Magnification methods, systems, and computer program products for virtual three-dimensional books

1. A system for displaying images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages, the system comprising:

a display system has a memory that stores a display program, the display system being capable of executing the display program,

wherein the display program, when executed on the display system, being capable of producing images of the virtual three-dimensional book on the display system, and

with respect to a partial page display, tilting a virtual page in three-dimensional space about a central axis of the virtual page to accommodate viewing of a full page view of all information on the virtual page that is associated with the partial page information initially displayed, the tilting being executed via user input that causes information previously unseen via the partial page display to be tilted backward in virtual three-dimensional space and thereby become readable to the user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the tilted virtual page comprises a first portion closer to a user than a second portion in three dimensional space, the first portion comprising larger print than the second portion of the tilted virtual page.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the tilting includes a process capable of resizing the magnified region.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the tilting function includes a process capable of resizing the magnified region to fit a paragraph of the virtual page.

5. A method for producing images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages on a display device, the method comprising:

executing a magnification function for providing a virtual magnifier movable over the one or more virtual pages;

displaying the virtual magnifier including a central region for providing direct magnification for a desired portion of a virtual page; and

providing one or more transition regions surrounding the central region for displaying differential magnification including transitioning from direct magnification adjacent the central region to no magnification at the edge of the virtual magnifier, wherein portions of the virtual pages displayed within the transition regions are specified by a transfer function that provides magnification fall off such that no part of the virtual page is obscured.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the virtual magnifier substantially defines a virtual pyramidic solid.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the magnification function includes a process of capable of resizing the virtual magnifier.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the virtual magnifier substantially defines a virtual three-dimensional geometric shape having a rectangular central region.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of resizing the magnified region to fit a paragraph of the virtual page.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified region by a dragging operation across the virtual page.

11. A computer apparatus comprising:

a computer memory having computer readable code embodied therein for producing images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages on a display device, the computer readable code, when executed, being capable of,

with respect to a partial page display, tilting a virtual page in three-dimensional space about a central axis of the virtual page to accommodate viewing of a full page view of all information on the virtual page that is associated with the partial page information initially displayed, the tilting being executed via user input that causes information previously unseen via the partial page display to be tilted backward in virtual three-dimensional space and thereby become readable to the user.

12. The computer apparatus of claim 11 wherein the tilting includes a process capable of resizing the magnified region to fit a paragraph of the virtual page.

13. The computer apparatus of claim 11 wherein the tilting includes a process capable of resizing the displayed region.

14. The computer apparatus of claim 11 wherein a virtual page is tilted backward about a horizontal central axis to accommodate viewing of a bottom portion of the virtual page.

15. A method for producing images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages on a display device, the method comprising:

executing a magnification function for providing a virtual magnifier movable over the one or more virtual pages, wherein the virtual magnifier is displayed as a three-dimensional solid shape;

displaying the virtual magnifier including a central region for providing direct magnification for a desired portion of a virtual page; and

providing one or more transition regions surrounding the central region for displaying differential magnification including transitioning from direct magnification adjacent the central region to no magnification at the edge of the virtual magnifier, wherein portions of the virtual pages displayed within the transition regions are specified by a transfer function that provides magnification fall off such that no part of the virtual page is obscured.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the virtual magnifier substantially defines a virtual pyramidic solid.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the magnification fall off of the transfer function within the transition regions is linear magnification fall-off.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the magnification fall off of the transfer function within the transition regions is non-linear magnification fall-off.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the magnification fall off of the transfer function within the transition regions is differential magnification fall-off.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions using an eye-tracking device.