Method and system for overlaying space-constrained display with a reference pattern during document scrolling operations

• US 8,850,353 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2010
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Wienands, Christoph, Kuhmuench, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): ORR, HENRY W
• Application Number:
  US12/854,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20110047504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 715/786
• US Class Current: 715/786
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A reading aid is provided for large documents or images on space-constrained touch-sensitive screens of devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). A visual scrolling reference pattern such as a grid is projected over a document during scrolling operations on a touch screen. The scrolling reference pattern correlates information presented in different parts of large documents that are not visible at the same time.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a document in a viewport display area of a display screen, the viewport being smaller than the document,) the method comprising:

displaying on the display screen a first portion of the document in the viewport;

in a processor connected for driving the display screen, while the first portion of the document is displayed in the viewport, receiving a user command to initiate a scrolling operation on the document to display a second portion of the document within the viewport;

in response to receiving the user command to initiate the scrolling operation, displaying a scrolling reference pattern superimposed on the first portion of the document;

performing the scrolling operation to display the second portion of the document within the viewport;

and during the scrolling operation, displaying the scrolling reference pattern in a constant position with reference to the document, whereby the scrolling reference pattern moves with the document

wherein the scrolling operation is in a direction of scrolling, and the scrolling reference pattern contains only lines in the direction of scrolling.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scrolling reference pattern is a grid comprising horizontal and vertical lines.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the scrolling reference pattern is a pattern of discrete indicia arranged in a grid.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the scrolling reference pattern is semitransparent, whereby the document is visible through solid elements of the reference pattern.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in the processor, determining that no user command to perform a scrolling operation has been received for a predetermined amount of time; and

after the determining, removing the scrolling reference pattern from the viewport by gradually fading.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a user command to initiate a scrolling operation further comprises detecting a touch screen input.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in the processor, receiving a user command to perform a zoom operation on the document portion within the viewport;

performing the zoom operation; and

during the zoom operation, zooming the scrolling reference pattern to maintain a constant size of the scrolling reference pattern with reference to the document.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a spacing between a plurality of elements within the document by analyzing a displayed image of the document; and

configuring a spacing of the scrolling reference pattern based on the spacing of elements within the document.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a color of elements within the document; and

coloring the scrolling reference pattern based on the color of elements within the document.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein the document comprises lines or columns of data, and the detecting the spacing of elements further comprises detecting a spacing of the lines or columns of data.

10. A non-transitory computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method for displaying a document in a viewport display area of a display screen, the viewport being smaller than the document, the method comprising:

displaying on the display screen a first portion of the document in the viewport;

in a processor connected for driving the display screen, while the first portion of the document is displayed in the viewport, receiving a user command to initiate a scrolling operation on the document to display a second portion of the document within the viewport;

in response to receiving the user command to initiate the scrolling operation, displaying a scrolling reference pattern superimposed on the first portion of the document;

performing the scrolling operation to display the second portion of the document within the viewport; and

during the scrolling operation, displaying the scrolling reference pattern in a constant position with reference to the document, whereby the scrolling reference pattern moves with the document

wherein the scrolling operation is in a direction of scrolling, and the scrolling reference pattern contains only lines in the direction of scrolling.

11. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 10, wherein the scrolling reference pattern is a grid comprising horizontal and vertical lines.

12. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 10, wherein the scrolling reference pattern is a pattern of discrete indicia arranged in a grid.

13. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 10, wherein the scrolling reference pattern is semitransparent, whereby the document is visible through solid elements of the reference pattern.

14. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

in the processor, determining that no user command to perform a scrolling operation has been received for a predetermined amount of time; and

after the determining, removing the scrolling reference pattern from the viewport by gradually fading.

15. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 10, wherein receiving a user command to initiate a scrolling operation further comprises detecting a touch screen input.

16. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

in the processor, receiving a user command to perform a zoom operation on the document portion within the viewport;

performing the zoom operation; and

during the zoom operation, zooming the scrolling reference pattern to maintain a constant size of the scrolling reference pattern with reference to the document.

17. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a spacing between a plurality of elements within the document by analyzing a displayed image of the document; and

configuring a spacing of the scrolling reference pattern based on the spacing of elements within the document.

18. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a color of elements within the document; and

coloring the scrolling reference pattern based on the color of elements within the document.

20. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 17, wherein the document comprises lines or columns of data, and the detecting the spacing of elements further comprises detecting a spacing of the lines or columns of data.

21. A method for displaying a document in a viewport display area of a display screen, the viewport being smaller than the document, the method comprising:

displaying on the display screen a first portion of the document in the viewport;

in a processor connected for driving the display screen, while the first portion of the document is displayed in the viewport, receiving a first user command to initiate a substantially horizontal scrolling operation on the document to display a second portion of the document within the viewport;

in response to receiving the user command to initiate the substantially horizontal scrolling operation, displaying a first scrolling reference pattern comprising only horizontal lines superimposed on the first portion of the document;

performing the scrolling operation to display the second portion of the document within the viewport;

during the scrolling operation, displaying the first scrolling reference pattern in a constant position with reference to the document, whereby the first scrolling reference pattern moves with the document;

removing the first scrolling reference pattern from the viewport;

receiving a second user command to initiate a substantially vertical scrolling operation on the document to display a third portion of the document within the viewport;

in response to receiving the user command to initiate the substantially vertical scrolling operation, displaying a second scrolling reference pattern comprising only vertical lines superimposed on the document;

performing the scrolling operation to display the third portion of the document within the viewport; and

during the scrolling operation, displaying the second scrolling reference pattern in a constant position with reference to the document, whereby the second scrolling reference pattern moves with the document.