ZOOMING GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE

• US 20100060666A1
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fong, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,279,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/661
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A method of presenting a hierarchically-organized collection of objects includes displaying a first-level set of first-level objects in a prominent scale; and while displaying the first-level set of first-level objects in the prominent scale, displaying one or more second-level sets of second-level objects in a diminished scale. Each second-level set of second-level objects is linked to a different first-level object. The method further includes recognizing selection of a chosen first-level object, and after recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object: displaying a second-level set of second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object in a prominent scale; displaying a portion of the chosen first-level object in an enlarged scale; and displaying one or more third-level sets of third-level objects in a diminished scale. Each third-level set of third-level objects is linked to a different one of the second-level objects.

Claims

1. A method of presenting a hierarchically-organized collection of objects, the method comprising:

displaying a first-level set of first-level objects in a prominent scale;

while displaying the first-level set of first-level objects in the prominent scale, displaying one or more second-level sets of second-level objects in a diminished scale, each second-level set of second-level objects linked to a different first-level object;

recognizing selection of a chosen first-level object; and

responsive to recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object;

zooming a second-level set of second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object from a diminished scale to a prominent scale;

zooming the chosen first-level object from the prominent scale to an enlarged scale; and

while displaying the second-level set of second-level objects in the prominent scale and a portion of the chosen first-level object in the enlarged scale, displaying one or more third-level sets of third-level objects in a diminished scale, each third-level set of third-level objects linked to a different one of the second-level objects.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object while the chosen first-level object is in the enlarged scale; and

responsive to recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object while the chosen first-level object is in the enlarged scale;

shrinking the chosen first-level object from the enlarged scale to a prominent scale; and

shrinking the second-level set of second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object from a prominent scale to a diminished scale.

3. The method of claim 1, where at least a portion of the chosen-first-level object is cut off while displayed in the enlarged scale.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising rearranging the second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object responsive to recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object.

5. The method of claim 4, where the second-level objects are rearranged while being zoomed from the diminished scale to the prominent scale.

6. The method of claim 1, where, while displayed in a diminished scale, each second-level set of second-level objects is displayed proximate to a first-level object to which that second-level set of second-level objects is linked.

7. The method of claim 1, where recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object includes recognizing a touch input directed to the chosen first-level object.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an alternative menu in a diminished scale while displaying the first-level set of first-level objects in a prominent scale.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

recognizing selection of the alternative menu; and

responsive to recognizing selection of the alternative menu;

zooming the alternative menu from a diminished scale to a prominent scale; and

shrinking the first-level set of first-level objects from the prominent scale to a diminished scale.

10. A method of presenting a hierarchically-organized collection of objects, the method comprising:

displaying a first-level set of first-level objects in a prominent scale;

while displaying the first-level set of first-level objects in the prominent scale, displaying one or more second-level sets of second-level objects in a diminished scale, each second-level set of second-level objects linked to a different first-level object;

recognizing selection of a chosen first-level object; and

after recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object;

displaying a second-level set of second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object in a prominent scale;

displaying a portion of the chosen first-level object in an enlarged scale; and

displaying one or more third-level sets of third-level objects in a diminished scale, each third-level set of third-level objects linked to a different one of the second-level objects.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object while the chosen first-level object is in the enlarged scale; and

after recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object while the chosen first-level object is in the enlarged scale;

displaying the chosen first-level object in a prominent scale; and

displaying the second-level set of second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object in a diminished scale.

12. The method of claim 10, where at least a portion of the chosen-first-level object is cut off while displayed in the enlarged scale.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising rearranging the second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object after recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object.

14. The method of claim 10, where, while displayed in a diminished scale, each second-level set of second-level objects is displayed proximate to a first-level object to which that second-level set of second-level objects is linked.

15. The method of claim 10, where recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object includes recognizing a touch input directed to the chosen first-level object.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying an alternative menu in a diminished scale while displaying the first-level set of first-level objects in the prominent scale.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

recognizing selection of the alternative menu; and

after recognizing selection of the alternative menu;

displaying the alternative menu in a prominent scale; and

displaying the first-level set of first-level objects in a diminished scale.

18. A computing device, comprising:

a touch-screen display;

a logic subsystem operatively connected to the touch-screen display; and

memory operatively connected to the logic subsystem, the memory holding instructions that, when executed by the logic subsystem, cause the computing device to;

display a first-level set of first-level objects in a prominent scale;

while displaying the first-level set of first-level objects in the prominent scale, display one or more second-level sets of second-level objects in a diminished scale, each second-level set of second-level objects linked to a different first-level object;

recognize selection of a chosen first-level object; and

after recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object;

display a second-level set of second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object in a prominent scale;

display a portion of the chosen first-level object in an enlarged scale; and

display one or more third-level sets of third-level objects in a diminished scale, each third-level set of third-level objects linked to a different one of the second-level objects.

19. The computing device of claim 18, where the memory further holds instructions that, when executed by the logic subsystem, cause the computing device to:

recognize selection of the chosen first-level object while the chosen first-level object is in the enlarged scale; and

responsive to recognizing selection of the chosen first-level object while the chosen first-level object is in the enlarged scale;

display the chosen first-level object in a prominent scale; and

display the second-level set of second-level objects linked to the chosen first-level object in a diminished scale.

20. The computing device of claim 18, where at least a portion of the chosen-first-level object is cut off while displayed in the enlarged scale.