METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ZOOM FUNCTIONALITY IN A PORTABLE DEVICE DISPLAY

• US 20090089707A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: KNOWLES, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/239,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089707A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/800
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing zoom functionality in a mobile device display are described. In the method, a data file is displayed on the portable device display in a full layout view. A cursor is displayed in the layout view as a zoom icon, such as a magnifying glass cursor, with which any portion of the layout view can be selected by positioning the icon and triggering a zoom tool in response to actuation of an input device, such as trackball, on a mobile communications device. In response to actuation of the trackball, the selected portion is displayed in the portable device display at a next higher magnification. The process can be repeated to successively zoom in on a desired portion of the data file, until a maximum magnification is reached.

Claims

1. A method of rendering a data file on a portable device display of a mobile communications device, comprising:

rendering the data file on the portable device display in a full layout view that causes the data file, or a page thereof, to be displayed in accordance with formatting and layout instructions associated with the data file;

automatically displaying a cursor, responsive to positioning signals received from an input device, as an icon indicative of a zoom tool;

identifying a portion of the full layout view based on a position of the cursor;

detecting a triggering of the zoom tool in response to actuation of the input device on the mobile communications device; and

in response to the triggering of the zoom tool, causing the identified portion of the full layout view to be rendered on the portable device display in a magnified layout view that maintains the formatting and spatial relationships as specified in the formatting and layout instructions.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

identifying a further selected portion of the magnified layout view based on a further position of the cursor;

detecting a further triggering of the zoom tool; and

in response to the further triggering of the zoom tool, causing the further selected portion of the magnified layout view to be rendered on the portable device display in a further magnified layout view.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the cursor to be positioned over a form field; and

dynamically modifying the cursor to be displayed as an icon indicative of a selection tool.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

detecting a triggering of the selection tool in response to actuation of the input device on the mobile communications device; and

in response to the triggering of the selection tool, causing a function of the form field to be invoked.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the form field is a hyperlink.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the form field is one of a radio button, a check box, a drop down list, a submit button, or a reset button.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the cursor to be positioned over an editable form field; and

dynamically modifying the cursor to be displayed as an icon indicative of an edit tool.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the editable form field is a text field, or a password field.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a triggering of an escape function; and

in response to the triggering of the escape function, causing the data file to be rendered in the full layout view.

10. A portable electronic device comprising:

a display mounted within a portable device housing;

an input device for positioning a cursor on the display and for triggering an action, the input device mounted on the portable housing;

a processor configured to control the display to render a data file on the display in a full layout view that displays the data file, or a page thereof, in accordance with formatting and layout instructions associated with the data file, to automatically display the cursor as an icon indicative of a zoom tool when positioned within the full layout view, to identify a portion of the full layout view based on a position of the cursor within the full layout view, to detect a triggering of the zoom tool in response to actuation of the input device, and, in response to the triggering of the zoom tool, causing the identified portion of the full layout view to be rendered on the portable device display in a magnified layout view that maintains the formatting and spatial relationships as specified in the formatting and layout instructions.

11. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to identify a further selected portion of the magnified layout view based on a further position of the cursor, to detect a further triggering of the zoom tool, and, in response to the further triggering, to display the selected portion of the magnified layout view on the display in a further magnified layout view.

12. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to modify the cursor to be displayed as an icon indicative of a selection tool when the cursor is positioned over a form field.

13. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to detect a triggering of the selection tool in response to actuation of the input device, and, in response to the triggering of the selection tool, cause a function of the form field to be invoked.

14. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the form field is a hyperlink.

15. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the form field is one of a radio button, a check box, a drop down list, a submit button, or a reset button.

16. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to modify the cursor to be displayed as an icon indicative of an edit tool when the cursor position is in an editable form field.

17. The portable device of claim 16, wherein the editable form field is a text field, or a password field.

18. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the input device is a trackball.

19. The portable device of claim 10, further comprising an escape function input device, and wherein the processor is further configured to detect activation of the escape function input device and, in response to said activation, to cause the data file to be rendered on the display in the full layout view if the data file is displayed in the magnified layout view.

20. The portable device of claim 19, wherein the escape function input device is an escape key mounted on the portable device housing.

21. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the portable device is a mobile communications device.

22. A method of rendering a data file on a portable device display having a trackball, the method comprising:

rendering the data file on the portable device display in a full layout view that displays the data file, or a page thereof, in accordance with formatting and layout instructions associated with the data file;

causing a cursor in the full layout view to display as a selection tool icon when positioned is over a form field of the layout view, and otherwise causing the cursor to display as a zoom tool icon;

identifying a portion of the full layout view based on a position of the cursor; and

in response to an actuation of the trackball, causing the identified portion to be rendered on the display in a magnified layout view if the cursor is displayed as a zoom tool icon, and causing a function of the form field to be invoked if the cursor is displayed as a selection tool icon.