Virtual magnifying glass with on-the fly control functionalities

1. A machine readable storage medium containing thereon instructions which, when executed by a data processing device having a display screen and user input device, serve to configure the device to provide a display screen magnifier which is controllable by a user to magnify selected portions of a desktop including windows open on said screen, said magnifier providing a moveable magnifier frame within which a magnified image is presented, said image corresponding to screen content located within a magnification region underlying said magnifier frame, magnified to a set level of magnification, said input device including an adjustment mode that is activated and deactivated by user selection, a graphic appearing on said display screen when said adjustment mode is activated, said graphic indicating that said adjustment mode is activated, said magnifier being controllable by a user through use of said input device, when said adjustment mode is activated, to independently adjust the magnification level of the magnifier and a size of the magnifier frame, without user interaction with on-screen objects and without taking focus away from said desktop or any windows open on said screen, said graphic including direction arrows associated with adjusting the size of the magnifier frame and the magnification level of the magnifier, said input device being switchable between a magnifier and an on-screen application that has focus, said input device directing input device actions to said on-screen application that has focus when said input device is switched to said on-screen application that has focus.

2. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein when said adjustment mode is activated a hook is caused to be set which temporarily directs input of said input device to said magnifier for altering said magnification level of the magnifier and said size of the magnifier frame.

3. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 2 , wherein said input device is a computer pointing device, and said hook is a hook of said computer pointing device.

4. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 3 , wherein the hook directs to said magnifier at least one of pointer movement data and scroll wheel rotation data of said computer pointing device, for altering said magnification level of the magnifier and said size of the magnifier frame.

5. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 4 , wherein the hook directs to said magnifier said pointer movement data, which is used to adjust a size dimension of the magnifier frame.

6. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 4 , wherein the hook directs to said magnifier said scroll wheel rotation data, which is used to adjust a magnification level of the magnifier frame.

7. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein said input device comprises a pointing device, and the position and movement of said magnifier frame correspond to the position and movement of an on-screen cursor of said pointing device.

8. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein said magnified image is dynamically updated to reflect changes in underlying screen content occurring while the magnifier is activated.

9. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein said magnifier is activated upon actuation of a switch on said user input device, and enters an adjustment mode upon said switch being continuously actuated for a predetermined time period.

10. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein, when the magnifier is in said adjustment mode the magnifier presents an on-screen visual indicator that the adjustment mode is active.

11. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 10 , wherein said visual indicator provides an indication of appropriate user inputs for effecting adjustment of said magnification level of the magnifier and said size of the magnifier frame.

12. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 11 , wherein said visual indicator provides an indication of appropriate user inputs for effecting an adjustment of at least one size dimension of said magnifier frame.

13. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 10 , wherein said visual indicator provides an indication of appropriate user inputs for effecting an adjustment of a magnification ratio of said magnifier.

14. A machine readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein, said display screen magnifier is configured by a windows style of an application programming interface of an operating system, and a second stage screen content compositing engine associated with said windows style.

15. A data processing device having a display screen and user input device, said device being configured to provide a display screen magnifier which is controllable by a user to magnify selected portions of a desktop including windows open on said screen, said magnifier providing a moveable magnifier frame within which a magnified image is presented, said image corresponding to screen content located within a magnification region underlying said magnifier frame, magnified to a set level of magnification, said input device including an adjustment mode that is activated and deactivated by user selection, a graphic appearing on said display screen when said adjustment mode is activated, said graphic indicating that said adjustment mode is activated, said magnifier being controllable by a user through use of said input device, when said adjustment mode is activated, to independently adjust the magnification level of the magnifier and the size of the magnifier frame, without user interaction with on-screen objects and without taking focus away from said desktop or any windows open on said screen, said graphic including direction arrows associated with adjusting the size of the magnifier frame and the magnification level of the magnifier, said input device being switchable between a magnifier and an on-screen application that has focus, said input device directing input device actions to said on-screen application that has focus when said input device is switched to said on-screen application that has focus.

16. A data processing device according to claim 15 , wherein the magnifier is capable of activation and deactivation through use of said input device, without user interaction with on screen objects and without taking focus away from said desktop or any windows open on said screen.

17. A data processing device according to claim 15 , wherein, said display screen magnifier is configured by a windows style of an application programming interface of an operating system, and a second stage screen content compositing engine associated with said windows style.

18. A method of configuring a data processing device having a display screen and user input device to provide a display screen magnifier which is controllable by a user to magnify selected portions of a desktop including windows open on said screen, said input device including an adjustment mode that is activated and deactivated by user selection, the method comprising:

displaying a magnifier having a moveable magnifier frame on the display screen;

magnifying an image within said magnifier to a set level of magnification, said image corresponding to screen content located within a magnification region underlying said magnifier frame;

independently adjusting, through input by a user through use of said input device when said adjustment mode is activated, the magnification level of the magnifier and the size of the magnifier frame, without user interaction with on-screen objects and without taking focus away from said desktop or any windows open on said screen, a graphic appearing on said display screen when said adjustment mode is activated, said graphic indicating that said adjustment mode is activated, said graphic including direction arrows associated with adjusting the size of the magnifier frame and the magnification level of the magnifier, said input device being switchable between a magnifier and an on-screen application that has focus, said input device directing input device actions to said on-screen application that has focus when said input device is switched to said on-screen application that has focus.

19. A method according to claim 18 , wherein the magnifier is capable of activation and deactivation through use of said input device, without user interaction with on screen objects and without taking focus away from said desktop or any windows open on said screen.

20. A method according to claim 18 , wherein, said display screen magnifier is configured by a windows style of an application programming interface of an operating system, and a second stage screen content compositing engine associated with said windows style.