Method for selecting display parameters of a magnifiable cursor

• US 6,731,315 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1999
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Delia, Wayne M., Ma, William H-L, Ma, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu D.
• Application Number:
  US09/450,531
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 345/764, 345/808, 345/810, 345/841, 345/843, 345/856, 345/159, 345/781, 345/788, 345/790, 345/791, 345/801, 345/800, 345/661, 345/665, 345/667, 345/619, 345/629, 345/634
• US Class Current: 715/856
• 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 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 computer display system which displays an image and a magnified portion of the image. The magnified portion of the image is selected un,der control of a pointing device connected to the computer. A method is described for changing the characteristics of the magnified portion. A configuration utility which creates the magnified portion of the display includes a menu of display properties for the magnified portion. The properties are selected from the display menu, and each refresh of the area within the magnified portion of the image is refreshed with the selected properties. In a text/browser application, the background color, text color, text style and size may be selected differently than the remaining portion of the image displayed on the computer display.

Claims

1. In a computer display system for displaying an image and a magnified portion within said image, a method for changing characteristics of said magnified portion comprising:

displaying an image;

invoking a configuration routine to display a magnifiable cursor within said image, wherein said image and said magnifiable cursor are concurrently displayed, said magnifiable cursor displaying a magnified portion of said image;

positioning said magnifiable cursor along any path within said image, to a desired location, in response to motion of a pointing device;

invoking a configuration utility which includes a menu of display properties for said magnified portion, said magnified portion having a boundary which defines a sliding window within said image;

selecting said properties for said magnified portion; and

refreshing only said magnified portion of said image with said selected properties, wherein said magnified portion is only refreshed when a velocity of said cursor is detected to be at or below a specified threshold value.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said properties include one of:

a text font;

a text size;

a text color;

or

a background color.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said magnified portion is refreshed each time said magnified portion is positioned on said display screen.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said step of refreshing the magnified portion includes the substeps of:

determining change of position of said cursor; and

refreshing only those areas of said magnified portion within said display image which have been affected by said change of position.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said configuration utility is invoked by user before movement of said cursor and magnified image portion.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said menu having said properties is invoked from a signal produced from a mouse button.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising selecting each of said properties from a plurality of submenus.

8. A computer readable medium containing a plurality of instructions for executing the process of changing the properties of a magnified portion with a computer display image and process, comprising:

displaying an image;

invoking a configuration routine to display a magnifiable cursor within said image, wherein said image and said magnifiable cursor are concurrently displayed, said magnifiable cursor displaying a magnified portion of said image;

positioning said magnifiable cursor along any path within said image, to a desired location, in response to the motion of a pointing device;

invoking a configuration utility which includes a menu of display properties for said magnified portion, said magnified portion having a boundary which defines a sliding window within said image;

selecting said properties for said magnified portion; and

refreshing only said magnified portion of said image with said selected properties, wherein said magnified portion is only refreshed when a velocity of said cursor is detected to be at or below a specified threshold value.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8 further comprising instructions for invoking said configuration utility in response to a user entered command.

10. The computer readable medium according to claim 9 further comprising instructions for executing a process for recognizing a mouse button actuation as said user entered command.

11. The computer readable medium according to claim 8 further comprising instructions which create a pull down menu for selecting said properties when said configuration utility is invoked.