Controlling display screen legibility
View Patent ↗Computer screen legibility is controlled. A logically topmost software window of a particular color and of a certain transparency is created. Additionally, a pattern is used to further control legibility. The window allows screen objects logically beneath it on a z-axis to be viewed and manipulated and the window reduces a contrast of screen objects logically beneath it on the z-axis.
1. A method executed on a computer for making a display screen in communication with the computer more difficult to read from a side orientation and/or from a distance, the method comprising:
creating a logically topmost software window on the display screen comprising a transparency, a first z-axis orientation, and a pattern comprising: a wavy line, a color, a grid, and an alpha blend; and
allowing a screen object on the display screen comprising a second z-axis orientation, the second z-axis orientation being less than the first z-axis orientation, to be viewed and manipulated;
wherein the pattern and the transparency reduce a legibility of the screen object on the display screen for a person viewing the display screen from the side and/or from a distance.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pattern is repeated horizontally across the window.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the pattern is repeated vertically across the window.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pattern is repeated diagonally across the window.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the window further comprises a first height and a first width.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining a second height and a second width of a display screen in which the window is viewed.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising changing the first height to equal the second height.
8. The method of claim 6 further comprising changing the first width to equal the second width.
9. The method of claim 6 further comprising changing the first height to be less than the second height.
10. The method of claim 6 further comprising changing the first width to be less than the second width.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the screen object further comprises a text and the pattern is approximately the same height as the text.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the screen object further comprises a text and the pattern has an orientation similar to an orientation of the text.
13. A computerized apparatus for making a display screen in communication with the apparatus more difficult to read from a side orientation and/or from a distance, the apparatus comprising:
means for creating a logically topmost software window on the display screen comprising a transparency, a first z-axis orientation, and a pattern comprising: a wavy line, a color, a grid, and an alpha blend; and
means for allowing a screen object on the display screen comprising a second z-axis orientation, the second z-axis orientation being less than the first z-axis orientation, to be viewed and manipulated;
wherein the pattern and the transparency reduce a legibility of the screen object on the display screen for a person viewing the display screen from the side and/or from a distance.
14. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for making a display screen for a general purpose computer having a user interface comprising a screen display more difficult to read from a side orientation and/or from a distance, the computer program product operable to cause a computer to:
create a logically topmost software window on the display screen comprising a transparency, a first z-axis orientation and pattern comprising: a wavy line, a color, a grid, and an alpha blend; and
allow a screen object on the display screen comprising a second z-axis orientation, the second z-axis orientation being less than the first z-axis orientation, to be viewed and manipulated;
wherein the pattern reduces legibility of the screen object on the display screen for a person viewing the display screen from the side and/or from a distance.
15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the pattern is repeated horizontally across the window.
16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the pattern is repeated vertically across the window.
17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the pattern is repeated diagonally across the window.
18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the screen object further comprises a text and the pattern is approximately the same height as the text.
19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the screen object further comprises a text and the pattern has an orientation similar to an orientation of the text.
20. A system for making a display screen more difficult to read from a side orientation and/or from a distance, the system comprising:
the display screen;
a computer;
wherein the computer is configured to execute a first software that provides a graphical user interface to a user via the display screen; and
the computer is further configured to execute a second software that creates a window comprising a transparency and a pattern comprising: a wavy line, a color, a grid, and an alpha blend;
wherein the window overlaying the graphical user interface, wherein the window reduces the legibility of the graphical user interface for a person with an undesired orientation to the display screen.
21. A method executed on a computer for making a display screen in communication with the computer more difficult to read from a side orientation and/or from a distance, yet still readable without requiring a filter the method comprising:
creating, by the computer, a logically topmost software window comprising a transparency, a first z-axis orientation, and a pattern consisting of: a wavy line, a color, and an alpha blend; and
allowing, by the computer, a screen object on the display comprising a second z-axis orientation, the second z-axis orientation being less than the first z-axis orientation, to be viewed and manipulated;
wherein the pattern and the transparency transform the display such that a legibility of the screen object on the display is reduced and therefore more difficult to read from a side orientation and/or from a distance.