action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pointing device is done using a trackball.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pointing device is done using a touchpad.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pointing device is done using conventional remote controls along with the screen logic (up and down arrows).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the means for indicating action is via speech command.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the means for indicating action is via a gesture.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the means for indicating a scrolling action is via a gesture or movement on a touchpad.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the means for indicating a hover response is a separate gesture.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the means for requesting a zoom response is a gesture or a speech command.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the display used to render the graphical user interface is a television.

12. The method of claim 1 and 11 wherein the user requesting a zoom response by selecting from a set of filters and thereby constructs and inserts a filter object.

13. The method of claim 1 and 11 wherein the user requesting a zoom response by selecting a delete filter object and thereby removing the filter.

14. The method of claim 1 and 11 wherein the user requesting a zoom response by selecting the filter object and thereby triggering the filter operation

11. The graphical user interface framework comprising a filter function that is a first-class visual object.