Granted Patent B2

US 7,698,653 · App. 10/890,079 · Granted Apr 13, 2010

Abstract

Claims (28)

1. A system for displaying at least a selected portion of an original image, comprising:

an image source providing at least one image;

a computer system, coupled to the image source, comprising a computer processor, and a graphical display having a cursor;

wherein the computer processor is configured to display on the graphical display an outer region representing a size and shape of the original image, an inner region representing a size, shape, and position of the selected portion of the original image, and the size of the selected portion relative to the size of the original image representing a magnification factor of the original image; and

wherein the computer processor is configured to increase the magnification factor in response to an input size command generated by selecting the inner region, and to decrease the magnification factor in response to the input size command generated by selecting the outer region.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system further includes a cursor control device coupled to the computer processor, the computer processor is configured to position the cursor within the graphical display in response to a signal from the cursor control device and to select a given one of the inner region and outer region in response to a click of the cursor control device after the cursor is positioned on the given one of the inner region and outer region.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the computer processor is configured to select the outer region when the cursor is positioned in the outer region but outside of the inner region.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to display the magnification factor in the inner region.

5. A method of controlling magnification of a selected portion of an original image displayed within a display of a computing device comprising:

displaying on the display by the computing device a control box including an inner region positioned within an outer region, wherein a size of the inner region relative to a size of the outer region represents a magnification factor of the original image and further wherein a position of the inner region within the outer region represents the selected portion of the original image being displayed within the display;

increasing the magnification factor, by the computing device, in response to an input size command generated by selecting the inner region; and

decreasing the magnification factor by the computing device, in response to the input size command generated by selecting the outer region.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising changing by the computing device the position of the inner region within the outer region in response to an input position command.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the increasing of the magnification factor comprises the computing device increasing magnification of the original image in response to receiving the input size command generated by selecting the inner region.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the decreasing of the magnification factor comprises the computing device decreasing magnification of the original image in response to receiving the input size command generated by selecting the outer region.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein

the selecting of the inner region includes positioning with a cursor control device a cursor in the inner region and then clicking the cursor control device; and

the selecting of the outer region includes positioning with the cursor control device the cursor in the outer region and then clicking the cursor control device.

10. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying a selected portion of an original image and a control box including an inner region positioned within an outer region, wherein a size of the inner region relative to a size of the outer region represents a magnification factor of the original image and further wherein a position of the inner region within the outer region represents the selected portion of the original image being displayed within the display;

means for increasing the magnification factor in response to an input size command generated by selecting the inner region; and

means for decreasing the magnification factor in response to the input size command generated by selecting the outer region.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising means for changing the position of the inner region within the outer region in response to an input position command.

12. An article of manufacture including a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

displaying a selected portion of an original image and a control box on a display, the control box including an inner region positioned within an outer region, wherein a size of the inner region relative to a size of the outer region represents a magnification factor of the original image and further wherein a position of the inner region within the outer region represents the selected portion of the original image being displayed;

increasing the magnification factor in response to an input size command generated by selecting the inner region; and

decreasing the magnification factor in response to the input size command generated by selecting the outer region.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 12 , wherein the computer readable medium is a fixed storage device, a medium for use with a removable storage device, or a memory.

Assignments (8)