Portable electronic device and method for displaying large format data files
View Patent ↗A portable electronic device includes a rendering circuit to visualize large format data files on a narrow display. The large format data files are rendered using either a desktop display mode or a mobile display mode. The desktop display mode renders the data file using data file-specified dimensions and resolutions. The data file is viewable in its entirety by automatic scrolling achieved by moving a cursor near the edge of the display. Data file elements may be edited while in desktop display mode. The mobile display mode renders the elements of the data file as a list with minimal regard for spatial orientation. Navigation in mobile display mode is field-to-field.
1. A method of displaying large format data files with predetermined dimensions and resolution on a display of a portable electronic device comprising:
entering a first display mode to render a viewable portion of a large format data file on the display using the large format data file's predetermined dimensions and resolution; and
displaying non-viewable portions of the large format data file in response to a cursor on the display moving near an edge of the viewable portion of the large format data file by automatically scrolling the viewable portion in the direction of the approached edge to reveal an updated viewable portion of the large format data file;
receiving a selection signal to change to a second display mode; and
switching between the first display mode and the second display mode in response to the selection signal, wherein the second display mode includes rendering one or more fields from the large format data file as a list of fields for field-to-field navigation without maintaining the predetermined dimensions and resolution of the large format data file.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising indicating that the one or more fields may be edited when selected via field-to-field navigation.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising learning a preferred initial display mode of the user of the device.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inputting edits of one or more editable fields on the viewable portion of the large format data file.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising zooming-in on a selected region of the viewable portion in response to the user navigating a box to enclose the selected region.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising linking to an additional data file in response to the user moving the cursor to an active link displayed on the viewable portion and selecting the link.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a file overview map of the large format data file and zooming-in on any point selected with the cursor on the file overview map.
8. A portable electronic device comprising:
a display for displaying large format data files; and
a processor for controlling the display, the processor controlling the display in a first display mode, wherein the device displays a viewable portion of a large format data file on the display using a file-specified resolution and to enable viewing and editing the large format data file, and a second display mode, wherein the device displays a plurality of fields of the large format data file as a list of editable fields for field-to-field navigation, and wherein the processor is configured to switch between the first display mode and the second display mode in response to a selection signal,
wherein the processor is configured in the first display mode to display non-viewable portions of the large format data file in response to a cursor moving near an edge of the display by smoothly and automatically scrolling the viewable portion in the direction of the approached edge to reveal an updated viewable portion of the large format data file.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device automatically opens the first display mode for large format data files with user-specified file extensions.
10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the first display mode displays non-viewable portions of the large format data file in response to the user moving a cursor near a corner of the display by smoothly and automatically scrolling the viewable portion in the direction of the approached corner to reveal an updated viewable portion of the large format data file.
11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the first display mode displays some of the plurality of fields on the viewable portion and inputs user edits to the displayed fields.
12. The portable electronic device of claim 8 further comprising:
a portable housing having the display mounted thereon;
a trackball for manipulating a cursor viewable on the display, the trackball mounted on the portable housing;
electronic circuitry mounted in the portable housing to render data files on the display; and
a rendering application for instructing the electronic circuitry to render the large format data file on the display in a plurality of display modes including the first display mode and the second display mode.
13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the rendering application is configured to learn a preferred initial display mode for the user of the device.
14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the rendering application is configured to snap a cursor to a nearby field when the user moves the cursor near a displayed one of the plurality of fields while in the first display mode.
15. The device of claim 12 , wherein the rendering application is configured to allow the user to move a cursor in any direction while in the first display mode.
16. The device of claim 12 , wherein the rendering application is configured to zoom-in on a selected region of the viewable portion in response to the user drawing a box around the selected region with a cursor while in the first display mode.