IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICES

• US 20080238945A1
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Wakizaka, Masaaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,599,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/660
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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

An image processing device includes a first display section configured to display an image, an input receiving device configured to receive an input associated with the image, and a computer processing unit (CPU). The CPU is configured to determine a selected portion of the image based on the input, to reduce a scaling factor associated with the selected portion of the image as an amount of time that the input device continuously receives the input increases, and to apply the scaling factor to the selected portion of the image to generate a scaled image. The device also includes a second display section configured to display the scaled portion of the image.

Claims

1. A method of scaling, comprising the steps of:

receiving an image;

displaying the received image;

determining whether an input associated with the image has been received;

selecting a portion of the image based on the input after the input has been received;

determining whether the input continuously has been received for at least a first predetermined amount of time after determining that the input has been received;

determining whether the input continuously has been received for more than a second predetermined amount of time greater than the first predetermined amount of time after determining that the input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time;

determining a scaling factor based on an amount of time that the input continuously has been received;

scaling the portion of the image based on the scaling factor to generate a scaled portion of the image; and

displaying the scaled portion of the image adjacent to the image.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the input still is being received after displaying the scaled portion of the image;

changing the scaling factor based on the amount of time that the input continuously has been received to generate a changed scaling factor;

scaling the portion of the image based on the changed scaling factor to generate a changed, scaled portion of the image; and

replacing the scaled portion of the image with the changed, scaled portion of the image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the changed scaling factor is less than the scaling factor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the scaling factor comprises a maximum scaling factor when the input continuously has been received for an amount of time which is greater than or equal to the first predetermined amount of time, and is less than or equal to the second predetermined amount of time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying an identifier within the image after the scaled portion of the image is displayed, wherein the identifier corresponds to the scaled portion of the image.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether a further input associated with the image has been received;

selecting a further portion of the image based on the further input after the further input has been received;

determining whether the further input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time after determining that the further input has been received;

determining whether the further input continuously has been received for more than the second predetermined amount of time after determining that the further input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time;

determining a further scaling factor based on an amount of time that the further input continuously has been received;

scaling the further portion of the image based on the further scaling factor to generate a scaled further portion of the image; and

displaying the scaled further portion of the image adjacent to the image and adjacent to the scaled portion of the image.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether a particular input associated with the scaled portion of the image has been received;

selecting a sub-portion of the scaled portion of the image based on the particular input after the particular input has been received;

determining whether the particular input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time after determining that the particular input has been received;

determining whether the particular input continuously has been received for more than the second predetermined amount of time after determining that the particular input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time;

determining a particular scaling factor based on an amount of time that the particular input continuously has been received;

determining whether the particular input still is being received after determining the particular scaling factor;

scaling the sub-portion of the scaled portion of the image based on the particular scaling factor to generate a scaled sub-portion of the image; and

replacing the scaled portion of the image with the scaled sub-portion of the image.

8. An image processing device comprising:

means for receiving an image;

means for displaying the received image;

means for determining whether an input associated with the image has been received;

means for selecting a portion of the image based on the input after the input has been received;

means for determining whether the input continuously has been received for at least a first predetermined amount of time after determining that the input has been received;

means for determining whether the input continuously has been received for more than a second predetermined amount of time greater than the first predetermined amount of time after determining that the input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time;

means for determining a scaling factor based on an amount of time that the input continuously has been received;

means for scaling the portion of the image based on the scaling factor to generate a scaled portion of the image; and

means for displaying the scaled portion of the image adjacent to the image.

9. The image processing device of claim 8, further comprising:

means for determining whether the input still is being received after displaying the scaled portion of the image;

means for changing the scaling factor based on the amount of time that the input continuously has been received to generate a changed scaling factor;

means for scaling the portion of the image based on the changed scaling factor to generate a changed, scaled portion of the image; and

means for replacing the scaled portion of the image with the changed, scaled portion of the image.

10. The image processing device of claim 9, wherein the changed scaling factor is less than the scaling factor.

11. The image processing device of claim 8, wherein the scaling factor comprises a maximum scaling factor when the input continuously has been received for an amount of time which is greater than or equal to the first predetermined amount of time, and is less than or equal to the second predetermined amount of time.

12. The image processing device of claim 8, further comprising means for displaying an identifier within the image after the scaled portion of the image is displayed, wherein the identifier corresponds to the scaled portion of the image.

13. The image processing device of claim 8, further comprising:

means for determining whether a further input associated with the image has been received;

means for selecting a further portion of the image based on the further input after the further input has been received;

means for determining whether the further input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time after determining that the further input has been received;

means for determining whether the further input continuously has been received for more than the second predetermined amount of time after determining that the further input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time;

means for determining a further scaling factor based on an amount of time that the further input continuously has been received;

means for scaling the further portion of the image based on the further scaling factor to generate a scaled further portion of the image; and

means for displaying the scaled further portion of the image adjacent to the image and adjacent to the scaled portion of the image.

14. The image processing device of claim 8, further comprising:

means for determining whether a particular input associated with the scaled portion of the image has been received;

means for selecting a sub-portion of the scaled portion of the image based on the particular input after the particular input has been received;

means for determining whether the particular input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time after determining that the particular input has been received;

means for determining whether the particular input continuously has been received for more than the second predetermined amount of time after determining that the particular input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time;

means for determining a particular scaling factor based on an amount of time that the particular input continuously has been received;

means for determining whether the particular input still is being received after determining the particular scaling factor;

means for scaling the sub-portion of the scaled portion of the image based on the particular scaling factor to generate a scaled sub-portion of the image; and

means for replacing the scaled portion of the image with the scaled sub-portion of the image.

15. An image processing device comprising:

a display device comprising;

a first display portion configured to display an image;

a second display portion positioned adjacent to the first display portion; and

an input receiving portion configured to receive an input; and

a computer processing unit configured to;

determine whether an input associated with the image has been received;

select a portion of the image based on the input;

determine whether the input receiving portion continuously has received the input for at least a first predetermined amount of time;

determine whether the input receiving portion continuously has received the input for more than a second predetermined amount of time greater than the first predetermined amount of time;

determine a scaling factor based on an amount of time that the input receiving portion continuously has received the input; and

scale the portion of the image based on the scaling factor to generate a scaled portion of the image, wherein the second portion is configured to display the scaled portion of the image.

16. The image processing device of claim 15, wherein the computer processing unit is further configured to:

determine whether the input still is being received after displaying the scaled portion of the image;

change the scaling factor based on the amount of time that the input continuously has been received to generate a changed scaling factor;

scale the portion of the image based on the changed scaling factor to generate a changed, scaled portion of the image; and

replace the scaled portion of the image with the changed, scaled portion of the image.

17. The image processing device of claim 16, wherein the changed scaling factor is less than the scaling factor.

18. The image processing device of claim 15, wherein the scaling factor comprises a maximum scaling factor when the input continuously has been received for an amount of time which is greater than or equal to the first predetermined amount of time, and is less than or equal to the second predetermined amount of time.

19. The image processing device of claim 15, wherein the first portion of the display device is further configured to display an identifier within the image, wherein the identifier corresponds to the scaled portion of the image.

20. The image processing device of claim 15, wherein the computer processing unit is further configured to:

determine whether a further input associated with the image has been received;

select a further portion of the image based on the further input after the further input has been received;

determine whether the further input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time after determining that the further input has been received;

determine whether the further input continuously has been received for more than the second predetermined amount of time after determining that the further input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time;

determine a further scaling factor based on an amount of time that the further input continuously has been received; and

scale the further portion of the image based on the further scaling factor to generate a scaled further portion of the image, wherein the second portion of the display device is further configured to display the scaled further portion of the image adjacent to the image and adjacent to the scaled portion of the image.

21. The image processing device of claim 15, wherein the computer processing unit is further configured to:

determine whether a particular input associated with the scaled portion of the image has been received;

select a sub-portion of the scaled portion of the image based on the particular input after the particular input has been received;

determine whether the particular input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time after determining that the particular input has been received;

determine whether the particular input continuously has been received for more than the second predetermined amount of time after determining that the particular input continuously has been received for at least the first predetermined amount of time;

determine a particular scaling factor based on an amount of time that the particular input continuously has been received;

determine whether the particular input still is being received after determining the particular scaling factor;

scale the sub-portion of the scaled portion of the image based on the particular scaling factor to generate a scaled sub-portion of the image; and

and replace the scaled portion of the image with the scaled sub-portion of the image.

22. An image processing device comprising:

a first display section configured to display an image;

an input receiving device configured to receive an input associated with the image;

a computer processing unit configured to;

determine a selected portion of the image based on the input;

reduce a scaling factor associated with the selected portion of the image as an amount of time that the input device continuously receives the input increases; and

apply the scaling factor to the selected portion of the image to generate a scaled image; and

a second display section configured to display the scaled portion of the image.

23. The image processing device of claim 22, wherein the second display device is adjacent to the first display device.

24. A method of scaling, comprising the steps of:

displaying an image;

receiving an input associated with the image;

determining a selected portion of the image based on the input;

reducing a scaling factor associated with the selected portion of the image as an amount of time that the input device continuously receives the input increases;

applying the scaling factor to the selected portion of the image to generate a scaled image; and

displaying the scaled portion of the image.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the scaled portion of the image is displayed adjacent to the image.