Patent US6924822B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6924822B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Magnification methods, systems, and computer program products for virtual three-dimensional books
Assignee: ETOME INNOVATIONS LLC
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Filing: 2000-12-21
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Granted: 2005-08-02
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Expires: 2020-12-21
Abstract
Abstract A system is described for displaying images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages. The system comprises a display system capable of executing a display program wherein images of the virtual three-dimensional book are produced on the display system. The display system may include a magnification function producing a virtual magnifier moveable over the virtual pages. The display system may also include a the “stretchy page” display method wherein one section of the page is directly magnified, while other adjacent sections may be directly magnified in a horizontal or vertical direction, but not both directions. Moreover, a virtual page may also be tilted about a central axis of the virtual page to accommodate viewing of a desired section on the display system. Finally, a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for producing images of a virtual three-dimensional book is also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Stuart Kent Card
- 👤 Richard Carl Gossweiler, III
- 👤 Allison Gyle Woodruff
- 👤 Jock Douglas MacKinlay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 17:48
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T15/00; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/04815; G06F3/0483; G09; G09G; G09G5/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A system for displaying images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages, the system comprising: a display system capable of executing a display program, wherein images of the virtual three-dimensional book are produced on the display system, and wherein a magnification function is provided for dividing a virtual page into a plurality of rectangular sections, and wherein the magnification function comprises a piecewise step function along one or both of a horizontal or a vertical axis of the virtual page, such that at least one magnified region of the page is directly magnified, while one or more regions vertically adjacent the magnified region are directly magnified in a horizontal direction but demagnified in a vertical direction, and one or more regions horizontally adjacent the magnified region are directly magnified at the same magnification level of the magnified region in a vertical direction, but demagnified in a horizontal direction.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
152 words
A system for displaying images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages, the system comprising: a display system capable of executing a display program, wherein images of the virtual three-dimensional book are produced on the display system, and wherein a magnification function is provided for dividing a virtual page into a plurality of rectangular sections, and wherein the magnification function comprises a piecewise step function along one or both of a horizontal or a vertical axis of the virtual page, such that at least one magnified region of the page is directly magnified, while one or more regions vertically adjacent the magnified region are directly magnified in a horizontal direction but demagnified in a vertical direction, and one or more regions horizontally adjacent the magnified region are directly magnified at the same magnification level of the magnified region in a vertical direction, but demagnified in a horizontal direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of resizing the magnified region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions by a dragging operation across the regions of the virtual page.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions by a clicking operation that relocates the magnified region a set distance along the virtual page.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions by a clicking operation that relocates the magnified region on a subsequent region of the virtual page.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 5 wherein the subsequent region is a paragraph of the virtual page.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 6 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of resizing the magnified region to fit the paragraph of the virtual page.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions using a constant speed operation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions using an eye-tracking device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 9 wherein the eye-tracking device includes a delay.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 1 wherein in the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions using an eye-tracking device and a constant speed operation.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
129 words
A system for displaying images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages, the system comprising: a display system capable of executing a display program, wherein images of the virtual three-dimensional book are produced on the display system, and wherein, with respect to a partial page display, a tilting function is provided to rotate 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 function being executed via user input that causes information previously unseen via the partial page display to be tilted forward in virtual three-dimensional space and thereby become readable to the user.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
129 words
A system for displaying images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages, the system comprising: a display system capable of executing a display program, wherein images of the virtual three-dimensional book are produced on the display system, and wherein, with respect to a partial page display, a tilting function is provided to rotate 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 function being executed via user input that causes information previously unseen via the partial page display to be tilted forward in virtual three-dimensional space and thereby become readable to the user.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 12 wherein a virtual page is tilted forward about a horizontal central axis to accommodate viewing of a top portion of the virtual page.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 12 wherein a virtual page is tilted backward about a horizontal central axis to accommodate viewing of a bottom portion of the virtual page.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 12 wherein a virtual page is tilted clockwise about a vertical central axis to accommodate viewing of a right portion of the virtual page.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 12 wherein a virtual page is tilted counterclockwise about a vertical central axis to accommodate viewing of a left portion of the virtual page.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 12 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.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
137 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium 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 comprising: a magnification function for providing a virtual magnifier movable over the one more virtual pages, the virtual magnifier comprising: a central region for providing direct magnification for a desired portion of a virtual page; and one or more transition regions surrounding the central region for providing differential magnification for 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.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
137 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium 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 comprising: a magnification function for providing a virtual magnifier movable over the one more virtual pages, the virtual magnifier comprising: a central region for providing direct magnification for a desired portion of a virtual page; and one or more transition regions surrounding the central region for providing differential magnification for 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.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the virtual magnifier substantially defines a virtual pyramidic solid.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
143 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium 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 comprising: a magnification function for dividing a virtual page into a plurality of rectangular sections, wherein the magnification function comprises a piecewise step function along one or more of a horizontal or vertical axis of the virtual page, such that at least one magnified region of the page is directly magnified, while one or more regions vertically adjacent the magnified region are directly magnified in a horizontal direction but demagnified in a vertical direction, and one or more regions horizontally adjacent the magnified region are directly magnified at the same magnification level of the magnified region in a vertical direction, but demagnified in a horizontal direction.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
143 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium 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 comprising: a magnification function for dividing a virtual page into a plurality of rectangular sections, wherein the magnification function comprises a piecewise step function along one or more of a horizontal or vertical axis of the virtual page, such that at least one magnified region of the page is directly magnified, while one or more regions vertically adjacent the magnified region are directly magnified in a horizontal direction but demagnified in a vertical direction, and one or more regions horizontally adjacent the magnified region are directly magnified at the same magnification level of the magnified region in a vertical direction, but demagnified in a horizontal direction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of resizing the magnified region.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions by a dragging operation across the regions of the virtual page.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions by a clicking operation that relocates the magnified region a set distance along the virtual page.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions by a clicking operation that relocates the magnified region on a subsequent region of the virtual page.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer program product of claim 24 wherein the subsequent region is a paragraph of the virtual page.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
28 words
The computer program product of claim 25 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of resizing the magnified region to fit the paragraph of the virtual page.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions using a constant speed operation.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions using an eye-tracking device.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer program product of claim 28 wherein the eye-tracking device is configured to include a delay.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer program product of claim 20 wherein in the magnification function includes a process capable of relocating the magnified regions using an eye-tracking device and a constant speed operation.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
122 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium 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 comprising: with respect to a partial page display, a tilting function that rotates 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 function being executed via user input that causes information previously unseen via the partial page display to be tilted forward in virtual three-dimensional space and thereby become readable to the user.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
122 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium 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 comprising: with respect to a partial page display, a tilting function that rotates 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 function being executed via user input that causes information previously unseen via the partial page display to be tilted forward in virtual three-dimensional space and thereby become readable to the user.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer program product of claim 31 wherein a virtual page is tilted forward about a horizontal central axis to accommodate viewing of a top portion of the virtual page.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer program product of claim 31 wherein a virtual page is tilted backward about a horizontal central axis to accommodate viewing of a bottom portion of the virtual page.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer program product of claim 31 wherein a virtual page is tilted clockwise about a vertical central axis to accommodate viewing of a right portion of the virtual page.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer program product of claim 31 wherein a virtual page is tilted counterclockwise about a vertical central axis to accommodate viewing of a left portion of the virtual page.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
43 words
The computer program product of claim 31 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.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-08-01 | 2009-01-31 | 2009-08-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-08-01 | 2013-01-31 | 2013-08-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-08-01 | 2017-01-31 | 2017-08-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |