Variable screen magnifier user interface

• US 8,887,061 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zaman, Nazia, Gomez, Harold S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pesin, Boris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ell, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US12/238,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20100083192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,237 Days
• Field of Search: 715/745
• US Class Current: 715/745
• 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

The magnifier interface system determines a level of user activity with a screen magnifier user interface and determines a current user interface mode. If the system is currently in the full mode and the level of user activity indicates user interaction with the screen magnifier user interface below a threshold, then the system transitions from the full mode to the watermark mode based on the lack of determined user activity. If the system is currently in the watermark mode and the level of user activity indicates user interaction with the screen magnifier user interface, then the system transitions from the watermark mode to the full mode based on the determined user activity. Thus, the magnifier interface system presents a full user interface that transitions into a smaller watermark interface when not in use to take up less screen real restate yet remain available to users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for transitioning between a watermark and full user interface for a screen magnifier, the method comprising:

determining a level of user activity with a currently displayed user interface of a magnifier application that is magnifying a second application;

determining a current user interface mode of the magnifier application;

if the determined current user interface mode is a watermark mode and the level of user activity indicates user interaction with the currently displayed user interface, transitioning from the watermark mode to the full mode based on the determined user activity;

if the determined current user interface mode is a full mode and the level of user activity indicates user interaction with the currently displayed user interface below a threshold, transitioning from the full mode to the watermark mode based on the lack of determined user activity, wherein the watermark mode displays fewer controls than the full mode positioned over a magnified view of the second application and moves with the magnified view, such that during periods in which the user is interacting with the second application'"'"'s interface, the interface of the magnifier application is reduced by entering the watermark mode to display more of the second application'"'"'s interface, and during periods in which the user is interacting with the magnifier application'"'"'s interface, the magnifier application displays the full mode which provides access to more controls; and

displaying a user interface based on the current user interface mode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the level of user activity comprises determining whether a threshold amount of time has passed since the user last clicked on the currently displayed user interface.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein user interaction with the currently displayed user interface comprises a user clicking on the watermark user interface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein user interaction with the currently displayed user interface below a threshold comprises detecting no user activity within a predetermined amount of time.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a user interface comprises displaying the user interface at a same location within a magnified view as contents of the magnified view change.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein transitioning from the full mode to the watermark mode comprises fading out the full user interface and fading in the watermark user interface at the same time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnifier application highlights the watermark mode when the user hovers over the watermark mode.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the watermark mode displays a magnification factor.

9. A computing device including a central processing unit having stored computer executable instructions that when executed by the central processing unit of the computing device perform operations comprising:

determining a level of user activity with a currently displayed user interface of a magnifier application that is magnifying a second application;

determining a current user interface mode of the magnifier application;

if the determined current user interface mode is a watermark mode and the level of user activity indicates user interaction with the currently displayed user interface, transitioning from the watermark mode to the full mode based on the determined user activity;

if the determined current user interface mode is a full mode and the level of user activity indicates user interaction with the currently displayed user interface below a threshold, transitioning from the full mode to the watermark mode based on the lack of determined user activity, wherein the watermark mode displays fewer controls than the full mode positioned over a magnified view of the second application and moves with the magnified view, such that during periods in which the user is interacting with the second application'"'"'s interface, the interface of the magnifier application is reduced by entering the watermark mode to display more of the second application'"'"'s interface, and during periods in which the user is interacting with the magnifier application'"'"'s interface, the magnifier application displays the full mode which provides access to more controls; and

displaying a user interface based on the current user interface mode.

10. The computing device of claim 9 wherein determining the level of user activity comprises determining whether a threshold amount of time has passed since the user last clicked on the currently displayed user interface.

11. The computing device of claim 9 wherein user interaction with the currently displayed user interface comprises a user clicking on the watermark user interface.

12. The computing device of claim 9 wherein user interaction with the currently displayed user interface below a threshold comprises detecting no user activity within a predetermined amount of time.

13. The computing device of claim 9 wherein displaying a user interface comprises displaying the user interface at a same location within a magnified view as contents of the magnified view change.

14. The computing device of claim 9 wherein transitioning from the full mode to the watermark mode comprises fading out the full user interface and fading in the watermark user interface at the same time.

15. A computer system for providing a variable user interface for a screen magnifier, the system comprising:

a central processing unit that detects a level of user activity with a currently displayed user interface of a magnifier application that is magnifying a second application, and determines a current user interface mode of the magnifier application,

if the determined current user interface mode is a watermark mode and the level of user activity indicates user interaction with the currently displayed user interface, transitioning from the watermark mode to the full mode based on the determined user activity, and

if the determined current user interface mode is a full mode and the level of user activity indicates user interaction with the currently displayed user interface below a threshold, transitioning from the full mode to the watermark mode based on the lack of determined user activity, wherein the watermark mode displays fewer controls than the full mode positioned over a magnified view of the second application and moves with the magnified view, such that during periods in which the user is interacting with the second application'"'"'s interface, the interface of the magnifier application is reduced by entering the watermark mode to display more of the second application'"'"'s interface, and during periods in which the user is interacting with the magnifier application'"'"'s interface, the magnifier application displays the full mode which provides access to more controls; and

a display that displays a user interface based on the current user interface mode.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the central processing unit determines whether a threshold amount of time has passed since the user last clicked on the currently displayed user interface.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein user interaction with the currently displayed user interface comprises a user clicking on the watermark user interface.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein user interaction with the currently displayed user interface below a threshold comprises detecting no user activity within a predetermined amount of time.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the display displays the user interface at a same location within a magnified view as contents of the magnified view change.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the display fades out the full user interface and fading in the watermark user interface at the same time.