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US Patent 6366303 - Zooming controller
US Patent Issued on April 2, 2002
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
April 18, 2020Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
April 18, 2020Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.AbstractA method and device for accessing a broad data field having a fine resolution. The user selects a scale which can be varied. The scale controls a range within the data field. By moving the range to encompass different portions of the data field, the user can scan that portion of the data field. The present invention allows the user to simultaneously select the scale while moving the range over different portions of the data field. Thus, the user can "zoom in" and "zoom out" of different portions of the data field.In one embodiment of the present invention, a particular piece of data within the broad data field can be accessed. First, the scale is selectively varied, thereby controlling a range within the data field. Then, the range is moved to encompass portions of the data field in which the piece of data resides. Next, the scale is successively decreased while, simultaneously, points successively closer to the location are kept with the range. The scale is decreased (i.e., increasing the range's resolution) and the range is moved in this manner until the piece of data is actually accessed. | InventorAssigneeApplicationNo. 551411 filed on 04/18/2000Field of Search345/184, Mechanical control (e.g., rotatable knob, slider)345/661, Graphical user interface tools345/667, Image based (addressing)345/676, Graphical user interface tools345/684ScrollingExaminersPrimary: Brier, JefferyAttorney, Agent or FirmUS Patent References4755811, Touch controlled zoom of waveform displaysIssued on: 07/05/1988 Inventor: Slavin , et al.4790028, Method and apparatus for generating variably scaled displays Issued on: 12/06/1988 Inventor: Ramage4794388, Method of and apparatus for controlling a display Issued on: 12/27/1988 Inventor: Matthews5032989, Real estate search and location system and method Issued on: 07/16/1991 Inventor: Tornetta5075673, Variable speed, image pan method and apparatus Issued on: 12/24/1991 Inventor: Yanker5129057, Method for presenting compressed electronic day calendar information in an interactive information handling system Issued on: 07/07/1992 Inventor: Strope, et al.5136690, Dynamic graphical analysis of network data Issued on: 08/04/1992 Inventor: Becker, et al.6061062Zooming controller Issued on: 05/09/2000 Inventor: Venolia International ClassG06F 003/00 |
