Touch zoom in/out for a graphics display

• US 6,642,936 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2000
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tektronix Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Tektronix Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Demory, Mark D., Engholm, Kathryn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): DETWILER, BRIAN J
• Application Number:
  US09/634,697
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/660-671, 345/781, 345/788, 345/801
• US Class Current: 345/661
• 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 of zooming in/out for a graphics image on a display screen encompasses drawing a rectangle on the display screen, either entirely within a display area of the display screen for two-dimensional zoom in/out or along one axis within a peripheral area of the display screen for one-dimensional zoom in/out. Once the rectangle is drawn by dragging from one corner to an opposite corner, tapping or clicking within the rectangle causes a zoom in action and tapping or clicking outside the rectangle causes a zoom out action.

Claims

1. A method of performing a one-dimensional zoom in/out function for a graphics image on a display screen, the display screen having a display area and having a peripheral area along an axis of the display screen, comprising the steps of:

drawing a rectangle to encompass a portion of the graphics image within the display area by defining a length along the peripheral area; and

contacting the display screen at a point either inside or outside the rectangle, the point determining either a zoom-in or zoom-out action for the one-dimensional zoom in/out function, the zoom-in action expanding the graphics image along the axis so that the portion of the graphics image fills the display area and the zoom-out action compressing the graphics image along the axis so that the graphics image fits within the rectangle with portions of the graphics image formerly outside the display area now being within the display area.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a redo/undo button on the display screen; and

contacting the redo/undo button to reverse the zoom-in/zoom-out action, the function of the redo/undo button changing between redo and undo for every contact.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the contacting step comprises the steps of:

contacting the display screen at the point within the rectangle to indicate the zoom-in function; and

contacting the display screen at the point outside the rectangle to indicate the zoom-out function.