METHODS OF INTERFACING WITH MULTI-INPUT DEVICES AND MULTI-INPUT DISPLAY SYSTEMS EMPLOYING INTERFACING TECHNIQUES

• US 20090259965A1
• Filed: 04/08/2009
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Perceptive Pixel Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Davidson, Philip L., Han, Jefferson Y.
• Granted Patent: US 9,256,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/788
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

Methods and systems for interfacing with multi-input devices employ various techniques for controlling the window framing of images. Such techniques provide control, including moving, sizing, and orientating, of one or more displayed window frames in which one or more images are displayed.

Claims

1. A method of interfacing with a multi-input display device, comprising the steps of:

displaying on a multi-input display device at least first and second graphical windows;

displaying a first portion of an image within the first graphical window;

displaying a second portion of the image within the second graphical window, the first portion and the second portion representing at least portions of the same image;

identifying a number, position and movement of a first element or a first plurality of elements contacting the displayed first graphical window;

identifying a number, position and movement of a second element or a second plurality of elements contacting the displayed second graphical window;

manipulating the displayed first graphical window as a function of the identified number, position and movement of the first element or the first plurality of elements contacting the first graphical window;

manipulating the displayed second graphical window as a function of the identified number, position and movement of the second element or the second plurality of elements contacting the second graphical window;

displaying on the display device, upon manipulating the first graphical window, at least a third portion of the image within the manipulated first graphical window, and positions on the display device of common portions of the first and third portions of the image being substantially the same; and

displaying on the display device, upon manipulating the second graphical window, at least a fourth portion of the image within the manipulated second graphical window, and positions on the display device of common portions of the second and fourth portions of the image being substantially the same.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed first and second graphical windows have an overlapping region, and a part of the image displayed within the overlapping region represents at least a part of the first portion displayed within the first graphical window and represents at least a part of the second portion displayed within the second graphical window.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising displaying within the overlapping region content having a predefined characteristic and displaying within a non-overlapping region or regions of the first and second graphical windows content not having the predefined characteristic.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the image represents a map;

the method comprising displaying within the overlapping region a first portion of the map at a first resolution and displaying within a non-overlapping region or regions of the first and second graphical windows a second portion or portions of the map at a second resolution, the first and second resolutions being substantially different.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the image represents a map, the method comprising displaying within the overlapping region a first portion of the map having real time traffic data, and displaying within a non-overlapping region or regions of the first and second graphical windows a second portion or portions of the map not having real time traffic data.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the image represents a photograph, the method comprising displaying within the overlapping region a first portion of the photograph having an image enhancement characteristic, and displaying within a non-overlapping region or regions of the first and second graphical windows a second portion or portions of the map not having the image enhancement characteristic.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the image represents information containing hidden data, the method comprising displaying within the overlapping region a first portion of the image and revealing within the overlapping region at least a portion of the hidden data, and displaying within a non-overlapping region or regions of the first and second graphical windows a second portion or portions of the image and not revealing any of the hidden data within the non-overlapping region or regions.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising displaying the first and second graphical windows with an overlapping region and respective non-overlapping regions, displaying within the overlapping region a portion of the image with a first characteristic, displaying within the non-overlapping region of the displayed first graphical window a portion of the image with a second characteristic, and displaying within the non-overlapping region of the displayed second graphical window a portion of the image with a third characteristic, the first, second and third characteristics being different from one another.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed first and second graphical windows have an overlapping region and at least the first graphical window has a non-overlapping region, and a part of the image displayed within the entire second graphical window is displayed in accordance with a predefined characteristic, and a part of the image displayed within the non-overlapping region of the first graphical window is displayed not in accordance with the predefined characteristic.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising uniformly changing at least one of a shape and size of both the first and second graphical windows as a function of the position and movement of elements contacting both the first and second graphical windows.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising manipulating portions of the image displayed within the manipulated first and second graphical windows in a same manner the first and second graphical windows are changed.

12. A multi-input display system, comprising:

a display device for displaying on a display surface at least first and second graphical windows, for displaying a first portion of an image within the first graphical window, and for displaying a second portion of the image within the second graphical window, the first portion and the second portion representing at least portions of the same image, the display device adapted to detect one or more elements contacting the display surface;

a controller adapted to;

identify a number, position and movement of a first element or a first plurality of elements contacting the displayed first graphical window,

to identify a number, position and movement of a second element or a second plurality of elements contacting the displayed second graphical window,

to manipulate the displayed first graphical window as a function of the identified number, position and movement of the first element or the first plurality of elements contacting the first graphical window,

to manipulate the displayed second graphical window as a function of the identified number, position and movement of the second element or the second plurality of elements contacting the second graphical window,

to control the display device to display on the display surface, upon manipulating the first graphical window, at least a third portion of the image within the manipulated first graphical window, positions on the display surface of common portions of the first and third portions of the image being substantially the same; and

to control the display device to display on the display surface, upon manipulating the second graphical window, at least a fourth portion of the image within the manipulated second graphical window, positions on the display surface of common portions of the second and fourth portions of the image being substantially the same.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is adapted to control the display device to display the first and second graphical windows with an overlapping region, and a part of the image displayed within the overlapping region represents at least a part of the first portion displayed within the first graphical window and represents at least a part of the second portion displayed within the second graphical window.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller controls the display device to display within the overlapping region content having a predefined characteristic and controls the display device to display within a non-overlapping region or regions of the first and second graphical windows content not having the predefined characteristic.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the image represents a map, and the controller controls the display device to display within the overlapping region a first portion of the map at a first resolution and controls the display device to display within a non-overlapping region or regions of the first and second graphical windows a second portion or portions of the map at a second resolution, the first and second resolutions being substantially different.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the image represents a map, and the controller controls the display device to display within the overlapping region a first portion of the map having real time traffic data, and controls the display device to display within a non-overlapping region or regions of the first and second graphical windows a second portion or portions of the map not having real time traffic data.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the image represents a photograph, and the controller controls the display device to display within the overlapping region a first portion of the photograph having an image enhancement characteristic, and controls the display device to display within a non-overlapping region or regions of the first and second graphical windows a second portion or portions of the map not having the image enhancement characteristic.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the image represents information containing hidden data, and the controller controls the display device to display within the overlapping region a first portion of the image and to reveal within the overlapping region at least a portion of the hidden data, and controls the display device to display within a non-overlapping region or regions of the first and second graphical windows a second portion or portions of the image and to not reveal any of the hidden data within the non-overlapping region or regions.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is adapted to control the display device to display the first and second graphical windows with an overlapping region and respective non-overlapping regions, and the controller controls the display device to display within the overlapping region a portion of the image with a first characteristic, to display within the non-overlapping region of the displayed first graphical window a portion of the image with a second characteristic, and to display within the non-overlapping region of the displayed second graphical window a portion of the image with a third characteristic, the first, second and third characteristics being different from one another.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is adapted to control the display device to display the first and second graphical windows with an overlapping region and at least a non-overlapping region within the first graphical window, and the controller controls the display device to display within the overlapping region a portion of the image in accordance with a predefined characteristic, and to display within the non-overlapping of the first graphical window a portion of the image not in accordance with the predefined characteristic.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is adapted to uniformly change at least one of a shape and size of both the displayed first and second graphical windows as a function of the position and movement of elements contacting both the first and second graphical windows.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the controller manipulates portions of the image displayed within the manipulated first and second graphical windows in a same manner the first and second graphical windows are changed.