Patent Publication Number: US-2012036473-A1

Title: Method and system to control the display of information

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Early input and output devices for computers, such as punch cards and line printers, provided minimal interaction between the computer and the user. However, as input and output devices for computers have increased in complexity, the ability to simulate reality has provided an increasingly interactive user experience. For example, modern graphical user interfaces (GUIs) often simulate a desktop paradigm to provide efficient user interaction and control. 
     Continuing developments in input and output devices, such as touch screens, gyroscopic mice, and virtual reality systems, allow increased user immersion in a computing environment, but do not necessarily provide significant improvements in interaction over current GUIs. Accordingly, new paradigms for interaction with computing systems may be useful. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Certain exemplary embodiments are described in the following detailed description and in reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing of a touch screen computing device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of a computing device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective drawing of a printer/scanner/facsimile machine, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of a display showing a group of objects that extends beyond the borders of the display, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram of a display that shows a group of objects including an indication of a logical break, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of a display showing the scrolling of a group of objects rebounding from a virtual detent, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a method for indicating logical breaks during the continuous scrolling of objects, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram of a display showing an indication of a logical break at a virtual detent, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram of a display showing another indication of a logical break at a virtual detent, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram of a display showing another indication of a logical break at a virtual detent, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram of a display showing another indication of a logical break at a virtual detent, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram of a display showing another indication of a logical break at a virtual detent, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS 
     Advancing developments in input devices for computer systems have enabled the development of systems that may mimic real world physics. Accordingly, these systems make interacting with computing systems more intuitive, since the systems act as would be expected based on physical reality. For example, in the physical world, detents may be used to hold a mechanism in a certain position and may be released by applying force to move beyond the detent. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, virtual detents are used in a graphical user interface to give a user more control over the navigation of objects in a scrollable group. The virtual detents can include visual, tactile, and/or aural cues to indicate logical breaks between the objects and, thus, mimic a physical detent mechanism. For example, a logical break may be a separation between the end of the group and the beginning of the group. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing of a touch screen computing device  100 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The touch screen computing device  100  may have a single housing  102  that holds a touch screen monitor  104  and various input and output devices. For example, the housing  102  may hold speakers  106  and a camera  108 . Further, the housing  102  may hold various data input devices, such as a CD-ROM  110  or other disk drives, and removable media interfaces, such as a USB port  112  and memory card slots  114 . The touch screen monitor  102  may be used to control the display of groups of objects, for example, pictures downloaded from a memory card inserted into a memory card slot  114 , filenames in one or more directories, graphics making up a two- or three-dimensional image, and the like. 
     Although the touch screen  104  may be used for input to the system, the touch screen computing device  100  may also have a keyboard  116  and a mouse  118  for convention input. The touch screen computing device  100  may also have a haptic device (not shown), which may be used to vibrate the touch screen  104  as an additional feedback to the user. Numerous other devices may be included, as discussed with respect to  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of a computing device  200 , such as the touch screen computing device  100 , discussed with respect to  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The computing device  200  may have a processor  202  for booting the computing device  200  and running other programs. The computing device  200  will generally have computer readable media  204 , for the processor  202  to store programs and data. The computer readable media  204  may include read only memory (ROM), which may store code intended for booting the computing device  200 , among others. The ROM may include, for example, programmable ROM (PROM) and electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), among others. The computer readable media  204  may also include random access memory (RAM) for storing programs and data during operation of the computing device  200 . Further, the computer readable media  204  may include units for longer term storage of programs and data, such as a hard drive or an optical disk drive. The computer readable media  206  may also include flash drives, which may be coupled to the computing device  200  through an external USB bus or may be memory cards inserted into a slot on the computing device. 
     The computing device  200  may have a coupled monitor, such as touch screen display  206 , to display information from the computing device  200 . Other output devices may also be included in the computing device  200 , for example, an audio output device or a haptic device. Further, the computing device  200  may include various user input devices  208 , for example, the touch screen  206 , a keyboard or a mouse. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective drawing of a printer/scanner/facsimile machine, commonly termed an all-in-one system  300 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The all-in-one system  300  may have a single housing  302  that holds a control panel  304  and various input and output devices. For example, the housing  302  may hold a scanner  306  and a printer  308 . 
     To control the operation of the all-in-one system  300 , the control panel  304  may have one or more keypads, such as a phone keypad  310  for dialing. The control panel  304  may also have a touch screen display  312 , which may be associated with one or more programmable keys  314 . In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the control panel  304  may also have slots  316  for removable data storage media, such as memory cards and USB thumb drives. The touch screen display  312  may be used to control the display of groups of objects, for example, pictures downloaded from a memory card inserted into a slot  316 . In conjunction with various input and output interfaces, the all-in-one system  300  may be used to scan and transmit documents over a network, print documents, send facsimiles, copy documents, and perform numerous other functions. For example, the all-in-one system  300  may be used to scroll through pictures stored on a memory card inserted into a slot  316 , to allow the selection of pictures that may be printed, transmitted over a network, or sent as a facsimile transmission. 
     The touch screen display  312  may also have an associated haptic device (not shown), which may be used to vibrate the touch screen display  312  as an additional feedback to the user. Numerous other devices may be included, as discussed with respect to  FIG. 3 . 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention may include other devices in addition to those discussed above. For example, a display screen on a digital camera, for example, connected to a photo printer, may be used to display the group of objects and an arrow pad in proximately to the display screen may obtain user input for scrolling through the objects. In another exemplary embodiment, a virtual reality visor may be used to display the group of objects and an interactive glove can be used obtain user input for scrolling through the objects. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram of a display  400  showing a group of objects  402  that extends beyond the borders of the display  400 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. If the display  400  is a touch screen, scrolling through the objects  402  may be performed by wiping a finger tip across the display  400  to the left or to the right. For example, a first wipe of a finger across the display  400  from the right to the left could start the group of objects  402  scrolling from the right to the left. More wipes of the finger tip across the display  400  in the same direction could be used to build “momentum,” in other words, to accelerate the scrolling rate of the objects  402 . During periods where no contact is made with the display  400 , the scrolling rate may be held constant or may be slowly decelerated to simulate the effects of friction. In other exemplary embodiments, scrolling may occur while the user is wiping a finger across the display and stop when then user is no longer in contact. If the speed of the scrolling becomes greater than the refresh rate of the display  400 , simpler figures, such as boxes or lines, may be displayed to represent the objects  402  or a grey band may be shown in place of the objects  402 . The input is not limited to a finger tip, as any appropriate input technique, for example, a stylus, could be used with an appropriate touch screen display  400 . Further, scrolling could be controlled by conventional input devices, for example, a mouse initiating scrolling on a conventional monitor. 
     Individual objects  402  may be selected, for example, by touching the object  402  on the screen. An object  402  that is selected may be distinguished from other objects  402 , such as by displaying a frame  404  around the object  402 . Further, a selected object could be expanded to cover most, or all, of the display  400 , for example, with objects  402  before and after the selected object partially shown at each edge of the display  400 . The display  400  may also have controls for taking other actions. For example, the display  400  may show a settings button  406 , which could be used to display controls, filenames, and other options. A select all button  408  could be used to select the entire group of objects  402 . Other buttons could be used to perform specific actions on selected objects  406 , such as a print button  410 . 
     Generally, when either end of the group of objects  402  is reached, the scrolling will stop. The scrolling may stop immediately or may “rebound” from the end, in other words, stopping the scrolling and starting a slow scroll back in the opposite direction from the end. Stopping the scrolling at the ends forces a user to return to the opposite end of the group of objects  402  to see objects  402  that are proximate to that location. However, as modern storage media may hold a large amount of content, with some memory cards storing as many as 2000 or more pictures, it may be inconvenient to return to the opposite end. The scrolling of the objects  402  may wrap around to the opposite end, for example, restarting the scrolling of the objects from the beginning when the end is reached or from the end when the beginning is reached. This is shown in  FIG. 4  by the partially visible objects  412  shown at the right edge of the display  400 . However, wrapping the display of the objects  402  may allow the user to lose track of the current location, which may make finding desired objects  402  more difficult. 
     Accordingly, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may provide an indication  414  of a logical break between objects  402  on the display  400 . Such an indication  414  may be, for example, between the beginning and the end of the group of objects  402 . Various logical breaks may be used to provide a useful indication  414 , including breaks between objects  402  having different dates, objects  402  stored in different months, objects  402  stored under different topical designations (for example, in different folders), and the like. 
     The indication  414  may comprise a line between the objects  402  at the logical break, an increase in spacing between the objects  402 , or any number of other graphical, aural, or tactile features, as discussed further below. When the indication  414  of the logical break reaches a predetermined point on the display  400  (i.e., a virtual detent) the scrolling may slow or stop. The scrolling of the objects  402  may resume after the virtual detent, but may use an additional input from the user to force the scrolling of the objects through the virtual detent. This is discussed further with respect to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , below. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram of a display  500  that shows a group of objects  502  including an indication  504  of a logical break, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 5 , the group of objects  502  is scrolling from the left side of the display  500  to the right side of the display  500 , as indicated by the arrow  506 . When the indication  504  reaches a predetermined location  508  (i.e., the virtual detent) on the display  500 , the scrolling may slow, stop or rebound. In this exemplary embodiment, the predetermined location  508  represents the location of the virtual detent. The virtual detent may be located at different points on the display  500  when scrolling in different directions. As discussed earlier, the display  500  may also show various controls  510  for selecting objects  502 , printing objects  502 , obtaining help, returning to previous pages, returning to central control screens, and the like. 
       FIG. 6  is a diagram of a display  600  showing the scrolling of a group of objects  502  rebounding when an indication  504  of a logical break reaches the predetermined location  508  (i.e., the virtual detent), in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As indicated by the larger arrow  602 , the group of objects  502  is scrolling from left to right on the display  600 . In this exemplary embodiment, when the indicator  504  reaches the predetermined location  508 , the scrolling from left to right is halted, and a slow scroll from right to left may begin, as indicated by the smaller arrow  604 . In other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, aural and or tactile indications may be simultaneously activated when the scrolling is halted. For example, a haptic device may vibrate the input device or an aural device may issue a sharp sound, such as a “click.” The user may then restart the scrolling of the objects from left to right by wiping a finger across the display  600  in that direction, allowing the scrolling of the group of objects  502  to continue across the virtual detent at the predetermined location  508 . 
     The scrolling of the objects  502  is not limited to any particular direction, as the scrolling may be left-to-right, right-to-left, bottom-to-top, or top-to-bottom, depending on how the objects  502  are displayed. Further, if the objects  502  are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix that extends beyond the boundaries of the display  600 , the user may initiate scrolling in a diagonal direction, with logical break point indicators and/or virtual detents located at the edge of the matrix of objects  602 . The use of virtual detents is not limited to discrete matrices of objects  602 . In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a continuous two-dimensional display may use a virtual detent to slow or stop scrolling when a logical break is reached. For example, a map that is continuously scrolled may have virtual detents set at defined boundaries, such as city limits, to slow or stop the scrolling. Other exemplary embodiments of the present invention may use virtual detents in a three-dimensional environment, such as a virtual reality display. This may be used to limit overshooting a target location, for example, to slow or stop the scrolling of an object when an edge is reached. 
       FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a method  700  for indicating logical breaks during the continuous scrolling of objects, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The method  700  begins at block  702  with the display of a plurality of objects on a display. The plurality of objects may be one-dimensional, such as a text listing or a line of pictures, two-dimensional, such as a matrix of objects or a map, or three-dimensional, such as a display of an object in a three-dimensional CAD program. The objects may be displayed in any number of ways, for example, by downloading the objects from a website or by inserting a memory card that includes the objects into a device configured to automatically display the objects. 
     Once the objects are displayed, at block  704 , a user input may be obtained, for example, from a touch screen display, a mouse, a keypad, and the like. The user input may indicate a selection of one or more objects or a command to act on one or more objects. The user input may also indicate a direction in which to scroll the display of the objects. At block  706 , the objects are scrolled in a direction indicated by the user input. At block  708 , a logical break between the objects is displayed. The logical break may indicate a logical separation point between objects, such as an end of the group of objects, objects collected during a different time period, objects in a different directory, a political border, an edge of an object, and the like. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the scrolling may be slowed, halted, or reversed when the logical break reaches a predetermined point on a display, such as a virtual detent. Further, the scrolling may resume or continue past the logical break. For example, if the end of a directory listing has been reached, the user may continue the list at the beginning of the listing. As another example, if a boundary on a map, such as a city limit, has been reached, the user may resume or continue scrolling the map beyond the edge. 
     Any number of different visual effects may be useful to indicate when the logical break has reached the virtual detent, depending on system design considerations. For example, various effects that may be used in exemplary embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in  FIGS. 8-12 . The purpose of the different effects is to simulate a real environment for the user during the display of the virtual detent, for example, simulating a hill that may be rolled over to continue the scrolling or simulating a restriction that can be pushed through to continue the scrolling. 
       FIG. 8  is a diagram of a display  800  showing an indication of a logical break at a virtual detent  802  on a display screen, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 8 , an object  804  at the logical break may be elevated upon reaching the virtual detent  802 . If the system is configured to stop or reverse scrolling when the virtual detent  802  is reached, the offset object  804  may drop back down in line with the other objects after the user indicates that scrolling should continue past the logical break. In another exemplary embodiment, the object may remain offset to indicate the location of the logical break as scrolling continues beyond the virtual detent  802 . 
       FIG. 9  is a diagram of a display  900  showing another indication of a logical break at a virtual detent, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this diagram, a virtual detent  902  may be indicated on the display  900  by making an object  904  at the logical break smaller when the virtual detent  902  is reached. As for the virtual detent  802  illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the distortion of the object  904  may be removed when the user indicates that scrolling should continue past the logical break. 
       FIG. 10  is a diagram of a display  1000  showing another indication of a logical break at a virtual detent  1002 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 10 , an object  1004  may be distorted to indicate the presence of the virtual detent. As for the previous figures, the distortion may be removed after scrolling past the logical break or may be left to indicate the presence of the logical break. 
       FIG. 11  is a diagram of a display  1100  showing another indication of a logical break at a virtual detent  1102 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this illustration, a virtual detent  1102  is indicated by showing a wall  1104  when the logical break reaches the virtual detent  1102 . This embodiment may be accompanied by stopping or rebounding scrolling of objects  1106  when the logical break reaches the virtual detent  1102 . 
       FIG. 12  is a diagram of a display  1200  showing another indication of a logical break at a virtual detent  1202 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. This exemplary embodiment may be similar to that illustrated in  FIG. 11 . However, in this diagram the virtual detent  1202  may be indicated as a softer break between objects  1204 . Specifically, the scrolling may slow down as the logical break reaches the virtual detent  1202 . This may provide a useful simulation of a hill that the scrolling can cross to continue. Any number of other visual, tactile, or aural indications of logical breaks may be used in exemplary embodiments of the present invention.