Methods and systems for supporting presentation tools using zoomable user interface

• US 20050138570A1
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 6, LLC
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Bederson, Benjamin B., Stefik, Mark J., Good, Lance Everett
• Granted Patent: US 7,707,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/789
• 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

Abstract

Methods and systems for supporting presentation using a zoomable space. In an exemplary method, a structure, such as a hierarchy, of presentation information is provided. The presentation information may include slides, text labels and graphical elements. The presentation information is laid out in the zoomable space based on the structure. A path may be created based on the hierarchy and may be a sequence of the presentation information for the slide show. When a modification is received in at least one of the hierarchy and the layout, the path may be automatically updated based on the modification. During a presentation, the presentation information is displayed based on the path.

Claims

1. A method for supporting a slide presentation in a zoomable space, the method comprising steps of:

providing a structure of presentation information, the presentation information including one or more of slides, text labels, and graphical elements;

synchronizing a layout of the presentation information in the zoomable space based on the structure of the presentation information.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

creating a path based on the hierarchy, the path being a sequence of the presentation information for the slide presentation;

receiving a modification in at least one of the hierarchy and the layout; and

updating the path based on the modification.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the structure of the presentation information is a hierarchy of the presentation information.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying the presentation information based on the path.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising synchronizing the hierarchy and the layout based on the modification.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presentation information is laid out in a format, the format including at least one of a circular format, an outline format, an arc format, a nested rectangular grouping, a network format, a rectangular format, and a line format.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying the path.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the path is displayed using thumbnail images of the information.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying the updated path.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the path is displayed using thumbnail images of the information.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

taking a graphical image of a particular area of the zoomable space; and

inserting the graphical image as presentation information in the path.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising allowing a user to navigate the presentation information in a direction in the zoomable space, the direction including navigating to at least one of a higher level of the hierarchy, a lower level of the hierarchy, and the presentation information in the same level of the hierarchy.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising at least one of:

displaying indicators on a current slide such that text labels and/or the slides near the current slide are indicated; and

displaying indications to indicate the level of hierarchy of the current slide.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the navigation includes going to a higher level in the hierarchy, a lower level in the hierarchy, another information in the same level of the hierarchy, and a root of the hierarchy.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the navigation includes zooming into and out from a particular area in the zoomable space.

16. A method for supporting a slide presentation in a zoomable space, the method comprising:

providing a structure of presentation information, the presentation information including one or more of slides, text labels, and graphical elements;

providing a layout of the presentation information in the zoomable space;

providing a path based on the structure of the presentation information; and

automatically updating the path based on a modification upon receiving the modification in at least one of the structure of the presentation information and the layout.

17. A method for supporting a slide presentation in a zoomable space, the method comprising steps of:

providing a hierarchy of presentation information, the presentation information including one or more of slides, text labels, and graphical elements;

providing a layout of the presentation information in the zoomable space based on the hierarchy;

allowing a user to navigate the presentation information in a direction in the zoomable space, the direction including navigating to at least one of a higher level of the hierarchy, a lower level of the hierarchy, and the presentation information in the same level of the hierarchy.

18. A system for supporting a slide presentation in a zoomable space, comprising:

a structure construction circuit, routine or application that provides a structure of presentation information, the presentation information including one or more of slides, text labels and graphical elements; and

a layout management circuit, routine or application that synchronizes a layout of the presentation information in the zoomable space based on the structure of the presentation information.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a path construction/update circuit, routine or application that creates a path based on the structure, the path being a sequence of the presentation information for the slide show, and automatically updates the path based on a modification in at least one of the hierarchy and the layout, received by a modification management circuit, routine or application.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the structure of the presentation information is a hierarchy of the presentation information.

21. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a slide show management circuit, routine or application that displays the presentation information based on the path.

22. The system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a slide construction circuit, routine or application that allows the user to create the slides; and

a text label creation circuit, routine or application that allow the user to create the text labels.

23. The system according to claim 18, wherein the modification management circuit, routine or application synchronizes the hierarchy and the layout based on the modification.

24. The system according to claim 18, wherein the layout management circuit, routine or application arranges the presentation information in a format that includes at least one of a circular format, an outline format, an arc format, a nested rectangular grouping, a network format, a rectangular format, and a line format.

25. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a path display circuit, routine or application that displays the path and the updated path.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein the path display circuit, routine or application displays the path using thumbnail images of the information.

27. The system according to claim 18, wherein the path construction/update circuit, routine or application takes a graphical image of a particular area of the zoomable space and inserts the graphical image as presentation information in the path.

28. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a navigation circuit, routine or application that allows the user to navigate the presentation information in a direction in the zoomable space, the direction including navigating to at least one of a higher level of the hierarchy, a lower level of the hierarchy, and the presentation information in the same level o the hierarchy.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the navigation circuit, routine or application displays indicators of a current slide such that the text labels and/or the slides near the current slide are indicated, and displays indications to indicate the level of hierarchy of the current slide.

30. The system according to claim 28, wherein the navigation circuit, routine or application navigates the zoomable space by going to a higher level in the hierarchy, a lower level in the hierarchy, another information in the same level of the hierarchy, and a root of the hierarchy.

31. The system according to claim 28, wherein the navigation circuit, routine or application zooms into and out from a particular area in the zoomable space.

32. A system for supporting a slide show in a zoomable space, comprising:

a structure construction circuit, routine or application that provides a structure of presentation information, the presentation information including one or more of slides, text labels and graphical elements;

a layout management circuit, routine or application that provides a layout of the presentation information in the zoomable space; and

a path construction/update circuit, routine or application that creates a path based on the structure of the presentation information and automatically updates the path based on a modification upon receiving the modification in at least one of the structure of the presentation information and the layout.

33. A system for supporting a slide show in a zoomable space, comprising:

a structure construction circuit, routine or application that provides a hierarchy of presentation information, the presentation information including one or more of slides, text labels and graphical elements;

a layout management circuit, routine or application that provides a layout of the presentation information in the zoomable space based on the hierarchy;

a navigation circuit, routine or application that allows a user to navigate the presentation information in a direction in the zoomable space, the direction including navigating to at least one of the higher level of the hierarchy, a lower level of the hierarchy, and the presentation information in the same level of the hierarchy.