Method and system for generating detail-in-context presentations in client/server systems

1 . A method for generating a presentation of a region-of-interest in an original image for display on a display screen of a client coupled over a network to a server, comprising:

establishing a lens having a focal region for the region-of-interest at least partially surrounded by a shoulder region;

if the lens is in transit between first and second locations for the region-of-interest in the original image, applying the lens to the original image by a first method to generate the presentation at the client; and,

if the lens is stationary in the original image, receiving the presentation from the server, the server applying the lens to the original image by a second method to generate the presentation.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first method requires less resources than the second method.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the lens has a shape and the second method more accurately reflects the shape of the lens in the presentation than does the first method.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the shoulder region has a shape and the second method more accurately reflects the shape of the shoulder region in the presentation than does the first method.

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the second method includes displacing the original image onto the lens to produce a displaced image and projecting the displaced image onto a plane in a direction aligned with a viewpoint for the region-of-interest.

6 . The method of claim 4 wherein the first method includes: creating a focal region image for the focal region by scaling the original image within the focal region by a focal region magnification; creating a shoulder region image for the shoulder region by scaling the original image within the shoulder region by a shoulder region magnification, the shoulder region magnification being less than the focal region magnification; and, overlaying the focal region image and the shoulder region image on the original image.

7 . The method of claim 1 and further comprising receiving a signal indicating the transit between the first and second locations from a graphical user interface (“GUI”) displayed over the lens on the display screen of the client.

8 . The method of claim 1 and further comprising, if the lens is stationary in the original image, sending a signal from the client to the server requesting the presentation.

9 . The method of claim 1 and further comprising, if the lens is stationary in the original image and if the server is unavailable, applying the lens to the original image by the first method to generate the presentation at the client.

10 . The method of claim 1 and further comprising displaying the presentation on the display screen of the client.

11 . A system for generating a presentation of a region-of-interest in an original image for display on a display screen, the system coupled over a network to a server, the system comprising:

a processor coupled to memory and the display screen; and,

modules within the memory and executed by the processor, the modules including:

a module for establishing a lens having a focal region for the region-of-interest at least partially surrounded by a shoulder region;

a module for, if the lens is in transit between first and second locations for the region-of-interest in the original image, applying the lens to the original image by a first method to generate the presentation; and,

a module for, if the lens is stationary in the original image, receiving the presentation from the server, the server applying the lens to the original image by a second method to generate the presentation.

12 . The system of claim 11 wherein the first method requires less resources than the second method.

13 . The system of claim 12 wherein the lens has a shape and the second method more accurately reflects the shape of the lens in the presentation than does the first method.

14 . The system of claim 11 wherein the shoulder region has a shape and the second method more accurately reflects the shape of the shoulder region in the presentation than does the first method.

15 . The system of claim 14 wherein the second method includes displacing the original image onto the lens to produce a displaced image and projecting the displaced image onto a plane in a direction aligned with a viewpoint for the region-of-interest.

16 . The system of claim 14 wherein the first method includes: creating a focal region image for the focal region by scaling the original image within the focal region by a focal region magnification; creating a shoulder region image for the shoulder region by scaling the original image within the shoulder region by a shoulder region magnification, the shoulder region magnification being less than the focal region magnification; and, overlaying the focal region image and the shoulder region image on the original image.

17 . The system of claim 11 and further comprising a module for receiving a signal indicating the transit between the first and second locations from a graphical user interface (“GUI”) displayed over the lens on the display screen.

18 . The system of claim 11 and further comprising a module for, if the lens is stationary in the original image, sending a signal to the server requesting the presentation.

19 . The system of claim 11 and further comprising a module for, if the lens is stationary in the original image and if the server is unavailable, applying the lens to the original image by the first method to generate the presentation within the system.

20 . The system of claim 11 and further comprising a module for displaying the presentation on the display screen.